Course summary

In this degree you have the opportunity to examine human rights in historical context, to understand how ideas of human rights have developed historically and choose optional modules that relate to the field of human rights.. Our course allows you to explore history and the study of human rights and to graduate with a strong competence in both disciplines. In your history modules you discover both the early modern and modern periods, and explore challenging questions concerning the impact of political, social and cultural change on individuals, social groups, and regions. You also engage in a discourse on human rights, from political, sociological, philosophical, economic and historical perspectives. You are presented with the theoretical foundations, substantive knowledge, and evaluative tools for you to understand, respond to, and help shape national, regional, and international legal and political developments. At Essex we are actively engaged in debates about the meaning of justice in the UK and beyond. Our Human Rights Centre is a recognised international leader. Through our work with the United Nations, governments, human rights organisations and corporations all over the world, we bring a global outlook to our teaching. You have the opportunity to further your interests in history and human rights by studying a wide-range of topics and specialisms, including colonialism, inequality, culture, identity, citizenship and multiculturalism. Our Department of History has developed a strong research and teaching profile, with the majority of our research rated as ‘world leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ (REF 2014). We also have strong links with the Essex Record Office, one of the best county record offices in the UK. Our students love us too - we're top 30 for overall student satisfaction for History in the National Student Survey 2021. Our School of Law specialises in human rights law, business law, public law, criminal justice, health law, law and technology, and legal studies. It is ranked in the top 20 in the UK for research excellence (REF 2014, mainstream universities, THE 2014), and we are ranked among the top 200 departments in the QS World University Rankings by Subject (2020).