Course introduction
Professional Recognition: accredited by the Market Research Society (MRS)
Key features of the course include:
• provides professional training in social and market research
• focuses on the needs of early career researchers/research managers working in commercial and non-commercial settings
• explores principles and concepts in a wide range of marketing, public policy and non-commercial settings
• develops understanding of a wide range of research tools and how to apply them in context including digital/new media contexts
• taught by highly experienced practising researchers supplemented by visiting lecturers from the industry
• supervised dissertation, enabling you to rigorously design, deliver and report on a research project of their choice
• awards either an MA or MSc depending upon whether the dissertation has a qualitative or quantitative focus
The University of Westminster is the only research Masters offered in central London that is professionally accredited by the MRS. This enables successful students with a minimum of two years research experience to become full members of the MRS and to be exempted from the qualifying MRS exams (both the Advanced Certificate and the Diploma in Market and Social Research Practice). Further information can be found on the Market Research Society’s website
Course contentThe course has been designed to enable market and social researchers, with some experience, to examine the principles underlying a wide range of research practice, and to design and evaluate research practice based on a firm understanding of those principles. The course enables you to make clearly justified and appropriate choices in a wide variety of contexts across the research process.
Core modules:
• Applied Social and Market Research in Context
• Dissertation/Major Project
• Introduction to Qualitative and Quantitative Research
• Qualitative Research Methods and Data Analysis
• Quantitative Research Methods and Data Analysis
• Research Design and Management
• Research Practice and Assessment
TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT
Each module will usually consist of three-hour classes over a 12-week period (except for module 1 which is year-long and the dissertation module where you have personal supervision). Most classes take place in the evening but there will be one afternoon class in the second semester.
Each module is individually assessed by coursework. There are no exams.
MRS Accredited Dissertation Prize: Dissertations which receive a distinction can be entered for the prestigious MRS Accredited Dissertation Prize.
The MA/MSc is delivered by a team of committed and enthusiastic staff with extensive experience as market and social research specialists. This means that issues and skills fundamental to problem-solving research in today’s workplace will be stressed.
Each module is individually assessed by coursework. There are no exams.
Entry requirementsYou will be expected to possess at least a Second Class Honours degree or equivalent. Preference will be given to those with an Honours degree. If you do not have these qualifications you will need to demonstrate that you have the relevant work experience and academic potential to study effectively at Masters level. If your first language is not English, you will need an IELTS score of 6.5 or TOEFL 600. The University offers pre-sessional summer programmes if you need to improve your English before starting your course.
Associated CareersThe course retains strong links with the research industry. Past students work for organisations such as MORI, Research International, BMRB, Government research departments, the BBC and CNN. Those working in the research industry on the practitioner or client side can develop their research profiles by undertaking a dissertation related to their work. Other students sometimes undertake work placements when conducting research for their dissertations.
More informationTEACHING TEAM
The modules have been designed for and by professional researchers working in social and market research contexts and this is reflected in the teaching team who all have extensive experience as social and market research specialists and practitioners.
Nils Beer is module leader for Quantitative Research Methods and Data Analysis and also teaches on the Introduction to Qualitative and Quantitative Research. He is a health psychologist with considerable experience of using and teaching quantitative techniques and statistics. He is currently completing his doctoral research on stress. He is a Graduate member of the British Psychological Association and Associate Member of the Royal Medical Society. He teaches on a variety of quantitative and statistic courses at the University of Westminster.
Anne Dunn is module leader for Research Design, Ethics and Management. She is an active researcher and has done research work with police, prisons and other public authorities. She was policy and research manager at NACRO for whom she continues to undertake research on social issues and was Head of Research at Ionann Consultant. She is a member of the Higher Education Academy.
Mia Lorenz is module leader for the Introduction to Qualitative and Quantitative Research, Qualitative Research Methods and Data Analysis and Research Practice and Assessment. She has an MA in Applied Social and Market Research from the University of Westminster, her dissertation winning the prestigious MRS Accredited Dissertation Prize. She is a Full Member of the MRS, as well as Member of the Social Research Association and the Higher Education Academy. She has many years experience of senior project management in the research and web services industries and runs her own business as an independent social and market researcher.
Malcolm Rigg is the module leader for Applied Social and Market Research in Context. He has considerable experience as both a market and social research practitioner in the public, business and commercial sectors. He is the Director of the Policy Studies Institute at the University and was previously Managing Director of the British Market Research Bureau (BMRB). He was Director of Research at COI Communications, Head of Public Interest Research at Which? and a Director of IFF Research. He is a Fellow of the MRS and RSA, an Academician of the Social Sciences and Honorary Life Member of the Association of Survey Computing.
Derrick Wright is Course Leader and has responsibility for the day-to-day running and overall management of the course and the development of the curriculum. He was a marketing executive for EMI Classics and for many years ran a successful editorial and typesetting business. Latterly he was co-director of the London Designer Glass Company which developed, design and imported crystal glass products for major UK high-end retailers. Always maintaining an interest in sociology (he has a PhD in the subject) he more recently took up a full-time appointment at the University of Westminster as senior lecturer in Sociology. He has research interests in football as an aspect of the culture industry and false community, pedagogy, theory and methods.
RELATED COURSES
• MA/MSc Applied Market and Social Research 1-year full-time course
This is the same course but taken in one-year on a full-time basis.
• Market Research Society (MRS) Diploma in Market and Social Research Practice
Like the Masters, the MRS Diploma is designed for research practitioners working in market and/or social research, either within research agencies or on the client-side. It is based on core elements of the MA/MSc Applied Market and Social Research. Further study plus the dissertation enable Diploma holders to achieve the Masters at a later stage.
The Diploma enables you to examine thoroughly the principles underlying a wide range of research practice, and to design and evaluate research practice based on a firm understanding of those principles. You will be expected to make clearly justified and appropriate choices in a wide variety of contexts across the research process.
The Diploma comprises five units run as part of the MA/MSc (modules 1 to 4 inclusive and either module 5 or 6 – see Course Content above). These will prepare you for the assessments set by the Market Research Society. The course takes two years on a part-time basis.
Students successfully completing the Diploma can subsequently register for the MA/MSc and only have to take module 5 or 6 as well a complete the dissertation (module 7).
Further information about the Diploma at the University of Westminster can be found here
More information can also be found on the Market Research Society’s website website
We are one of only four education centres to offer the Market Research Society (MRS) Diploma in Market and Social Research Practice.