The MA in Research Methods (Education) provides a broad-based practical grounding in research design methodologies with a specific focus on education.
The focus is on understanding research designs for conducting and evaluating rigorous research. Core modules examine the use of research tools for analysing and interpreting research data, this includes detailed discussion on formulating research questions, innovative research designs, and developing theoretical understanding of concepts, both in the field of education and across the wider social sciences.
The course is one of a suite of methods-based postgraduate degrees delivered at cross-faculty level with modules taught across the School of Education, the Department of Sociology, the School of Government and International Affairs, the Department of Anthropology, and the Department of Psychology. This provides wide-ranging opportunities for interdisciplinary study which can help you transition into careers in academia, the public sector, non-governmental organisations, charitable organisations, the business sector and more. Alternatively, it can serve as a stepping-stone to doctoral level studies.
Professor Nadia Siddiqui is a Programme Director for MA Research Methods in Education.
Read Professor Nadia Siddiqui's blog to find out what it's like to study in the School of Education and what to expect from the programme.
After training and working in schools, I chose to pursue a career in Education Research. This course offered me excellent training in the skills that I need to pursue this career and aligns particularly well with the PhD process. A huge thank you to the wonderful staff involved in this course, particularly Nadia who is always so incredibly supportive.
MA Research Methods in Education is an excellent programme for those who want to know the nature and value of evidence in education research. Its interdisciplinary nature meant that we were able to take courses from different departments. I would highly recommend this programme, especially for students who are planning to do a PhD, or for those who want to do research. During the six months I studied, I gained a thorough understanding of research methods and learnt a lot of practical skills. The great strength of the programme was its interdisciplinary nature, which meant that we were able to take courses from different departments.
I enjoyed the experience of our program. I learnt different research skills across different social science disciplines (e.g. education, psychology, sociology…) The data analysis software like Rstudio and SPSS are also useful for me to carry out my future PhD research. The best thing I learned is how to design my own research in applicable and critical ways through summative essays and methods evaluation assignments.
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