With over 8,000 candidates in more than 40 countries worldwide the MRS Advanced Certificate is the leading, fastest growing, degree level vocational qualification for the research sector. 

Market and social research is vital in informing and driving effective decision making within both the business and public sectors.

The MRS Advanced Certificate therefore enables candidates to develop a clear practical understanding of the principles underpinning all stages in the research process, and to develop the skills required to enable them to design and carry out key research tasks. As such, it enables candidates to select appropriate approaches and tools based on a clear understanding of the research problem and the objectives of any associated programme of research.

The MRS Advanced Certificate is designed for those who have just entered or are seeking to enter the research profession, working in the areas of commercial market and/or social research.

It’s ideal for people in all areas of research (buyers, suppliers and operations staff, undergraduates, postgraduates, market and social researchers, pollsters) from a broad range of employers (large and small research suppliers, local and national government, FTSE 500 companies, consultancies, financial institutions, charities) – the list is endless.

Adv-cert-promo2

Kenny Imafidon, MMRS, ClearView Research, CEO

“Despite already being in research for 5 years, I found the qualification was valuable in developing my skills as a researcher. It helped me to think more critically about how I conduct research and gave me the know-how about how I can deliver more robust studies for our clients."

 
What’s involved?

Content and Assessment

The Advanced Certificate is a single-unit qualification which follows the research process from problem definition through to interpreting and reporting on results.

The qualification comprises 2 elements, each divided into a number of topic areas:

  • Element 1 (The Research Context)
  • Element 2 (The Research Project)

In order to reflect the inter-dependence of the various stages in the research process, the assessment of the qualification follows an integrated approach. All candidates must successfully complete 2 components of assessment:

A project component (the Integrated Assignment, or IA): This requires candidates to prepare a brief & proposal for a research project.

A written examination: All questions in the examination require candidates to demonstrate how they might apply their learning in practical situations.

The Examination is online and remotely invigilated.

Candidates answer the questions on a computer, supervised by an invigilator over the internet, who is connected to the candidate by camera, audio and remote screen-share. With the invigilator physically present supervising, the exam can therefore be sat at any suitable location.

No special equipment is required for a remotely invigilated exam, a standard desktop or laptop with a webcam, a microphone and good quality internet connectivity (not dial-up) is sufficient.

More information on the structure of the Advanced Certificate can be found in the Syllabus section.

NEW Syllabus

Following considerable review and consultation with our key stakeholders and syllabus experts the MRS Advanced Certificate in Market & Social Research Practice syllabus has been updated. This is a new syllabus effective from the June 2020 Assessment Round.

Overview of syllabus changes can be found here.

The focus of the new syllabus is to enable candidates to develop a clear practical understanding of the principles underpinning all stages in the research process, and to develop the skills required to enable them to design and carry out key research tasks. Enabling candidates to select appropriate approaches and tools based on a clear understanding of the research problem and the objectives of any associated programme of research.

The structure remains a single-unit qualification which follows the research process from problem definition through to interpreting and reporting on results. The qualification comprises 2 elements, each divided into a number of topic areas:

  • Element 1 (The Research Context) contains two topic areas, focusing on the setting in which research takes place and the preparation needed to underpin the research process. The learning outcomes in this section inform and guide each stage of the development of a research project.

  • Element 2 (The Research Project) contains three topic areas, focusing on the stages involved in planning and carrying out the research project based on the understanding of the context. Understanding of the research setting, and the ethical principles underpinning research, are woven into each of the topic areas in Element 2.

In order to reflect the inter-dependence of the various stages in the research process, the assessment of the qualification follows an integrated approach. All candidates must successfully complete 2 components of assessment:

A project component (the Integrated Assignment, or IA): This requires candidates to prepare a brief & proposal for a research project. To successfully pass the IA candidates are required to integrate knowledge from across the syllabus, from problem definition to reporting.

A written examination: All questions in the examination require candidates to demonstrate how they might apply their learning in practical situations. In order to be successful, candidates must demonstrate that they can integrate and apply knowledge from different areas of the syllabus in order to address the given problems. In each examination round, all elements of the syllabus will be assessed through the range of questions.

Examination
Candidates are given an overall band grade (Distinction, Merit, Pass, Fail). The overall grade is an aggregate of grades allocated over the three questions attempted in the exam. In order to achieve a Pass overall, candidates will normally need to achieve a minimum of a Pass in each question. If one answer is awarded a Fail grade, candidates will normally be expected to achieve a Merit band or above in one of the remaining two questions in order to pass.

Integrated Assignment (IA)
Candidates are given a band grade (Distinction, Merit, Pass, Fail) for the IA.

Overall Result
No overall grade is awarded for the MRS Advanced Certificate. The Results Notification and Certificate give the level of achievement in each component.

Fail/Referred Candidates
A candidate who has failed to meet the pass criteria for both components of assessment is described as Fail.

Candidates who fail to achieve the Pass criteria in one component only will have their grade for that component Referred. They will retain the grade achieved for the remaining component. In these circumstances, candidates need only re-sit/re-submit the component in which they were referred.

    • In order to be considered for the award, Referred candidates must retake the component in which they were not successful.
    • In order to be considered for the award, Fail candidates must retake both components of assessment.
    • Candidates may take each of the two components of assessment (Examination and Integrated Assignment) three times within a three-year registration period. Candidates who are unsuccessful on the third attempt must wait until the end of their initial three-year registration period before re-registering for assessment.
    • Candidates who have been successful in one component but who have been unsuccessful three times in the second component are required to retake both components of assessment in any subsequent registration period.
    • Candidates that receive a Refer or Fail grade for either component are entitled to order a report. All requests for enquiry reports must be made within 40 days of the release of the final results.  

Enquiries & Appeals Procedure can be downloaded from here


Important Notice
: It is MRS Policy not to release candidate examination scripts. There is no legal obligation for MRS to release candidate examination scripts. Indeed the Information Commissioner who is responsible for the Data Protection Act and Freedom of Information Act which regulates personal data such as assessment documentation, recognises the special nature of examination scripts and has developed specific guidance on this topic which gives awarding bodies exemption for providing such information.

The Examiner Report provides an outline detail of the question requirement, for each question selected by the candidate. Feedback is given relating to how the candidate responded to the question, this includes weaknesses and where applicable the strengths. The grade achieved by the candidates for each part question and the overall grade achieved for the question is also detailed.

You can learn the principles and techniques which underpin effective research, as well as the theories of industry best practice via a variety of routes of study.

Please click on the sections below for the different types of providers and then the individual logos for each company's website.

Distance/virtual/online learning face to face classes. Small interactive live groups and personal 1:1 tutorials. Classes recorded to allow playback anytime.

LMS logo high res
Telephone: 0800 002 9886
Email: hello@londonmarketingset.co.uk


Face to Face or Distance learning with full tutor support, live webinars and an interactive online learning environment
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Telephone: +44 20 3130 1431
Email:  hello@research-academy.co.uk


Distance learning with flexible options for personalised/full or partial tutor support via email
MRSC logo

Email : info@themarketresearchstudycentre.co.uk 

MRBA Skills – an Education Grants & Funding Support initiative offering a small number of annual bursaries to researchers in the UK wishing to study for the MRS Advanced Certificate in Market & Social Research Practice.  Click here for more information.

Distance/virtual/online learning face to face classes. Small interactive live groups and personal 1:1 tutorials. Classes recorded to allow playback anytime.

LMS logo high res
Telephone: 0800 002 9886
Email: hello@londonmarketingset.co.uk

Evening classes in Central London with access to online resources

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Telephone:+44 20 3130 1431
Email:hello@research-academy.co.uk


MRBA Skills – an Education Grants & Funding Support initiative offering a small number of annual bursaries to researchers in the UK wishing to study for the MRS Advanced Certificate in Market & Social Research Practice.  Click here for more information.

Delivery of the MRS Advanced Certificate, as an additional qualification for apprentices of the Market Research Executive standard. Apprentices that achieve an overall grade of  ‘Distinction’ in the EPA will gain exemption from the Advanced Certificate Integrated Assignment (IA) element of assessment and will only need to successfully pass the Exam in order to be awarded the qualification.  Candidates who gain an overall ‘Pass’ grade in the EPA will be required to undertake both elements of assessment for the Adv Cert – Exam & IA

 Swarm-training-logo

Email: Info@swarmgroup.org.uk
Telephone: 01953 668000

These leading global organisations are accredited by MRS to offer the MRS Advanced Certificate in Market & Social Research Practice within their graduate training, learning and development programmes.

Please click on the logos for each company's website




        

      

 

    

If you want to show your clients that your employees have the skills and knowledge to meet new challenges contact samantha.driscoll@mrs.org.uk for details on how your company can become an accredited centre.

The following universities offer the qualification as part of either an undergraduate or postgraduate degree programme.

When you enter for the MRS Advanced Certificate your relationship is with the accredited centre and not with MRS. All MRS accredited centres are required to demonstrate that they meet rigorous standards in their administration and delivery of courses leading to MRS qualifications. However, accredited centres are not directly controlled by MRS and we do not accept liability for any actions or omissions on their part.

MRS cannot contact accredited centres on the behalf of applicants. All enquiries about courses, including fees, enrolment and course commencement dates should be directed to the accredited centre.

How to accredit your Programme

For further information on accreditation for the MRS Advanced Certificate in Market & Social Research Practice, please click here.

If you are already experienced in market research you can opt for a Direct Registration route. Direct Registration candidates enter directly for assessment without following an accredited course.

All candidates who register for assessment for the MRS Advanced Certificate, who are not already an MRS Member, are required to join MRS please follow this link. This ensures that candidates have direct access to information and are bound by the MRS Code of Conduct. 

In order to register candidates must complete and submit together, both the MRS Membership Application Form (if applicable) and the Direct Registration Form to the Professional Development Co-ordinator at MRS.

All candidates who enter directly for assessment are required to complete the two components of assessment of the MRS Advanced Certificate, the examination and the Integrated Assignment.

On receipt of your registration for Direct Assessment and your completed MRS Membership application form (if applicable) you will receive an email from MRS:

  • Confirming your registration for assessment
  • Confirming the time, date and location of examination you are registered for
  • Links to MRS Code of Conduct, Resources for Candidates and IA Coversheet.

Your exam confirmation will be sent to you 2–3 weeks before your allocated examination date.

Resit/Re-submission Form

Direct Registration Fees

June 2024 and January 2025 assessment rounds

Direct Registration Fee £631.00 + £126.20 VAT = £757.20 (Includes examination registration and integrated assignment assessment)

Examination Resit £226.50 + £45.30 VAT = £271.80

Examination Deferral £150.00 + £30.00 VAT = £180.00

IA Deferral £150.00 + £30.00 VAT = £180.00

Resub of Integrated Assignment £226.50 + £45.30 VAT = £271.80 

Membership Fees
Annual Subscription Fee – April 23 – March 24:
£84.00 for first year only (no joining fee).

Annual Subscription Fee – April 24 – March 25:
£87.50 for first year only (no joining fee).

Entry Criteria

Candidates for the Advanced Certificate would normally have one or more of the following:

  • One year or more of relevant experience in market or social research
  • MRS Certificate in Market Research
  • Satisfactory nomination by employer
  • Satisfactory nomination by course tutor, in cases where the Advanced Certificate is being taken alongside an undergraduate degree
  • 2 A Levels (or equivalent)

Additionally, MRS recommends:

  • Mathematics and English GCSE, at Grade C or above (or equivalent)
Advanced Certificate: Language Requirements

The language used in all assessment components is English.The language should be appropriate to both the task and the professional nature of the qualification.

Candidates whose first language is not English

It is the responsibility of the centre to ensure that all candidates have an appropriate level of language competence in English to allow them to undertake and complete the assessed components of the qualification.

To complete the assessed components of the MRS Advanced Certificate, candidates are expected to have English language skills (reading and writing) equivalent, as a minimum, to Level C1 in the Common European Framework for Languages / 6.5 in IELTS.


January 2024 Assessment Round

Exam: 31 January 10.00am - 12.30pm 
IA Submission Date: 24 January (Direct Cands) 
IA Submission Date:  14 February (Accredited Centre Cands)

Closing Date for entries: 29 November 2023

Result Release Date:  w/c 22 April
Enquiry & Appeals period:  22 April – 31 May

June 2024 Assessment Round

Exam: 26 June 10.00am - 12.30pm
IA Submission Date:  19 June (Direct Cands)
IA Submission Date: 10 July (Accredited Centre Cands)

Closing Date for entries: 8 May

Result Release Date:  w/c 16 September
Enquiry & Appeals period: 16 Sept – 25 Oct

January 2025 Assessment Round

Exam: 29 January 10.00am - 12.30pm 
IA Submission Date: 22 January (Direct Cands) 
IA Submission Date:  12 February (Accredited Centre Cands)

Closing Date for entries: 9 December 2024

Result Release Date:  w/c 21 April
Enquiry & Appeals period:  21 April – 30 May

June 2025 Assessment Round

Exam: 25 June 10.00am - 12.30pm
IA Submission Date:  18 June (Direct Cands)
IA Submission Date: 9 July (Accredited Centre Cands)

Closing Date for entries: 9 May

Result Release Date:  w/c 15 September
Enquiry & Appeals period: 15 Sept – 24 Oct

Recommended Reading

To support studies towards the qualification, MRS in association with Pearson Education, has produced a recommended text book:

Yvonne-mcgivern-book

The Practice of Market Research: An Introduction

5th Edition, Yvonne McGivern

November 2021, Paperback, 672 pages
ISBN13: 978-1292331362
ISBN10: 1292331364
Also available as a Kindle Edition

For students still working from the 4th Edition, please note: Changes to the Advanced Certificate Syllabus content and structure, has resulted in the mapping of Chapters to Learning Outcomes in the recommended text, The Practice of Market Research, 4th edition, to become misaligned. Mapping of chapters to new learning outcomes.

A listing of reccomended support materials can be found here.

MRS has produced a Standards Briefing webinar covering MRS Guidance in Covid-19, Changes in the MRS Code of Conduct and the role of data protection legislation and the MRS Code of Conduct in MR process.  MRS Qualification candidates will find this a useful resource for preparing to sit assessment. Please click here to view.

Sampling Webinars

Yvonne McGivern, Joint Chief Examiner for the MRS Advanced Certificate in Market and Social Research Practice, has produced a series of webinars on the subject of Sampling to support the syllabus. The webinars are designed to be viewed sequentially.

Sampling Webinar Part 1

Sampling Webinar Part 2

Sampling Webinar Part 3

Sampling Webinar Part 4

Sampling Webinar Part 5

Sampling Webinar Part 6 

Sampling Webinar Part 7

Integrated Assignment 

A Candidates Guide to the Integrated Assignment

Integrated Assignment Coversheet

Examination 


June 2018 Exam Paper & Answer Guide 

A Candidates Guide to the Examination

Examplar Exam Paper and Answer Guide

Online Exam Protocol document


Celebrating academic excellence

2023 winner – Rhiannon Long
Rhiannon-long

Rhiannon works in Mind’s digital engagement team, having started her career as a news reporter before moving into the third sector four years ago. She is passionate about using user research to improve people’s experience of digital services and products, with a particular focus on improving the accessibility of online user experiences. Her expertise spans user research and content design, and she is interested in how research can be used to shape digital content, and ensure people’s lived experience is at the heart of our design decisions.

 2022 winner - Gursimran Kaur

Gursimran is a Senior Research Executive at Ipsos, specialising in healthcare and pharmaceutical market research. In particular, Gursimran is passionate about patient research and ensuring the patient voice is heard by the pharmaceutical industry.

Before working at Ipsos, Gursimran graduated with a first class integrated Master’s degree in Biology from the University of Nottingham. Completing the MRS Advanced Certificate helped Gursimran transfer her quantitative and qualitative skills developed during her degree to the market  research setting.

2021 winner - Melody Forth

Melody is a Research Manager at Consumer Insight, a market research agency based in Warwick, having previously worked as Research Advisor to the Midcounties Co-operative, the UK’s largest independent society. Before this, Melody graduated from the University of Sheffield with a first class degree in Psychology and took on several data-led positions before beginning her career in market research. Taking on the MRS advanced certificate helped Melody to transfer the skills from her degree and client-side  work to the agency setting.

On receiving her award, Melody says: “I’m so happy to receive the 2021 MRS Advanced Certificate in Market & Social Research Practice Award, and can’t thank  the Research Academy enough for the support they gave to me whilst students and tutors adapted to changes brought about by restrictions, ensuring we were fully prepared for all aspects of the accreditation.”



2020 winner –
Rhys Jones

Rhys Jones is a Citizen Engagement Manager at the Welsh Parliament. He works closely with a number of its specialist committees, designing and facilitating engagement opportunities which directly inform the scrutiny process. Originally from the Swansea Valley, Rhys graduated in Law from Cardiff University before working in the legal sector for a number of years, most recently as the Development Executive at the Law Society’s Wales Office.

MRS Advanced Certificate in Market and Social Research Practice Award 

This Award is given annually for the best performance by a candidate taking the MRS Advanced Certificate in Market & Social Research Practice, the leading, fastest growing, degree level vocational qualification for the research sector.

Selection Criteria

Click here for a list of previous winners

For more information about the awards email: researchawards@mrs.org.uk

MRBA Skills – Education Grants & Funding Support for the MRS Advanced Certificate

MRBA skills logo - FINAL v2 -002- jpeg

MRBA have launched ‘Skills’ to support researchers in the UK market and social research sector wishing to develop their skills and enhance their careers.

MRBA is supporting those at the beginning of their careers, by helping them develop their market and social research knowledge and skills for a future in the sector.  Through their new bursary, they want to help those who might be unable financially to pursue a programme of learning towards the qualification.

MRBA Skills is an Education Grants & Funding Support initiative offering a number of annual bursaries to researchers in the UK wishing to study for the MRS Advanced Certificate in Market & Social Research Practice. Click here for more information or here to watch a vox pop.

MRBA, the UK research industry’s only independent registered charity.

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