Master of Research (Business)
2025 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2025 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Master of Research (Business) |
| Deakin course code | M820 |
| Faculty | Faculty of Business and Law |
| Campus | Offered at Burwood (Melbourne) |
| Duration | 2 years full-time |
| Course Map - enrolment planning tool | The course map for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2025 will be available soon. Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central. |
| CRICOS course code | 109089C Burwood (Melbourne) |
| Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition | The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 9 |
Closing dates: Offshore students: 31 October 2025 Onshore students: 30 November 2025 | |
Course sub-headings
- Course overview
- Career opportunities
- Alternative exits
- Course Learning Outcomes
- Course rules
- Course structure
- Fees and charges
Course overview
Do you want to research pressing issues in business? The Master of Research (Business) degree is a two-year course that will develop your research capabilities, expose you to the latest thinking in your chosen field or discipline, and immerse you in a research project of your own.
Ready to hone the research skills that will underpin career success in both academia and industry?
This course is a pathway to a research-focused career in industry and offers a gateway to the PhD in Business and Law for those who want to pursue an academic career.
In the first year of your Master of Research (Business) you will complete research training coursework units, covering the research thought process, research methods and the current state of theory in your chosen field or discipline.
The second year is devoted to a major research project on a question of interest to you (subject to supervisor approval) and includes your Research Proposal and Research Dissertation/Thesis.
Career opportunities
The MRes(Bus) has a hybrid focus on careers in both academia and industry. As such, the MRes(Bus) is designed to offer a high-quality pathway into a PhD program. This pathway will be most relevant for students interested in pursuing an academic career or who wish to undertake additional advanced research training. The research fundamentals, research methods, and discipline specific units are all designed to offer students the best preparation for further conduct of high-end research.
The MRes(Bus) is also designed to prepare graduates for a research-focused career in industry, including in the private sector, government, or NGOs. Towards this goal, the MRes(Bus) incorporates several units that are explicitly focused on transferring the rigorous research units incorporated into the MRes(Bus) into problem-solving skills in a real-world context.
Alternative exits
| Graduate Diploma of Business Research (M620) |
Course Learning Outcomes
| Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes | Course Learning Outcome |
|---|---|
| Discipline Specific knowledge and capabilities | Demonstrate mastery of theoretical knowledge in a discipline area by applying appropriate research principles and methods to make a substantial contribution to an existing body of research |
| Communication | Communicate the findings of research outputs to academic and non-academic audiences using highly developed communication skills and working productively within a team of experts in the field |
| Digital literacy | Apply digital technologies in the process of conducting empirical analysis to address research problems |
| Critical thinking | Apply and synthesise theory and existing literature to formulate research questions and hypotheses |
| Problem solving | Apply and use appropriate technical skills to evaluate complex information and concepts in a way that helps solve problems and issues in a given field |
| Self-management | Demonstrate a high degree of autonomy, |
| Teamwork | Work collaboratively with peers when addressing |
| Global citizenship | Apply mastery of the scientific process by addressing research problems in an objective and ethical manner |
Course rules
To complete the Master of Research (Business) students must pass 16 credit points and meet the following course rules to be eligible to graduate:
- DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in their first study period
- First year
- 4 credit points of core units
- 2 credit points of course research methods elective units
- 2 credit points of course discipline elective units
- Second year*
- Students are required to complete a major thesis dissertation, MPR802 Master Research. Students will be required to independently execute the proposed research project with the guidance of an expert supervisory team. The length of the research dissertation will be a maximum of 20,000 words.
Eligibility*
Progression from the first year to the second year of the Master of Research (Business) is not automatic. Students obtain admission into the program for the first year. Progression into the second year is conditional on achieving a 75% average in the first-year coursework. Students who have completed the first year, but do not meet the requirements to progress to the second year will be eligible to exit the program with a Graduate Diploma of Business Research.
To be eligible to apply for the PhD program in the Faculty of Business and Law, students will need to have attained 80% or higher in their second-year research thesis.
Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements. See the enrolment codes and terminology to help make sense of the University’s vocabulary.
Course structure
Core Units
| MPP821 | Fundamentals of Research |
| MPP822 | Research in Practice |
| MPP823 | Research Project ^ |
^This unit is worth 2 credit points
Course Research Methods Electives
With the guidance of their supervisory team, students must select two credit points of units (one in T1 and one in T2)
Trimester 1:
| MMM907 | Quantitative Research Methods |
| MAE900 | Applied Econometrics |
Trimester 2:
| MAF900 | Advanced Data Methods |
| MMM906 | Qualitative Research Methods |
| MMM909 | Meta-Analysis Research Methods |
Course Discipline Electives
Students must complete two credit points of units (one in T1 and one in T2). The T2 unit will generally be in the same discipline stream (unless otherwise approved by the Course Director) as the T1 unit as listed below:
Accounting
Trimester 1:
| MAA906 | Contemporary Issues in Accounting |
Trimester 2:
| MAA907 | Advanced Auditing |
| MAA908 | Advanced Management Accounting |
Economics
Trimester 1:
| MAE905 | Macroeconomic Theory and Policy |
Trimester 2:
| MAE908 | Game Theory and Its Applications |
Finance
Trimester 1:
| MAF905 | Advanced Finance |
Trimester 2:
| MAF907 | Empirical Corporate Finance |
| MAF908 | Empirical Asset Pricing |
Information Systems and Business Analytics
Trimester 1:
| MIS901 | Theory in Information Systems Research |
Trimester 2:
| MIS776 | Design Thinking for Innovation * |
* To enrol in Level 7 units please contact Student Central
Management
Trimester 1:
| MRM908 | Advanced Management Theory |
Trimester 2:
| MPM712 | Managing Innovation * |
| MPM722 | Human Resource Management * |
| MMM710 | Emerging Issues in International Operations * |
* To enrol in Level 7 units please contact Student Central
Marketing
Trimester 1:
| MMK900 | Advanced Marketing Theory |
Trimester 2:
| MMK739 | Strategic Brand Management * |
| MMK733 | Applied Strategic Marketing * |
| MMK713 | Consumer Behaviour * |
* To enrol in Level 7 units please contact Student Central
Sport Management
Trimester 1:
| MRM908 | Advanced Management Theory |
Trimester 2:
| MMS712 | Sport Marketing * |
| MMS714 | The Sport Workplace * |
* To enrol in Level 7 units please contact Student Central
Research Dissertation
Students will be required to independently execute the proposed research project (MPR802 Masters Research). The length of the research dissertation will be a maximum of 20,000 words. Students will be required to have their research proposal confirmed in February/March before they can embark on developing their research thesis.
Consistent with other HDR degrees, students in the MRes(Bus) will be supervised by two supervisors (a principal and associate supervisor). Although students will mostly work with their supervisory team in Year 2, when completing their thesis, opportunities for students to interact with their supervisors will be incorporated throughout Year 1 of the MRes(Bus).
Examination:
The research dissertation will be examined by one internal and two external examiner.
Course duration
Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as failing of units or accessing or completing placements.
Further information
Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.
- Contact Student Central
Fees and charges
Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study, and their study discipline or your study load.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.