Research Design and Ethics (502X8)

15 credits, Level 7 (Masters)

Spring teaching

On this module, you’ll explore how to design a research project.

You’ll consider the process of social research design, from the initial concern about theory or practice, to qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis.

You’ll focus on research questions, using activities to generate them. You’ll come to understand how they focus the purpose behind a project, as well as how it is being completed. You’ll also cover ethical issues.

Topics include:

• methodologies
• finding a research focus
• research questions and designing a project
• qualitative research design and the making of a case
• quantitative research design
• confronting ethical Issues in social research.

Contact hours and workload

This module is approximately 150 hours of work. This breaks down into about 18 hours of contact time and about 132 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2025/26. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum.

We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.