The public research university known as the University of Essex, established itself in 1963, beginning only to welcome students for its first year of academic activity a year later in 1964. The university has since been dedicated to conducting teaching in a manner that sets them apart from other institutions, whilst centring its students’ success.
Being a research university, their priority to teaching is matched to their priority towards excellent research by its students and faculty, being on the UK top 10 for research quality in four different subjects in 2021. Thus, their teaching is largely research-led and allows its students to become researchers in their own capacity during their studies.
The university puts forward that the ideal University of Essex student is one that is impatient for change and has an interest in being a part of research development that can make an impact. In their manifesto, it is stated that they represent those who like to challenge things and inquire about the ‘why’ in relation to inequality, injustice and the general status quo.
To keep up with the ever-changing modern world, the school also offers the opportunity for traditional on-campus learning, full online learning, or a hybridised learning system that incorporates both traditional and virtual methods.
Out of the almost 19 000 students at the university, about 140 countries are represented within the university’s diverse community. Furthermore, the university is involved in processes to tackle racism, modern slavery and human trafficking issues, having even developed a Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Policy.
The courses of study are divided between the following faculties: Arts and Humanities, Science and Health, and Social Sciences. Each faculty is also divided between different departments for students to choose from, and they are as follows:
Arts and Humanities
- East 15 Acting School
- Essex Pathways Department (aiding students who do not meet the standards to enter the university in meeting the entry requirements)
- Department of History
- Department of Literature, Film , and Theatre Studies
- School of Law
- School of Philosophy and Art History
- Edge Hotel School
Science and Health
- School of Life Sciences
- Department of Mathematical Sciences
- Department of Psychology
- School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering
- School of Health and Social Care
- School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences
Social Sciences
- Department of Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Sciences
- Department of Economics
- Essex Business School
- Department of Government
- Department of Language and Linguistics
- Department of Sociology
For more information about the institution, students can navigate to the University of Essex official website here. For students who wish to pursue their studies with the institution exclusively online, the University of Essex Online courses are also available here.
