Mary Leahy's research and teaching focuses on access to education, training and employment. Her research interests include: pathways; the interface between education sectors; transitions within education and between education and employment; vocational education; gender; women and work, the philosophical underpinnings of policy; Nussbaum and Sen’s capabilities approach; and theories of choice, preference formation and decision making.
Recent research projects have examined: training products, quality teaching in vocational education, choosing vocational qualifications, post-school destinations of young people; funding flows in the vocational education sector; and the feasibility of non-competency based qualifications.