The Masters programme consists of a number of integrated modules which run over 2-4 semesters (depending on full or part-time registration). Students also complete a work placement over a period of eight weeks. Students are required to complete a research dissertation which they submit following the completion of all course assignments.

The programme consists of the following modules:

1. Qualitative Research Methods
This course trains students to design and manage a qualitative research project, collect data via individual in-depth interviews and other qualitative methods, conduct qualitative data analysis, and present a written research report based on qualitative data. Issues such as project planning and administration, sampling, access negotiation, and ethical issues that arise in the conduct of qualitative research are also addressed.

2. Quantitative Research Methods
This module consists of courses in Survey Design and Quantitative Data Analysis. Survey Design focuses on the use of surveys for the collection of quantitative data and includes an introduction to such issues as the formulation of testable hypotheses, questionnaire design, sampling, administrative procedures and the reporting of results. Quantitative Data Analysis covers the use of data from samples to statistically describe large populations and introduces the most widely used family of linear techniques used to model complex social phenomena. This module includes a full course in the use of the software SPSS. No prior knowledge of statistics or statistical software is required.

3. Research Design, Accessing Resources and Research Ethics
Research Design introduces students to conceptual issues in the design of research and also covers practical aspects of the research process such as negotiating access, and the development of research tenders and proposals. Accessing Resources equips students with the skills to access relevant resources, including computerised resources, bibliographic databases, electronic journals and the Internet (websites, search engines and portals). The Ethics section of the module considers the core ethical principles in the conduct of research involving human subjects. Students are required to submit an ethical application form for approval by the Ethics Committee at the School of Social Work and Social Policy ahead of commencing data collection for their dissertation.

4. Work Placement
Students spend eight weeks on a work placement where they have the opportunity to apply their skills in a research environment. Students are offered placement opportunities within a range of the most reputable Irish research institutes and consultancies, government departments, semi-state agencies, as well as various trade and professional organisations. Students already in relevant employment can complete their work placement in that setting. Exemptions from the work placement may be granted at the discretion of the Course Director in exceptional cases.

5. Research Dissertation
The dissertation is an essential component of the degree and is completed over the summer months (of Year 1 for full-time and Year 2 for part-time students). It must demonstrate students’ ability to complete an applied research project from the initial stages of accessing data to the presentation of a final written report. It includes a thorough review of the literature on the substantive topic chosen for study and a comprehensive account of the research methods employed. The data collected for the research is analysed using, as required, appropriate computer packages. The dissertation is a maximum length of 20,000 words and is supervised by a member of the academic staff.

Attendance in College
Full-time students attend college on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays.

Part-time students attend college on Mondays in Year 1 and on Tuesdays in Year 2.

Please follow this link to the Course Calendar for full details on Teaching Weeks and Reading Weeks.

Course Modules

The Work placement module carries 10 ECTS. Full-time students spend eight weeks on a work placementduring the third semester (Trinity Term). Part-time students complete the work placement during the third semester of Year 2. Students already in relevant employment can complete their work placement in that setting. Exemptions from the work placement may be granted at the discretion of the Course Director in exceptional cases.

During the work placement students get the opportunity to work on research projects alongside experienced researchers/research teams within their host organisations. Each year students are offered placement opportunities with a range of the most reputable Irish research institutes and consultancies, Government Departments and semi-state agencies, as well as various professional organisations. Normally students are on work placement from mid-April to mid-June.

The research dissertation is a major component of the degree of M.Sc. in Applied Social Research, comprising 40% of the overall grade with 30 ECTS. The dissertation should demonstrate that students have the ability to complete an applied research assignment from the initial stages of collecting primary data/accessing secondary data to the presentation of a final report. It should include: a complete review of relevant research literature; a description of the research design and research methods used; presentation of research findings; and a discussion of the research findings with conclusions drawn. Quantitative data collected for the research should be analysed using appropriate statistical techniques. In the case of qualitative research, data should be analysed using the recommended coding and data management procedures.

Throughout the academic year, there will be a number of Guest Lectures. These guest lectures are included on the timetable to ensure that students:

• are aware of a range of research projects currently ongoing in Ireland;
• learn about the diverse range of research designs, approaches and methodologies currently in use;
• gain exposure to the working intricacies (including methodological challenges) associated with the conduct of social science research;
• become acquainted with the wider research community.

Guest lectures are delivered by subject specialists from the public and private sectors who have effectively conducted applied research in one or a number of areas. These lectures vary from year to year and may include the following types of topics: crisis pregnancy, health related topics, ageing, ethnic minorities, poverty/socio-economic disadvantage, equality policies and legislation, population health, sexuality/sexual health, mental health, educational disadvantage, and research involving children and young people.

For a list of Guest Lecturers for semester 1 (Sept - Dec 2012) please see here

For a list of Guest Lecturers for semester 2 (Jan - April 2013) please see here

Students who apply for the Masters in Applied Social Research typically have an undergraduate degree in a social science discipline. However, we accept graduates in other disciplines including health sciences, business studies, marketing, history etc.

Many of our part-time students are employed on either a full- or part-time basis and apply for this course because they want to build a suite of research skills for application in their current work environments.
In summary, applicants for the Masters in Applied Social Research include:

• Graduates from relevant disciplines (e.g., Social Sciences, Education, Psychology, Health Sciences, Business, Marketing, Economics).
• Professionals who work in a range of statutory and NGO services and agencies.
• Professionals who work in government departments.
• Policy makers.

Our Graduates
Graduates of the Masters in Applied Social Research typically gain employment in a variety of organisations including public and private research institutes, consultancies, university departments, government departments, semi-state agencies, the NGO sector, and in a range of policy environments. Others go on to pursue further post-graduate study, particularly PhD research.

Destination Survey 2012
In 2012 we conducted a survey of graduates of the Masters In applied Social Research during the previous six years.

Among those who responded, the most commonly cited reasons for taking our course were: 1) to gain employment and; 2) to pursue further study. Eighty three percent of our graduates were pursuing one of these activities within six years of graduation, with 58.6% in full-time employment and an additional 24.1% engaged in further study.

Of those currently in full-time employment 63.4% are working in areas directly related to research. Eighty eight percent of those who have continued to study are pursuing a doctoral degree and the remainder are completing another Masters course.

Of those who responded, 66% reported that they now use the research design skills they acquired at least once a month, 62.2% reported that they use the qualitative research skills they acquired at least once a month, and 51% reported that they use the quantitative research skills they acquired at least once a month.

Eighty percent of students reported that they were either very satisfied or satisfied with the research skills they acquired on the course.

Recent Graduate Publications
Please see a list of recent graduate publications below (the names of graduates are in bold font). Many of the listed publications are linked to research projects that students worked on during their work placements.

Bane, G., Deely, M., Donohoe, B., Dooher, B., Flaherty, J., Garcia Iriarte, E., Hopkins, R., Mahon, A., Minogue, G., Mc Donagh, M., O’ Doherty, S., Curry, M., Shannon, S., Tierney, E., & Wolfe, M. (2012). Relationships of people with intellectual disabilities in Ireland. British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 40(2), 109-122.

Brennan, C., Linehan, C., O’ Doherty, S., O’ Malley, E., O’ Rathaile, C., Roberts, W., Shannon, S., Weldon, F., & Wolfe, M. (2011). The Anti - Bullying Research Project. Final Report Submitted to the National Disability Authority in Respect of a Grant Awarded under the Research Promotion Scheme 2011. Dublin: National Disability Authority; Trinity College Dublin.

Callahan, A. & Inckle, K. (2012) Cybertherapy or psychobabble? A mixed methods study of online emotional support. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 40(3), 261-278.

Cosco, T., Doyle, F., Ward, M., & McGee, H. (2012) Latent structure of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale: A 10-year systematic review. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 72(3),180-4.

Cosco, T., Doyle, F., Watson, R., Ward, M., & McGee, H. (2012) Mokken scaling analysis of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale in individuals with cardiovascular disease. General Hospital Psychiatry, 34, 167-172.

Conry, M., Morgan, K., Curry, P., McGee, H., Harrington, J., Ward, M., & Shelley, E. (2011) The clustering of health behaviours in Ireland and their relationship with mental health, self rated-health and quality of life. BMC Public Health, 11, 692.

Conry, M.C., Humphries, N., Morgan K., McGowan, Y., Montgomery. A., Vedhara, K., Panagopoulou, E. & McGee, H. (2012) A 10-year (2000-2010) systematic review of interventions to improve quality of care in hospitals. BMC Health Serv Res., 24;12(1):275.

Mayock, P., Sheridan, S. & Parker, S. (2012) Migrant women and homelessness: The role of gender-based violence. European Journal of Homelessness,

Moore, E .(2012) Renegotiating Roles Postdivorce: A Decisive Break From Tradition?, Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 53(5), 402-419.

Moore, E. (2012) Paternal Banking and Maternal Gatekeeping: Gendered Practices in Post-divorce Families. Journal of Family Issues, 33 (6),

Moore, E., Timonen, V., Dwyer, C. & Doyle, M. (2012) Divorce and Intergenerational Support: Comparing the Perceptions of Divorced Adults and Their Parents. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 43 (2),

O’ Rathaille, C., Linehan, C., O’ Doherty, S., Roberts, W., Weldon, F., & Wolfe, M. (2012) Easy to Read Anti Bullying Information Guide. Dublin: National Disability Authority; Trinity College, Dublin.

Dr. Paula Mayock is the Course Director of the Masters in Applied Social Research and also delivers the Qualitative Research Methods Module. Dr. Philip Curry delivers the Quantitative Research Methods Module, while Mark Ward teaches quantitative research analysis techniques using SPSS. Dr. Evelyn Mahon teaches Research Design and Research Ethics and Dr. Brid McGrath teaches Accessing Resources. Dr. Jemimah Bailey is Teaching Assistant to the Qualitative Research Methods Module.

Dr. Paula Mayock
Dr. Paula Mayock is an Assistant Professor at the School of Social Work and Social Policy and Senior Researcher at the Children's Research Centre, Trinity College Dublin. She is a qualitative methodologist with a particular interest in biographical and qualitative longitudinal research methods and is currently Course Director of the Masters in Applied Social Research. Her research focuses primarily on the lives and experiences of marginalised youth, covering areas such as homelessness, drug use and drug problems, sexuality, and mental health. Paula is the recipient of numerous research awards from statutory and voluntary agencies (e.g. Department of Children and Youth Affairs, Health Service Executive, Crisis Pregnancy Agency, Homeless Agency, National Office for Suicide Prevention, Gay and Lesbian Equality Network, Dublin Region Homeless Executive, Focus Ireland). She is a NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse) INVEST Post-doctoral Fellow (2006-07) and an IRC (Irish Research Council) Research Fellow (2009-10). She was also the recipient of an IRCHSS 'New Ideas' Award (2011). Paula is the author of numerous articles, book chapters and research reports. She is an Assistant Editor of the international journal Addiction and the founder and chairperson of the Women’s Homelessness in Europe Network.

Dr. Evelyn Mahon
Dr Evelyn Mahon was educated at NUIG, the London School of Economics, and University of London. She Lectured at the University of Limerick until 1991 when she joined the Department of Sociology at TCD. Her early research interests and publications were in women's movements, gender equity in the workplace, and feminist theory. Between 1995 and 1997 she was Director of the influential 'Women and Crisis Pregnancy' Study and since then has retained a focus on the sociology of reproduction and changing family lives. She is currently the Principal Director of a HRB funded longitudinal study of couples undergoing infertility treatment in Ireland. In addition, she has recently completed a study of 'Post-Separation Parenting: A Study of Separation and Divorce Agreements made in the Family Law Circuit Courts of Ireland and their Implications for Parent-Child Contact and Family Lives', funded by the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (OMCYA). Dr Mahon founded the M.Sc. in Applied Social Research in TCD in1997 and remained its Director until 2010. She is an elected Fellow and a Senior Lecturer in the School of Social Work and Social Policy.

Dr. Philip Curry
Dr. Philip Curry is a social psychologist and Assistant Professor at the School of Social Work and Social Policy, Trinity College Dublin. He teaches quantitative research methods to students of the Masters in Applied Social Research and Psychology to undergraduate Social Work students. His research focuses on the perspectives, experiences and behaviours of children and young people in relation to migration and diversity. He is particularly interested in empirical evaluation of policy initiatives to enhance inter-ethnic relations among children, the driving question behind his research being to determine what children, schools and communities can do to ensure that all parties get the most out of multi-cultural societies.

Dr. Bríd McGrath
Dr. Bríd McGrath (B.A. (Mod.), M. Litt., Ph. D., D.L.I.S.) is a researcher and information consultant who has worked in the health and social services sector in Ireland for more than 30 years.  She is an expert in sources of quality information in the social services and social policy areas and in their effective exploitation. Bríd is a former Research Fellow in the Departments of Social Policy and Pyschology in Trinity College Dublin and has also lectured in the Department of Library and Information Studies, U.C.D. She has worked as a Research Associate in the School of Social Work and Social Policy since 1994. Bríd has published reports, papers and articles on issues related to social affairs in Ireland, information services and policy, and also early modern Irish history.

Mr. Mark Ward
Mark Ward is a graduate of the Masters in Applied Social Research (2005) having previously completed his under-graduate studies in Social Science (UCD). Mark has been a member of the team since 2008 and currently teaches quantitative research analysis techniques using SPSS. Mark is also in the final year of his PhD research which is a multilevel analysis of childhood obesity in Ireland drawing on information collected as part of the Growing Up in Ireland longitudinal study. His doctoral work is funded by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs Research Scholarship Programme. Prior to embarking on his post-graduate studies, Mark worked for the Health Research Board, and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland among other research settings. His main areas of interest are children's research, health inequalities, social class theory, and quantitative methodologies. Mark is also the post-graduate student representative on the Research Ethics Committee at the School of Social Work and Social Policy.

Dr. Jemimah Bailey
Dr Jemimah Bailey was awarded her doctorate in 2011 for a study exploring the experiences of first-time fathers in contemporary Ireland - “The Evolving Father: Conduct and Culture in Contemporary Fatherhood”. Since completing her doctorate Jemimah has been working with Dr Evelyn Mahon on the EU Framework 7 research project FLOWS, which examines the relationships between female labour force participation and women’s caring responsibilities. Before Jemimah completed the MSc in Applied Social Research in Trinity College in 2005 she had worked as a journalist in the UK and Ireland. She has lectured in the sociology of families and family policy, research methods and research ethics and her research interests include gender, families, care and work.

• Applicants should normally have an upper second-class honors degree in one of the Social Sciences. Applications from graduates in other disciplines (e.g. health sciences, business studies) who have relevant experience will be considered.

• For applicants whose first language is not English and who have not been educated through the medium of English please click here

Please Note: There is currently no Trinity awards for postgraduate students on taught courses but there may be limited funding from external sources. Please see here

Applications: We are now taking applications for 2013

Closing Date: 31st May 2013

Required Documentation

• Application Form
• 2 Reference Letters

It is preferable that references are either academic or professional.

• Official Transcripts

 This includes undergraduate transcripts and graduate transcripts if applicable.

• Curriculum Vitae

Application Procedure

Applications are completed electronically here

Course codes:
Full-time M.Sc. in Applied Social Research DPTSW-DISS-1F09

Part-time M.Sc. in Applied Social Research DPTSW-DISS-1P09

Ms. Laura Cusack, Executive Officer
School of Social Work and Social Policy
Tel: +353 1 896 3593
Email: mscasr@tcd.ie

Dr Paula Mayock, Course Director
School of Social Work and Social Policy
Tel: +353 1 896 2636
Email: pmayock@tcd.ie