The Research Master’s (MRes/MPhil): Your Gateway to Becoming a Researcher
So far in our series Your Guide to Postgraduate Awards, we’ve explored the focused PGCert, the comprehensive PGDip, and the gold-standard Taught Master’s. Now, we turn to the next major postgraduate milestone: the Research Master’s, the qualification designed for those who want to dive deeply into independent scholarship and contribute new knowledge to their field.
If the Taught Master’s gives you structured learning plus a dissertation, the Research Master’s flips that balance, placing research at the heart of the programme.
A Research Master’s (MRes or MPhil) is an advanced postgraduate qualification built primarily around an independent research project. Rather than attending scheduled lectures and modules, students work closely with a supervisor to design, conduct, and write up a substantial research study.
Typical characteristics:
Research-heavy structure: Usually 70–100% research with minimal taught components.
Duration: 12–24 months full-time.
Credits: Often 90–120 ECTS (depending on institution).
Output: A thesis (often 20,000–40,000+ words) demonstrating original research, critical analysis, and methodological mastery.
In essence:
The Research Master’s teaches you how to become a researcher.
Students aiming for PhD study often choose the MRes/MPhil as a stepping stone. It builds the research skills, academic writing ability, and methodological confidence needed for doctoral work.
Researchers in policy, industry, healthcare, psychology, UX, engineering, business analytics, education, and the public sector increasingly need evidence-based decision-making skills.
Those who want deep immersion in a topic - not through lectures, but through original investigation.
If you're entering a field that values research literacy (data, policy, science, social research) this qualification offers credibility and hands-on experience.
You’ll learn to frame research questions, apply methodologies, analyse data, and build arguments - skills essential for both academia and high-level professional roles.
Many universities view the MRes/MPhil as ideal preparation for doctoral study. Some even allow successful candidates to transfer directly into a PhD programme.
While a taught Master’s gives broad knowledge, a Research Master’s offers laser-focused depth in a single topic.
Employers value graduates who can:
Synthesise information
Manage large-scale projects
Analyse complex data
Present evidence clearly
Work independently
These are exactly the competencies developed in a research-focused degree.
Often includes a small taught component
Strong emphasis on research training and methodology
Common in sciences, social sciences, business, psychology, and STEM
More advanced and more heavily research-focused
Sometimes considered “mini-PhDs”
Often leads to PhD progression or may be awarded en route to a full doctorate
In simple terms:
MRes = structured research training
MPhil = higher-level, independent research
You’ll define a research question, justify its importance, and outline your methodology.
Work with an academic supervisor who guides, challenges, and supports your project.
Methods vary by discipline—laboratory experiments, archival work, fieldwork, interviews, surveys, textual analysis, or computational modelling.
A substantial, original contribution to your field, demonstrating your mastery of both subject and method.
Some programmes require an oral defence; others rely on written assessment alone.
Choose this path if you want to:
Build a research career in academia, policy, or industry
Deeply specialise in a single topic
Develop advanced methodology and data-analysis skills
Experience postgraduate study with maximum independence
If you thrive on curiosity, autonomy, and scholarly challenge, the Research Master’s could be your ideal postgraduate path.
Explore our database to discover MRes and MPhil programmes across Irelandand take the first step toward becoming a researcher and shaping the future of your discipline.
