Postgraduate research courses

There are various postgraduate research qualifications that BU awards across our three faculties.

There are several milestones throughout a postgraduate research degree, with each stage designed to assess and hone your research to help you produce a strong thesis. You can find more information about all of these stages in the Code of Practice for Research Degrees (pdf 2.6mb).

Join a Postgraduate Open Event to find out more about postgraduate research.

Read more about our areas of research focus across our three faculties below.

Faculty of Business and Law

Our Business School is home to leading journals and a host of fascinating research. This includes culturally significant work in areas such as para-sports and events, and fiscal and policy-defining matters such as oil price volatility and economic modelling. The Business School offers the opportunity to work with leading academics in areas such as business and management, disaster management, finance and tourism, hospitality and events. Our Business School is one of fewer than 6% of business schools worldwide to gain Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation.

Faculty of Business and Law postgraduate research courses

The Executive Business Centre (EBC) from Station Roundabout

Master’s by Research (MRes)

A Master’s by Research (MRes) course allows you to embark upon a research degree by undertaking a research project at Master’s level which will be assessed via submission of a thesis and a viva voce. This course allows you to explore a specific research question that interests you.

A shot of Talbot Campus, taken from the top of Poole House at the front end of the campus

Master of Philosophy (MPhil)

A Master of Philosophy (MPhil) can be a precursor to a PhD, giving you two years to delve into a subject that you are passionate about. Our staff within the Business School have varied interests and specialisms, providing you with an opportunity to work with an expert in a field of research interest.

PhD – Bournemouth University Business School

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The Business School offers a bespoke, contemporary and dedicated space for all our doctoral researchers to undertake their studies; our Postgraduate Research (PGR) space provides opportunity for our Postgraduate Taught (PGT) community to socialise, study and engage in interdisciplinary collaboration. All our doctoral researchers are integrated into a range of activities and seminars run through our various research centres and clusters and the wider research community.

Faculty of Media, Science and Technology

With eight research centres, our Faculty of Media, Science and Technology is involved in a rich and diverse variety of research areas including; animation, communications, corporate and marketing communication, journalism, English, law and media production. From experimental animation to copyright law, human rights and innovative journalism projects involving students and staff, the faculty offers a wide range of opportunity to work on exciting and world-changing research.

Faculty of Media, Science & Technology postgraduate research courses

Master’s by Research (MRes)

This course allows you to explore a specific research question that interests you and by undertaking this degree within our Faculty of Media, Science & Technology, you’ll have access to leading academics and BU's technical facilities and information resources.

Master of Philosophy (MPhil)

A Master of Philosophy (MPhil) is an excellent precursor to a PhD and undertaking this two-year course in the Faculty of Media, Science and Technology will give you access to experts and resources in a wide range of media and communications fields, as well as law.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

From Media and Computer Animation, to Computing, Technology, Design & Engineering, or Psychology, research within the Faculty of Media, Science & Technology is world-leading. You could make a difference in the world of technology and have an impact on saving lives or rehabilitation, or work with our psychologists to improve every day life.

Doctor of Education Creative and Media

We have designed this part-time course to support teachers, lecturers, media professionals, trainers and other educational professionals working in creative, media and technology related areas, to conduct doctoral research into their own professional practice in education. This course will help you become a doctoral researcher and improve your professional practice to impact on teaching and learning.

Faculty of Health, Environment and Medical Sciences

Our Faculty of Health, Environment & Medical Sciences is involved in world-leading research projects and works to ensure that our research involves patients, practitioners and research users, so that we are responding to issues at the forefront of health and social care practice, as well as current topics in social science. Our research transforms lives and influences policy and professional practice at a local, national and international level. There are opportunities to get involved in research in areas such as; medical sciences, nursing, midwifery, nutrition, radiography and medical imaging, social sciences and social work, sport and exercise sciences, and physiotherapy, occupational therapy and exercise therapy.

Faculty of Health, Environment & Medical Sciences postgraduate research courses

Master’s by research (MRes)

The MRes programme allows you to undertake a research project at Master’s level which would be assessed via submission of a thesis and a viva voce. Tailor your studies to your specific interests or career aspirations such as; healthcare, midwifery, nursing, leadership or dementia. Other areas include radiography and medical imaging, nutrition, exercise, the social sciences, humanisation or social work.

A nurse taking another the blood pressure of another nurse

Master of Philosophy (MPhil)

You can study a Master of Philosophy in a variety of areas such as healthcare, midwifery, nursing, leadership or dementia, as well as radiography and medical imaging, nutrition, exercise, the social sciences, humanisation and social work.

The Bournemouth Gateway Building, the new home of the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences, lit up blue on a #clapforcarers evening in support of the NHS

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

In the Faculty of Health, Environment and Medical Sciences, we strongly encourage collaboration across specialisms, and a PhD provides an opportunity to work with supervisors from various backgrounds to deliver truly impactful research.

Explore our research projects

Our research shapes and changes the world around us, providing solutions to real-world problems and informing the education we deliver. Our students are a key part of the research we conduct, co-creating knowledge with us and playing a crucial role in everything that we do.

View all research projects