Aims of the course
The course aims to:
- develop students’ skills as independent and critical researchers in preparation for Master's level study;
- enable students to conduct a systematic literature review as a means of critically surveying research allowing the formation of a research question and/or hypothesis;
- enhance students’ knowledge and understanding of key and emerging Engineering themes
- foster students’ knowledge and understanding of different methodological approaches to research, including the skills and techniques necessary to conduct qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods research;
- enable students to design and conduct an independent research project drawing on appropriate evidence, methodological techniques and theory;
- enable students to critically appraise and evaluate the results of their research and present their findings to a wider audience including relevant stakeholders;
- provide students with the necessary English language and academic literacy skills to conduct an independent research project.
Course content
Students will learn about research fundamentals, research processes and how to conduct an independent research project based on a variety of case studies linked to current and emerging themes in Engineering. The current and emerging themes are:
● Managing Technology and Innovation
● The Ageing Workforce and Productivity
● Environmental, Social and Governance Issues (ESG)
● Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality
Unit 1: Research Fundamentals: Thinking like a Researcher
This unit focuses on research fundamentals in Engineering. Research methods in both disciplines are grounded in the social and natural sciences and both utilise very similar techniques to conduct research especially literature searches and reviews. However, there are distinct differences between the two disciplines with regards to theory development, identifying research problems and developing research questions.
Similarities and differences in the two disciplines will be used to engage international students in critical discussions about research fundamentals and to provide examples of interdisciplinary approaches to research. In addition, unit 1 will introduce students to various research contexts that influence research thinking and regulate research approaches (e.g. ethical frameworks, professional bodies and standards).
The English Language and Academic Literacy components will adopt the same developmental logic as the content and research skills aspects of the Advanced Diploma in that they will be designed to both develop the students’ academic literacy skills in English whilst at the same time supporting the respective tasks and skills taught in each term. They will cover key receptive strategies required at postgraduate level with respect to managing reading input, but will also focus on the active skills of written and oral communication. This will include all of the key elements involved, such as understanding the writing process, achieving clarity in writing, argumentation in English etc., but will also raise awareness of how these may be different from what the student is used to in their first language. Teaching will include full class seminars as well as individual supervisions. Students will also have access to the wide range of Online Learning Objects developed in-house by the Language Centre. Formative assessment will support the development of both language and academic literacy skills, as well as support the main written requirement of the content units in each term.
Unit 1 is a 30 credit unit split between research fundamentals (20 credits) and English language and academic literacy skills (10 credits).
Unit 2: Research Design: Professional Research Processes and Procedure
This unit consolidates learning from unit 1 to enable students to use their insights for designing research.
This unit guides students to develop a working knowledge of the most commonly used qualitative and quantitative research methods. To support a developmental and sequential approach to the course, unit 2 begins by reflecting on the learning from unit 1 and explaining what the students will be expected to demonstrate by the end of unit 2. This is done through a brief discussion of the learning outcomes and an introduction to the final summative assessment that students will complete throughout the 10 week duration of unit 2. Students learn the differences between qualitative and quantitative research and how the choice of research method depends on the ontological position of the researcher and the epistemology suitable to the research question. Commonly used quantitative methods and qualitative methods are explained through extensive use of examples related to the four Engineering themes, and also from a theoretical perspective. Students will be given training in the use of some of the most commonly used tools and analytic techniques in qualitative and quantitative research methods and will develop a deep understanding of ethical and health and safety issues and practices in the collection of research data. The unit will also explore the growing popularity of mixed methods research, procedures deployed in mixed methods research and the relative merits of methodological pluralism.
Unit 2 in the English Language and Academic Literacy will focus on language and Literacy components. Having covered the basics of academic writing in the first unit, and in particular the cognitive and literacy skills required to write a good Literature Review, unit two will build on these foundations by focusing far more so on discipline-specific argumentation as well as the equally key postgraduate skill of editing
Unit 2 is a 30 credit unit split between research fundamentals (20 credits) and English language and academic literacy skills (10 credits).
Unit 3: Independent Research Project in the Specialist Subject
This unit will focus on developing students’ skills so that they become independent and critical researchers ready to continue their study at Master’s level. Unit 3 will provide students with a deeper knowledge and understanding of the current and emerging themes used in units 1 and 2. PhD and Postdoc researchers and current Master’s students will be invited to present research relevant to the four themes and to share their experiences and motivations for conducting research. As students studied these themes in units 1 and 2, it is expected that they will be able to ask critical and research-informed questions relevant to, and helpful for, their own research project and academic progression.
Students will attend discipline-specific research seminars aimed at refining their research and academic writing skills. Specifically, data collection, analysis, critical evaluation and interpretation of findings will be at the heart of the research seminars. In addition, students will be encouraged to draw conclusions from their data analysis and to identify the potential value of their research for stakeholders. Opportunities for future research will also be explored in unit 3 when, for example, considering the issue of academic progression.
Students will work with an individual supervisor who will further assist them with undertaking the research project. Group supervisory meetings will be replaced with independent study groups led by students and used for reflection and sharing experiences. A considerable amount of time will be spent on individually conducting the independent research project.
Unit 3 will provide a focused review of the skills covered in the previous two units with a view to preparing students for the dissertation requirement in unit 3. Since the students will by this stage have been well versed in the range of skills required to produce postgraduate level writing, after four initial revision seminars at the start of this unit, the focus will turn to individual supervisions so as to provide tailored, individualised support throughout the writing process.
This final unit is a 60 credit unit split between an independent research project (40 credits) and English languages and academic literacy skills (20 credits).
Credit awarded by the Institute can be transferred into the degree programmes of some other higher education providers. The amount of credit which can be transferred into degree programmes varies from institution to institution and is always at the discretion of the receiving institution.
Whilst every effort is made to support students who complete this course to secure a place on a Master degree programme, this course does not guarantee entry on a postgraduate degree programme at the University of Cambridge or any other institution. Candidates will need to follow the application procedures and satisfy the requirements of the postgraduate courses as outlined in that institution's admissions documents.
The University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education (ICE) is committed to acting sustainably to minimise its environmental impact. In the 2019-20 academic year, ICE is launching a carbon reduction initiative to offset 1,500 tonnes of carbon emissions on behalf of its staff and global student community. This equates to around half of the carbon emitted by students travelling to study in Cambridge on ICE-taught courses (including the International Summer Programmes) and ICE employees attending education-related events and meetings overseas.
Working with Carbon Footprint Ltd to offset these emissions, ICE will support projects in the UK, India and the Amazon rainforest including tree planting, reducing deforestation, and the installation of renewable energy sources. ICE intends to work with other organisations such as Cambridge Zero in the future to further reduce its carbon footprint.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)