COURSE CURRICULUM

The BA History and Heritage at Essex is structured over three years, providing a comprehensive understanding of both history and heritage studies. In the first year, students begin with foundational modules such as Rebellious Pasts: Challenging and Creating Histories, Introduction to Heritage and Museum Studies, and Collect, Curate, Display: A Short History of the Museum, which introduce them to the ways in which historical knowledge is interpreted, preserved, and presented. Alongside these core modules, students can choose optional modules in art history and history, allowing them to explore areas of personal interest while developing research and analytical skills. The first year also includes a skills module aimed at preparing students for future academic and professional challenges. In the second year, students deepen their historical understanding through the Exploring History: Research Workshop module and select further optional modules from both history and heritage-focused lists, enabling them to specialize and expand their knowledge. The Beyond the BA module provides career and employability preparation. In the final year, students undertake a research project that consolidates their learning and provides hands-on experience in historical research or heritage work. They continue to select optional modules to tailor their studies, and the final Beyond the BA module prepares students for graduate life, equipping them with the skills and knowledge to pursue careers in museums, archives, heritage sectors, or further academic study.