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  • Postgraduate taught
  • MRes

MRes Business

Embark on an inspirational learning experience enabling you to lead research in your field.

Embark on an inspirational learning experience enabling you to lead research in your field

Work with world-class faculty in a globally recognised research community

Lead research efforts to solve today's major global issues

Course key facts

Minimum entry standard

  • 2:1 in a quantitative subject such as Mathematics, Engineering, Physics or Computer Science

View full entry requirements

Course overview

Are you driven by the key global issues facing us today? Do you want to contribute and develop research that is used to confront these issues?

This one or two-year research Master's course will challenge and advance your thinking, preparing you for doctoral studies and careers in further research.

Through lectures, workshops and seminars, you'll explore themes from digital transformation to sustainable development to financial and institutional resilience. You'll learn the theories, tools and methodologies needed to undertake research to solve critical, real-world issues through attending practical sessions with industry experts and analysing case studies.

You'll complete a research project in an area of your interest, allowing you to execute the research skills taught on the course. You can opt to take a specialist management and entrepeneurship pathway, where you'll deepen your knowledge of this area and use it for the basis of your research project.

Structure

This page is updated regularly to reflect the latest version of the curriculum. However, this information is subject to change.

Find out more about potential course changes.

Please note: it may not always be possible to take specific combinations of modules due to timetabling conflicts. For confirmation, please check with the relevant department.

If you choose to specialise in the following research areas, you will take a one-year MRes:

  • Analytics & Operations
  • Marketing

Core modules

You study all of these core modules:

  • Plagiarism Awareness (non-assessed)
  • Research Project

Optional modules

You choose elective modules from the following:

Research methods modules

  • Applied Microeconometrics
  • Applied Microeconometrics 2
  • Econometrics 1
  • Econometrics 2
  • Qualitative Methods 1
  • Qualitative Methods 2
  • Quantitative Methods 2

Specialist Modules

  • Optimisation
  • Stochastic Processes
  • Machine Learning for Analytics
  • Decision Making Under Uncertainty
  • Industrial Organisation
  • Sustainable Behaviour
  • Consumer Behaviour
  • Microeconomics 1
  • Microeconomics 2

Other elective modules

  • Advanced Finance 1
  • Advanced Finance 2
  • Asset Pricing Theory
  • Corporate Finance
  • Consumer Behaviour
  • Empirical Asset Pricing
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Financial Economics of Climate Sustainability
  • Foundations in Asset Pricing
  • Industrial Organisation
  • Machine Learning for Analytics
  • Machine Learning for Economic Analysis
  • Macroeconomics 1
  • Macroeconomics 2
  • Macro-Finance
  • Micro Development Economics
  • Organisational Behaviour
  • Organisation Theory
  • Research Project
  • Strategy
  • Topics in Empirical Banking
  • Topics in Environmental Resource Economics
  • Topics in Health Economics
  • Topics in Household Finance
  • Business Models and Intellectual Property*
  • Contemporary Topics in Health Policy*
  • Digital Marketing Analytics*
  • Healthcare and Medical Analytics*
  • Logistics and Supply Chain Analytics*
  • Optimisation and Decision Models*
  • Retail and Marketing Analysis*
  • Workforce Analytics*

*These modules are available subject to capacity and timetabling constraints in other faculties and are differently weighted to the MRes Business electives

There may also be opportunities to choose optional modules from our partner institutions London Business School and Queen Mary University, subject to availability.

If you choose to specialise in Management and Entrepreneurship, you will undertake a two-year research-oriented MRes programme.

Year 1

You will complete the following compulsory modules:

  • Systematic Reviews (non-assessed)
  • Data Analysis Tools
  • Research Experience
  • Organisational Behaviour
  • Qualitative Methods 1
  • Quantitative Methods 1
  • Socialisation to Research
  • Strategy
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Innovation Management
  • Organisational Theory

Year 2

You will complete the compulsory Research Project, plus four elective modules chosen from the list below:

  • Corporate Sustainability
  • Advanced Topics in Organisational Behaviour
  • Readings in Social Networks/ Social Capital
  • Readings in Digital Business
  • Qualitative Methods 2
  • Social Network Analysis
  • Social Data Science
  • Interdisciplinary Research
  • Special Topics in Organisation Theory/Strategy

If you choose to specialise in Finance, you will undertake a two-year research-oriented MRes programme.

Year 1

You will complete the following compulsory modules:

  • Systematic Reviews (non-assessed)
  • Data Analysis Tools
  • Research Experience
  • Applied Microeconometrics 1
  • Applied Microeconometrics 2
  • Asset Pricing Theory
  • Corporate Finance
  • Econometrics
  • Empirical Asset Pricing
  • Macroeconomics
  • Microeconomics 1

Year 2

You will complete the compulsory Research Project, plus four elective modules chosen from the list below:

  • Machine Learning in Economic Analysis
  • Microeconomics 2
  • Topics in Empirical Banking
  • Topics in Health Economics
  • Topics in Environmental and Resource Economics
  • Topics in Household Finance

If you choose to specialise in Economics and Public Policy, you will undertake a two-year research-oriented MRes programme.

Year 1

You will complete the following compulsory modules:

  • Systematic Reviews (non-assessed)
  • Data Analysis Tools
  • Research Experience
  • Applied Microeconometrics 1
  • Applied Microeconometrics 2
  • Macroeconomics
  • Microeconomics 1
  • Microeconomics 2

You will also complete three elective modules chosen from the list below:

  • Asset Pricing Theory
  • Corporate Finance
  • Econometrics
  • Empirical Asset Pricing
  • Machine Learning in Economic Analysis
  • Topics in Empirical Banking
  • Topics in Environmental and Resource Economics
  • Topics in Health Economics

Year 2

You will complete the compulsory Research Project, plus four elective modules chosen from the list below:

  • Asset Pricing Theory
  • Corporate Finance
  • Econometrics
  • Empirical Asset Pricing
  • Machine Learning in Economic Analysis
  • Topics in Empirical Banking
  • Topics in Environmental and Resource Economics
  • Topics in Health Economics

Professional accreditation

We are among a handful of business schools worldwide to achieve triple accreditation:

We have also been recognised for our work in tackling gender inequality in higher education with a Bronze Athena SWAN award.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching and learning methods

  • Person at lectern giving speech
    Lectures
  • People collaborating and completing practical work.
    Practical classes and fieldwork
  • Equipment/technique demonstrations (e.g. Bloomberg, Datastream)
  • Presentations and seminars
  • Workshops
  • Case studies
  • A group of people interacting
    Group work
  • Blackboard virtual learning environment
    Virtual learning environment
  • Recorded lectures available online
    Lecture recordings

Assessment methods

  • Person completing coursework
    Continuous assessments
  • Essays
  • A person completing a written exam
    Written exams
  • Multiple choice tests
  • Formal presentations
  • Papers from a written report
    Reports
  • Case studies
  • Person participating in classroom discussion.
    Participation

Entry requirements

We consider all applicants on an individual basis, welcoming students from all over the world.

How to apply

Applications are now closed

Tuition fees

We offer a funded programme at the Business School. This includes a full tuition fee waiver (Home/EU or Overseas fees) plus a living stipend for up to five years through the Business School Graduate Teaching Assistant Scholarship.

Find out more about funding for this programme

How will studying at Imperial help my career?

Person with magnifying glass over head

Examine case studies with industry experts and learn the tools, theories, and methodologies of conducting research.

Magnifying glass over a research paper

Become familiar with the latest work by internal and external academics, including research that is yet to be published.

Man standing under a sign pointing different directions

Prepare yourself with the necessary training to continue your studies with a PhD, or for a career in a variety of employment sectors.

Computer monitor business analytics

Potential career paths include working in industries such as business, management, healthcare, and economics.

Terms and conditions

There are some important pieces of information you should be aware of when applying to Imperial. These include key information about your tuition fees, funding, visas, accommodation and more.

Read our terms and conditions

You can find further information about your course, including degree classifications, regulations, progression and awards in the programme specification for your course.

Programme specifications