How to Apply for a MRes Position

The Master’s by Research (MRes) is a 1-year course offering a research-intensive alternative to taught master’s courses, with an emphasis on independent but supervised research. MRes students work closely with at least two supervisors, who provide support through each stage of designing and completing an original piece of research. It provides a further qualification for a career where independent research skills will set you apart and provide an excellent platform and research experience for subsequent PhD research. It also gives candidates the opportunity to develop materials and manuscripts for submission and potential publication in peer-reviewed journals.

Entry Requirements

Students who want to study for a MRes with us need to fulfil our entry requirements. These are:

• A 2(i) at undergraduate level (or equivalent) in a relevant subject
• For applicants who are not from a recognised English speaking country: an English language test that meets the direct entry Band A requirements (e.g. IELTS score of at least 7, with no element below 6.5). The list of accepted tests and scores required can be found here.

For candidates fulfilling these criteria, getting an offer to study typically involves the following steps:

Step 1: Finding a potential supervisor

Research degree students are supervised by world-leading, internationally recognised researchers. To find a supervisor for your project, candidates should:

• Check a list of suggested projects
• Find out about our research groups
• Look at our staff profiles

To find out about availabilities and to potentially develop a research proposal (see next step), candidates can informally contact the respective staff member directly via email. It is helpful to include a CV and clear information about research interests. Candidates can also ask the Director of Postgraduate Research (holger.wiese@durham.ac.uk) for guidance on whether there is expertise in the Department to supervise a particular area of interest.

Step 2: Developing a research proposal

Once candidates have been in contact with a potential supervisor and have agreed on an area of research for an MRes project, they should develop a research proposal. This can be based on a pre-existing project advertised by the staff member or can be developed on the basis of shared research interests between the candidate and supervisor.

The written proposal must not be longer than two A4 pages, excluding references, and should contain a brief description of (i) the relevant background literature, including the theoretical or practical relevance of the chosen research area, (ii) a clear statement of the research question(s), (iii) a description of the methodological approach, and (iv) a timeline, demonstrating how the research question can be tackled within the timeframe of a MRes project.

Step 3: The application

Finally, once candidates have completed steps 1 and 2, they should next submit their application.

• All applications are made on the university’s online portal
• Candidates need to make sure they complete all relevant sections of the online application form

We also ask candidates to submit the following documents:

• Two academic reference letters
• Copies of Degree Certificates or Transcripts of Marks to date
• A CV
• A personal statement
• The research proposal (see step 2)
• For applicants who are not from a recognised English speaking country, evidence of English language ability (see above)

The typical start dates for the MRes programme are 1st October, 1st January and 1st April, and the standard MRes duration is 1 year.

Applicants should aim to submit applications as early as possible and no later than the relevant deadlines:

• The deadline for applications from home applicants is 7 weeks before your proposed start date.
• The deadline for applications from international applicants is 10 weeks before your proposed start date.

Any questions about these steps should be directed to pgrinfo.psy@durham.ac.uk

Criteria for making an offer to study

Once candidates have submitted their application, the department’s PGR team will process and evaluate it based on the following criteria:

• The academic track record
• The quality and feasibility of the research proposal
• Written references
• And English Language level.

In addition to evaluating the written application, we will typically invite candidates for an interview (online if necessary).

Funding Opportunities

Studying at postgraduate research level at Durham University is subject to tuition fees. Funding opportunities for the MRes degree are limited so many students self-fund or secure external funding.

The University’s list of Postgraduate Scholarships may have some opportunities that are open to MRes applicants. Please be aware that the MRes is a ‘PGR’ degree so opportunities that are listed as ‘PGT’ opportunities may not extend to the MRes. Please direct any questions about these funding opportunities to scholarships.advice@durham.ac.uk.