COURSE CURRICULUM

The Literature and Visual Arts course at Essex provides an integrated study of textual and visual culture, encouraging students to explore the interplay between literature, art history, and creative practice. In the first year, students engage with seminal literary works through the Origins and Transformations in Literature and Drama module, developing close reading and analytical skills, while art history is introduced through Writing and Researching Art History and Art and Ideas I, providing a foundation in critique, interpretation, and visual analysis. Optional modules allow students to tailor their studies to individual interests. In the second year, students advance their knowledge with Art and Ideas II, which focuses on critique and historiography in the history of art, alongside literature modules that deepen critical and contextual understanding. Students can also choose additional literature or art history modules and engage with research methods to enhance their academic skills. The final year centers on synthesis and application, with compulsory modules including the Capstone in Art History, Curating or Heritage, and Art and Ideas III, enabling students to consolidate their understanding of artistic and literary traditions while developing expertise in curatorial practice or heritage studies. Optional modules in literature, art history, or complementary fields allow for specialization. Throughout the course, students develop analytical, interpretative, and research skills, preparing them for careers or further study in literature, visual arts, curation, or heritage sectors.