Master of Research in the Faculty of Arts

In the first year of the Faculty of Arts MRes program (usually called the BPhil), you will develop the advanced research skills that you need to undertake independent research in the humanities arts, and social sciences. You will engage with key research problems in your discipline, learn to apply cutting-edge research methodologies in the humanities and social sciences, develop your research communication skills, and learn about the professional applications of your research skills.

Part Time enrolment options are also available. If you have a prior Australian Bachelor(Honours) degree, or a Masters degree with a research component, you may be eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for all or part of the BPhil/MRes Year 1 program.

For more information about what part time study or RPL might look like for you, please contact an academic advisor in your discipline.

Want to move forward? Learn more about How to Apply for the BPhil/MRes.

In the second year of the MRes, you will work with an expert supervisor in your discipline to address a research question that you've developed to align with both your own interests, and Faculty of Arts research strengths. As you work toward the submission of your 20,000 word thesis, you will meet a series of milestones designed to support and scaffold your research.

Foremost amongst these milestones is the flagship Research Frontiers 2 Conference. Every June and November, researchers half-way along their MRes Year 2 journey come together to present their research to each other and to the Faculty of Arts more broadly. This event will give you the chance to fully experience the supportive and uplifting reserach community fostered within the Faculty of Arts, while also honing your research communication skills.

When you submit your thesis, you will find that you have a range of options to carry your passion for research into the future. Many Arts MRes graduates go on to work in diverse careers, in fields such as creative arts, policy research, museum curation and more. For those of you who want to pursue research further through a PhD or MPhil with the Faculty of Arts, there are plenty of opportunities for (you)^us.

Do you already hold an Australian Bachelor(Honours) degree, or a Masters degree with research training? You may be eligible to apply for direct entry to the MRes Year 2 Program! Please talk to an academic advisor in your discipline about supervision availability, and visit the How to Apply page to learn more!

If you're a creative practitioner, then the Faculty of Arts can support you! The BPhil/Year 1 units are flexible enough to allow you to build a solid understanding of creative practice as research, while in MRes Year 2 creative theses have two components: a 10,000 word exegesis (traditional thesis) on a topic related to a creative work that you will also produce as part of your thesis -- while not all creative works can be quantified in terms of word count, the creative work is expected to be equivalent to another 10,000 words in terms of its depth, scope, and potential to advance knowledge. Areas of creative practice research supported in the Faculty of Arts include creative writing, film-making, music and dance, and media production.

The MRes is designed to equip you with the skills you need to take your passion for research forward into the professional workforce. In addition to the professional development courses available in MRes Year 1/BPhil, MRes Year 2 also comes with opportunities to engage with non-academic partners:

• 1-year collaborations: Work with a non-academic (professional, NGO, governement) partner to answer a research question with an external organisation.
• 4-week post-submission internship: Conduct a small research project with a non-academic organisation after you submit your MRes Year 2 thesis. A great way to build your research skills further while waiting for your results?

How do I find opportunities to collaborate with an external partner? Collaboration opportunities come in many forms. Perhaps you have an existing relationship with a professional organisation, or maybe your supervisor does. The Faculty of Arts also has a wide range of industry and government research collaborators. If you are interested in a longer-term collaboration or a 4-week MRes Year 2 internship, please contact gr.industry@mq.edu.au, to learn about how we can support you!