Role of master's degree in research work .....

Master's degrees may be designed to fulfill a range of purposes. The purpose for

which the degree is intended will reflect both the desires and ambitions of students

and the traditions and needs of particular disciplines and professions. That master's

degrees may be designed with more than one purpose in mind will be reflected in the

destinations of graduates. As articulated in the national qualification descriptor, graduates of all master's degrees should be capable of demonstrating a systematic understanding of knowledge, much of which is at, or informed by, the forefront of the discipline, field of study or area of professional practice. They should be capable of demonstrating originality in their application of that knowledge and in addressing problems. They will have demonstrated a comprehensive understanding of the techniques applicable to their own research or advanced scholarship. In relation to future employment, master's graduates will be expected to possess the skills needed to exercise independent learning and to develop new skills to a high level. Higher education providers may offer a master's degree with the specific intention of:

1.enabling students to focus on a particular aspect of a broader subject area in

which they have prior knowledge or experience through previous study or

employment and/or

2.enabling students to focus on a particular subject area or field of study in greater

depth than they encountered during the course of previous study or experience.

This may include enabling students to develop knowledge of a new discipline or

field of study in combination with a relevant subject area in which they have prior

knowledge or experience and/or

3.enabling students to learn how to conduct research, often linked to a particular

discipline or field of study. Programmes will often include a greater emphasis

on the delivery of structured learning as opposed to independent study than

those which are dedicated to the actual undertaking of research and/or

4.enabling students to undertake a research project on a topic within the area

of interest that makes up the majority of the overall assessment and/or

5.enabling students to specialize or to become more highly specialized in an area

of employment or practice related to a particular profession.