Course Catalogue

View Specification Document | Reading List

This course provides a foundational understanding of the core concepts of research design and introduces a range of interdisciplinary quantitative and qualitative methods for social and environmental sustainability.

This course aims to equip students with the research approaches and skills in diverse discipline contexts necessary to plan and undertake independent research as part of their studies and later in their chosen careers. Students are given an opportunity to apply the skills acquired in this part of the course to a project leading to a research report and group presentation, which will also form part of the assessment of the course.

1-hour lecture and 2-hour seminar/workshop/project session/online. (For students on the Enhanced Practice in Education [MSc] programme the delivery will mainly be online weekly sessions and in-person weekend seminars.)

Admission to a relevant programme

Advanced Research Method DUMF5096

Research Methods in Environmental Risk and Management DUMF5137

Research Method course EpiE Evaluating Educational Change DUMF5163

None

Assessment 1 Group Presentation (35%) (ILOs 1-6)

Assessment 2 Research Proposal (65%-including anonymous peer feedback element (5%)) (ILOs 1-6)

This course aims to:

■ Introduce students to the core concepts of research design.

■ Explain and assess different approaches to reviewing academic literature.

■ Explore the foundations of conducting qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods research and utilising relevant strategies for data analysis.

■ Systematically explore the ethical dimensions of undertaking academic research.

■ Provide an opportunity to design a research proposal, including the justification of methodological choices, research questions, and analytical strategies.

■ Enable students to strengthen their teamwork and communication skills for interdisciplinary academic and practitioner audiences.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Develop scientifically valid research questions, aims and objectives. 

■ Explain a range of data collection and analysis methods and identify which are best suited to address specific research aims/questions.

■ Systematically explore the ethical and practical dimensions (including risks and constraints) of undertaking research

■ Critically evaluate and apply different academic literature review approaches in diverse discipline research contexts. 

■ Apply teamworking and communication skills through undertaking a group project. 

■ Develop, plan, and present a research project in their own discipline context.