Course Structure & Content

The Masters programme consists of integrated modules which run over one year for full-time students or two years for part-time students. Students also complete a work placement at a research organisation over a period of eight weeks and a research dissertation. 

The programme consists of the following modules:

1. Qualitative Research Methods and Research Ethics
2. Quantitative Research Methods & Survey Design
3. Research Design, Evaluation Research and Literature Searches and Reviews
4. Guest Lecture Series
5. Work Placement
6. Research Dissertation

Click to access the ASR Student Handbook for 2025-26

Work Placement

Students complete an 8-week research work placement where they put their learning into action and gain valuable work experience in a research team. Host organisations can vary from year to year but examples exclude: The Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) at Trinity College Dublin; The Growing Up in Ireland Survey at Department of Children; Disability and Equality; Sports Ireland National Dataset at Sports Ireland; The Housing Agency, Tusla National Research Office; The Disability Authority; An Garda Siochána (the police); The Childhood Development Institute; Focus Ireland; The Irish Family Planning Institute. We also have research work placements across diverse university departments.

Arrangements can be made for part-time students to complete the work placement over a shorter period or to undertake it part-time. Alternatively, students who are in full or part-time employment can complete the work placement in their current place of employment by working with a research team.

Research Dissertation

Students complete a research dissertation which they submit following the completion of all course assignments. The dissertation is an opportunity for students to select a topic and methodology of their choice and to work under the individual supervision of an academic member of staff.

Guest Lectures

The Guest Lecture Series is delivered by leading researchers from across universities, Government departments and agencies, and Non-Governmental Organisations. Topics span a wide range of issues including the following: health, aging, poverty and social exclusion, housing and homelessness, sexual and reproductive health, criminal justice, children and youth and social work. Many of our guest lecturers are alumni of the course and many are from organisations that host students on work placements. The guest lecture series exposes students to current research projects in Ireland and offers students the opportunity to discuss this research with the researchers themselves. It also demonstrates to students the diverse research designs, approaches and methodologies ‘in action’ and the real-world challenges of research. Finally, it enables students to become acquainted with the wider research community and the diversity of research jobs and organisations.

Structure of the course: Full-time and Part-Time Options

*All lectures are delivered in person