Online Masters in Educational and
Social Research (OMRes)
Structure and Syllabus
The anticipated structure of the OMRes
is:
The Dissertation can
only be taken by students registered on the MRes. The PG Diploma is
equivalent to 120 credits and the PG Certificate is equivalent to 90
credits.
The course director has
put together a PDF
listing suggested routes [New window] through
the PG Diploma or PG Certificate.
Please note:
this structure is still to be confirmed in the Programme Regulations.
Syllabuses
Approaches to Educational Research
provides an overview of the ways in which different academic perspectives
(such as sociology, psychology and history) have addressed and formulated
topics of enquiry in educational research. The module provides training
in how to formulate research questions, design research strategies,
and to carry out rigorous literature searches. Through this training,
students will begin to develop a portfolio of research ideas that they
will develop throughout the course.
Research and the Theoretical Field
focuses on the ‘theoretical space’ of research, and explore
the relationship between theoretical and epistemological claims/assumptions/debates
and research practices. This will entail a close interrogation of both
published research and students’ own research ideas.
Research Methods involves
looking at a broad range of methods of data collection, including questionnaires,
interviews, focus groups, observations, and document analysis. The module
provides a detailed consideration of the procedures involved in using
these various research strategies, and looks at how to match methods
appropriately to research questions through reflecting on the advantages
and disadvantages of the methods.
Qualitative Data Analysis
considers the process of analytically orientating to qualitative
data. The module looks at a range of analytic approaches, including
Grounded Theory, Discourse Analysis, Conversation Analysis, as well
as a broad variety of data formats such as video, audio, written transcripts
and historical documents.
Quantitative Data Analysis
covers a wide range of methods of quantitative data analysis and deals
with both conceptual and practical aspects. The module introduces exploratory
analysis, including descriptive statistics for summarising univariate
data and measures of association for bivariate data, hypothesis testing,
and modelling data by regression analysis.
Writing and Presenting
Educational Research provides students with a detailed
understanding on the different ways in which educational research can
be communicated. By focussing on a variety of publication forums, such
as peer reviewed journals, newspapers, and policy documents, the module
enables students to develop an awareness of the importance of writing
style for the effective communication of ideas.
The
Dissertation module is an
interactive support network that enables researchers to overcome some
of the problems that can arise from working on research in isolation.
The module gives students the opportunities to present their research
to others, and to discuss their research ideas within an informed and
relaxed environment.
Please
note: this structure is still to be confirmed in the Programme Regulations.
