Masters in Education- Research Methodolo

I might be wrong but most MAs in Education (Research focused) don't really assume any previous knowledge as long as you come from social/hard science or a numerate discipline. The important/challenging bit is not the subject education but knowing your stats (both inferential and descriptive).

Mr. M might come here to share some of his wisdom.

Reply 2

OP

Dear Juichiro, thanks for your reply. My only concern is that they have specified that you have a degree in a relevant or any social sciences. I have been working in the Software development field for the past 9 years. But am very much well-versed with statistical inference, data analysis and R-programming - all the tools necessary for research.

Do you think this will carry some weightage in my application and make up for the lack of a social science masters or any relevant teaching experience.

Really appreciate your thoughts on this.

Many thanks!

Original post by Juichiro

Mr. M might come here to share some of his wisdom.

I don't have any wisdom to share apart from to comment that the MEd is not held in high regard by anyone in education. I can't see how the OP will benefit as he already holds a respected Level 7 qualification.

Reply 4

OP

Well this is not MEd. This course is a taught MSc course in Research Methodology-Education, at the University of Oxford which is the 1st year for 1+3 Dphil in Education. Hence my interest in this course. After slogging in the IT drudgery for 9 years I wish to return to my true passion and interest -which is research

My question here is as I don't have a relevant masters or a relevant field experience, is it even worth going through the tedious process of applying here.

Reply 5

Original post by Alwayastudent

Dear Juichiro, thanks for your reply. My only concern is that they have specified that you have a degree in a relevant or any social sciences. I have been working in the Software development field for the past 9 years. But am very much well-versed with statistical inference, data analysis and R-programming - all the tools necessary for research.

Do you think this will carry some weightage in my application and make up for the lack of a social science masters or any relevant teaching experience.

Really appreciate your thoughts on this.

Many thanks!

Honestly, looking at the content of the modules, I don't think any undergraduates in Education have any real grasp of statistics. The only exception might be psychology, but they don't even use R or tend to have a good grasp of data analysis and inferential statistics, it's all about pressing buttons in the soon-to-die SPSS.

So you shouldn't have any problems getting a place in the masters. But you should carefully check if the masters is something that you want. After all you are spending money on it, so make it worth it. :smile:

P.S. I just saw that the course is in Oxford. I think you should email the admission tutors for your course to see what they look in their candidates.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 6

Original post by Alwayastudent

Well this is not MEd. This course is a taught MSc course in Research Methodology-Education, at the University of Oxford which is the 1st year for 1+3 Dphil in Education. Hence my interest in this course. After slogging in the IT drudgery for 9 years I wish to return to my true passion and interest -which is research

My question here is as I don't have a relevant masters or a relevant field experience, is it even worth going through the tedious process of applying here.

Just adding that academia as a career is not a nice place these days, unless you have a history of groundbreaking research under your belt. There tend to be more academics than places for them so competition is fierce and for senior management academics seem to be research paper factories. :/

Reply 7

OP

Original post by Juichiro

Honestly, looking at the content of the modules, I don't think any undergraduates in Education have any real grasp of statistics. The only exception might be psychology, but they don't even use R or tend to have a good grasp of data analysis and inferential statistics, it's all about pressing buttons in the soon-to-die SPSS.

So you shouldn't have any problems getting a place in the masters. But you should carefully check if the masters is something that you want. After all you are spending money on it, so make it worth it. :smile:

P.S. I just saw that the course is in Oxford. I think you should email the admission tutors for your course to see what they look in their candidates.

Yes I did email the contact persons given on the website, and they were not that helpful to be honest...They just sent me back a link to their website which by now I have read for a thousand times. Also they added a note saying that they cannot really comment on the eligibility to apply, and the info thats on the website is all they can disclose.

Original post by Juichiro

Just adding that academia as a career is not a nice place these days, unless you have a history of groundbreaking research under your belt. There tend to be more academics than places for them so competition is fierce and for senior management academics seem to be research paper factories. :/

I understand where you are coming from with respect to the career prospects being bleak, but its the coveted dream of studying at oxford University that makes me want to do this.

Original post by Alwayastudent

Well this is not MEd. This course is a taught MSc course in Research Methodology-Education, at the University of Oxford which is the 1st year for 1+3 Dphil in Education.

I see. Good luck.

Reply 9

Camilli

17

And this is how they behave to you before your check clears? Not encouraging.

Are there individual faculty you can approach to get the informal version of what is being spewed on the website?

Reply 10

Jantaculum

10

Original post by Alwayastudent

Dear Juichiro, thanks for your reply. My only concern is that they have specified that you have a degree in a relevant or any social sciences. I have been working in the Software development field for the past 9 years. But am very much well-versed with statistical inference, data analysis and R-programming - all the tools necessary for research.

Do you think this will carry some weightage in my application and make up for the lack of a social science masters or any relevant teaching experience

I've just completed a MA (Education) with a high element of research methodology and have no idea about any of that! - aware of it but never used it. Much of my data has been qualitative not quantitative. No previous knowledge was needed for the course, but you were expected to have an educational setting (not necessarily a school) in which to carry out your research.

I'd suggest you have a look at one of the educational research methodology texts -maybe Cohen, Manion and Morrison - to get a feel for the subject.

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Reply 11

OP

Original post by Jantaculum

I've just completed a MA (Education) with a high element of research methodology and have no idea about any of that! - aware of it but never used it. Much of my data has been qualitative not quantitative. No previous knowledge was needed for the course, but you were expected to have an educational setting (not necessarily a school) in which to carry out your research.

I'd suggest you have a look at one of the educational research methodology texts -maybe Cohen, Manion and Morrison - to get a feel for the subject.
Posted from TSR Mobile

Thanks a lot for this informative reply.

Just one query though, all of you keep referring to it as MA-Education...However on the oxford website it is under sciences...i.e. it is a MSc -Eduction...Any idea whats the difference.

Reply 12

Original post by Jantaculum

I've just completed a MA (Education) with a high element of research methodology and have no idea about any of that! - aware of it but never used it. Much of my data has been qualitative not quantitative. No previous knowledge was needed for the course, but you were expected to have an educational setting (not necessarily a school) in which to carry out your research.

I'd suggest you have a look at one of the educational research methodology texts -maybe Cohen, Manion and Morrison - to get a feel for the subject.

Posted from TSR Mobile

The current trend in research methodologies in education is definately going quantitative and embracing statistics. Using R for data analysis in the social sciences is happening more and more. Soon, it might become to social sciences what Matlab is to physics.

Reply 13

Original post by Alwayastudent

Thanks a lot for this informative reply.

Just one query though, all of you keep referring to it as MA-Education...However on the oxford website it is under sciences...i.e. it is a MSc -Eduction...Any idea whats the difference.

Well, education is not really a science so normally you get away with not doing science in an education masters (MA). Most of its research methods are empirical, the new scientific research methodologies in education (the ones you might see in your MSc) are relatively new.

Reply 14

OP