How to apply

Overview

The details

Course: Management Research

Start date: October 2025

Study mode: Full-time

Duration: 1 year

Location: Colchester Campus

Based in: Essex Business School

Management and organisations are focus areas of research within the fields of human resource management and organisational studies. You will explore qualitative and quantitative methods of research specifically designed to interrogate the fields of management and organisations.

MRes Management and Organisation is designed for those wishing to follow a career in research and/or academia, there is a strong research focus in this degree, although there are some taught elements which will support your knowledge of the research field. An MRes is the ideal first step if you hope to progress to doctoral studies, such as a PhD.

You deepen your thinking about management and organisations and develop a broader understanding of the changing role and contemporary perception of management.

MRes Management and Organisation explores research and management issues, such as:

research skills, including both quantitative and qualitative approaches
theoretical stances underpinning different approaches to research
how to design a research proposal, including construction of research questions and/or hypotheses
management of a research project
management theory
reflection on organisational behaviour and human resource management

We equip you with the skills and knowledge to appreciate the depth and breadth of management and organisational theories and techniques and apply these within a social science context. You benefit from cutting edge social science research conducted by our Organisation Studies and Human Resource Management Group who specialise in understanding organisations and organisational development through the lens of its people.

You study at Essex Business School (EBS). We don't just think about business as being a collection of equipment, buildings and stock. Instead, we consider a business to be an interconnected group of people - people who have the power to influence, and be influenced by, the operations of that business. This approach to understanding the human aspects of why businesses operate in the way they do lends itself perfectly to studying management and organisations.

Why we're great.

Become a member of our thriving Centre for Work, Organisation and Society (CWOS) that supports the research of our world-leading academics.
This course is the ideal first step for a research qualification in management, such as a PhD.
Choose from a number of optional modules to prepare the perfect foundation for further PhD research.

Our expert staff

Essex Business School has an international reputation for research on workplace inequalities and injustices. Research by our organisation studies and human resource management group covers:

job insecurity and its consequences across cultures
organisational change, transition and leadership
sustainability, ethics and corporate social responsibility
integrated health care, workplace wellbeing and mental health
collective creativity and innovation
emotional and aesthetic aspects of work and workplaces

You'll have the opportunity to hear from experts such as Professor Melissa Tyler Professor of Work and Organisation at Essex Business School.

Professor Tyler's research focuses on gender, feminist theory and the body in work and organisational settings. She recently published a book titled ‘Soho at Work - Pleasure and Place in Contemporary London' which examines the lived experience of working in Soho, a place that is renowned both as a close-knit community and an internationally recognised hub of the commercial sex industry.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Professor Tyler was awarded funding by the British Academy to explore the impact of COVID-19 on the performing arts sector and the consequences of the pandemic for workers who derive a significant sense of their identity from their occupation as performance artists.

The research activities of academics in our organisation studies and human resource management group is supported by the Centre for Work, Organisation and Society (CWOS) which brings together interdisciplinary research on work, society and organisational life. The Centre's research draws on the humanities and social sciences, bringing in perspectives from disciplines such as cultural studies, history, literary theory, philosophy, psychology, sociology and political economy.

Specialist facilities

We're proud of our stunning business school building, built with sustainability as the guiding principle.

MRes Management and Organisation is based at our Colchester Campus.

You'll be studying at Essex Business School, home to the first zero carbon business school in the UK – demonstrating our sustainable approach to business first-hand. Set around a lush winter garden, with shared spaces to encourage collaborative working, you'll find a wealth of inspiring teaching and study zones:

learn in modern lecture theatres with ‘listen again' recording to aid your study
utilise study booths in our winter garden and versatile break out areas for group working throughout the building
study skills support provided by the Essex Business School Learning Team
networking opportunities with visiting businesses and careers events
Bonds café and adjacent foyer to enjoy on-site fresh food and drink

You'll also benefit from fantastic University facilities located close by, including our state-of-the-art Silberrad Student Centre, complete with an open-access 24-hour Learning Hub and a cutting-edge media centre.

Our building is located on the Knowledge Gateway, home to some of the region's most exciting enterprises in the science, technology and creative sectors. The Knowledge Gateway provides potential networking and career opportunities for students directly on campus.

Your future

Our MRes puts you in a particularly strong position to succeed in a research degree, such as a PhD.

Our graduates have entered high-profile organisations and exciting SMEs, such as:

HM Treasury
Groupon
HP
KPMG

Our Student Support team work closely with the University's Employability and Careers service to help you with careers information and advice and CV support. They will help you find work experience, internships, placements and voluntary opportunities and provide access to employer talks on campus. We also work closely with the Essex Startups team to support our budding entrepreneurs get their business ideas off the ground.

Entry requirements

UK entry requirements

A 2:2 degree, or international equivalent, in a MBA, management or related social science discipline.

You should also hold at least two years' of graduate work experience.

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 isn’t your first language, we require IELTS 6.5 overall with a minimum component score of 5.5 except for 6.0 in writing.

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

We offer a flexible course structure with a mixture of core/compulsory modules, and optional modules chosen from lists. Please be aware that we are planning changes to our first year to make it more relevant to your chosen course.

Our research-led teaching is continually evolving to address the latest challenges and breakthroughs in the field. The following modules are based on the current course structure and may change in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.

We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision for you. We'll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities as described on our website and in line with your contract with us. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to significant disruption, we'll let our applicants and students know as soon as possible.

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 in Management

(60 CREDITS)

Your dissertation is the culmination of your course, where you apply knowledge gained to produce an extended independent piece of work. You generate an original idea, analyse literature and current knowledge and produce a coherent argument that shows your ability to relate theory to practice. Your dissertation/research project will help you develop vital skills for the workplace, as well as the ability to analyse real problems through an academic lens. You are assigned a supervisor for the duration of your project.

View Dissertation in Management on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 02: CORE

Philosophies of Research and Advanced Qualitative Research Methods

(20 CREDITS)

This module is designed to build on your knowledge and understanding of research in management, marketing, accounting and organisation studies and to develop your skills in studying organisational life. Its aim is to draw together insights from the philosophy of the social sciences, methodology and advanced qualitative research methods in order to develop an informed and reflexive understanding of research design and practice. A key part of your learning process on this module will develop your ability to connect an informed understanding of the philosophical underpinnings of organisational research with your planned methodological approach and methods of data collection and analysis. Underpinning the module is an understanding of the research process not as a unidirectional, linear trajectory but as a complex and multi-dimensional back and forth process through which ideas evolve that coalesce into a research design that is specific to particular research projects and researchers and which enables those projects to proceed ethically and credibly.

View Philosophies of Research and Advanced Qualitative Research Methods on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 03: COMPULSORY

Research Evaluation

(20 CREDITS)

Explore a range of theoretical, philosophical and methodological approaches to the conduct of doctoral research with a focus on the literature phase of a research project. You scrutinise the process of writing an academic literature review, develop a literature-based research plan for your dissertation, integrating subject-specific learning with insights on research methodology and epistemology.

View Research Evaluation on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 04: COMPULSORY WITH OPTIONS

(20 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 05: OPTIONAL

(60 CREDITS)

Teaching

Tailor the content of your course to more closely fit your interests and aspirations
Modules focus on applied skills and links with industry
We run an open seminar series focused on key contemporary Organisational Studies and Human Resource Management issues

Assessment

You will be assessed through a combination of coursework assignments, which may take a number of forms, such as essays, case studies, theoretical and empirical studies

Dissertation

You submit a 15,000 word dissertation designed to enable you to demonstrate the knowledge, understanding, and skills gained from the programme by integrating and applying your learning to a current issue your choice

Fees and funding

Home/UK fee

£15,000

International fee

£23,500

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.

You can apply for this postgraduate course online. Before you apply, please check our information about necessary documents that we'll ask you to provide as part of your application.

We aim to respond to applications within two weeks. If we are able to offer you a place, you will be contacted via email.

For information on our deadline to apply for this course, please see our ‘how to apply' information.

A sunny day with banners flying on Colchester Campus Square 4.

Set within 200 acres of award-winning parkland - Wivenhoe Park and located two miles from the historic city centre of Colchester – England's oldest recorded development. Our Colchester Campus is also easily reached from London and Stansted Airport in under one hour.

Find out more

View from Square 2 outside the Rab Butler Building looking towards Square 3

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.

Find out more

The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its programme specification is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can be necessary to make changes, for example to courses, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include, but are not limited to: strikes, other industrial action, staff illness, severe weather, fire, civil commotion, riot, invasion, terrorist attack or threat of terrorist attack (whether declared or not), natural disaster, restrictions imposed by government or public authorities, epidemic or pandemic disease, failure of public utilities or transport systems or the withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to courses may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications. The University would inform and engage with you if your course was to be discontinued, and would provide you with options, where appropriate, in line with our Compensation and Refund Policy.

The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.