Course Details

1. Develop specific project ideas and comment about the current research activity and methodological approaches in international economics, international trade, and the shipping industry.
2. Raise research questions and be able to draw from the educational research principles in order to develop research designs and methodologies suitable for investigating economic and policy issues.
3. Identify the elements that highlight the quality of a research through certain research examples.
4. Participate in Frederick University’s research activities that are related to the domain.
5. Identify local and international institutional bodies and foundations that support and fund research and be informed about the funding programmes and initiatives available in the area of the MSc Programme.
6. Understand the processes followed and acquire the skills needed for writing a research proposal, through their practical involvement in the process.
7. Develop their own, research questions and methodological designs which will lead finally to the elaboration of their Masters Thesis.
8. Implement a small scale research project related to their Masters Thesis.
9. Understand the mechanisms they can use for the effective communication of their research and academic results to the end users and the dissemination of the results to all interested parties, academic or not.

• Learn about and become familiar with a variety of economic issues related to the international economics, shipping industry and the international trade.
• Development of students’ critical attitude towards research and research projects.
• Study and presentations of relevant scientific papers and research that will contribute to students’ information on current topics and methodological approaches used for investigating related issues.
• Critical analysis of scientific papers and research in order to highlight elements of quality in a research project.
• Students involvement in research conducted by Frederick University, so as to acquire actual experience in the field of applied research.
• Development of research questions and methodological designs that apply educational research principles in the fields covered by the MSc Programme.
• Information about research funding organizations and institutional bodies in Cyprus and abroad and their main funding opportunities.
• Involvement in the process of writing competitive research proposals for the available funding programmes and participation in the implementation of research and results dissemination.
• Preparation of their Masters Thesis proposal. This will include the required theoretical background and information (literature review), the research aim and objectives, research questions, research methods description, an implementation time schedule and suggestions for possible ways for the dissemination of the results.
• Conduct of a small scale research (pilot study) in order to test the research tools that may be used for the Master’s Thesis and as a means of acquiring research experience and presentation skills.

• Charmaz, K (2006). Constructing Grounded Theory: A Practical Guide Through Qualitative Analysis. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
• Cohen, L. and Manion, L. (1996). Research Methods in Education. London: Routledge.
• Creswell, J.W. (2007). Qualitative Inquiry & Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
• Opie, C. (2005). Doing Education Research: a guide to first – time researchers.London: Sage Publications.
• Powney, J. and Watts, M. (1987). Interviewing in Educational Research. Routledge and Kogan.
• Radnor, H.A. (Ed.). (1994). Qualitative Interpretive Research. Collecting and Analysing Interview Data. University of Exeter, Monograph, UK.

• Journals: Educational Research and Evaluation, Educational Researcher, Educational Measurement, Issues and Practice

The Module will be offered through lectures, discussion and practical activities.Qualitative and quantitative data analysis methods will be presented to the students, presentation of scientific research and critical approaches to scientific articles concerning research methods in education for the environment and sustainable development. Students will be able to use the computer labs and will have access to statistical analysis packages so as to become familiar with quantitative data processing.