MRes
Standard duration:12 months full-time, 20 months part-time
If you’re interested in taking your research skills to the next level, a Masters of Research (MRes) could be for you. The MRes is a Master-level qualification focused solely on research. It provides an excellent bridge between undergraduate and PhD-level research, and is valuable for many career pathways which utilise research skills and deep knowledge of your chosen research topic.
During the MRes you will carry out a research project under the supervision of experienced academic staff and write a thesis which represents an independent contribution to knowledge (typical word count 8,000-20,000, as appropriate for your discipline). Unlike undergraduate or taught Masters degrees, there is no teaching, and no assessments other than the thesis and progress review meetings. Relevant training and guidance will be provided, though you should have some prior experience of research and be able to work mostly independently. The minimum requirements for entry are:
- Second class UK Honours degree or equivalent. Applications from individuals with other formal qualifications may be considered in exceptional circumstances.
- English language requirement: IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no component less than 6.0
There are two intakes per year, and your MRes will normally begin on the 1st March or the 1st October, though start dates outside these times may be considered in exceptional circumstances.
Living costs, fees, and funding
Please see here for information about MRes fees, here for funding, and here for information about living costs in Edinburgh. Please note that funded MRes positions will always be advertised, so unless you’re applying for one of these, you will need to pay a tuition fee or obtain your own external funding.
How to apply
There are two routes to joining our MRes programme:
1. Apply for an advertised project
The University advertises MRews opportunities on FindAPHD.com and on the Doctoral College webpages.
2. In collaboration with a prospective supervisor
Applications are also considered from prospective students who have:
- Identified and contacted a potential academic supervisor based at Edinburgh Napier University.
- Discussed a potential and feasible MRes research project with them.
- Received their agreement in principle to act as their supervisor, pending submission of an application form and progression through the formal admissions process, including interview and admissions checks.
Please use the following protocol - which includes a mandatory template - if applying via this route.
How to find a supervisor
Guidance is provided here. We suggest starting by identifying which of our Research Centres fits your interests and reading the research profiles of associated staff.
Contacting a potential supervisor
After identifying a supervisor, please contact them by email. Use this template when contacting the supervisor. When making enquiries, you must:
- Outline relevant education, skills, and experience. You could provide a degree transcript, describe your undergraduate research project or relevant employment experience, or otherwise demonstrate your suitability for advanced research.
- Suggest potential project ideas that align with the supervisor’s research interests and expertise.
- Tailor your initial message to the supervisor: demonstrate that you have read about the supervisor's research and explain why you chose to approach them. This signals your genuine interest and understanding of the discipline you’d be researching.
- Be cautious using AI tools to generate research proposals and other application materials. Please bear in mind that you will be interviewed. We’d much rather you use your own ideas and words, even if they are less polished than those of an AI.
- Demonstrate sufficient relevant background knowledge and skills to complete the proposed research project relatively independently. Bear in mind the MRes does not include any teaching, though you may receive project-specific training.
We discourage contacting more than one or two prospective supervisors. If contacting multiple Napier staff, please write a single email addressed to both/all prospective supervisors.
Please note that due to the volume of enquiries received, supervisors may not respond to let you know they cannot supervise you, and cannot provide feedback on individual enquiries or guidance on how to obtain a project or funding.
If you are a supervisor contacted by a prospective MRes applicant, please see these guidance notes.
After hearing back from the potential supervisor
Once you have received an agreement in principle from your prospective supervisor, we will provide you with a link to submit your full application (see application guidance here).
After your application has been received, you will undergo a formal interview.
If you're coming to study at Edinburgh Napier University from outside the UK and Republic of Ireland, or are currently in the UK but do not have permanent leave to remain, you will probably need a student visa or other type of immigration permission to study in the UK; please see the University’s visa and immigration pages.
LLMRes
Standard study period:12 months full-time, 20 months part-time
You may be interested in a Master of Laws by Research (LLMRes) if you are a graduating undergraduate law student, postgraduate law student, or a legal professional interested in undertaking further study. In particular, this programme is suitable for students aiming to pursue a PhD at a later stage, or who are looking for an alternative to the traditional taught LLM programme. The LLMRes is a degree path which specifically allows to improve legal research skills and conduct independent investigation on a chosen legal topic.
You will produce a thesis which represents an independent contribution to knowledge, in the field of law; between 20,000 and 30,000 words. Your thesis should demonstrate the investigation and evaluation or critical examination of an approved topic, together with an appreciation of the research methods and literature appropriate for their topic. LLMRes candidates will be assessed by thesis only; however, if examiners are unable to reach a decision on this basis, they may request that a viva voce examination is held. During this course of study, you will have regular supervisory meetings in order to ensure progress is being made and that your thesis is on track.
- Minimum qualification: 2nd class honours degree in law (UK) or equivalent
- English language requirement: IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no component less than 6.0
You'll find the links to LLMres online application forms below: