The MSc in Business and Executive Coaching is designed for individuals who have successfully completed 60 ECTS of introductory and advanced business and executive coaching training with UCD Executive Development and are now seeking to deepen and extend their learning by working towards a Master qualification through one of two pathways: 1. Research Pathway: appropriately qualified candidates may apply to undertake the MSc in Business and Executive Coaching by completion of an independent research dissertation cognate to the coaching field (30ECTS). Dissertation research involves primary research that builds on existing literatures, and aspires to make an original contribution or extension to academic knowledge in terms of theory, data or methodology within its domain OR 2. Taught Pathway: appropriately qualified candidates may apply to complete the MSc in Business and Executive Coaching by completion of a further, specified 30 ECTS Professional Diploma. The specific diplomas associated with this pathway are: Professional Diploma in Organisational Renewal and Transformation & Professional Diploma in Leadership Development (Purpose). The MSc Business and Executive Coaching builds on the three pillars of the Executive and Advanced Diplomas: business mindedness, psychological mindedness and coaching mindedness. The Research Pathway focuses on the skills of research and analysis in the coaching field and cognate domains including contemporary working lives, management and organisational behaviour and the process of change. A key ingredient of the research pathway is a shift from practitioner literatures to empirical and theory led literatures and critical engagement with underpinning assumptions surrounding coaching knowledge. The Taught Pathway focuses on deepening your knowledge in cognate domains, currently, Organisational Renewal and Transformation, or Leadership Development (education and subject/discipline/professional values). In the case of the Research Pathway, while dissertation research is largely a self-managed process, candidates will benefit from support and dialogue with an academic supervisor, and fellow student researchers. In the case of the Taught Pathway, the nature of the learning environment for students is as per the two Diploma programmes. In the case of the Research Pathway, participants will complete an independent research dissertation and benefit from support and dialogue with an academic supervisor and fellow student researchers. Where numbers allow, this is achieved through a peer group process meeting a minimum of six times during the cycle. Candidates may be required to undertake specific additional research methods training where necessary. In the case of the Taught Pathway, the approaches to teaching, learning and assessment are as per the two Diploma programmes.