Community Research Topics

Looking for a topic for your final year project or thesis (undergraduate or postgraduate)?
Want to collaborate with a community/not-for-profit partner on a real-life project?
The DIT Programme for Students Learning With Communities can get you started and connect you with communities.

Students Learning With Communities is a member of the Living Knowledge Network, a network of international 'Science Shops'. 'Science shops' are not shops in the traditional sense, nor are they confined to science subjects, rather they are units that coordinate community-based research in response to concerns expressed by civil society. This is usually but not always linked to higher education institutions, where students conduct the research as part of their curriculum.

Students Learning With Communities in DIT continually updates a list of research questions from underserved community partners who don't have the resources to do the research themselves. These requests for research cover a wide range of topics. Thus, in the spirit of Science Shops, we match students (undergraduate and postgraduate) to these real-life research topics that relate to their studies.

If you are a community member with a question, we can help to formulate it into a manageable research topic. If you are a student looking for a topic for a research project (or lecturer looking for a topic for their student(s)) then please refer to the list below (which we add to regularly) and contact us for more details or to discuss an idea you might have.

Please also note that if you are a student interested in taking on one of these projects, we will ask you to go through an application process which will begin with you filling out the following application form.

Research Topics divided into DIT College areas:

College of Arts and Tourism:

  • Tourism: Research into affordable holiday opportunities in Ireland for older people for local organisation.
  • Tourism: Research into newer developments in Dublin that older people might not be familiar with and organise a ‘know your Dublin’ outing/visit to those areas for local organisation.
  • Tourism: Research into how to engage with a historic cemetary as a tourist site, including what aspects of technology are appropriate for a cemetery in developing it as tourist site? This could include the development of content/ideas for apps, e.g. for famous people's headstones.
  • Hospitality Management: Student to do market research & business plan for local health facility which wants to set up its own catering on site
  • Visual Communications: To research and design a pin for a national flag day for an national organisation
  • Visual Communications: Research and development of a template/logo designs for flyers, booklets, stationery, headed paper, compliment slips envelopes, as well as reports dvd labels, banners for various charity organistations. 
  • Visual Communications: Research into and redevelopment of website for local organisation
  • Visual Communications: Research into and the development of a poster identity for a national non-profit organization in line with their new logo and slogan.
  • Visual Communications: Research and design user-friendly interfaces to overlay onto computer programmes being used by service users – eg making films, comic books, editing photos on-line.
  • Visual Communications: Research and design on-line meeting template forms to be used by people with intellectual disabilities when on skype when making plans to meet friends – forms that could be filled out by the service-users as they skype (need for primarily graphic content)
  • Visual Communications: Research and design apps for phones for people with intellectual disabilities, relating to topics like money, time management, timetables – content is available from paper-based resources devised by a support centre, which could be turned into apps. 
  • Visual Communications: Research and develop a virtual book of remembrance like an on-line book/template/interface/identity website, for a community partner, with a facility that allows staff to upload records to it.
  • Visual Communications: Research and design guide sheets to be used by parents with children, in collaboration with community organisation (content is available for the guide sheets, from previous DIT social science student projects)
  • Law: Research into the area of police clearance for recovering drug users, the process and problems, victimisation and marginalisation, difficulties forging a new life and acquiring work, comparative approaches abroad and possible recommendations such as a rehabilitation certification.
  • Law: Research into the type of organisation is best for a new community organisation in Africa (linked to Irish community organisation) and whether it is best to develop as a social enterprise or NGO (company limited by guarantee with charity status).
  • Social Sciences: Research into the differences in attitudes to/treatment of men versus women regarding domestic violence issues for a support organisation
  • Social Sciences: Research into male victims of domestic violence (focus on North-east area – including north Dublin, Louth, Meath etc) for a support organisation
  • Social Sciences: Research into how best to reach missing groups of male victims of domestic violence for a support organisation
  • Social Sciences: Evaluation of quality and effectiveness of advice given to male callers, victims of domestic violence for a support organisation
  • Social Sciences: Research into how best to collaborate with schools/VEC for a pilot awareness-raising project into male victims of domestic violence for a support organisation
  • Social Sciences: Research into how to benchmark/evaluate the quality of a helpline organizational structure and quality of service/ability to meet needs of anonymous clients
  • Social Sciences: Research into availability of places in relation to need for places for emergency accommodation for male victims of domestic abuse (for policy/funding purpose)
  • Social Sciences: Research into the extent of awareness of educational supports/access routes for 12-25 yr olds who have or have had cancer for a support organisation.
  • Social Sciences: A research study into the length of current waiting lists within the HSE for children who need to be assessed for dyspraxia, including low cost alternative recommendations for those children who are waiting (for policy/funding purposes) for a support organisation
  • Social Sciences: A research study into social exclusion/isolation factors experienced by children with Dyspraxia
  • Social Science: Research collaboration on issues such as drug awareness and sexual health with a Dublin based youth project.
  • Social Sciences: Research with groups of older people in Dublin 5, leading to a needs analysis, including future ideas for possible community-based learning/community-based research projects.
  • Social Science: To carry out a piece of research on the impact on services of funding cuts on projects in the north west inner city since 2009
  • Social Science: Research into what the progression from community education to higher education is like from a learner’s perspective including research into the learners’ perspective on what constitutes a welcoming learning environment, do they think higher education institutions should be similar to community education?
  • Social Science: Research into how might community groups that are delivering third level courses be strengthened and supported to ensure progression into higher education.
  • Social Science: Research, detailed collation and analysis of the existing information with respect to progression routes from community to higher education
  • Social Science: Research into how to normalise the college environment to make it open to the community
  • Social Science: Research potential partnerships to address barriers experienced for potential students who are not in a position to access traditional third level institutes for a variety of reasons
  • Social Science: Research and development of models for capturing data e.g..impact of networks in community and voluntary sector, and the capturing of such data (could be regional or national piece) 
  • Social Science: Research and development of the ‘tender’ process for the community and voluntary sector in relation to strategic concepts, models, processes, toolkits, development of skills etc.
  • Social Science: Research for a national organisation on evaluating the outcome of community education - its impact on community
  • Social Science: Research the impact of new lower alcohol limits for learner and recently qualified drivers, including the impact on driving the day after drinking.
  • Social science: Research into experiences of residents in relation to traffic and speeds within the 30km zone in Dublin city centre
  • Social science: Undertake qualitative analysis of qualitative data collected as part of health-related survey with a community partner
  • PR: Analysing PR material produced by a community partner, assessing its strengths and weaknesses, and making recommendations for improvement.
  • Journalism: Research and gather stories from people about their connection with Grangegorman in the past, whether through the hospital, sports clubs, growing up and playing in the area, as a basis for a local archive/history/art project
  • Various disciplines: Road Safety Awareness research (check out project details here),
  • Various disciplines: Urban renewal project research, including health impacts and biodiversity (check out project details here).
    • Various displines: Research related to the development work of a charity based in Ireland and Africa (check out project details here).

College of Business:

  • Media: Content strategist to assess website for an international charity
  • Marketing: Research into and development of a unified marketing campaign for a national organisation
  • Marketing: Analysis of social networking potential for a national organisation
  • Marketing: Research into and the development of a marketing campaign to publicize the activities and support groups of a national non-profit organization and to re-launch their website. 
  • Marketing: Research into how to raise awareness of a support organisation among its target group of young people who suffer or who have suffered from cancer.
  • Marketing/Business: Research and development of marketing strategies for an international centre for voluntary organisations
  • Marketing: Research and development of the social networking aspects of a community partner's website
  • Business: Research into and creation of a fundraising plan for an NGO which supports young people who have or have had cancer
  • Business: Research and development of a business plan / corporate plan for an international centre for voluntary organisations
  • Business: Student to do market research & business plan for local health facility who wants to set up its own catering on site
  • Business: To carry out a piece of research on the impact on services of funding cuts on projects in the north west inner city since 2009
  • Business: Opportunity for a work placement to engage with, and do research in, the financial/operational aspects of a community organisation
  • Business: Placement/project to assist with developing the mission for an NGO which promotes environmental issues in the business community, including liaising with local environmental groups and businesses in the development of these strategies. A key focus will be on the development of a green business network linking up with the new Ballymun Chamber of Commerce group, Ballymun 4 Business.
  • Business: Research and conduct a needs analysis and develop a not-for-profit business concept and plan for a business premises in city centre area, in collaboration with its owners. The premises has potential to become a charity shop, a meeting place, an incubator area, and/or a hub
  • Business: research and develop charity fundraising campaign to raise awareness of a community project and also develop fundraising/business plan for finance
  • International Business/Business: Comparative research between two international support centres for voluntary organisations
  • International Business/Business: Research into the type of organisation that would be best for a new community organisation in Africa (linked to Irish community organisation) and whether it is best to develop as a social enterprise or NGO (company limited by guarantee with charity status).
  • Various disciplines: Road Safety Awareness research (check out project details here)
  • Various disciplines: Urban renewal project research, including health impacts and biodiversity (check out project details here).
  • Various displines: Research related to the development work of a charity based in Ireland and Africa (check out project details here).

 

College of Sciences and Health:

  • Event Management: Research into and the development of a media campaign to publicize the activities and support groups of a national non-profit organization and to re-launch their website.
  • Event Management: To research and develop plans for a national flag day for a national support organisation for male vicitms of domestic violence
  • Environmental Health: Researching and advising on any aspect of risk management (to include health and safety, fire safety, food safety or environmental management) for a community partner’s premises and operation
  • Nutrition and Dietetics: Research into how best to work with children's hospitals to provide less child-orientated food for young adults 
  • Catering: Student to do market research & business plan for local health facility who wants to set up its own catering on site
  • Information Technology: IT/Knowledge Management solutions to email distribution, e-bulletins/newsletters, social media options for a national not for profit
  • Information Technology: IT/knowledge management solutions to a text heavy website, usage of social media, newsfeeds, effective search engines – and an investigation into whether they are communicating in the best way with their audience.
  • Information Technology: Research and development of database of sports facilities, including opening hours, contacts, accessibility for people with disabilities. Possible GIS development. 
  • Information Technology: Research into and redevelopment of websites for local organisations
  • Information Technology: Research, develop and design a website for a music project, embedding musical footage and also links to networking tools, which can communicate a sense of the project, its aims, relate its achievements, provide information and create further global links.
  • Information Technology: Research and design user-friendly interfaces to overlay onto computer programmes being used by service users – eg making films, comic books, editing photos on-line.
  • Information Technology: Research and design on-line meeting template forms to be used by people with intellectual disabilities when on skype when making plans to meet friends – forms that could be filled out by the service-users as they skype (need for primarily graphic content)
  • Information Technology: Research and design apps for phones for people with intellectual disabilities, relating to topics like money, time management, timetables – content is available from paper-based resources devised by a support centre, which could be turned into apps.
  • Information Technology: Research and development of the social networking aspects of the Glasnevin Trust website
  • Information Technology: Research into and development of a knowledge management system and development of open source tool for community project
  • Various disciplines: Road Safety Awareness research (check out project details here),
  • Various disciplines: Urban renewal project research, including health impacts and biodiversity (check out project details here).
  • Various displines: Research related to the development work of a charity based in Ireland and Africa (check out project details here).

College of Engineering and Built Environment:

  • Environmental/spatial: Auditing the carbon footprint for a community partner and making recommendations for change on a shoestring budget. 
  • Sustainable Development/Community and Local Development: Research into experiences of residents in relation to traffic and speeds within the 30km zone in Dublin city centre
  • Sustainable Development/Community and Local Development: Conduct a needs analysis and develop a not-for-profit business concept and plan for a business premises in city centre area, in collaboration with its owners. The premises has potential to become a charity shop, a meeting place, an incubator area, and/or a hub
  • Sustainable Development/Community and Local Development: Research & develop a fundraising/business plan for a healthcare service provider wanting to develop and run a part-time women's drug rehabilitation/education programme, exploring possible partnerships with statutory/voluntary/private organisations to fund and run this service
  • Sustainable Development/Community and Local Development: Research with local community groups and local traders to complete audits on underserved/disadvantaged suburban villages - disused premises, derelict sites, retail premises - and research available options with a view to re-animating the areas
  • Sustainable Development/Community and Local Development: Research into the logistics of urban beekeeping - perceptual and infrastructural barriers
  • Sustainable Development/Community and Local Development: Placement/project to assist with developing the mission for an NGO which promotes environmental issues in the business community, including liaising with local environmental groups and businesses in the development of these strategies. A key focus will be on the development of a green business network linking up with the new Ballymun Chamber of Commerce group, Ballymun 4 Business.
  • Sustainable Development/Community and Local Development: : Research into possible uses of industrial and other waste resources in Dublin 7 area - with a view to new product development
  • Sustainable Development/Community and Local Development: Research and development of previous project /report by MSc in Sustainable Development students on potential in Royal Canal/Grangegorman area - eg creating 'Healthy Heart' walks and other amenities

  • Architecture/design/planning: Research into how to maximise use of space around senior citizens’ complexes – in consultation with residents: e.g. boules courts, pitch and putt etc.
  • Architecture/design/planning/sustainable development: Research into and scope for short- medium- and long- term development for play equipment, sports facilities, community gardens etc in an unused site in D5.
  • Architecture: Research and development of Architectural designs for new community organisation building in Africa
  • Architectural Technology: Research and design options for fitting beehives into/onto existing residential or commercial properties

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  • Product Design/manufacturing and design engineering: Research and development of fitness equipment for outdoor use made in sustainable materials which blend in to the landscaping for north Dublin site.
  • Product design/manufacturing and design engineering: Research and explore assistive technology projects – such as kitchen equipment, transport information systems etc
  • Product design/manufacturing and design engineering: Research into possible uses of industrial and other waste resources in Dublin 7 area - with a view to new product development
  • Product design/manufacturing and design engineering: Research and develop solutions to physiological/motor difficulties experienced by those who have dyspraxia e.g. Aids for bicycle riding, pencil/pen grips, fashionable laptop keyboard aids for teenagers, sitting aids
  • Product design/manufacturing and design engineering: Research and develop a way to monitor space given by motorists to cyclists, and collect and analyse results

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  • Automotive Management: Research into experiences of residents in relation to traffic and speeds within the 30km zone in Dublin city centre

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  • Various disciplines: Road Safety Awareness research (check out project detail here).
  • Various disciplines: Urban renewal project research, including health impacts and biodiversity (check out project details here).
    • Various displines: Research related to the development work of a charity based in Ireland and Africa (check out project details here).

      Learning, Teaching and Technology Centre:

      • Higher Education: Research into what the progression from community education to higher education is like from a learner’s perspective including research into the learners’ perspective on what constitutes a welcoming learning environment, do they think higher education institutions should be similar to community education?
      • Higher Education: Research into how might community groups that are delivering third level courses be strengthened and supported to ensure progression into higher education.
      • Higher Education: Research, detailed collation and analysis of the existing information with respect to progression routes from community to higher education
      • Higher Education: Research into how to normalise the college environment to make it open to the community
      • Higher Education: Research potential partnerships to address barriers experienced for potential students who are not in a position to access traditional third level institutes for a variety of reasons
      • Higher Education: Evaluation of the impact of community-based learning and community-based research projects on participating DIT students
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      SLWC