MRes – Bournemouth University Business School

Assessment of your thesis will consist of:

• A presentation of the thesis 
• An oral examination, normally including a 30-minute presentation and 60-minute viva voca examiniation.

An MRes can be a good precursor to a PhD, allowing you to develop your research skills, enhance your ability to critically analyse information and solve complex problems. During your MRes you will:

• Undertake research methods training to develop a comprehensive knowledge of the research methods used within the fields of health and social sciences
• Critically analyse information in the literature within your chosen field to identify information gaps, and develop and design a research project which addresses an issue within your chosen field
• Carry out your research project
• Produce a written critical analysis of the research data
• Present your research through a thesis and defend it by viva voce (oral) examination, to the satisfaction of examiners.

In undertaking your MRes you will be supported at BU by:

• Your Academic faculty – through your Supervisors, immediate research community, postgraduate researcher peers and your Research Administrator
• The Doctoral College – through professional and personal development opportunities and the wider postgradute community
• Academic Services – through a network of purpose built libraries, laboratories and open-learning centres equipped with the latest technology, inlcuding on-line virtual learning environments.

Your supervisory team will:

• Provide appropriate support and guidance regarding BU’s research degree regulations, policies and procedures
• Give support when you are planning your research project, progressing through key milestones to successfully completing in the expected timeframe
• Maintain regular contact with you and provide constructive feedback on written work and during meetings to support your progress
• Advise you on professional and personal skill development training opportunities
• Give guidance about attending and presenting your work at internal and external seminars and conferences
• Advise on publication of your work in journals and other appropriate media.

There is no formally assessed taught component in an MRes, but you will be expected to engage with the Postgraduate Researcher Development Framework, which includes research methodology training. You'll develop your research project in conjunction with experienced academics in your field of interest, who will then provide supervisory support and can introduce their specialist knowledge.

An MRes will give you the opportunity to undertake more comprehensive training into original research, or professional development training in your specific subject area.

Our research draws on a wide range of academic disciplines related to sport and physical activity, and we often work with other faculties at BU as well as local, national and international institutions, and professional partners. Our staff are actively involved in wide-ranging, internationally recognised research, creating a great breadth of experience and knowledge. 

We have various ongoing research projects, with the key themes as below:

• Sport, Events, & Social Inequalities
• Management, Consumption & Policy

Our Department of Sport and Event Management hosts Sport and Physical Activity Centre (SPARC), which is home to a breadth of exciting, innovative and inter-disciplinary scholarship that aims to offer a truly holistic understanding of the derivation, constitution, and experience of sport, physical activity, the body, well-being & (ill) health.

Below are some examples of SPARC research projects that are having a positive impact on society:

• Sexual Space: research into lives of sex workers during sport mega-events has led to significant change in Brazilian Federal Law.

• Re-presenting para-sport bodies: Disability & the cultural legacy of the Paralympics

Our staff have a broad mix of expertise covering marketing, tourism, consumer behaviour and, food choice and health as well as supply and sustainability. We maintain close links with practice and many have strong research profiles and publish in internationally recognised journals, while others have a wealth of business and practitioner experience or have strong academic credentials in teaching and education. All are research-active ensuring our courses are contemporary and highly regarded.

Our key research themes are:

• Food Security
• Digital Marketing
• Strategy, Entrepreneurship & SMEs
• Consumer Insights

We are a diverse team of research and educational experts who publish in highly regarded journals, engage in knowledge transfer partnerships with businesses and have strong links with the industries in which we operate.

Our areas of research strength include human recourses, organisational behaviour and management, critical leadership research, project management, CSR, sustainability, (decent) work, identity, (gendered, racialised) inequalities in employment/organisations and, operations. 

Our key research themes are:

• Work futures
• Inclusivity in organisations and society
• responsible practice

The International Centre for Tourism and Hospitality Research (ICTHR) is a globally leading centre for research in tourism, hospitality and related fields of study.

The international centre is an interdisciplinary research centre at Bournemouth University, and has conducted research projects for international agencies (e.g. the EU, UNWTO, USAID and Development Banks), national government organisations in the UK and around the world and private sector businesses and consortiums.

Recent ICTHR research has included projects for research councils, government agencies and industry bodies. Key research areas are listed below:

• Tourism management, marketing and e-tourism

• Transport, travel, mobilities and sustainability

• Hospitality management

Our staff are continuously publish in journals, of which more than 50% are in 4 and 3 star rated journals, such as Journal of Corporate Finance, Journal of World Business, Research Policy, Cambridge Journal of Economics, Energy Economics, Journal of International Money and Finance, Economics Letters and Journal of Agricultural Economics. Our research generates important impact for the local community, business and policy makers alike. In addition, the department is very successful in obtaining external funding for research from the most prestigious funding bodies, including the ESRC, British Academy and European Union.

Our key research themes are:

• Food & health economics
• Financial markets & institutions
• Trade & economic development

Bournemouth University’s Disaster Management Centre (BUDMC) has garnered decades of experience in education, research and professional practice.

It lists governments, international aid agencies and multi-national businesses among its clientele, and prides itself on the practical, applicable nature of the research, consultancy and training that it delivers. However, the findings from one training programme in Ghana were put into action in a timescale that even the most seasoned of experts could not have foreseen.

We would normally expect you to have an Honours degree at Upper Second Class (2:1).

Some supervisors may ask you for additional entry requirements such as relevant work experience, evidence of written work, or previous study of a particular subject.

If English is not your first language, you will need to provide evidence that you can understand English to a satisfactory level. English language requirements for this course are normally:

• IELTS (Academic) 6.5 with minimum 5.5 in each component or equivalent.

View further information about our English language requirements.

Bournemouth University International College offers a number of pre-sessional English and preparatory programmes to prepare international students for postgraduate study at BU. Admission to the degree is guaranteed on successful completion of your course to the required level. 

You can also find further details of the international qualifications we accept, and what level of study they apply to, on our postgraduate entry requirements page.

To apply for a postgraduate research degree with BU, simply click here and then click the ‘Apply now’. You will then be taken to our online application portal, myHub.

You will need to create an account and complete the application form in full. However, instead of completing the research proposal section, you will need to complete all sections of the MRes-specific research proposal form and upload this as part of your application. There is guidance on the form to help you to complete the various boxes.

You can save your application as you go, enabling you to return to it as many times as you want before submitting. The form is split into tabbed sections. As you complete each of the tabbed sections, they will turn green - only click submit once all of your tabs are highlighted green. As part of your application, you will need to specify how you plan to fund your studies and provide a personal statement. Please be aware that CVs and academic profiles will not be considered unless they are accompanied by a completed application.

To apply

• For January 2025 start, application deadline is 31 October 2024
• For September 2025 start, application deadline is 16 June 2025

For informal enquiries, please contact us or identify and directly contact a potential supervisor using the above links.

Why is your research proposal important?

The quality of your research proposal plays a significant factor in our decision on whether to accept you onto a postgraduate research programme. It shows your potential to successfully complete your programme.

Your research proposal should:

• be around 1,500 words long (excluding references). Please read our Research Proposal Guidance
• articulate a clearly defined research question
• outline the approach you propose to take in answering it
• explain the originality and significance of the contribution which your research will make to existing literature in your subject area
• demonstrate your understanding of the project, skills in critical thinking, methodologies and theoretical context
• show your project is viable and that you have thought carefully about how you will complete it within the relevant timeframe of your programme
• display a high level of communication skills suitable for an academic environment
• detail any specific supervisors you would like to work with at Bournemouth University and reference their work.

Government Postgraduate Loans are available for eligible students (non-means tested) for your whole course, paid directly to you during the duration of the course. 

You can find full information about the deposits required and how to pay your fees in our postgraduate fees section.

All fees are quoted in pounds sterling and are per annum. Fees quoted are for tuition only unless stated otherwise. Your tuition fees will be the same for each year of your course.

Every year, we offer a number of fully-funded doctoral opportunities across our faculties.

What's included in your tuition fee?

Your tuition fee covers expenses associated with your course including tuition materials, access to facilities, mandatory field trips and the following:

• Allocation of a supervisory team to provide support and guidance throughout a research degree programme
• Access to Researcher Development Programme
• Copy of current Code of Practice for Research Degrees, the Student Charter and the Student Agreement
• Access to a desk and computer (full-time Doctoral PGRs only).
• Access to photocopying/printing facilities (as determined by the Faculty and programme of study).
• The Library – access to a wide range of electronic resources (databases, e-journals and e-books), print and multimedia collections, subject librarians and study spaces
• IT labs (some open 24/7), wireless network, AV equipment to borrow
• Disability and additional learning support
• Access to departmental, faculty and BU-wide research communities through seminard, conferences and other events.

We are committed to offering you value for money and ensuring there are no hidden costs while you are studying with us, therefore we have listed below any additional costs you may incur that are not covered by your tuition fee:

• Laptops, tablets and mobile devices and any software used on personal devices. Access to a personal computer is strongly recommended for your study. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, visit our website for information regarding BU financial support funds. 
• Accommodation and living costs. Our accommodation price guide can be found on our website.
• Travel costs and other costs associated with optional research activities.
• Text books, general stationery and other supplies. Our award-winning library is stocked with a large range of text books and online resources, free of charge. The Students’ Union shop stocks a wide range of stationery supplies. 
• SportBU membership

Undertaking a research degree will not only allow you to carry out research in a specialist field, it will also equip you with a range of transferable skills that can be applied to roles within project management, commercial research and development, or consultancy services.

You may also decide that you would like to pursue a career within academia, developing the research that you undertake during your MRes and sharing your expertise with others who have an interest in a similar field.