How to apply

Overview

The details

Course: Health Research

Start date: October 2025

Study mode: Full-time

Duration: 1 year

Location: Colchester Campus

Based in: Health and Social Care (School of)

The Masters in Health and Social Care Research (MRes) at the University of Essex prepares health and social care practitioners for a range of research careers. It provides practitioners with a framework for the evaluation of health and social care practice to support reliable, evidence-based decision-making. Applications from all health and social care practitioners are welcomed. Students who have been registered with an eligible professional body for 5 years or less may apply for an NIHR INSIGHTprogramme place on the course:

Academy for Healthcare Science
General Chiropractic Council
General Dental Council
General Medical Council
General Optical Council
General Osteopathic Council
General Pharmaceutical Council
Health and Care Professions Council
Nursing and Midwifery Council
Social Work England
UK Public Health Register
Our MRes Health Research course is designed to enable health and social care practitioners to develop advanced and applied research skills and prepare them for careers as researcher-practitioners. The course draws on the expertise of researcher and researcher-practitioners, orientating learning towards the challenges facing the health and social care sector, focusing on research methodologies, theories and practices associated with contemporary and future priorities in health and social care. Approaches favoured by the NIHR – the UK’s national research council for health research – are embedded throughout the curriculum, ensuring that you develop expertise in:
- Quantitative and qualitative research skills
- Critical appraisal of research methodologies
- Evidence synthesis and the dissemination of implementation of evidence in practice
- Theories and concepts that inform methodological approaches and standards.
- Managing small and large datasets
- Ethical research conduct and practices
- Project management in the context of health and social care research

Why we're great.

The MRes at University of Essex prepares students to undertake novel research in Health and Care settings, academia and the private sector.
You will be provided with a clear framework for planning future research projects and advancing to doctoral training
This course is delivered by researchers and lecturers with health and care backgrounds and academic disciplines relating to health and social science.

Our expert staff

A unique feature of our School is that many of our staff work with local NHS Trusts and other local agencies, which enhances our grasp of the contemporary links between academic research, the major issues of the day and practice.

We specialise in applied, multidisciplinary research that addresses issues of national and international concern to health and social care policy and practice and related fields.

Specialist facilities

The School of Health and Social Care is located at two sites; in the Kimmy Eldridge building at our Colchester campus and in the Gateway Building at our Southend campus.

Our dedicated support tutor will help to develop your academic literacy and clinical numeracy skills. This helps you apply these critically important areas of study to real life situations.

Your future

The MRes in Health and Social Care Research prepares students for employment in diverse health and social care, academic or private sector settings.

Entry requirements

UK entry requirements

We will consider applicants with:

An honours degree, at grade 2:2 or above or international equivalent.

AND

Applicants must be registered with one of the following regulatory bodies:

Academy for Healthcare Science
General Chiropractic Council
General Dental Council
General Medical Council
General Optical Council
General Osteopathic Council
General Pharmaceutical Council
Health and Care Professions Council
Nursing and Midwifery Council
Social Work England

International & EU entry requirements

We accept a wide range of qualifications from applicants studying in the EU and other countries. Get in touch with any questions you may have about the qualifications we accept. Remember to tell us about the qualifications you have already completed or are currently taking.

Sorry, the entry requirements for the country that you have selected are not available here. Please contact our Graduate Admissions team at pgquery@essex.ac.uk to request the entry requirements for this country.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, we require IELTS 6.5 overall with a minimum component score of 5.5 in all components.

If you do not meet our IELTS requirements then you may be able to complete a pre-sessional English pathway that enables you to start your course without retaking IELTS.

Additional Notes

The University uses academic selection criteria to determine an applicant’s ability to successfully complete a course at the University of Essex. Where appropriate, we may ask for specific information relating to previous modules studied or work experience.

Structure

Course structure

Our dedicated support tutor will help to develop your academic literacy and clinical numeracy skills. This helps you apply these critically important areas of study to real life situations.

The course is available on a part- or full-time basis.

Full-time has 180 credits corresponding to 1800 hours of learning (including self-directed learning). Part-time study corresponds to 900 hours across the academic year.

A combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials and small group teaching sessions focus on the core content of the curriculum. Self-directed learning requires a further 3 days per week.

Components and modules explained

Components

Components are the blocks of study that make up your course. A component may have a set module which you must study, or a number of modules from which you can choose.

Each component has a status and carries a certain number of credits towards your qualification.

Status	What this means
Core	You must take the set module for this component and you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Core with Options	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component but you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Compulsory	You must take the set module for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Compulsory with Options	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Optional	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.

The modules that are available for you to choose for each component will depend on several factors, including which modules you have chosen for other components, which modules you have completed in previous years of your course, and which term the module is taught in.

Modules

Modules are the individual units of study for your course. Each module has its own set of learning outcomes and assessment criteria and also carries a certain number of credits.

In most cases you will study one module per component, but in some cases you may need to study more than one module. For example, a 30-credit component may comprise of either one 30-credit module, or two 15-credit modules, depending on the options available.

Modules may be taught at different times of the year and by a different department or school to the one your course is primarily based in. You can find this information from the module code. For example, the module code HR100-4-FY means:

100

The department or school the module will be taught by.

In this example, the module would be taught by the Department of History.

The module number.

The UK academic level of the module.

A standard undergraduate course will comprise of level 4, 5 and 6 modules - increasing as you progress through the course.

A standard postgraduate taught course will comprise of level 7 modules.

A postgraduate research degree is a level 8 qualification.

The term the module will be taught in.

AU: Autumn term
SP: Spring term
SU: Summer term
FY: Full year
AP: Autumn and Spring terms
PS: Spring and Summer terms
AS: Autumn and Summer terms

COMPONENT 01: CORE

Dissertation

(60 CREDITS)

This final module consolidates your learning and equips you to take your career forward with a range of skills and knowledge relevant to your professional practice. It is an opportunity to undertake an independent research project relevant to your field of practice. You will formulate a research question, plan and carry out the project, analyse and write up the results. You can undertake primary or secondary research, or audit/service evaluation or a library based critical literature review research project. If you are undertaking the MSc in Health Research you will undertake a primary or secondary research project, engaging with empirical data.

View Dissertation on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 02: CORE

Research Placement

(15 CREDITS)

This module draws upon principles of practicum learning to support candidates’ development as clinical research practitioners. Candidates will gain experience of working as part of a clinical research team aligned, as far as possible, with individual candidates’ proposed research interests.

View Research Placement on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 03: COMPULSORY

Introduction to Health Informatics and Applied Epidemiology

(15 CREDITS)

Health Informatics can bring improvements in health and social care practice and patient/client safety. It is multidisciplinary and combines clinical and social care practice expertise and biomedicine with Information Technology (IT), epidemiology, health and social care policies, computing science, mathematics and statistics. The module is suitable for registered health and care professionals who want to improve their understanding of digital health and care practice and to learn the skills to manage health and social care systems, analyse routine data from their own professional practice and be able to develop and evaluate digital health and care interventions.

View Introduction to Health Informatics and Applied Epidemiology on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 04: COMPULSORY

Data Collection, Analysis and Interpretation

(15 CREDITS)

This module provides you with a range of techniques for collecting, analysing and interpreting data. It combines a theoretical and a practical approach to enable you to understand the collection and analysis process. At the end of the module, you will be able to design and pilot data collection instruments, conduct quantitative and qualitative data analysis using appropriate computer software, and interpret statistical and qualitative research findings. Find out more about this module at https://www.essex.ac.uk/short-courses/hs908/7/data-collection-analysis-and-interpretation

View Data Collection, Analysis and Interpretation on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 05: COMPULSORY

Qualitative Health Research

(15 CREDITS)

Suitable for Masters and Doctoral students undertaking research methods training, this is a general introduction to process of qualitative research as applied to the study of issues of health and illness. The course places a central focus on processes and practices of qualitative research. At the end of this course you will be aware of central issues in the conduct of qualitative research.

View Qualitative Health Research on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 06: COMPULSORY

Statistical Analysis

(15 CREDITS)

This module is ideal if you have no previous experience of quantitative methods. It introduces you to basic and intermediate statistical concepts and procedures, emphasising practical applications rather than mathematics; although a small amount of elementary mathematics is inevitably required.

View Statistical Analysis on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 07: COMPULSORY

Survey Research Methods

(15 CREDITS)

A survey is a form of structured enquiry that collects similar information on each member of a sample or population (of people, households or physical objects e.g. houses) from existing documents, self-completed questionnaires, interviews or observations with a view to drawing scientific conclusions about social (including health-related) issues. Health surveys are cross-sectional studies and can be used to collect data longitudinally, over time. They are useful in a variety of research methods including semi structured interviews, Health-related Quality of Life outcome measurement tools and other types of questionnaires.

View Survey Research Methods on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 08: COMPULSORY

Health Economics

(15 CREDITS)

This module focuses on the technique of economic evaluation. As resources are scarce choices need to be made about how to best allocate those scarce resources. Given resources are finite provision of one option means there is less resource that can be spent elsewhere and as such another option will likely have to be sacrificed (i.e., there is generally an opportunity cost associated with the provision of a particular health care intervention as it means another intervention will not be provided). Economic evaluation typically compares the costs and benefits of different health care interventions with a view to establish which intervention is more cost-effective i.e., which intervention offers value for money and should therefore be provided (at the expense of another intervention which would not be provided). The module will outline the different types of economic evaluation, and explain the steps of identification, measurement and valuation of both costs and outcomes. It will include applied work where students would be able to use hypothetical data to estimate costs based on different levels of resource use e.g., the number of visits to different types of health professionals, and outcomes based on reported quality of life data. Exercises would be developed in e.g., Microsoft Excel / STATA. The analysis performed on such estimated cost and outcome data in order estimate levels of cost-effectiveness/value for money will also be covered. The use of critical appraisal to assess the quality of the economic evidence and use of recommended reporting checklists/standards will also be outlined.

View Health Economics on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 09: COMPULSORY WITH OPTIONS

(15 CREDITS)

Placement

Placements with established researchers or research groups are carefully tailored to the student’s professional background. The placement provides first-hand experience of undertaking research in the real world.

Teaching

The course is delivered using small-group teaching sessions, seminars, applied workshops and a research placement, where you work as a member of an established clinical, health or care-based research team to practise your emergent expertise in a real-world practicum.

Assessment

The formal assessments are in the form of written assignments, generally with a 2000-4000 word written format.

Dissertation

The dissertation is an extended piece of scholarship of students choosing and should be based on a piece of research that they structure and lead. Dissertations offer the opportunity for in-depth study and analysis of a topic relevant to the Master’s degree programme. It gives students the chance to pursue a topic that they are interested in and to develop research their independent study skills.

The dissertation comprises one-third of the credits on the MRes. Students are expected to demonstrate the ability to engage critically and analytically with literature in the field, building upon relevant concepts and theory covered in the taught element of the degree.

Fees and funding

Home/UK fee

TBC

International fee

TBC

Masters fees and funding information

Research (e.g. PhD) fees and funding information

What's next

We hold Open Days for all our applicants throughout the year. Our Colchester Campus events are a great way to find out more about studying at Essex, and give you the chance to:

tour our campus and accommodation
find out answers to your questions about our courses, student finance, graduate employability, student support and more
meet our students and staff

If the dates of our organised events aren’t suitable for you, feel free to get in touch by emailing tours@essex.ac.uk and we’ll arrange an individual campus tour for you.

2024 Open Days (Colchester Campus)

Saturday 16 November 2024 - Mini Open Day

Find out more

There is more information about how to apply for our postgraduate courses online. You'll need to provide us with your academic qualifications, as well as supporting documents such as transcripts, English language qualifications and certificates. You can find a list of necessary documents online, but please note we won't be able to process your application until we have everything we need.

To apply for this course, please complete this application form .

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If you live too far away to come to Essex (or have a busy lifestyle), no problem. Our 360 degree virtual tour allows you to explore the Colchester Campus from the comfort of your home. Check out our accommodation options, facilities and social spaces.

At Essex we pride ourselves on being a welcoming and inclusive student community. We offer a wide range of support to individuals and groups of student members who may have specific requirements, interests or responsibilities.

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