COURSE CURRICULUM

The BA History and Art History at Essex offers a unique interdisciplinary approach, exploring the interactions between historical study and visual culture across three years. In the first year, students build foundational skills through compulsory modules including Writing and Researching Art History, Art and Ideas I, and Rebellious Pasts: Challenging and Creating Histories, which examine how histories are constructed and represented through visual and textual forms. Optional modules allow students to expand their knowledge in art history or other disciplines, while the Beyond the BA module supports career development. The second year deepens research and critical skills with the compulsory Exploring History: Research Workshop and Art and Ideas II, alongside additional art history and history options, allowing students to engage with historiography, critique, and interdisciplinary methods. Students develop the ability to analyze how ideas, ideologies, and social forces are expressed through images and historical evidence. In the third year, students complete the Capstone project and Art and Ideas III, consolidating their learning through advanced study and applied research, while optional modules provide flexibility to specialize further in art history or history. Across the program, students cultivate analytical, research, and interpretative skills, preparing them for careers in museums, galleries, heritage, education, research, or further study in related fields.