Masters By Research
| By Research
DURATION 2-5 Years
EU FEES €3,100 (PT) - €5,200 (FT) per annum
NON EU FEES €6,400 (PT) - €10,500 (FT) per annum
START DATE Flexible
APPLICATION Open for Applications
DCU Business School is characterised by a vibrant research community and we provide unrivalled research support to postgraduate research students.
We currently offer the following research programmes:
- PhD Programme (full-time and part-time)
- Masters by Research Programme (full-time and part-time)
Undertaking a research degree facilitates in-depth study in a discipline in which the student already has a good academic grounding. DCU Business School also encourages inter-disciplinary research, where the student has appropriate knowledge in cognate areas. While the main focus for each research candidate is to complete a piece of original research, presented in thesis format, students are also supported in developing a range of skills and competencies through taught modules and other learning opportunities.
The research programme also provides for the development of skills in organising, undertaking, presenting, and managing research projects that will stand to the graduate in whatever career he or she pursues afterwards.
General information on making a Postgraduate Research application is available from the Graduate Studies Office
See PhD and MPhil Scholarship Opportunities Here
Duration of Programme:
| Programme | Minimum Registration Period | Typical Registration Period | Maximum Registration Period |
| PhD (Full Time) | 3 years | 4 years | 5 years |
| PhD (Part Time) | 5 years | 6 years | 7 years |
| Research Masters (Full Time) | 2 years | 2 years | 3 years |
| Research Masters (Part Time) | 3 years | 3-4 years | 5 years |
DCU Business School | Structured Doctoral Pathways 2026-2027
Overview
This document details the structured pathway for DCU Business School. While the main focus for each research candidate is to complete a piece of original research, presented in thesis format, students are also supported in developing a range of skills and competencies through taught modules and other learning opportunities.
Selection and Registration
During their registration, all research students may take a mix of credit bearing modules (Graduate Training Elements or GTEs), and other non-accredited training opportunities such as workshops, seminars and short courses.
These opportunities provide both discipline-specific and transferable skills and knowledge to support students in their research and enhance their research qualification.
Engagement in these activities is an important aspect of the graduate researcher experience. Students following a structured pathway typically take between 20 and 40 credits, with the final year most likely focused solely on completing their research thesis.
Progression
The structured pathway for each student should be discussed and agreed in the first instance with the supervisor and progress recorded on the annual PGR2 form. Once approval has been given, the student can register for his/her chosen GTE/s during the online registration process.
Induction and Training
Students are encouraged to take advantage of additional training opportunities offered by the Graduate Studies Office (GSO) and by the School as appropriate. All students are required to attend the orientation and induction sessions organised by GSO in semester one. GSO communicates details of the training schedule to each student at the beginning of each semester.
All students must take the Online Research Integrity Training Module during the first year of their
studies.
Core Discipline Specific Modules
- MNA1126: Qualitative Research Methods (5 ECTS)
- STA1005: Quantitative Research Methods (5 ECTS)
- BAA1083: Advanced Quantitative Research Methods (5 ECTS)
- BAA1000: Strategies for Academic Writing (5 ECTS)
- BAA1007: Writing Academic Publications (5 ECTS)
- Discipline Specific Modules with accompanied ECTS as required.
Doctoral Workshops
• DCU Business School Annual Doctoral Colloquium
• External Doctoral Colloquia e.g. IAM, IAFA, EIASM, AOM
Elective Modules | Years One to Three
- ESL1016: English for Academic Purposes (5 ECTS)
- NUR1120: Qualitative Research Summer School (5 ECTS) – Limited places. Students must also register for summer school sessions separately.
- POL1008: Research Methods (5 ECTS)
- POL1087: Research Design for the Social Sciences (5 ECTS)
- POL1092: Quantitative Methods for Social Sciences 1 (5 ECTS)
- PHE1034: Research Ethics (5 ECTS)
- PSY1074: Science Communication for Graduate Researchers (5 ECTS)
- PSY1076: Wellbeing Summer School (5 ECTS)
Non-accredited Training Workshops and Masterclasses
- Graduate Studies Office Orientation Programme
- Online Research Integrity Training Module (non – accredited)
- Postgraduate Tutor and Demonstrating Programme (Semester 2)
- Sage Campus Materials
-
- Year 1 – “Research Planning” and “Navigating Information”
- Year 2 – “Collecting and Managing Data” and “Getting Published”
- Year 3+ – to be discussed with supervisory team
-
Students are also expected to attend/present at relevant local and international conferences:
Year 1 – Local conference attendance and paper presentation
Year 2 – International conference attendance and paper presentation
Year 3 – International conference presentation, and national and international specialist advanced workshops in statistics, NVivo, SEM as required
Students should also engage with centrally offered workshops and seminars which align with their development needs at a given time. Please visit the Graduate Studies Office training suite here – www.dcu.ie/graduatestudies/workshops-and-events-research-students
More information can be found here: www.dcu.ie/graduatestudies/graduate-studies-office-graduate-training
Career Prospects
We welcome Masters by Research students on a full and part-time basis. Part-time students who already work in professional roles report significant career progression as a result of their studies and often enjoy the opportunity to contribute their growing expertise to their organisations.
Some students who excel in the Masters by Research programme work with their supervisors to transfer into our PhD programme with a view to securing roles in academia. DCU Business School students have successfully secured employment in academic institutions in Ireland, the UK and beyond. 46 students graduated in the five year period between 2018 and 2023, securing employment with leading Irish and international universities and in public and private institutions.
Why Do a Masters By Research?
Having a research degree marks you out as someone with both specialist knowledge in your discipline and the ability and commitment to manage and complete a demanding and challenging piece of academic research. DCU Business School Masters by Research students are supported throughout their research programme. Students are supervised by an expert panel and are expected to engage in the school’s vibrant research community through attending research seminars and events. Students are also encouraged and supported to present at national and international conferences and to work towards publication in scholarly articles.
Currently, we have over 50 post-graduate students, registered on research programmes. Their research topics reflect the diverse nature of the School’s research activities and our research strengths.
Accreditation information
DCU Business School has been awarded accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the world’s oldest and most prestigious global accrediting body for business schools. AACSB accreditation is widely recognised as the hallmark of excellence in business education, and has been earned by less than five percent of the world’s business schools.
DCU Business School is ranked in the top 90 Business Schools in Europe in the 2020 Financial Times Ranking, one of only three Irish Business Schools to achieve this ranking. The Financial Times Ranking for Business Schools is one of the most highly acknowledged and widely cited authorities on quality and performance of institutions globally.
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How To Apply
How to Make an Application
Before making a research application, the applicant may consult and seek approval from the School regarding the proposed programme of study. Additional information for research applicants is also available on the DCU Graduate Studies page.
Once you have contacted the school, and identified a supervisor or supervisors, please use DCU Student Application Portal to begin your application by submitting a Postgraduate Research pre-application form.
NOTE: If your supervisor is not listed on the pre-application form, they will need to request to be added prior to submitting the pre-application form. Please do not proceed with the pre-application until your supervisors are available for selection
Securing the support of a supervisor
For guidance on finding a potential supervisor and the application procedures please see DCU Business School Staff Profiles and DCU Graduate Studies Application Procedures. When contacting a potential supervisor, it is useful to provide details of your academic record, work experience and research interests. If you have a draft research proposal at this stage it is also helpful to attach that, bearing in mind that it is likely to require revision before you submit an application. Once you have secured a supervisor, you can submit an application.
Apply through the Student Application Portal
Note this cannot be done without the support of a potential supervisor. Your application will be processed and if it meets, you will be called for an interview.
All postgraduate research applications will require the applicant to complete a pre-application form here. Once this form has been reviewed, the applicant will be sent information via email around how to progress their application to DCU.
General Entry Requirements
Postgraduate Research Entry Requirements
To register for a Postgraduate Research programme, a candidate must normally have obtained a primary degree classification equivalent to Lower Second Class Honours or above, from an approved University or an approved equivalent degree-awarding body, or have an approved equivalent professional qualification in an area cognate to the proposed research topic.
- Master’s by Research: Candidates must normally have obtained a primary degree classification (Level 8) equivalent to a second-class honours degree, grade two, in an appropriate discipline, from an approved university or an approved equivalent degree-awarding body, or have an approved equivalent professional qualification in an area cognate to the proposed research topic. Such candidates are considered for entry only on the research Master’s register initially. Students on the Master’s register may apply for transfer to the PhD Register under the same conditions, and using the same procedure, as PhD-track candidates requesting confirmation on the PhD register.
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When Preparing Your Research Proposal You Must Ensure That You:
- Clearly outline your chosen research question
- Display your familiarity with relevant literature relating to your overall research question in appropriate research journals
- Show how your question is located in the relevant research literature, indicate the contribution your research will make to this body of research, and suggest possible methodologies that may be appropriate for your study.
More information and guidelines for writing a research proposal are available here.
Please note that if there are no members of faculty who have undertaken, or are interested in undertaking, research closely related to that of a proposal, it is unlikely that the proposal will be accepted. Therefore, you should ensure that your proposed topic is close to the research interests of one or more members of faculty. You may establish this through correspondence with relevant members of faculty and by viewing the research profiles of our faculty members.
Application Submission Details
All applicants must submit:
- Application Form here
- Copy of Degree Certificate
- Letter of Recommendation
- Copy of Passport
- Transcripts
- Where relevant, evidence of competence in the English language as per entry requirements for DCU Business School. Please see link http://www.dcu.ie/registry/english.shtml.
Fees
PhD and Research Masters Fees (per annum):
| EU Tuition Fees | Non EU Tuition Fees | |||
| Full Time | Part Time | Full Time | Part Time | |
| DCU Business School | €5,200 | €3,100 | €10,500 | €6,400 |
- Funding Opportunities
2026 Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Call:
Application and full details can be found here:
https://www.researchireland.ie/funding/government-ireland-postgraduate/
Deadline is 23rd October 2025, 16:00 Irish local time
Queries
- All academic inquiries in relation to the research programmes at DCU Business School should be directed to: dcubsresearch@dcu.ie
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