Details for Students - Consumer Data Research Centre

The CDRC Masters Dissertation Scheme gives masters level students the opportunity to conduct their dissertation with the co-supervision of a large Business. The projects offer students a chance to work with consumer datasets on real-world business problems.

Overview

Students apply to projects which are proposed by businesses
Successful applicants undertake their dissertations over the spring and summer, with regular supervisory meetings with their business sponsors. Sometimes projects are undertaken on site at the sponsors head office (this is made clear in the project proposal forms)
Students are also offered regular support from a supervisor from their own university as they normally would
Business sponsors usually provide £500 in sponsorship, plus travel expenses, to be paid upon successful completion of the project
PDF copies of (completed) dissertations are submitted at the start of September to their business sponsor and also to the CDRC
Each dissertation is considered for a cash prize (£500, £250 and £250) to be awarded at an academic conference, to be held in October
Students will be invited to produce A1 posters of their work and also present these at the conference
Students will also be invited to produce a 600 word extended abstract for their projects to be published on the CDRC website

The programme offers students:

A stimulating project to work on
Co-supervision from a major UK business
Industry advice on how data are used in real-world problem solving, and experience of addressing problems that matter
A chance of winning one of three prizes (£500, £250 and £250), awarded to the best three dissertations (funded by the CDRC)
An all-expenses-paid opportunity to showcase their research findings to an audience of leading businesses and academics; this forms part of an academic or industry conference that is normally hosted in London in October. (In 2022 it took place in Oxford in early November).
An opportunity to have their work published and made freely available on the CDRC website

The programme presents an invaluable opportunity for students who are wishing to pursue a wide range of successful careers related to business and data insight.

Testimonials from previous participants in the programme

Please also see the FAQs at the bottom of this page.

How to Apply

The application process is as follows. If a project takes your interest, please complete the application form, and send it back to projects@cdrc.ac.uk, along with a copy of your CV. Both documents should be in PDF format. Applications will be sent to industry partners for consideration until all projects are successfully filled. Any questions about the process or the Scheme can be sent to Richard Arnold.

About

The CDRC Masters Dissertation Scheme is organised by Prof Paul Longley (UCL), Richard Arnold (UCL) and Hon Prof Keith Dugmore (UCL), and has been supported by over 25 companies and the Data Analysts User Group (DUG) since it was introduced in 2012.

The programme supports the ESRC’s aim of developing its engagement between academia and the private sector, particularly in the field of large data sets. The scheme provides a unique and invaluable opportunity for Masters students to work on large commercial datasets which would otherwise be unobtainable or extremely costly. It also provides opportunities to conduct research on real-world problems faced by large businesses. Consequently, the programme has had positive implications for graduate recruitment. Most of the students from previous years of the programme immediately went on to work in the data industry (some at their sponsor companies). In addition, 10 students have joined the CDRC as research students – some of which are pursuing PhDs with the support of their original sponsors from the dissertation programme.

cdrcmdsstudentintro26-210126090701.pptx from Robyn_CDRC

Frequently Asked Questions

When does the research take place?

The research can take place for any duration after April, although we ask a PDF copy of the dissertation to be submitted in September so that they can be sent to the judging panel. The intention of this programme was that it would fit in with the schedules set by your own institution. If your application is successful you will be invited to a meeting (face-to-face or telephone) with a business contact where you can agree on a work schedule that fits in with your degree programme.

Where does the research take place?

This depends on the project so please check the project description page and see the “Would any work by the student need to be carried out onsite at the Company with the exception of supervisory meetings?” box. The majority of projects enable the student to work offsite. However, some may request that you work from their head office to access their data and also to benefit from their onsite support.

In addition, some sponsors are flexible, the student can choose to work onsite if they wish. If the project is listed as onsite then please ensure that you are able and willing to work from their office before applying.

Are there any fees?

No. In fact, most companies offer £500 sponsorship (as indicated in the “Financial assistance offered by the company” box in the project descriptions.

Can I apply for multiple projects?

Yes, up to three, but you would need to indicate an order of preference. In addition, you would need to complete a cover letter for each project individually and we strongly recommend that you take the time to write targetted cover letters for each project rather than general summaries of skills and interests.

Your applications will be processed in order of preference. As this programme requires a lot of resources from the business sponsors, each application is processed chronologically so we recommend that you concentrate on one topic.

Are there deadlines for applications?

Not exactly, although applying early may improve your chances of being placed with a sponsor. Applications are sent to sponsors in the order in which they are received, and successful applicants are then contacted by the collaborating organisation for further discussion. This process may take several weeks. Once a student has been successfully placed with a sponsor, that proposal is marked as closed on the website. You are therefore encouraged to apply early to avoid disappointment.