Undergraduate prospectus

Why choose Essex: the University and its academic excellence

Research excellence

In the most recent national Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) Essex was ranked ninth out of 159 universities in the country for the quality of its research, with most of its departments and schools rated as ‘internationally excellent’. This RAE took place during 2008.

The RAE is a peer review exercise to evaluate the quality of research in UK higher education institutions undertaken by the four UK higher education funding bodies. The ratings are a strong indicator of the number and quality of research-active staff at Essex and the extent to which the University creates a supportive infrastructure for research.

The RAE provided quality profiles for research in each submission of research activity made by institutions. Profiles indicate the proportion of research activity within a submission in each of five quality levels: 4* = world-leading; 3* = internationally excellent; 2* = internationally recognised; 1* = nationally recognised; unclassified = below nationally recognised work. Staff from all schools and departments at Essex were submitted either within a departmental submission or within a cross-departmental submission.

The results of the RAE, published in December 2008, show that of the research activity undertaken at Essex:

• 22 per cent is rated as ‘world-leading’;
• 63 per cent is rated as at least ‘internationally excellent’;
• 93 per cent is rated as at least ‘internationally recognised’.

More detailed information about the University’s results can be found on the Research and Enterprise Office website and further information about the RAE process is available on the Research Assessment Exercise website.

Teaching quality

Essex is also a top ten UK university for the quality of its teaching, being ranked eighth in the 2008 Sunday Times ‘Best Marks for Teaching’ league table.

Since the launch of the annual National Student Survey (NSS) in 2006, final-year undergraduates from across the UK have had the opportunity to evaluate their academic experience in the following categories: course quality; teaching; assessment and feedback; academic support; organisation and management; learning resources; and personal development. Further information on how Essex scored in this survey can be found on the Unistats website.

Student experience

For a number of years, the University has independently carried out its own students’ satisfaction survey. Overall, 85 per cent of those surveyed were satisfied with their experience at Essex.

The University is rated fifteenth in the UK for offering the best all-round student experience (Times Higher Education Survey, January 2010). Essex scored strongly for its high-quality and helpful staff, well-structured courses, and good extracurricular activities, community atmosphere and campus environment.

Academic diversity

The University of Essex has the following academic departments and schools, which belong to one of the following faculties: Humanities and Comparative Studies; Social Sciences; Law and Management; Science and Engineering.

• Art History and Theory
• Biological Sciences
• Computer Science and Electronic Engineering
• East 15 Acting School
• Economics
• Essex Business School
• Government
• Health and Human Sciences
• History
• International Academy
• Language and Linguistics
• Law
• Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies
• Mathematical Sciences
• Philosophy
• Psychology
• Sociology

In addition, the University has a number of centres bringing together those with a common interest in a particular subject area and to provide a focus for research. As an undergraduate student you may be associated with one of the following:

• Centre for Cultural and Social History
• Centre for Curatorial Studies
• Centre for Environment and Society
• Centre for Film Studies
• Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies in the Humanities
• Centre for Local and Regional History
• Centre for Psychoanalytic Studies*
• Centre for Sports and Exercise Science*
• Centre for Theatre Studies
• Human Rights Centre

*Students may be admitted directly to these centres.

Active research links

University research is mainly funded by UK research councils (eg Economic and Social Research Council, Arts and Humanities Research Council, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Natural Environment Research Council), government agencies (eg Department of Health, Department of Work and Pensions, Technology Strategy Board, Joint Information Systems Committee), Ofcom and the European Commission.

The University also receives research funding from a range of UK charitable bodies including

• Cancer Research,
• Deafness Research,
• Leverhulme Trust,
• Wellcome Trust,
• Nuffield Foundation,
• Joseph Rowntree Foundation,
• Royal Society and
• British Academy.

Research and knowledge transfer projects have involved partnerships with many organisations including

• BT Group,
• Vodafone,
• UNESCO,
• Nokia,
• Fujitsu,
• Alcatel,
• GlaxoSmithKline,
• London Aquarium,
• the Victoria and Albert Museum and
• the National Trust.

Leading lights

Renowned academic staff with international reputations include:

• Professor Dawn Ades OBE FBA (leading expert in surrealist art and a trustee of the Tate Gallery);
• Professor Huosheng Hu (leads the research team developing a ground-breaking robotic fish that will analyse and monitor pollution in a port);
• Professor Stephen Jenkins (sits on the National Equality Panel);
• Professor Anthony King (one of the UK’s foremost commentators on British politics);
• Professor Sir Nigel Rodley (re-elected to the United Nations Human Rights Committee for a third four-year term);
• Professor Jules Pretty OBE (regularly advises the Government on social and environmental decisions); and
• Professor Marina Warner CBE (prize winning writer who has been appointed to the British Academy).

Rising stars

Recent graduates of the University and younger members of academic staff have also been hitting the headlines, including:

• PhD student Rachel Duffett (presented her research on food and the First World War at events marking the 90th anniversary of the Armistice);
• Dr Karen Hulme (helped found the Essex Law Clinic, launched by Liberty director and Essex honorary graduate Shami Chakrabarti);
• Dr Neil Kad (created his own microscope that has transformed Essex research);
• Dr Tom Scotto (provided comments to the media regarding the US elections); and
• Dr Dave Smith and Dr Dave Suggett (discovered a previously unknown coral reef while on an Essex research trip in the Seychelles).