Studies & Degrees in Research Methodology
Research Methodology Study Programs
Research methodology is the study of how research is designed, carried out and reported. It covers the steps that every project shares, whatever the discipline: turning a problem into a research question, reviewing what is already known, choosing a design, collecting data, analysing it and presenting the findings so that others can check them.
Courses usually separate quantitative methods (surveys, experiments, sampling and statistics) from qualitative methods (interviews, observation, case studies and the analysis of texts), and add research ethics, data management and academic writing. The work of a survey researcher, as the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) describes it, shows the quantitative side: planning and designing surveys, deciding on appropriate survey methods, dealing with non-response and other sampling problems, and analysing data with statistical software.
Qualifications and levels
Research methodology is seldom a first degree. It is taught as part of other programmes and becomes a subject of its own at postgraduate level.
- Modules in bachelor's and master's degrees. Most degrees in the social sciences, education, health, business and the sciences include one or more methods courses, normally before the final project or dissertation. In Spain every official master's degree (60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits) includes a final project, the trabajo de fin de máster, of between 6 and 30 ECTS credits.
- Research master's degrees. Some master's programmes are built around research training. Imperial College London, for example, offers an MRes Clinical Research with training and practical experience in designing, implementing and reporting clinical studies. It lasts one year full-time or two years part-time, the minimum entry standard is a 2:1 degree in medicine or life sciences, and a part-time PG Cert of one year also exists.
- Doctorate. A PhD is research training in practice. Applicants are often asked for a research proposal: Imperial College London says it must define a clear research question and explain how the project contributes to, develops or challenges existing theories in the field. In Spain, doctoral studies end with a thesis that contains original research results and last at most four years full-time or seven years part-time.
- Short courses. In the United Kingdom the National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM) delivers research methods training and keeps a searchable database of courses at entry, intermediate and advanced level.
- Distance learning. Warnborough College Ireland, a distance-learning college in Dublin, publishes guidance for students doing a degree by research, project or publication. Ask any distance provider what recognition its qualification has in your country before enrolling.
Where to study it
SpainExchange lists 13 active schools for research methodology. Four are in the United States, three in the United Kingdom and two in Ireland; Italy, Ghana, Australia and Germany have one each. The list includes Imperial College London and University College London in the United Kingdom, Hofstra University, Ferris State University, Avila University and Black Hills State University in the United States, UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School in Ireland, the University of Melbourne in Australia and the Technische Universität München in Germany.
Most of these schools teach in English. No school in Spain is currently listed under this subject, but research methods are part of official master's and doctoral programmes at Spanish universities, as described above.
When comparing programmes, look at which methods are covered (quantitative, qualitative or both), which software is taught, how much of the programme is the student's own project and who supervises it.
Careers
Training in research methods leads to work in universities and research institutes, market and opinion research, public administration, health services, non-profit organisations and company departments that analyse data. For most graduates it is a skill added to a subject, such as psychology, education or public health, and the job title follows the subject.
One occupation is defined by method: the survey researcher. According to the BLS, survey researchers typically need at least a master's degree, although a bachelor's degree may be enough for some entry-level positions, and students should take courses in research methods, survey methodology, computer science, mathematics and statistics. The occupation is small. The BLS counted 9,800 jobs in the United States in 2025 and projects a decline of 5 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 600 openings each year. Most work in research firms, polling organisations, non-profits, corporations, universities and government agencies.
Frequently asked questions
Is research methodology a degree on its own?
Rarely at bachelor's level. It is normally a set of courses inside another degree, and it becomes a programme of its own in research master's degrees (MRes), doctoral training and short courses.
What is the difference between quantitative and qualitative methods?
Quantitative methods work with numbers: surveys, experiments and statistics. Qualitative methods work with words and observations: interviews, case studies and the analysis of texts. Many projects combine both.
Do I need a research proposal to apply for a doctorate?
Often, but not always. Imperial College London notes that a formal proposal is not always a requirement and that departments may have different format requirements, so ask the potential supervisor first.
How long does research training take?
It varies. The MRes cited here takes one year full-time, and doctoral studies in Spain last at most four years full-time.