MGMT 611 aims to introduce postgraduate students with a desire to carry out research in farm, horticultural or viticulture management, or international rural development, to the research process and the range of research methods available to researchers. It is not intended that this subject will provide any participant with all they need to know on any specific research technique. For that they are recommended to take the postgraduate paper dealing with that specific methodology. Further, it is intended to bring together all the students starting research in the Management Section to establish a peer group which will be aware of a range of research projects, approaches and methods, not just their own. The ultimate outcome of the subject will be a viable research proposal for each student. It is also desired to build up an esprit de corps among the class which encourages class members to help and support each other during what is often a very lonely and difficult period while producing the dissertation or thesis required for their degree.
Key objectives
By the completion of MGMT 611 class members will have:
- Encountered a range of research methodologies and techniques, and their advantages and disadvantages, which will permit selection of an appropriate research strategy for a specific research question.
- Prepared a viable research proposal to meet the requirements of the programme that each individual class member is taking.
- Presented to their colleagues and staff a seminar embodying the research proposal to facilitate a rigorous critique before the actual research commences, with the objective of improving the proposed research.
- Developed a sound grasp of ethical research procedures and practice.
- Been introduced to the issues likely to be encountered in cross-cultural research.
Contribution to the postgraduate course programme
This course carries 20 credits and represents one-sixth of the coursework required for a full-time Masters programme. It is designed to occupy a student for 200 hours, whether of lectures, seminars, subject reading, project preparation, exams or their preparation
Students of management in primary production, and indeed in all other similar areas, should be aware of the range of research methods available. This course surveys the major approaches and techniques with an emphasis on their use in primary production. Each student will then subsequently be in a position to look in depth at the method suitable for their particular research topic.
Practice at selecting a research topic, finding and reviewing the background literature, and preparing a research plan and proposal are also included in this programme. Practice at presenting outlines and results to the class is also provided as an important part of being a researcher. These presentations also include covering examples of other people's research output. The emphasis is on student participation.
All postgraduate students in the Farm and Horticultural Management Groups and the International Rural Development Group are asked to take MGMT 611 as a core course in their study programme.