MRes Management and Organisation

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.

Program Outline

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. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to significant disruption, or in response to COVID-19, we’ll let our applicants and students know as soon as possible.

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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.

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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:

HR	100	4	FY
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

Year 1 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 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 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 BE969-7-SP or BE966-7-AP (20 CREDITS) COMPONENT 05: OPTIOL Option(s) from list (60 CREDITS)

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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

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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

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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