At Essex we push the frontiers of accepted wisdom, critically examining the decisions of individuals, the strategies of firms, and the policies of governments to understand and challenge the standard paradigms of economics. Our popular Masters in Research course (MRes) provides you with a stimulating route into PhD studies, and develops the expert research mind-set required for a high-profile job in finance or business, if you want to work in the private sector after your degree. The MRes course is designed for you to master research methods and tools, and to acquire a solid foundation to pursue a more research focused career. MRes students are expected to commit full time to their studies and with a high level of independence to start developing a research mindset. You learn through a combination of lectures, classes and independent work which allow you to appreciate and understand the deeper connections between topics. This includes making connections during classes and lectures and also independently. You also gain a deepened understanding of how to apply techniques to new problems and see beyond the surface to identify when concepts and tools from one area could be applied to another. Due to this style of learning you develop the ability to tackle economic problems with a unified approach and identify a suitable research topic for your dissertation.After completing your masters, you may wish to extend your knowledge with a research degree – many Essex graduates decide to stay here for further study.Alternatively, our course also prepares you for employment; recent surveys have shown that higher degree graduates are more likely to obtain jobs at professional or managerial level.More generally, our graduates find employment in roles such as business and financial analysts, management consultants, government officials, and economists for banks and other financial organisations.