Program Overview

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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.

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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.

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Your future

Our MRes puts you in a particularly strong position to succeed in a research degree, such as a PhD . 89% of our postgraduate graduates are in employment or further study (Graduate Outcomes 2023).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.