Impact study of the taught MScs in Technology related subjects on students’ employability

Project leader(s): Daphne Chang
Theme: Other
Faculty: STEM
Status: Current
Dates: May 2016 to December 2021

Initial scoping of the literature on employability shows that certain aspects of employability such as motivations for study/outcomes of postgraduate studies have been documented and discussed to some extent. However, there seem to be little discussion/debate on medium to long-term impact of PG studies/qualifications. This research aims to investigate the impact of gaining an MSc in Technology related subjects has on students’ employability. It will also take the opportunity to examine the extent to which such impact is experienced/perceived differently between men and women.

I have chosen to focus on three technology related MScs. These are: F36 (MSc in Technology Management), F65 (MSc in Environment Management) and F47 (MSc in Systems Thinking in Practice). There are two capstone modules (T847 and T802) available for postgraduate Computing and Technology students. For the purpose of this research, I have decided to focus on the students who have chosen T847 as their capstone module. T847 (The MSC professional project) has been on offered since 2011. Therefore, four cohorts of students can potentially be involved in this investigation.

In order to understand students’ motivation, their perceptions of the advantages of the MScs and their experiences of employability as a result of their qualifications, I intend to use qualitative methods (such as semi-structured interviews and case study).