Why an MRes was the Perfect Masters for Me

Rasika completed an MRes in Management at the University of York. In this blog she explain why her passion for research made this her perfect Masters, and what it was like to go from an MBA to a research-focused qualification.

I’ve had a critical mind since childhood. However, it wasn’t until I studied my first Masters degree in India that I discovered my passion for research and an academic career.

The course I was on – a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) – wasn’t actually research-focused. Still, I took up all the opportunities I could to work independently and gain research experience: I collaborated with many faculties, started writing papers, attended conferences. I knew that research was my passion as well as my career, but pursuing it would mean changing direction – and studying a different postgraduate course.

So, with my MBA in hand, that’s what I chose to do.

At this point I was an amateur researcher – and a passionate one. However, I did not have any professional training as such in research.

I eventually planned to do a PhD but, before venturing into four years of a doctoral course, I wanted to have an idea and glimpse of what academic research would be like, whether I would able to do it, how to write a dissertation etc.

I promised myself that I would complete a research course before my PhD to get myself trained for a doctoral programme – and confirm that this was the right path for me.

With this intent in my mind, I started looking for a research Masters, especially a Master of Philosophy (MPhil). While searching, I found out that doing an MPhil required two years of my study. I thought this would be a very big investment of time and money – particularly if I planned to complete a PhD afterwards.

While browsing through various programmes I came across a course called a Masters by Research in Management. This was an MRes – a research-focused Masters that isn’t very common in India, but is offered at most UK universities. And it looked perfect for me.

I was very happy to find out that the MRes lasted one year, but included all the important components and modules that an MPhil would have. This course was even more suitable for me since I was looking to learn research methods as a foundation for my doctoral studies.

My course involved various research components including appropriate research methods, philosophical work, analytical skills, literature review and appropriate interdisciplinary practices.

The thing I loved most about the MRes is that it had components of both independent research and taught courses. I was always interested to do my research in a particular topic and this course really helped me to build a foundation for my doctoral studies, since I could choose my topic and write a dissertation on it. In particular, the course was very different from my previous studies in India. These were mostly classroom-based with the teacher directing and guiding us through the material. On the MRes we were expected to work independently during this course, apply our critical thinking skills and come out with a beautiful piece of work.

I was also lucky enough to receive two different scholarships for my MRes: the British Council’s GREAT India scholarship and the University of York’s Scholarship for Overseas Students (SOS).

I cherish the experience of doing this course and the independent research skills it has taught me. If you’re trying to choose a Masters and considering a career in research I’d definitely recommend that you look beyond taught programmes – and consider an MRes.

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