Postgraduate Prospectus

Postgraduate
Prospectus
2012

Why choose Essex? | www.essex.ac.uk
Why choose Essex?
Essex enjoys an outstanding international reputation
for the quality of our research and teaching.

www.essex.ac.uk | Why choose Essex?
Research
Institution Rank order 4* 3* 2* 1* 0 Average
Cambridge 1 32 39 24 4 1 2.98
London School of Economics 2 35 34 25 6 1 2.96
Oxford 3 32 39 24 5 1 2.96
Imperial College London 4 26 47 23 4 0 2.94
University College London 5 27 39 27 6 1 2.84
Manchester 6 23 42 29 6 0 2.82
Warwick 7 21 44 29 6 0 2.80
York 8 23 39 31 6 0 2.78
Essex 9 22 41 30 7 0 2.77
Edinburgh 10 22 40 28 8 2 2.75
Queen Mary, London 11 19 44 29 8 0 2.73
Bristol 12 18 43 31 7 0 2.72
Source: The Times, December 2008 (Essex also ranked ninth in the UK by The Guardian and The Independent).
Academic excellence
The University of Essex was rated
ninth nationally in the last Research
Assessment Exercise (RAE, December
2008), with many of our departments,
schools and centres enjoying
world-renowned reputations. As a result,
our teaching and research is informed by
leading world-class academics.
Uniquely international
Essex is one of the UK’s most
internationally diverse campus university.
We are committed to ensuring the
wellbeing and success of all our students
and offer an extensive range of English
language programmes, careers advice and
other support services.
Fantastic locations
Essex offers campuses set in beautiful
parkland, bustling town centres and
picturesque seaside locations, so we
have something to suit all tastes and
needs. There are excellent transport
links to London and continental Europe
via local airports.
Supportive experience
Our staff provide one-to-one guidance
throughout your studies and our
postgraduate programmes are designed
to equip you with the skills demanded
by today’s employers in a highly
competitive world.
Exceptional facilities
Our first-class facilities include
award-winning accommodation, a library
with over one million books, a business
hub, restaurants and bars, an art gallery
and theatres. We also have an
environmental commitment to a healthy
and sustainable future.
Graduate community
Our postgraduates form a lively and
supportive 3,100-strong community.
Our excellent facilities mean we attract
the best students from the UK and
around the world.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 1

Find out more | www.essex.ac.uk/opendays
Visit us
Wednesday 9 November 2011
Wednesday 14 March 2012
Colchester Campus, 5pm to 7pm
n Meet academic representatives from
all departments for subject-specific
questions
n Speak to staff from Graduate
Admissions, and accommodation
n Attend talks on applying, funding and
postgraduate life
n Take a guided tour of our Colchester
Campus* and visit postgraduate
accommodation
Alternative visits
We welcome visits from prospective
postgraduates throughout the year, so
if you are unable to join us for our open
days, please get in touch.
T +44 (0)1206 872719
E pgadmit@essex.ac.uk
* To arrange a tour of our Southend
Campus and accommodation,
e-mail: southend@essex.ac.uk
Further information
Further information about our taught
courses and research programmes can be
found on our website at: www.essex.ac.uk.
For general admissions enquiries,
please contact:
Graduate Admissions Office
University of Essex
Wivenhoe Park
Colchester CO4 3SQ
United Kingdom
T +44 (0)1206 872971
E pgadmit@essex.ac.uk
Find out more
Our postgraduate open days let you learn
about postgraduate study and life at Essex.
2 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk | Contents
4 About our University
8 Our Colchester Campus
10 Colchester and surrounding area
12 Our Southend Campus
14 Southend and surrounding area
16 Graduate study
17 A message from the Dean
of our Graduate School
18 Taught courses
20 Research degrees
24 Applying to Essex
28 Funding your studies
33 Student life
33 Library
34 IT and online services
34 English language study
34 Modern language study
35 Resource and research centres
36 Student support
36 Facilities for worship
36 Child care
36 Health care
36 Disability service
37 Employability
40 Accommodation
44 Students’ Union
46 Sport
48 The Arts
50 Areas of study
51 Acting
55 Applied Social and Economic
Research
60 Art History
66 Biological Sciences
75 Computational Finance
80 Computer Science
87 Economics
94 Electronics and Telecommunications
100 Essex Business School
114 Health and Human Sciences
123 History
129 Human Rights
134 International Academy
139 Latin American Studies
142 Law
149 Linguistics
158 Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies
164 Mathematical Sciences
170 Philosophy
176 Politics
183 Psychoanalytic Studies
189 Psychology
195 Sociology
202 Sports Science
206 Partner institutions
207 Colchester Institute
208 University Campus Suffolk
209 Writtle College
210 Travel to our University
211 Travel to our Colchester Campus
213 Travel to our Southend Campus
214 International students’ fees liability
215 Index
Contents
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 3

About our University | www.essex.ac.uk
About our University
We received our Royal Charter in 1965 and are
now one of the UK’s leading academic institutions,
rated ninth nationally for research excellence.
4 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk | About our University
Academically
outstanding
In the last national Research Assessment
Exercise (RAE, December 2008), our
University of Essex was ranked ninth
out of 159 universities in the UK for
the quality of our research, with most
departments, schools and centres rated
as ‘internationally excellent’.
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 our
research-active staff and the extent
to which we create 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 the five quality levels:
4* = ‘world-leading’;
3* = ‘internationally excellent’;
2* = ‘internationally recognised’;
1* = ‘nationally recognised’; and
unclassified = ‘below nationally
recognised work’.
However, we also scored strongly in
other fields, featuring in the UK’s top ten
in half of our 14 subject areas submitted.
This included being second in the UK
for History and for Essex Business
School (Accounting and Finance subject
area), ninth for Art History and tenth
for Philosophy.
More detailed information about our RAE
results is at: www.essex.ac.uk/about/rae
and further information about the RAE
process is at: www.rae.ac.uk.
Exceptional experience
In 2011 we took part in the Postgraduate
Taught Experience Survey. Of all our taught
postgraduates who responded to the
survey, 85 per cent said their teaching
and learning with us had met or exceeded
their expectations, while 90 per cent said
that their overall experience as a
postgraduate with us had met or exceeded
their expectations. We also took part in the
Postgraduate Research Experience Survey
which revealed that over 82 per cent of our
research students who took part said their
overall experience with us had met or
exceeded their expectations. For more
information on both surveys, please visit
the Higher Education Academy’s website
at: www.heacademy.ac.uk.
Academic diversity
We have four faculties: Humanities
and Comparative Studies; Law and
Management; Science and Engineering;
and Social Sciences.
Our departments and schools each fall
within a faculty and are:
n Biological Sciences
n Computer Science and Electronic
Engineering
n East 15 Acting School
n Economics
n Essex Business School
n Government
n Health and Human Sciences
n History
n International Academy
n Language and Linguistics
n Law
n Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies
n Mathematical Sciences
n Philosophy and Art History
n Psychology
n Sociology
Our staff were submitted either within
a departmental submission or within a
cross-departmental submission. The
results of the RAE showed that of our
research activity:
n
n
n
22 per cent is rated as ‘world-leading’;
63 per cent is rated as at least
‘internationally excellent’; and
93 per cent is rated as at least
‘internationally recognised’.
Our last RAE also re-confirmed our place
as the UK’s leading university for the social
sciences, with Government top, Sociology
joint top, Economics third and Linguistics
fourth nationally. Our highest proportion of
world-leading research was in Government
and in Economics with 45 per cent and
40 per cent respectively classed as 4-star,
while 35 per cent of research in Sociology
was classed as 4-star.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 5

About our University | www.essex.ac.uk
In addition, we have centres and institutes
to bring together those with a common
interest in a particular subject and provide
a focus for cross-cutting research. As a
postgraduate you may be associated with
one of the following:
n Centre for Audio Research and
Engineering
n Centre for Brain Science
n Centre for Computational Finance
and Economic Agents▪
n Centre for Computational Intelligence
n Centre for Cultural and Social History
n Centre for Curatorial Studies
n Centre for Democratic Governance
n Centre for Entrepreneurship Research
n Centre for Film Studies
n Centre for Global Accountancy
n Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies
in the Humanities
n Centre for Local and Regional History
n Centre for Psychoanalytic Studies▪
n Centre for Radicals and Oxidative
Stress
n Centre for Remote Sensing and
Environmetrics
6 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012
n Centre for Sports and Exercise
Science▪
n Centre for Systems Biology
n Centre for Trauma, Asylum and
Refugees
n Centre for Theatre Studies
n Centre for Theoretical Studies in
Humanities and Social Sciences
n Children’s Legal Centre
n Digital Lifestyles Centre
n Essex Biomedical Sciences Institute
n Essex Finance Centre
n Essex Management Centre
n Human Rights Centre▪
n Institute for Electoral Research
n Institute for Social and Economic
Research▪
n Interdisciplinary Centre for
Environment and Society
n Jean Monnet European Centre
of Excellence
n Latin American Centre
n Physics Centre
n UK Data Archive
n
You may be admitted directly to these centres/institutes
Active research links
Our research is mainly funded by
the UK research councils, government
agencies (eg Department of Health,
Department of Work and Pensions,
Technology Strategy Board, Joint
Information Systems Committee),
Ofcom and the European Commission.
We also receive research funding from
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.

www.essex.ac.uk | About our University
Leading lights
Just some of our renowned academic
staff with international reputations include:
n
n
n
Professor Huosheng Hu, School of
Computer Science and Electronic
Engineering, who leads the research
team developing ground-breaking
robotic fish that will analyse and monitor
pollution in a port;
Professor Anthony King, Department
of Government, who is one of the UK’s
foremost commentators on British
politics and was recently elected a
Fellow of the British Academy in
recognition of his contribution to
humanities and social sciences;
Professor Jules Pretty OBE,
Department of Biological Sciences,
who regularly advises the Government
on social and environmental issues and
is lead author of new research on how
to feed an expected population of nine
billion by 2050;
n
n
Professor Sir Nigel Rodley, Human
Rights Centre, who was invited to the
Advisory Group for Human Rights
established by Foreign Secretary,
William Hague; and
Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott,
Professor of Poetry in the Department
of Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies,
who won the Poetry Book Society’s
TS Eliot Prize for his latest work
White Egrets.
Rising stars
Some of our younger staff and students
who have been hitting the headlines
include:
n
PhD student Mohamed Al-Mulla, School
of Computer Science and Electronic
Engineering, who designed a special
wireless device, iSense, capable of
predicting and detecting the status
of muscles during training and can
be adapted for any sport;
n
n
n
n
n
Dr Aaron Balick, Centre for
Psychoanalytic Studies, who helps
BBC Radio 1 listeners by giving advice
on the Sunday Surgery programme;
Dr Chris Marsden, School of
Law, who was the only academic
invited to address the European
Parliament-Commission joint summit
on the open internet and net neutrality
in Europe;
PhD student Gerard Moate, Department
of History, who spoke at the Institute
of Historical Research about the lost
library of William Burkitt;
Dr Dave Smith and Dr Dave Suggett,
Department of Biological Sciences,
whose Coral Reef Research Unit now
has a £50,000 aquarium to address key
research questions under controlled
laboratory conditions; and
Dr Ayse Uskul, Department of
Psychology, whose ESRC-funded
project looks at how cultural differences
in visual imagery can make a different
to attempts to change future behaviour.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 7

Our Colchester Campus | www.essex.ac.uk/colchester
Our Colchester
Campus
n Our Colchester Campus is set in 200
acres of beautiful parkland, just two
miles from historic Colchester and
less than one hour from London.
n
Our Colchester Campus is home
to several of the country’s leading
schools, departments, centres
and research institutes, offering
access to up-to-date resources
for ground-breaking research
and innovative teaching.
Our Colchester Campus is an ideal
location for your postgraduate studies.
n
We incorporate state-of-the-art
teaching facilities, accommodation,
shops, banks, bars and cafés, a
gallery and theatre, and sports
facilities on our one compact site.
n
Our award-winning accommodation
offers dedicated residences for
postgraduates, providing the perfect
atmosphere for academic study and
social relaxation.
n
We have a strong postgraduate
community of around 3,100 students
representing over 130 countries.
8 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/colchester | Our Colchester Campus
Nicole Kuschy, Fuerth,
Germany – MSc Economics
and Econometrics ’07,
PhD Economics ’11
“I knew Essex had a very good
reputation, in the UK and
internationally. In particular, it is
well known for the high quality
research that staff (some of
the best in the UK) undertake,
so a research degree here
seemed an excellent choice.
Having my PhD from Essex
means other institutions know
I come from a very good
department and have worked
with excellent researchers.”
Professor Jules Pretty,
Pro-Vice-Chancellor
(Resources)
“Both teaching and research
at our University are of the
highest international quality.
We embed in all our teaching
as much contemporary research
as possible. This makes learning
appealing, interesting and
relevant for all our students.
As well as providing you
with the specialist subject
knowledge needed for future
careers, we equip you with all
the transferable skills required
by today’s employers.”
Tim Gutsell, Director of the
International Office
“There is so much support
available for our postgraduates
that it is easy to feel at home,
express your own individual
identity and really become
a part of our University
community. Essex has always
been a really popular choice
for international students and
there are lots of good reasons
for this: we offer guaranteed
accommodation and have a
range of English programmes
for those who need to top up
their language skills.”
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 9

Colchester and surrounding area | www.essex.ac.uk/colchester
Colchester and
surrounding area
A unique mix of history and culture,
complemented by beautiful countryside,
means Colchester and the surrounding
area has plenty to interest you.
10 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/colchester | Colchester and surrounding area
Stansted Airport, our gateway to
continental Europe, is just an hours’ coach
trip direct from our Colchester Campus.
Our Colchester Campus is just two miles
from the town centre, famous for being
Britain’s oldest recorded town and former
Roman capital. However Colchester has
come a long way since Roman times,
developing into an exciting and modern
town with a thriving culture and numerous
entertainment activities.
Restaurants, coffee houses, bars, pubs
and nightclubs, many of which are
independent and unique to Colchester,
mean the town offers something for
everyone. If you like to shop, then there
are department stores and individual
boutiques, plus Lakeside shopping
centre is just an hour away.
Colchester’s flourishing arts scene has
been enhanced by the developments
at firstsite:newsite, a £16.5 million
contemporary visual arts facility
designed by Rafael Viñoly, which will
have a permanent exhibition space for our
collection of Latin American art. There is
also the Mercury Theatre and Colchester
Arts Centre, while the popular summer
V Festival is less than 30 minutes away
at Chelmsford’s Hylands Park.
The surrounding countryside has been an
inspiration to many famous artists and the
East Anglian coastline is easily accessible,
with nearby beaches at Frinton, Walton,
Clacton and Brightlingsea. In addition, a
popular destination for many is the village
of Wivenhoe, less than a mile from our
Colchester Campus. It has a lively quayside
with pubs and restaurants to suit many
tastes and pockets.
Colchester is served by excellent transport
links, with the A12 running into London and
trains to central London taking only 50
minutes, meaning you can make the most
of the capital’s many attractions.
Stansted Airport, our gateway to
continental Europe, is just an hours’ coach
trip direct from our Colchester Campus
and the ferry port of Harwich is less than
30 minutes by road. Colchester is also
linked from the north via Ipswich and the
A14 to Birmingham, and the M1/M6 to
the Midlands and the north of England.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 11

Our Southend Campus | www.essex.ac.uk/southend
Our Southend
Campus
Our Southend Campus is a seaside location
for your graduate studies.
n
n
Our Southend Campus is located in
the heart of Southend-on-Sea, just
off the town’s High Street, providing
a vibrant study location.
Our Gateway Building provides a
state-of-the-art teaching and learning
environment while our Clifftown
Studios, a converted church, provides
unique rehearsal and performance
spaces, including a 200-seat theatre
in the atmospheric nave.
n
n
University Square, our new student
accommodation, is just a two-minute
walk from our Gateway Building
and offers over 500 en suite single
study-bedrooms.
The Students’ Union offers the perfect
location to spend free time and access
advice, plus we offer a network of
services to assist and support you
throughout your studies.
n
Our Southend Campus has always
welcomed international students and
staff which makes for a rich and varied
cultural experience.
12 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/southend | Our Southend Campus
Janja Trstenjak, Cakovec,
Croatia – MSc International
Business and
Entrepreneurship
“My experience at Essex has
been career and life changing.
The multicultural environment
inspires me to learn from and
adapt to different ways of
looking at the world. My course
has equipped me with an
understanding of what
constitutes and entails doing
business internationally, and
made me confident that I can
manage in the real world
of business.”
Terry King, Student
Administration Manager
“Southend is a great place
to study: a fresh and modern
campus that is friendly and
expanding rapidly. We have
a real commitment to our
students and the services
that we provide, including
a range of administrative
support and a network of
other student support services.
We aim to offer guidance to
help you have the best possible
student experience here.”
Professor Jay Mitra, Essex
Business School
“Our growing body of students
are our most valuable ‘assets’
in a global community of
learning and engagement with
the real world of thought and
practice. Our highly relevant
and internationally-oriented
postgraduate programmes
enable you to meet the major
challenges of our times
– opportunity creation,
sustainability, creativity, ethical
endeavour, innovation and
entrepreneurship.”
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 13

Southend and surrounding area | www.essex.ac.uk/southend
Southend and
surrounding area
Southend-on-Sea combines the charms
of a traditional seaside resort with the
attractions of a vibrant, modern town
and a growing student community.
14 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/southend | Southend and surrounding area
The educational and cultural hub for
south Essex, Southend-on-Sea has
theatres, cinemas, parks, galleries, a theme
park and a marine activities centre. The
town hosts a variety of events throughout
the year including a folk festival, carnival,
firework displays and Europe’s largest
free air show.
Southend’s seven miles of award-winning
coastline provides opportunities for water
sports and leisure activities from sailing
and kitesurfing, to fishing and cycling
along the seafront.
The High Street offers shops to suit
most pockets, while Lakeside shopping
centre is just 20 minutes away. A mix
of fashionable bars, restaurants, bistros
and cafés, nightclubs and music venues
ensures Southend comes to life at night.
The small fishing town of Leigh-on-Sea, just
three miles from Southend, has traditional
pubs, cockle sheds and art galleries on the
quayside, along with bars, restaurants and
independent boutiques. From here you can
enjoy a walk across the downs through
Hadleigh Country Park to explore the ruins
of a thirteenth-century castle and views
across the Estuary. Watch out for the
cyclists though! In 2012, the park is host to
the Olympic Games mountain biking event.
Southend is served by excellent transport
links, with two major roads (the A13
and A127) and two train lines running into
London. Our Gateway Building is adjacent
to Southend Central train station, from
where London can be reached in 50
minutes, while Stansted and Gatwick
airports are an hour away. Southend’s own
airport is soon to expand its passenger
flights to destinations across Europe.
The town has been designated as
the educational and cultural hub
for south Essex.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 15

Graduate study | www.essex.ac.uk
Graduate study
We have a substantial and thriving postgraduate
community who are taught, supported and
supervised by our world-leading academics.
16 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk | Graduate study
A message from the Dean
of our Graduate School
As a research-intensive institution,
with a commitment to providing
high-quality education, the University
of Essex provides an academically
rigorous and stimulating education
for its postgraduates.
Our postgraduate courses and research
degrees are offered as part of our
University-wide Graduate School, which
provides a focus for the needs of our
postgraduates. You will find your studies
give you the opportunity to develop your
own ideas and interests, and to engage
with thinking at the leading edge of your
subject, as part of the research
community in your department, school
or centre and the wider academic and
professional community.
Our Graduate School takes its inspiration
from our University’s commitment “to
equip students, employers and the wider
community with the knowledge, skills and
ideas for living and working successfully
in an international world of rapid social
and technological change”. In addition
to receiving tuition and supervision from
internationally recognised staff, you
benefit from a supportive and enriching
postgraduate experience in our uniquely
international university.
Our students’ success speaks for itself.
Many former postgraduates now follow
rewarding careers in industry, commerce,
financial services, local and national
government, health, research and
education. I hope you enjoy reading
the varied student and graduate profiles
within these pages.
Dr Pam Cox
Dean of the Graduate School
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 17

Taught courses | www.essex.ac.uk
Taught courses
Our Masters courses allow you to
demonstrate your academic potential
in a research-intensive environment,
with support from our research-active
staff and access to excellent facilities.
The majority of our postgraduates are
studying a taught course. We offer
the following:
n Master of Arts (MA)
n Master of Science (MSc)
n Master of Business Administration
(MBA)
n Master of Law (LLM)
n Master of Fine Art (MFA)
n Master of Public Health (MPH)
n Master of Public Enterprise
and Management (MPEM)
n Masters by Research (MRes)
n Graduate Certificate
n Graduate Diploma
n Postgraduate Certificate
n Postgraduate Diploma
18 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk | Taught courses
Masters courses
A Masters course is an academically
rigorous programme during which you
explore your chosen subject in depth,
reaching a high level of specialist
knowledge in a short time. You draw
on your knowledge and skills from your
undergraduate study or your professional
life to produce work of a high academic
standard, informed by current thinking
and debate.
A Masters course lasts for twelve months
(full-time) and consists of taught modules
and normally a research-based dissertation
totalling 180 credits. The balance of taught
modules and research varies according
to the subject but, typically, the research
element will count for 60 credits and there
will be 120 credits of taught modules,
varying from 10 to 40 credits each. There
are usually several compulsory modules
and a range of optional modules. (If you
are from the EU, then you should note
that our Masters courses are regarded
as ‘second-cycle’ qualifications under the
Bologna Declaration and consist of 90
ECTS credits).
Our courses start in October, so you
take taught modules during your autumn
and spring terms. If any of your taught
modules include an examination, this will
be in May and June. Your dissertation
or other project-based work is submitted
in September.
Studying with us gives you an opportunity
to develop your own ideas and interests,
and to engage with thinking at the leading
edge of your subject, as part of the research
community in your department, school
or centre and our wider academic and
professional community. Our graduates
go into a variety of jobs, where the key
employability skills and knowledge they
have gained through postgraduate study
at Essex are put to good use.
If you achieve your Masters, you may wish
to extend your knowledge with a research
degree and many who graduate from Essex
choose to stay here for research study.
Some of our Masters may be taken as the
first part of an Integrated PhD, leading to
your PhD after a further three years of
full-time study.
Certificates and Diplomas
In some of our subjects, Postgraduate
or Graduate Certificates and Diplomas
are available, which last for six to nine
months (full-time) and consist of 60 or
120 credits of taught modules, respectively.
Our Graduate Diplomas equip those with a
Bachelors degree with specific knowledge
to proceed to a Masters in a different
subject area. Our Postgraduate Certificates
and Diplomas consist of the modules and
assessed work of a Masters, without your
dissertation element.
Tatiana Porto, Sao Paulo,
Brazil – MSc Biotechnology ’11,
MPhD Biochemistry
I always had the UK in mind
for postgraduate studies
because of its tradition, quality
and worldwide impact. I care
about research and teaching
standards, so Essex’s results in this
helped make my decision to move from
Sao Paulo to Colchester.
As my undergraduate course in Brazil
focused on a chemical approach, I
needed a biological understanding
to pursue a career in this area. During my
MSc Biotechnology, I got these essential
skills and knowledge, and tested this
during my summer research project.
I decided to stay at Essex for my PhD
as I was enjoying my work so wanted
to extend my research in this area and
continue working with my supervisor,
who is extremely helpful.
Essex offers everything you need,
as well as support that is extremely
important for an international student.
The University’s international community
helps you establish contacts which
can be important later and the friendly
environment is stimulating; I love
the mix between lecturers, staff
members, researchers, lab
technicians, undergraduates
and postgraduates.
Student
profile
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 19

Research degrees | www.essex.ac.uk
We have an international reputation for
the quality of our research and offer the
following research degrees:
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
Master of Arts by Dissertation (MA)
Master of Science by Dissertation
(MSc)
Master of Philosophy (MPhil)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Integrated Doctor of Philosophy
(PhD)
Doctoral Programme (PhD)
Professional Doctorates
Doctor of Medicine (MD)
(see page 74)
Research degrees
As a research student, you will work at the
heart of our internationally-acknowledged
and well-connected research community.
20 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk | Research degrees
Research degrees
Your research degree gives you the
chance to investigate your chosen topic
in real depth and reach a profound
understanding. In communicating that
understanding, through a thesis or other
means, you have a rare opportunity to
generate knowledge. Your research degree
allows you to develop new high-level skills,
enhance your professional development
and build new networks. It can open
doors to many careers.
We offer world class supervision and
training opportunities, and encourage
you to engage with other researchers,
professionals, practitioners and research
users, where possible. Our research
is supported by a wide spectrum of
UK research councils, EU framework
programmes, public-sector organisations
and departments, charities, and
private-sector industry and businesses.
Engagement with these external funders
and stakeholders enriches the quality and
relevance of your experience and training.
You have many opportunities to engage
with our wider research environment and
communicate your work. Many of our
departments, schools and centres run
their own postgraduate journals (print
and online) and working papers. All
offer doctoral research seminars and
conferences and encourage you to present
at such events, as well as taking a lead
in managing, facilitating, promoting and
chairing them. Our advanced students
can apply for our University funds to assist
them to present papers at national and
international conferences.
Apart from academic outputs, you are
encouraged to pursue other forms of
knowledge transfer and can access training
on this from our Research and Enterprise
Office. We offer shared office and social
space to all our doctoral students, plus
excellent computing facilities. Our new
Student Centre (due to open in 2013)
will provide additional dedicated study, wi-fi
and networking space for postgraduates.
Master of Arts (MA) by Dissertation,
Master of Science (MSc) by Dissertation
and Master of Philosophy (MPhil)
You present a dissertation at the end
of your period of study, which sets out
the results of investigative work carried
out during that period. MPhil programmes
in our Department of Language and
Linguistics combine two terms of
specialist academic training followed
by the submission of your thesis.
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
We offer several routes to a PhD. Each
requires you to conduct and present
your results of original investigations and
research. It is our policy to register all PhD
students initially as MPhil/PhD students
and, assuming progress is satisfactory,
confirmation of PhD status normally occurs
in the first half of your second year of study
(second half of your third year, if part-time).
n
n
PhD
If you hold the necessary qualifications
to embark upon your PhD, the normal
minimum period of registration is three
years (full-time). A significant amount
of training in professional and research
skills is available to all our PhD students
(see page 38).
Integrated PhD (New Route PhD)
In addition to our standard PhD,
we offer a four-year route to a PhD
combining an intensive year of taught
study with preparation and submission
of a thesis. Your first year includes
research methods training, taught
subject-specific modules and a
dissertation. At the end of your first
year, you are formally assessed and an
intermediate award, usually a Masters,
may be made. On successful completion
of your first year, you follow three years
of supervised research, during which
you continue to receive training in
professional and research skills. (See
individual subject entries for details of
subjects offering the Integrated PhD).
Duration of study
Full-time
Part-time
Programme of study Minimum period Maximum Minimum period Maximum
of registration permitted time of registration permitted time
for submission
for submission
of thesis
of thesis
MA by Dissertation One year Two years Two years Three years
MSc by Dissertation One year Two years Two years Three years
MPhil Two years Three years Four years Five years
PhD Three years Four years Six years Seven years
Integrated PhD Four years Five years Eight years Nine years
Professional Doctorate See individual See individual See individual See individual
programmes programmes programmes programmes
The minimum and maximum periods of registration for our different research degrees are shown above.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 21

Research degrees | www.essex.ac.uk
n
Doctoral Programme
Our three-year programme combines
specialist training with preparation and
submission of a thesis, where your first
year requires you to take a number of
taught modules, which may correspond
to the taught elements of a Masters.
After your first year, you continue with
supervised research and receive training
in professional and research skills, and
attend graduate research workshops.
Our doctoral programmes are available
in accounting, economics, political
science, refugee care, sociology
and statistics.
You may commence your PhD in October,
January or April. Our Integrated PhD
and our Doctoral Programme commence
in October.
Professional doctorates
Professional doctorates are available in a
number of subjects offered by our School
of Health and Human Sciences and Centre
for Psychoanalytic Studies. Our doctorates
combine professional training, teaching and
research in a way that is relevant to current
practice. We offer them for initial training
(full-time) or for experienced professionals
(part-time).
Code of practice for
research degrees
We have a formal code of practice for
our research students, outlining the
responsibilities of both you and us. This
covers admission and selection procedures,
through to supervision and progress
monitoring, to final examination.
Skills training
Research skills training is provided
by your department, school or centre, and
developed through one-to-one guidance
by your supervisor and more formal
workshops, seminars and specific
research methods modules. Most of our
departments, schools and centres have
an annual research student conference,
where you can present your work.
Our skills programme for research
students provides you with an opportunity
to acquire generic skills to help you through
your PhD, and prepares you for when you
graduate. For further information, please
see page 39.
Supervision
You will be allocated a supervisor whose
role it is to guide you through the different
stages of your research degree. In some
cases, you may have joint supervision by
two members of our staff. The support
provided by your supervisor is a key feature
of your research student experience and
you will have regular one-to-one meetings
to discuss progress on your research.
Initially, your supervisor will help you
develop your research topic and plan.
Twice a year, you have a supervisory board
meeting, which provides a more formal
opportunity to discuss your progress and
agree your plans for the next six months.
Distance learning
If you are resident overseas, and hold
very high qualifications and/or have
considerable relevant expertise, you may
register for a part-time research degree
without residence at our University. You
must demonstrate that you have the
necessary basic research skills (or that
arrangements have been made to acquire
such skills) and evidence of a high level
of ability in the English language, if your
first language is not English. Supervisory
arrangements will be specified
individually and will include, for example,
the frequency and mode of contact
with your supervisor and the periods
of time to be spent at Essex.
22 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk | Research degrees
Francesco Perales, Seville,
Spain – MA Sociology and
Panel Data Analysis ’09,
PhD Applied Social and
Economic Research
Student
profile
After finishing my
undergraduate studies in
London, I wanted to specialise
in quantitative sociological
analysis. My tutors
recommended Essex, specifically
highlighting the graduate courses offered
by the Institute for Social and Economic
Research (ISER), which has a strong
reputation in this field.
After my MA, the choice to stay here
for my PhD was easy. The University’s
facilities, international reputation for
sociology, strong links with funding
bodies and the friendliness of staff
tipped the scales in favour of Essex.
As my degree progresses, I can
sense how my academic skills and
understanding of my field has developed,
which is very gratifying. I’ve found that
you can perceive a progressive transition
from the academic to the professional
sphere, and a growing thirst for
knowledge. From the first year onwards,
I have been provided with a first-class
office, supervision from world-leading
academics, access to a specialised
research library, and opportunities for
professional development.
I enjoy the balance between work and
social life at Essex. Our Colchester
Campus is located in a peaceful
environment which facilitates self-study
but the Students’ Union, with numerous
clubs and societies, ensures there is
always something different to do, from
cinema screenings and art exhibitions
to sports and parties.
The good thing about obtaining a
doctoral degree at Essex is that it helps
keep your career options open. It is an
excellent route to a job in the private
or public sector, within the UK and
oversees. I will graduate with many
warm memories, as it is here that
I met my wife and made many good
friends, have grown as a
person and developed my
professional skills to a level
I had not anticipated.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 23

Applying to Essex | www.essex.ac.uk/pgapply
Entrance requirements
The following is a general guide to entry
requirements. Please check individual
subject entries for specific requirements.
For taught courses:
n good first degree, normally upper
second class honours, or equivalent.
For research degrees:
n good first degree, normally upper
second class honours, or equivalent;
n well-developed research proposal
in an area where we can offer
supervision;
n evidence of research capability;
n for a PhD, in most disciplines,
a good performance in a Masters.
Applying
to Essex
We welcome online applications
at: www.essex.ac.uk/pgapply.
Our online application form takes
around 20 minutes to complete.
24 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/pgapply | Applying to Essex
What are our English
language requirements?
If English is not your first language, we ask
you to provide evidence of your ability to
understand and express yourself in English
for academic purposes. This is important to
ensure that you derive full benefit from your
studies. If you have a score which is less
than two years’ old in an internationally
recognised test, such as IELTS, TOEFL or
Pearson Test of English (Academic), please
supply a copy with your application. If you
do not have a current score, an offer will be
conditional upon achieving one. The score
required will vary by subject (please see
individual subject entries). If you have
successfully completed university-level
studies in the medium of English, you will
not normally be asked for a test score.
You can arrange for your TOEFL test score
to be sent to us by entering our institution
code, 9836, on your examination papers
or the score report request forms.
We implement the following score
equivalents:
IELTS TOEFL Pearson
(Internet)
5.5 68 45
6.0 76 50
6.5 88 60
7.0 100 65
7.5 120 75
We also accept the Cambridge Certificate
of Proficiency in English (CPE), at grade B
or C, depending on your programme of
study. If you have a level of English close
to that required for your course, you may
be able to meet our requirement by
following a pre-sessional course before
the academic year. Details can be found
at: www.essex.ac.uk/internationalacademy
/courses/english/ps/default.aspx.
In addition to our language requirements,
if you are needing a Tier 4 visa, you must
meet the UKBA’s minimum English
language scores if you are using an
English language test to meet our entry
requirements. The minimum requirement is
currently IELTS 5.5 or equivalent in each of
the four language components. More details
are at: www.essex.ac.uk/immigration/pbi/
english.aspx.
How do I apply?
We welcome online applications at:
www.essex.ac.uk/pgapply. Our online
application form takes about 20 minutes
to complete.
With your application, you should provide:
n your personal details;
n academic qualifications that you
already hold or are waiting to complete;
n English language qualifications
(eg IELTS, TOEFL or Pearson); and
n the name and contact details for two
academic or professional referees.
You must also send your ‘supporting
documents’ – we can not process your
application until these have been received.
You can upload copies of documents within
your application form or you can upload
additional documents at a later date, by
returning to our website. Your references
can be sent directly to us.
Supporting documents include:
n transcripts of your university-level
studies to date;
n copies of certificate(s) for any degrees
or other awards that you completed;
n a research proposal (required for
most research degrees); and
n two verifiable references.
You must also
send us your
‘supporting
documents’. We
can not process
your application
until these have
been received.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 25

Applying to Essex | www.essex.ac.uk/pgapply
We may ask for originals if you are offered
a place and some of our departments,
schools or centres will require additional
items to support your application. Full
details, and where to send information,
is available alongside our online
application form.
Writing your research
proposal
Your research proposal should set out what
you plan to accomplish, why this matters
and how you are going to achieve this. It
needs to demonstrate that you have, or
are able to develop, the competencies
and skills to complete your proposed
project within the time and resources
available. The quality of your writing is
important and a good research proposal
may be rejected if it is poorly expressed
or badly presented. You should write in
a clear and accessible way. If you are
applying for funding, you should ensure
that your proposal fulfils the requirements
of your preferred funding body.
Your research proposal should be
800-1,000 words and should include:
n working title and key words;
n summary of the aims and objectives
of your research;
n outline of the ways you will meet these
aims and objectives, referring to
research methods and specific
resources you will use;
n evidence of your awareness of relevant
literature and theoretical approaches;
and
n an overview of the expected outcomes
and the original contribution your
research will make to existing bodies
of knowledge.
Is there a deadline for
applying?
There is no deadline for applications
but it can be difficult to obtain copies of
transcripts, certificates and references at
short notice. We therefore advise that you
apply by 1 July. You should also take into
account any deadlines for applications
for funding, such as scholarships.
Keeping track of your
application
We aim to respond to applications for
taught courses within three weeks, and
to applications for research degrees within
six weeks, once we have received all the
relevant documents from you and your
referees. When we acknowledge your
application, you will be issued with an
application number, which is your unique
reference number. You can use this to
create your account on our applicant web
pages myEssex at: www.essex.ac.uk/apply.
If we offer you a place, we will send you
our decision electronically. You will be able
to view and download your offer letter from
myEssex within 24 hours of a decision
being made. We will send you an e-mail
with instructions on this. You should use
myEssex to accept your place and to keep
us informed of any changes to your contact
details by updating them online.
26 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/pgapply | Applying to Essex
Shelley Blackaby, Colchester,
Essex – MA Environment,
Science and Society ’11
(now MA/MSc Environmental
Governance)
Can I study part-time?
Most of our taught courses and research
degrees are available part-time to Home
and EU students and those international
students with the necessary immigration
status to do so. A small black circle in the
individual subject entries indicates that
part-time study is available. Tuition fees
are proportionate to the full-time rate.
Part-time study is normally on a half-time
basis, with your programme completed in
twice the duration of the full-time equivalent,
eg 24 months for a Masters. There is no
fixed pattern for the teaching of part-time
study and attendance requirements may
vary in volume and timing, from year to year
and from programme to programme. Several
of our taught courses can be studied on
a modular basis, whereby the total volume
of credit for the award is accumulated over
an extended period (up to six years for a
Masters course). Details are given in our
individual subject entries.
If you wish to study part-time, please state
this clearly on your application.
Disabled students
Applications are considered against the
same academic criteria as those from other
candidates. If you are disabled you should
state this on your application form so that
early consideration can be given to meeting
your accommodation and, where necessary,
daily care requirements. Please write to our
Head of Graduate Admissions, if you would
like additional information before applying
(see also page 36).
Visiting students
Applications for those who do not wish
to gain a degree or other qualification
are made in the same way as those for
graduate programmes. When making an
application, you should indicate the reason
for wishing to study as an visiting student,
and the length of time you wish to spend
at our University. Enquiries should be
addressed to the relevant department,
school or centre. If you are an international
student, you should be aware that visa
restrictions may apply to visiting study.
I wanted to study at a top
university but needed to
be a part-time student
in order to fit my studies
around my full-time job. Essex
gave me this opportunity, while my
optional modules enabled me to fit
lectures around my work commitments.
I have always been interested in
environmental issues and undertook my
undergraduate degree in environmental
planning. However, I wanted to further
this knowledge and what particularly
attracted me to Essex was the
cross-disciplinary nature of my chosen
course. I enjoyed the possibility to learn
from such a diverse range of experts.
While studying, I was working full-time
for Colchester Borough Council in
strategic policy and regeneration and
I have continued working here. My
studies helped me achieve a greater
knowledge of many environmental
issues. I learnt about the scientific,
technical, political, social, economic and
legal aspects involved in environmental
issues and the linkages
between these, which I
apply on a daily basis to
my career as a planner.
Student
profile
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 27

Funding your studies | www.essex.ac.uk
Funding your
studies
We offer many funding opportunities
to support talented postgraduates, ranging
from research council studentships and
University scholarships to awards funded by
charities and other external organisations.
Financial liability
Before finally confirming your place,
we will ask you for an assurance that you
have sufficient funds to meet all tuition fees
and living expenses. Details of likely costs
follow and up-to-date financial information
is sent to all our applicants who are
holding an offer of study.
28 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk | Funding your studies
What tuition fees do
I have to pay?
Our tuition fees for 2012-13 are:
Home and International
EU fee fee per
per annum* annum*
Masters £4,650 to £10,950 to
courses £8,250 £12,950
MBA £15,950 £15,950
Research £3,730** £10,950 to
degrees £12,950
Certificates £1,860 to £4,380 to
and Diplomas £6,600 £10,360
*Guidance in determining whether you are regarded as
a Home, EU or international student for fees purposes
is given on page 214.
**2011-12 fee provided as guidance, as 2012-13 fee
not known at time of going to print.
only available for the first year and if you
are wholly self funding your tuition fee.
For more information, please see:
www.essex.ac.uk/loyalty.
Living expenses
The amount of money you require for living
expenses (accommodation, food, books,
clothing, local travel and entertainment) will
vary according to your interests and means.
The most up-to-date fees can be found at:
www.essex.ac.uk/fees.
Our tuition fees include all academic tuition
or supervision, use of our Library and IT
facilities, registration, initial examination and
graduation, and subscription towards the
cost of student societies and other social
amenities. Fees do not include residence or
living costs, or special re-examination fees.
Research students in our Department of
Biological Sciences may be required to
pay ‘bench fees’ for laboratory materials,
depending on the area of research. Bench
fees will be included with any offer of study.
We reserve the right to review the fees
chargeable for each academic year.
Loyalty discounts
We offer our graduates and former study
abroad students a ten per discount on your
first year of tuition fee. You must be
registered for your first postgraduate study
period at Essex, following completion of
your Bachelors (for Essex graduates) or
study abroad programme (for study abroad
students), whether it is a taught course or
a research degree. Our loyalty discount is
Payment of tuition fees
Tuition fees can be paid in full at the start
of the academic year or in three equal
instalments in October, January and April.
If you are a non-EEA student requiring
our sponsorship for visa applications,
you must pay your first instalment as
a non-refundable deposit in order to be
assigned your CAS. All our other students
must pay the first instalment in order to
register. We have a discount scheme if you
are paying three terms in full, in advance.
You will be sent details when your place is
confirmed. Payments must all be in Sterling
and can be made with credit or debit cards,
cheques, cash or bank transfer.
Tuition fees for subsequent years of study
All fees quoted during your admission
process relate to your first year of study
only. In any second or subsequent years of
study (eg on your research degree or if you
are undertaking your Masters part-time),
you pay the fee published for the relevant
academic year. Our fees are normally
published 12 months before the start of
our academic year. For example, our fees
for 2013-14 should be published by
September 2012.
As a guide, for 2011-12, we recommend
you should have at least £700 per month
for living expenses. This applies to single
students living in our University-owned
accommodation, and allows for an
adequate standard of living but does
not take account of personal interests,
such as sports or hobbies involving special
expenses, nor does it include the cost of
international travel. If you are accompanied
by dependants, costs will be considerably
higher. Information on costs will be included
in your offer letter and up-to-date
information on the cost of living is available
at: www.essex.ac.uk/studentfinance.
Our estimated average living costs for
twelve months are:
Single student living in
University accommodation: £8,325
Student with spouse living in
University accommodation: £12,750
Student with spouse
and one child in private
accommodation: £19,250
Student with spouse
and two children in
private accommodation: £22,500
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 29

Funding your studies | www.essex.ac.uk
How do I pay?
For taught courses, most of our students
meet the costs of studying through a
combination of personal savings, family
savings, loans and part-time employment.
Many postgraduates find employment
alongside their studies and the Careers
Centre at our Colchester Campus and the
JobShop at our Southend Campus are
good places to look for part-time work.
If you are an international student, you
should check whether your government
provides loans for international study at
taught or research level.
Sources of financial
support
The following pages outline just some
of the funding options available to you.
Funding for postgraduate study is highly
competitive so it is important that you fully
research the options available to you. The
tuition fee loans, maintenance grants and
student loans for UK undergraduates do
not apply to postgraduates, so our students
usually explore a wide range of options
to fund further studies. It is important that
you do not begin your postgraduate studies
without making sure you have enough
money to cover all your academic fees
and living expenses.
University of Essex Scholarships
Our Scholarships support talented
postgraduates from the UK, the EU and
overseas, particularly PhD students, to
study with us. Scholarships are awarded
annually by our departments, schools
and centres. Awards are for up to three
years and designed for those who would
be unable to take up a place without them.
You can submit an application once
you have an offer of study. For further
details please visit: www.essex.ac.uk/
studentfinance/pg/university_support/
scholarships.aspx.
Sources of financial
support for UK and
EU students
Research council funding
If you are from the UK or EU, then you
may consider applying for a studentship
from one of our seven research councils,
each of which fund a different area of
postgraduate study. Please be aware
that the application process is extremely
competitive and applications always
outnumber the awards available. Individual
research councils are listed below; please
consult our website at: www.essex.ac.uk/
studentfinance/pg/government_support/
research.aspx for more details and
application procedures.
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences
Research Council (BBSRC)
www.bbsrc.ac.uk
Engineering and Physical Sciences
Research Council (EPSRC)
www.epsrc.ac.uk
Medical Research Council (MRC)
www.mrc.ac.uk
Natural Environment Research
Council (NERC)
www.nerc.ac.uk
Economic and Social Research
Council (ESRC)
www.esrc.ac.uk
Arts and Humanities Research
Council (AHRC)
www.ahrc.ac.uk
Science and Technology Facilities
Council (STFC)
www.scitech.ac.uk
Economic and Social Research Council
Doctoral Training Centre Scholarships
We have become one of just 21
ESRC-accredited Doctoral Training
Centres found in the UK, following a highly
competitive selection process. This honour
cements our long standing reputation
as a world class centre for social science
research. Our ESRC Doctoral Training
Centre means we can offer fully funded
ESRC studentships across over 20 doctoral
pathways. You can submit an application
once you have an offer of study with us.
For more information, see:
www.essex.ac.uk/dtc.
Our ESRC DTC studentships encourage
research into a range of social science
and related areas, including:
n criminology and socio-legal research;
n economic and social research;
n economics and econometrics;
n environmental governance;
n finance;
n health and organisational research;
n human rights;
n language and linguistics;
n management and accounting;
n political economy;
n politics and international relations;
n psychoanalytic studies; and
n sociology and social change.
The Essex Silberrad Scholarships
These scholarships are awarded to
research students classified as Home/EU
fee status at the point of admission, who
already hold an Essex degree (either
undergraduate or postgraduate). They are
awarded per annum and the amount will
cover all your tuition fees and approximately
50 per cent of average living costs per year
of study. Details are at: www.essex.ac.uk/
studentfinance/pg/university_support.
Professional and Career Development
Loans (PCDLs)
For information on financial assistance
to support your learning, visit:
www.direct.gov.uk/adultlearning or
telephone: +44 (0)800 100900.
NHS funding
There is support for tuition fees and
bursaries for living costs if you are on
our postgraduate pre-registration health
professional training courses offered by
our School of Health and Human Sciences
(page 114). Eligible courses are MSc
Nursing (Adult), MSc Nursing (Mental
Health), MSc Occupational Therapy,
MSc Physiotherapy and MSc Speech
30 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk | Funding your studies
and Language Therapy. These are only
open to UK and EU residents and, if you
receive an offer of a place, you will receive
information on the funding arrangements
and how to apply for support.
Charitable trusts and grants
Information about charities and trusts that
offer awards and sponsorship, and their
application procedures, can be found in
the Educational Grants Directory and
The Grants Register. Copies are available
in our Library and most public libraries. The
Educational Grants Advisory Service (EGAS)
holds a database of organisations offering
educational grants and loans to individuals
eligibility to lenders, in accordance with
federal regulations. For more details, visit:
www.essex.ac.uk/pgadmit/fees/os.htm.
by a company will be accompanied by a
commitment to continued employment.
Sources of financial
support for international
students
Abbey Santander Scholarships
Some scholarships, funded by
Santander Group, are available for
taught postgraduates. In order to be
eligible, you need to be a national from,
and be residing in, a Santander network
country (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia,
Mexico, Puerto Rico, Spain, Uruguay and
Venezuela) and to have studied previously
at one of the ‘Santander Universities’.
Full details are at: www.essex.ac.uk/
studentfinance/pg/university_support.
Federal student aid for US students
We are registered with the Department
of Education as a foreign school and our
postgraduate programmes are eligible
for federal aid if studied full-time. We will
happily certify your eligibility to lenders,
in accordance with federal regulations.
Please see: www.essex.ac.uk/pgadmit/
fees/os.htm.
Government sponsorships
Many national governments provide
scholarships for students wishing to
study overseas. You should enquire at
your own Ministry of Education in good
time, as most sponsors have formal
application procedures. The amount
of funding available will vary according
to your country.
Private sponsorship
Some companies sponsor their employees
in certain study areas. Companies tend to
favour degrees of value to their business
objectives, which benefit your career
development within the organisation.
Usually any financial assistance offered
British Council
British Council scholarships cover office
fees and living expenses. Your local British
Council will have information on any
scholarship schemes for which you are
eligible to apply or you can consult their
website at: www.educationuk.org.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 31

Funding your studies | www.essex.ac.uk
Katy Wheeler, Hockley,
Essex – BA Sociology and
Criminology ’04, MA
Sociological Research
Methods ’07, PhD
Sociology ’11
Essex’s Department of
Sociology is the best in the
UK so, after completing my
BA, I decided to return for
postgraduate studies and
applied for ‘1+3’ ESRC funding, which
was crucial in my decision to return.
There is nothing quite like studying
for a PhD and I really enjoyed carrying
out and managing my own research
project. I was always grateful for the
excellent support from my supervisors
and department; Essex offers a dynamic
environment and I was encouraged to
participate fully in the research culture,
with weekly seminars and short courses
for all.
The Colchester Campus has lots
of facilities and is a great place for
socialising and recreational activities.
The sports centre offers aerobics
classes and a decent gym, while
the membership is excellent value
for money. The library is very good
and stocks important journals, most
of which you can access online.
My MA gave me a good grounding in
qualitative and quantitative methods,
incredibly important when pursuing
a research career. After finishing my
PhD, I worked as a postdoctoral
research fellow at Queen Mary,
University of London. Having a
sociology degree from Essex definitely
carries currency and my employers
remarked that I had good
qualifications from a good
department.
Graduate
profile
Paola Limon, Monterrey,
Mexico – LLM International
Human Rights and
Humanitarian Law ’11
My decision to study at Essex
was based, mainly, on the
variety of modules within my
chosen course, and the quality
of the academic staff who
would teach me. I was lucky enough
to be awarded a Santander partial
scholarship to support my studies.
I was soon fully immersed in my
course, gaining knowledge on different
issues. I appreciated getting to know,
learning from and working with staff in
the School of Law. They were always
available for questions relating to
modules, supervision of coursework
and guidance regarding the profession,
as we were given lots of information
about job opportunities.
Being at Essex allowed me to get to
know people from many countries and
very diverse backgrounds. Our different
experiences enriched lectures, providing
different perspectives around the
practical issues. I also enjoyed the range
of activities organised by our Human
Rights Centre, the Essex Transitional
Justice Network, and other related
student groups.
Since completing my LLM, I have worked
as a research assistant for one of my
Essex professors, on independent
projects related to topics covered
during my LLM. My studies at
Essex have really given me the
tools to make my way along
this profession.
Graduate
profile
32 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk | Student life
Student life
We provide an environment which caters for all our
students with outstanding resources and facilities,
award-winning accommodation, an active Students’
Union, sport and the arts.
Library
Our Albert Sloman Library (ASL) is
just a few minutes’ walk from teaching
buildings and student residences at
our Colchester Campus.
With holdings amounting to over one
million books, periodical issues and
microfilms, including 8,000 current
periodicals, our ASL is a major resource.
Students at our Southend Campus can
visit or borrow books via a daily dispatch
service. In addition, our Southend Campus
students have access to the library at
South Essex College, our partner
institution at Southend.
ASL holdings are strong in all subjects
in which we have academic programmes
and, in some areas, (Latin America, Russia
and Eastern Europe) are of national
significance. Holdings are chosen to
support teaching and research but also
include books of general or leisure interest.
Extra copies of heavy demand books
(like set texts) are available in a short loan
collection and you can check the location
of books on our online catalogue.
Our ASL provides ideal conditions for
quiet study with 1,070 reader places.
In addition, 110 networked PCs and
terminals provide access to over 47,000
online journals, databases, e-books and
library catalogues at: libwww.essex.ac.uk.
Viewing facilities for DVDs and videos are
available. Special collections of archives
concentrate on contemporary material,
for example the papers of the Social
Democrat Party (SDP), QUALIDATA and
the Boundary Commission for England
and Wales. Recent additions include
extensive papers relating to the work of
Sigmund Freud, the historical collection
of the Royal Statistical Society Library
and the Library of the Essex Society for
Archaeology and History.
Our ASL has long opening hours, a total
of 84 hours over seven days a week during
term and 42.5 to 84 hours in vacations.
A reading room provides overnight study
and IT facilities during much of the year.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 33

Student life | www.essex.ac.uk
IT and online services
We provide first class facilities and an
online learning environment to complement
your postgraduate studies. You are provided
with an individual account, giving access to
our computing facilities including e-mail, the
web, learning materials and personal online
file storage. You can access most online
services and information anytime and
anywhere through our student web portal,
myEssex. This provides secure access to
your individual University record, plus a
personalised gateway to student services,
and news and event information.
In addition to specialist IT facilities
for your subject, central open access
laboratories at our Colchester Campus
provide more than 500 modern Windows
PCs and, at our Southend Campus, more
than 100. These run over 100 software
packages and have connections to our
high-speed network and the Internet, as
well as laser printing. Assistive technology
and specialist support software is available.
At our Colchester Campus, laboratories are
available seven days a week, which
includes our collaborative working spaces
in the Orangery where you can work on
smart boards, using wipe off walls, and
over 100 are accessible 24 hours a day.
At our Southend Campus, laboratories
34 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012
are available throughout our Gateway
Building’s long opening hours.
You can connect to our network via the
connection point in every student room
at both campuses, and by using our
extensive wireless (wi-fi) service. At our
Colchester Campus, this includes our
Library, cafés, Students’ Union and some
areas of Wivenhoe Park. At our Southend
Campus, this includes teaching rooms, the
open study area, social spaces and the
Students’ Union.
We provide training to teach the basics
of Windows, Office software and some
applications software such as SPSS and
End note, up to the level required for the
European Computer Driving Licence
(ECDL) computer qualification.
English language study
We offer a range of intensive programmes,
for language and study skills, if you wish
to improve your general and academic
English. The length and type of programme
depends on your current level and the
language proficiency requirements of
your course.
Our pre-sessional programmes:
n enhance your English language
proficiency and use of English for
academic purposes;
n ensure you are familiar with the modes
of teaching and learning at Essex;
n introduce you to your department; and
n orientate you to living and studying
in the UK.
If you have a conditional offer, then we offer
two different pre-sessional pathways for
you. Our classic pathway (for 15 and 10
weeks to provide a language uplift of 1.0
and 0.5 IELTS band respectively) prepares
you for academic study with a focus on
language and study skills in an academic
context, like essay writing and project work.
Our intensive pathway (for 10 and 5 weeks
to provide a language uplift of 1.0 and 0.5
IELTS band respectively) improves core
language skills by focusing on grammar and
vocabulary development, developing your
reading, writing, listening and speaking.
Our in-sessional programme consists of
free English support classes if you are
taking a full-time academic course, with
placement based on your English test at
the beginning of the academic year.
Further information is available from our
International Academy
E intacad@essex.ac.uk
www.essex.ac.uk/internationalacademy

www.essex.ac.uk | Student life
Modern language study
In many courses at our Colchester
Campus, you can take a language. These
are available in French, German, Italian,
Portuguese and Spanish, catering for a
variety of levels to fit your requirements
and existing skills. You can use the many
facilities offered by our language,
computing and multimedia laboratories:
online computer packages and dictionaries,
accessed 24 hours a day from any terminal
connected to our University network.
All language modules can also be taken
by the public and our Open Language
Programme includes Arabic and Mandarin
Chinese. These can contribute to a Diploma
or Certificate in Modern Languages.
Further information is available from our
Department of Language and Linguistics
E amc@essex.ac.uk
www.essex.ac.uk/linguistics
Resource and research
centres
UK Data Archive
Our UK Data Archive is the curator of
the largest collection of digital data in the
social sciences and humanities in the UK.
With more than 6,000 datasets relating to
society, both historical and contemporary,
we are a vital resource for researchers,
teachers and learners.
Since 2005, we have been designated a
Place of Deposit by the National Archives,
allowing us to curate public records. We
acquire high quality data from academic,
public, and commercial sectors, providing
continuous access, while we also support
existing and emerging communities of
data users. We manage the Economic
and Social Data Service, the UK's flagship
portal for research resources, where we
host key national and international survey
data and qualitative data. We also host data
services like the Census portal and the
History Data Service. Recently we provided
secure access to highly detailed and
sensitive data through the Secure Data
Service and are engaged in a number of
data management initiatives, running the
Rural Economy and Land Use Programme
(Relu) Data Support Service. We manage
the UK contribution to the European
network of data archives, CESSDA, provide
data curation for other organisations, and
regularly win grants from other funders.
Institute for Social and Economic
Research (ISER)
We have a national and international
reputation for longitudinal data analysis
and research on economic and social
policy issues using panel data methods.
We collect and analyse longitudinal data,
and are recognised for the supervision
of doctoral students by the Economic
and Social Research Council (ESRC).
We provide excellent opportunities for
training in research methods and for
substantive research.
We were established in 1989 to study
change in British households. In 1991, we
surveyed 5,600 households (some 10,200
individuals) selected at random, as part
of the British Household Panel Survey
(BHPS), to represent the entire population
of Great Britain. This constant set of people
is interviewed each year and we now work
on Understanding Society, the largest study
of its type in the world, which replaces and
incorporates the BHPS.
Our research allows detailed analysis of
important economic and social issues,
and data collected allows comparisons
with other similar studies carried out in
the United States and European countries.
We represent a major research resource
to which our social science departments,
schools and centres contribute and draw.
History Data Service
Our History Data Service collects,
preserves and promotes the use of digital
resources, which result from or support
historical research, learning and teaching.
We are a successor service to AHDS
History which, from 1996 to 2008, was
one of the five centres of the Arts and
Humanities Data Service. We are housed
within the UKDA and provide access and
support for a range of historical datasets,
promoting and facilitating increased and
more effective use of data in research,
learning and teaching. For further
information, visit: http://hds.essex.ac.uk.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 35

Student life | www.essex.ac.uk
Student support
Our support services to help you achieve
your potential and get the most from your
studies. Further information, including
specific arrangements at each campus and
contact details, is at: www2.essex.ac.uk/
stdsup. An overview is below.
At our Colchester Campus, we oversee
induction for new students and work with
other agencies on and off campus. At our
Southend Campus, these services are
provided with Learner Support Services
at South Essex College.
We co-ordinate a team of students
and staff who help you integrate into
University life. If you are living in
University-owned accommodation, your
Residents’ Assistant (RA) can be accessed
out-of-hours when other services are
closed. Essex Nightline is another
out-of-hours service offering listening,
information and drop-in services overnight
during term. It is a student-led and based at
our Colchester Campus but accessible via
telephone or e-mail to all.
Our Counselling Service offers assistance
with educational, social, personal or
emotional concerns, through confidential
sessions. In addition, our Students’ Union
Advice Centre provides independent
information and is staffed by trained
student volunteers with support from staff.
Each department, school and centre has a
system for providing academic support but
general study-related support, including
workshops, groups and web-based
materials, is at: www.essex.ac.uk/myskills.
Our Multi-Faith Chaplaincy Centre at
our Colchester Campus has worship
areas for use by all. There are recognised
chaplains and religious representatives
from many world religions and regular
events, both on campus and locally. Please
visit: www2.essex.ac.uk/chaplaincy. Our
Southend Campus has a small worship
and contemplation area for use by all.
36 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012
Information for our students with children
is at: www2.essex.ac.uk/stdsup/funding
/childcare/shtm. A large, purpose-built day
nursery at our Colchester Campus caters
for children from three months to five years.
It is run by fully-qualified staff and open
weekdays (except bank holidays and a
week at Christmas). As it is popular,
sessions are limited and places must be
booked in advance. A play scheme for
primary school children runs most
half-terms. Please visit: www.essex.ac.uk/dn.
At our Southend Campus, the Jungle Cats
Nursery at South Essex College cares for
children aged three months to five years.
Child care must be booked in advance
and places are limited. Please e-mail:
nursery@southessex.ac.uk.
All students are expected to register with
a local doctor. There is a Health Centre
on our Colchester Campus, which offers
National Health Service (NHS) care.
Please visit: www.rowhedgesurgery.co.uk.
Dental and optical care is available locally
and charges apply. Our Southend Campus
has a medical centre on site offering NHS
services. In addition, a state-of-the-art
Dental Education Unit offers free-of-charge
routine dental care. Some non-NHS
services, for example, pre-employment
medicals, may involve a charge. International
students on a programme of at least six
months are generally eligible for NHS
treatment but you should check before
you arrive.
Disability service
We have a strong tradition of encouraging
and supporting disabled students, including
those with mental health or specific
learning difficulties. Our provision includes:
advice on Disabled Students’ Allowance;
assistance booking needs assessment;
study strategies mentoring; learning
support (eg note-takers); individual exam
arrangements; allocation of accessible
accommodation (Colchester and Southend
campuses); and accessible parking
(Colchester Campus only).
Arrangements at Colchester and Loughton
are co-ordinated by our Disability Service
within Student Support in Colchester, and
at Southend by the Learner Support
Services at South Essex College. We
encourage students to contact us to
discuss access and their study. Discussions
are confidential and information will not be
passed on without consent. Further details
are at: www2.essex.ac.uk/stdsup/disab/
home.shtm.
Colchester and Loughton (Student
Support, Disability Team)
T +44 (0)1206 872365
E disab@essex.ac.uk
Southend (South Essex College, Learner
Support Services)
T +44 (0)1702 220400
E guidance@southessex.ac.uk

www.essex.ac.uk | Employability
A postgraduate qualification is a major
achievement of which you should be very
proud. Postgraduate study is greatly valued
by employers, with recent surveys showing
that higher degree graduates are more
likely to obtain jobs at professional or
managerial level and less likely to be
unemployed. For some jobs your
postgraduate qualification may be essential,
for others it offers you a competitive edge.
Alongside your postgraduate studies,
you will need a proactive and informed
approach to career planning and applying
for jobs. Our staff are here to help you
with this.
Employability
We equip you to make informed future
career choices and succeed in entering
your chosen field.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 37

Employability | www.essex.ac.uk
What do employers want?
Your future employers will expect you
to bring a range of skills and experience,
as well as academic qualifications, to
your work. Transferable skills that your
postgraduate study will help you
develop include:
n analytical ability;
n critical ability;
n enquiry and research skills; and
n independent judgement.
Workplace skills that studying for a
postgraduate qualification will
build include:
n commercial awareness;
n oral and written communication;
n planning and organisation;
n teamwork;
n time management.
How can you further
develop your skills?
As a postgraduate student at Essex,
you will have a lot of opportunities
outside of your studies to develop the
skills outlined above.
Get learning: alongside your academic
study, we offer a range of events and other
resources where you can develop essential
work-related skills.
Get involved: you can enhance your
skills and develop new abilities by joining
different student societies, working with
local voluntary groups or representing
our University as a student ambassador,
Get working: you can undertake part-time
work that will help you fund your studies
and enhance your competencies for
graduate-level employment.
What do we offer?
We can provide you with the support
and resources needed to plan ahead,
make your career decisions and search
for jobs. We offer:
n two dedicated international careers
advisers to support your career planning
through workshops, global resources
and individual careers guidance;
n one-to-one sessions with our advisers
to develop your specific career plans;
n help with job seeking, such as CV
design and interview technique, both
online and at workshops;
n support for career management aspects
of your personal development planning;
n guidance on work-related issues like
PAYE, National Insurance and work
permits;
n
n
numerous opportunities to meet
employers at events such as the
Options Careers Fair and the Law
Fair; and
access to careers information resources
including our books and databases.
Earning whilst learning
Part-time work is now a key part of
student life and much more than just a way
to make ends meet. You can register with
JobsOnline, our online vacancy service
to find part-time and vacation work. For
example, our innovative ‘Frontrunners’
student placement scheme offers you
campus-based, paid opportunities that
enable you to obtain the skills needed
for your future career.
JobsOnline provide a focal point within
our University for employers seeking staff.
Vacancies are displayed online, on notice
boards and via e-mail to keep you informed
of relevant opportunities as they arise.
Graduate Teaching
Assistants
Most of our departments, schools and
centres provide employment opportunities
for research students as Graduate Teaching
Assistants (GTAs), who support our
permanent academic staff in their teaching.
38 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk | Employability
Employers do value those skills which
studying for a postgraduate degree will
help you develop.
All our new GTAs attend an induction and
training course, and are supervised by
permanent academic staff.
A position as a GTA offers you the chance
to experience teaching in higher education
in a supportive and structured environment.
GTAs can gain credits for their work by
taking module one of the Postgraduate
Certificate in their Higher Education
Practice (PG CHEP).
Opportunities for
PhD students
To complement the research training
you receive in your department, school or
centre, we offer a comprehensive range
of development opportunities to support
your research and enable you to develop
transferable skills that are highly valued
by employers.
Our Essex PhD training programme
This is a variety of courses and workshops
designed to:
n enhance your skills and support your
research study;
n further your career development; and
n enable you to make contact with peers
across our University.
Our programme starts with a
one-day induction course. This includes
understanding the process of studying
for your PhD, planning and project
management, and making the most of your
supervisor. Our courses and workshops
throughout the year cover: applying for a
postdoctoral post; creative problem solving;
effective use of voice; networking and
influencing; presentation skills; presenting
a conference paper; stress management;
surviving the viva; time management; and
writing for publication.
Delivered by Essex staff and external
trainers, our courses include contributions
from our PhD students who are further
ahead with their research or have recently
completed, so you learn from experts
and from your peers. All our courses are
participative and include exercises which
allow you to practice and develop skills.
Our programme includes an annual
GRADschool, a three-day course for your
second or third years. This enables you to
take time from your research and consider
what you would like to do when you
complete your PhD.
Emma Milne, Bishop’s
Stortford, Hertfordshire –
BA History and Sociology
’10, MA History
I did my undergraduate
degree at Essex and found
my Department of History
to be very student-focused,
supportive and encouraging,
meaning I was keen to stay here for
my postgraduate studies.
I wish to work in the public sector,
for example, in the Civil Service,
so decided to use the University’s
Careers Centre to get advice on how
best to get such a job and to find out
about what areas I should focus on in
order to improve my employability.
I have used the Careers Centre for
one-to-one session with a career
adviser, to get feedback on my CV and
advice on interview techniques. I also
attended a course, organised by the
Careers Centre, about working in the
Civil Service. I have found such
careers workshops very useful. In
particular, they have helped me to
focus my research and hone my skills,
as well as showing me how best to
‘sell’ myself to perspective
employers.
Student
profile
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 39

Accommodation | www.essex.ac.uk/accommodation
Accommodation
We provide a range of accommodation ensuring
that you quickly feel at home and have the
necessary facilities and support to make the
most of your studies.
The following is based on accommodation
policy for 2011-12.
If you accept an offer for full-time
postgraduate study starting in October
2012, you will be sent further
accommodation information in May
or June 2012.
University Quays, Colchester Campus
40 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/accommodation | Accommodation
Will I be granted
accommodation?
If you are a new international postgraduate,
applying for October 2012 entry at either
our Colchester or Southend Campus, you
will normally be offered a single room in
our University-owned accommodation
providing your application and deposit is
returned by the publicised closing date.
Research students may be able to apply
for an allocation if rooms are available in
subsequent years.
If you are a new postgraduate from the
UK or EU, applying for October 2012
entry at Colchester or Southend, you will
be eligible to apply for a single room. These
are let on a first-come, first-served basis.
If you begin your studies later in the
academic year, you will be given assistance
in finding accommodation but rooms in our
University-owned accommodation cannot
be guaranteed.
Preparing dinner at University Square, Southend Campus
What is University-owned
accommodation like?
All our University-owned accommodation is
modern and purpose-built. The majority is
situated on or close to our campuses.
All our accommodation consists of
single study-bedrooms, grouped in
self-contained flats of varying sizes with
communal kitchen-dining facilities. All our
accommodation is self-catered, offering
total independence and the chance to
cook with your new flatmates. Most flats
are mixed-gender, although single-gender
flats are available.
Typical single-study bedroom
All our accommodation is networked, so
you can use your computer to access the
internet and University network from your
room, free of charge. Each room at our
Colchester Campus also has a telephone
which provides free use of the internal
telephone system.
For full details of all our residences, please
visit: www.essex.ac.uk/accommodation.
Typical en suite single-study bedroom
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 41

Accommodation | www.essex.ac.uk/accommodation
generally eight to ten student bedrooms
per flat, sharing a communal kitchen. There
is also a selection of self contained studio
flats for either single or couple occupancy
that have their own kitchenette, as well as
en suite facilities.
How much will it cost?
Charges for our University-owned
accommodation at our Colchester Campus
in 2011-12 vary from £3,171 - £5,120 per
annum (based on a 50-week let). Charges
for our University-owned accommodation
at our Southend Campus in 2011-12 vary
from £5,799 - £7,000 per annum (based
on a 50-week let). This includes heating,
hot water and cleaning. There will be an
increase for the next academic year.
Inside a Towers room, Colchester Campus
At our Colchester
Campus
In 2011-12, rooms in University Quays
and the Towers were reserved for
postgraduates.
University Quays is located on the
northern edge of campus, and has en suite
facilities and shared kitchens for six to nine
students. There is a large launderette here
and our popular Quayside Café overlooks
the river.
The Towers are in the centre of
campus, offering self-contained flats of
13 to 16 residents. Most have a central
kitchen/dining area with rooms located
on either side, together with showers and
toilets. You have good access to our main
launderette, close to Square 4, as well as
to our shops and catering outlets.
Our Colchester Campus has only a small
amount of accommodation for couples and
families and there is usually a waiting list.
If you intend to bring your family with you,
you will almost certainly have to find
private-rented accommodation, so early
contact with our Accommodation Office
to discuss this is advisable.
At our Southend Campus
Our colourful new student accommodation,
University Square, has become a vibrant
addition to the Southend skyline, with
many green and sustainable features.
All our rooms are en suite and there are
Our postgraduate accommodation is
normally let for a 50-week period from the
beginning of October to mid-September.
A small number of our rooms are let for
a 39-week period from the beginning of
October to the end of June, if your study
is for 39 weeks only.
Private sector
accommodation
Studentlets, a service run by our
Students’ Union, looks after students at
our Colchester and Loughton Campuses.
They maintain a register of accommodation
if you prefer to live independently in the
private sector. Studentlets also offers
fully managed properties directly to our
students, further information on this service
and available properties can be found at:
www.essexstudent.com/studentlets.
Please be aware, if you accept single
University-owned accommodation, you
will be contracted to that for the duration
of the academic year. If you are expecting
family to join you in this time, you
should not apply for University-owned
accommodation but make a temporary
arrangement in the private sector while you
look for a house for you and your family.
42 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/accommodation | Accommodation
Pallavi Jain, West Bengal,
India – PhD Molecular
Medicine
Student
Profile
Pallavi lives in South Courts, just
a five minute walk from the centre
of our Colchester Campus.
I am very happy living in
University accommodation.
I have a large en suite room
which is very comfortable
and the location is excellent, as
it is near my Department so I can get to
work easily and come home anytime. This
also means that all the facilities on our
Colchester Campus, and the University
library, are easily accessible to me.
I live in South Courts because I am
a Residents’ Assistant (RA), as part of
the University’s support network. This
accommodation-based service, managed
by Student Support, means Essex
students have a positive experience
of living and learning; we meet others
staying in accommodation to ensure
they are settling in and organise a
range of social activities. I was given
training for this role and have found it
very worthwhile.
I have been given a great blend of
academic and career opportunities whilst
at Essex. As well as being a full-time PhD
student, I work with Student Support as
a Residents’ Assistant and as a graduate
laboratory assistant for my Department.
The exposure to all these fields
has helped me immensely.
University Square, Southend Campus
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 43

Students’ Union | www.essexstudent.com
Students’ Union
We are here to make your experience
at Essex the best it could be; our SU is
run for students, by students, and as
a member you’ll be given a full say in
everything we do.
The Students’ Union
(SU) mission
The SU aims to support and enhance
the educational, social, cultural and
recreational activities and opportunities
of the student body. We offer an
incredible number of services, from
academic support and representation
to entertainments, from a security
minibus service to student media.
44 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essexstudent.com | Students’ Union
Membership,
representation and
participation
All registered students are automatically
members of the SU. We run as a fully
democratic organisation, with over
100 student representatives on various
committees, headed by an elected
Student Executive of twelve. There are
cross-campus elections with hundreds
of positions you can stand for, including
Postgraduate Officer.
Societies
As postgraduates make up a significant
proportion of our student population, our
Postgraduate Students’ Assembly (PGSA)
is here to support you but the SU also has
more than 165 other clubs and societies
covering cultural, religious, political and
academic interests. For a full list, please
see: www.essexstudent.com.
Entertainment
We organise a packed programme of
events, most of which take place in Sub
Zero, recently named ‘Best Student Venue
in the UK’. Recent acts include Pendulum,
Calvin Harris, Florence and the Machine,
Zane Lowe, Chase and Status, Paul
Oakenfold, Chris Moyles, Faithless
and Trevor Nelson.
The highlight of the year is our SU Summer
Ball at our Colchester Campus. This is an
all night black tie extravaganza attended
by 3,000 students and featuring live acts,
fairground rides, bars and fireworks.
Facilities at our
Colchester Campus
Our Campus Shop is open seven days a
week, 24 hours a day, and offers produce
from fresh groceries and newspapers to
ready meals and snacks. The Bakery sells
food to take away, while Go Go Global
specialises in international food and drink.
Our Colchester Campus has venues to
suit every taste which include the SU Bar,
with comfy sofas and big screens, Mondo,
offering Italian dishes, and Top Bar, with
pool tables and live music. For those who
like to dance, Sub Zero, our £1.2 million
nightclub, is the place to go.
Facilities at our Southend
Campus
The Union provides a dedicated social
space, so is a great place to grab a drink,
watch films or Sky TV on big screens, or
have a game of pool. Our staff provide
support and access to all services and
activities, including advice, representation,
entertainment, and clubs and societies.
Student activities
We employ around 50 full-time members
of staff and over 380 part-time student
staff. We also have our vTeam, who
co-ordinate voluntary projects in the
community and get you involved. Some
projects have received national recognition
and all are a great way to meet people,
improve your CV and make a difference!
Essex media
The Rabbit is our student newspaper,
published fortnightly during term. It is
a fantastic opportunity for you to get
experience and get your work into print.
RED is our own radio station, while SX:TV
is our award-winning TV channel. Both
are always looking for new students to get
involved, and you do not need experience
as training is provided.
Welfare services
Student life is full of ups and downs, so
we have a free, impartial Advice Centre
to help with any problems. We also run
a security minibus service to transport
you to and from our Colchester Campus
in the evening.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 45

Sport | www.essex.ac.uk/sport
Sport
When you come to Essex, you will have the
opportunity to get involved in sport, from
recreational to elite level.
Our Sports Federation runs over
40 different clubs who welcome new
members. Most provide basic coaching,
giving you a perfect excuse to try
something new, like climbing or gliding,
or to perfect existing skills. Levels are
varied and cost is minimal.
Our sports facilities have been included
in the official LOCOG pre-games training
camp guide for both the Olympic and
Paralympic Games in 2012.
Sports bursaries
We have a bursary scheme to help
athletes competing at national or
international level meet the costs of elite
participation. This provides a personal and
academic mentor, free access to University
and Borough sports facilities, extensive
sports science support from our Human
Performance Unit, guaranteed on-campus
accommodation at our Colchester
Campus for the duration of study and
substantial financial support. For more
information, visit: www.essex.ac.uk/sport.
46 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/sport | Sport
At our Colchester
Campus
Approximately 40 acres of our Colchester
Campus are devoted to sport. In addition to
cricket, football, hockey and rugby pitches,
we have tennis courts, a frisbee golf course
and an artificial cricket wicket and nets.
Our floodlit grass training area and
synthetic turf pitch are used for hockey,
plus we have jogging and orienteering
routes around campus.
We have a water sports club at
Brightlingsea and our sub-aqua, swimming
and water polo clubs use the pool at
nearby Colchester Leisure World.
Our indoor facilities include a six badminton
court size multi-purpose sports hall, five
glass-backed squash courts, an indoor
climbing wall, two activity studios (aerobics,
dance, martial arts and yoga) and one
purpose-built five metre high dance studio.
We have a brand new 110-station fitness
and weights room, and all CV machines
have TV and iPod capabilities. Our gym
caters for the novice user to the Olympic
athlete, accommodating all fitness levels.
In 2010-11, we had several notable
successes with our Students’ Union sports
team. This includes the following teams
winning their league: Women’s Football
1st, Women’s Hockey 2nd, Lacrosse
Men’s (who also won the South Eastern
Conference Cup), Squash Men’s 1st (who
also won the South Eastern Conference
Cup), Squash Men’s 2nd, Table Tennis
Men’s 1st, Tennis Women’s 2nd and
Volleyball Men’s 1st. Our Lacrosse Women
and Volleyball Men’s 2nd were runners up
in the South Eastern Conference Cup.
Our Sports Centre is home to the North
Essex Squash Academy and our Human
Performance Unit (HPU) provides sports
science support for sports bursary students
and elite athletes. We also have an HPU
race team that sponsors talented triathletes.
Our Sports Centre runs coaching courses
through our SPACE (Sports Participation
and Coaching Education) programme,
which allow you to gain coaching and
officiating qualifications, as well as feeding
into a number of local organisations to
get hands-on coaching work.
To continue improving sporting performance,
we employ a full-time Sports Development
Officer to target specific clubs and
individuals with the potential to excel.
At our Southend Campus
We have an arrangement with Southend
Leisure and Tennis Centre, located at
Garon Park, which provides sporting
facilities, including badminton, five-a-side
Sports clubs
Aikido
American Football
Athletics
Badminton
Basketball*
Boxing
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Cheerleading
Cricket
Dance
Disc Sports
Fencing
Football*
Gaelic Football
Gliding
Golf
Hockey*
Horse Riding
Jiu-Jitsu
Kickboxing
Motorsports
Mountaineering
Netball
Pool
Rowing
Rugby League
Rugby Union*
Skydiving
Snowsports
Squash
Sub Aqua
Swimming and
Waterpolo
Table Tennis
Tennis*
Ten-pin Bowling
Trampolining
Triathlon
Volleyball*
Watersports
Yoga
*Men’s and
women’s clubs
football, basketball, netball, a large gym,
tennis and table tennis. Team sport
facilities are available on Wednesday
afternoons without charge. In addition, our
Students’ Union co-ordinates sporting
activities in Southend, including basketball
and football. Subject to demand, a minibus
runs from The Union, at our Southend
Campus, to Garon Park each Wednesday
afternoon in term-time. At other times, there
is a regular service from the bus station,
taking just under 15 minutes.
Southend caters for a range of sporting
activities and facilities are available for golf,
tennis, cricket, fishing, swimming, cycling,
football, rugby and many others. Seven
miles of coastline offer water sports from
sailing to kitesurfing, and the Southend
Marine Activities Centre allows those on a
budget to try their hand. If you are living in
the Southend Borough you can apply, via
our University, for an Advantage card
(£1 per annum) which gives half price
admission on most individual bookings at
council-run sports centres, including gyms
and a state-of-the-art international diving
and swimming facility that opened in 2010.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 47

The Arts | www.essex.ac.uk/arts
The Arts
Through an extensive programme that involves
music, theatre, exhibitions and a world-renowned
Latin American art collection, we play a major
role in the cultural life of the region.
48 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/arts | The Arts
At our Colchester
Campus
Square 5 is the arts square on our
Colchester Campus, where our Lakeside
Theatre and Art Exchange are located,
along with our University of Essex
Collection of Latin American Art
(UECLAA) in our Albert Sloman Library.
Lakeside Theatre
Promoting some of the country’s leading
professional touring companies, our
Lakeside Theatre has a reputation
for attracting great productions.
A well equipped space, our Lakeside
Theatre also provides you with a chance
to develop your interest in drama. Whether
it is as a member of our Theatre Arts
Society (TAS) or through working with your
department, you have opportunities to act,
direct, produce and get involved backstage
in student plays and productions.
Art Exchange
Art Exchange is one of the region’s leading
galleries of contemporary visual art. We
show the work of internationally renowned
artists such as William Kentridge, Fiona
Banner, and Jake and Dinos Chapman,
while supporting emerging new talent.
We work with our lecturers and students
to realise exhibitions borne out of teaching
and research, particularly those on
MA Gallery Studies and Critical Curating,
whose work is showcased every summer.
University of Essex Collection
of Latin American Art
Our University of Essex Collection of
Latin American Art (UECLAA) is an
internationally significant public art
collection, based at our Colchester
Campus, that actively acquires modern
and contemporary art from Latin America.
Inaugurated in 1993, UECLAA now
holds approximately 750 works by 350
artists. It is fully digitized and available
at: www.ueclaa.org, with an associated
archive of around 4,500 items.
At our Southend
Campus
Clifftown Studios
This former church in Southend’s
conservation area has been transformed
into rehearsal and performance facilities
for our East 15 Acting School students.
The nave provides an atmospheric and
flexible performance space used for
professional and community performances.
The diverse
programme
makes an exciting
contribution to
campus life.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 49

Areas of study | www.essex.ac.uk
Areas of study
50 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.east15.ac.uk | Acting
Acting
“The wonderful thing about East 15 is that you are working so closely with actors.
Directors working with the actors is quite marvellous.”
Sir Ben Kingsley CBE, actor
Taught courses
MA Acting
MA/MFA Acting (International)
Successful audition or video audition,
plus a first degree of upper second class
standard or equivalent (GPA 3.0) or
suitable previous life and/or professional
experience.
MA Filmmaking
MA/MFA Theatre Directing
Successful written application, plus a first
degree or upper second class standard or
equivalent (GPA 3.0) or suitable previous
life and/or professional experience.
Candidates may be invited for interview.
Fact file
Due to the challenging nature of our
courses, our students are expected to
have a high standard of English. This is
assessed at audition and interview stage.
Academic staff: 50
Taught postgraduates: 114
For taught courses:
T +44 (0)20 8508 5983
E east15@essex.ac.uk
Location:
l Loughton Campus
For related programmes which may be of interest, please see:
Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies (page 158)
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 51

Acting | www.east15.ac.uk
Why study at East 15?
n
n
n
n
n
State-of-the-art technical resources
and facilities, including studios and
innovative new theatre spaces
Wide access to a substantial
network of respected industry
practitioners
Opportunities for collaborative
projects between actors, theatre
directors and filmmakers
Easy access to Central London and
West End theatres via the London
Underground Central line
Vibrant international community,
with staff and students from all
over the world
Career prospects
Our graduates are equipped to
pursue acting careers in theatre,
film, TV and radio in an increasingly
global industry, while our
filmmaking graduates go on to have
their work screened at festivals.
All our graduates gain an
understanding of how to create
their own work, including how to
form companies and get funding,
as well as developing their own
artistic practice.
Our Loughton Campus
About our School
For 50 years, we have produced actors,
directors, theatre practitioners and
technicians for the international stage,
TV, film and radio. We were founded by
Margaret Bury, growing from the work of
Joan Littlewood’s famed Theatre Workshop
which broke new ground, re-interpreting the
classics for a modern age, commissioning
new plays from socially committed writers,
and creating an ensemble capable of
inventing new work. This evolved into
an outstanding ensemble that combined
inspired, improvisational brilliance with
method, technique, research, text analysis
and the intense expression of truthful
emotion. Much of our original approach
was based upon the theories of
Stanislavsky and, over the years, our
new training methods have embraced
approaches from diverse practitioners, such
as Michael Chekhov, Rudolf Laban, Jerzy
Grotowski, Jacques Lecoq, Peter Brook
and other important contemporary trainers.
In 2000, we became a department
of the University of Essex, opening an
exciting new chapter and offering more
opportunities to our students. Since then,
more than £13 million has been spent on
new buildings and facilities for our students
at Loughton (on the edge of east London)
and Southend-on-Sea, including the
Clifftown Studios, once a Victorian gothic
church which now enjoys a new lease
of life following conversion into studios,
workshops and a state-of-the-art theatre
and performance space. We have also
developed new programmes that take our
students into the new era of internationally
and culturally diverse theatre, film and
physical theatre performance territories.
We are a member of the leading group
of UK conservatoires, the Conference of
Drama Schools, which grants our students
automatic entry to Equity, the actor’s union.
We are accredited by the National Council
for Drama Training and are now one of the
largest specialist theatre schools in the
UK, with distinguished international
teaching staff.
Taught courses
Our taught courses are offered at our
Loughton Campus, with application and
selection based on your experience and
personal outlook. A BA or suitable previous
life, professional, or academic experience
is normally required. Whilst there is no
minimum age limit, we find it unlikely that
someone under the age of 21 will have
gained the academic qualifications required
for entry.
If you wish to apply for our acting courses,
you must prepare two contrasting
speeches:
n
n
one from a Shakespearean or Jacobean
play, lasting not more than one and a
half minutes; and
one from a contemporary (post-1950)
play, lasting no more than two minutes.
Our audition process includes a workshop
and lasts up to six hours. Some of our
international students are able to audition
via video tape.
If you wish to apply for MA Filmmaking
or MA/MFA Theatre Directing, then you
do not have to audition but must provide
a CV and/or additional media, along with
your supporting statement.
MA Acting
Our MA Acting is accredited by the NCDT
and should interest you if you wish to
become a professional actor. You may
already have a degree, or you may have
established yourself in other professions
and now seek to change towards that of a
professional actor. If you are a professional
actor and want to understand more about
your technique, extend your range and gain
academic recognition, then our MA Acting
would also help.
We conclude this course with a showcase
held in a major West End venue, to which
we invite agents, casting directors, film,
television and theatre directors and other
industry professionals. On graduation, you
are qualified as an actor and have an
understanding of how to create your own
work, including how to form companies and
gain funding.
52 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.east15.ac.uk | Acting
MA/MFA Acting (International)
We have designed this unique course
for our international students, to offer the
traditional acting skills, including voice,
movement and singing, and approaches
to rehearsal and public performances. You
will draw upon existing practice but this is
supplemented with specific teaching that
will help international students. We also
include advanced practical acting skills
and the study of Shakespeare and other
classical traditions.
Our MA Acting (International) runs for
twelve months and our MFA Acting
(International) for 24 months. If you have
English as your first language (USA,
Canada, Australia etc) then you concentrate
on accent/dialect and RP. If English is not
your first language, then you focus on
accent, rhythm, stress and diction. Our
MFA students take a second year to work
within a repertory company on fully-staged
productions written and performed in
English. We also run a field study option for
our MFA students at GITIS in Moscow and
at ISI in Bali. Our graduates receive a
comprehensive training, so can pursue
careers in theatre and related professions
in this increasingly global industry.
MA Filmmaking
We introduced MA Filmmaking for the
new generation of filmmakers who
write, shoot, edit and distribute their films
themselves. We offer a comprehensive
introduction to film and the international
context of filmmaking, with hands-on
skills development in all areas of practice
Taught course modules
MA Acting
Advanced Acting
Methodology and Textual
Studies and Acting for Media
Researched Performance
Project
Studio Theatre Production
Voice
Movement
Music/Singing
Contextual Studies
Either Dissertation or
Performance Project
MA Acting (International)
Acting Technique
Character and Scene Work
Shakespeare
Contemporary UK Texts
Either MA Dissertation or
MA Practical Project
MFA Acting (International)
Year one
Acting Technique
Character and Scene Work
Shakespeare
Contemporary UK Texts
Year two
Theatre Performance 1
Either Independent Study or
Field Study
Theatre Performance 2
Theatre Performance 3
Either MFA Dissertation or
MFA Practical Project
MA Filmmaking
Digital and Video Filmmaking
Practical Filmmaking (Camera,
Sound, Lights)
Scriptwriting and Treatment
Editing Practice
Either MA Written Dissertation
or MA Dissertation by
Practical Project
MA Theatre Directing
Four taught modules selected
from list
Either MA Theatre Directing
Dissertation or MA
Dissertation by Director’s
Production Workbook
MFA Theatre Directing
Year one
Four taught modules selected
from list
Year two
Four taught modules selected
from list
Either MFA Written
Dissertation or MFA
Dissertation by Director’s
Production Workbook or
MFA Dissertation by
Practical Project
MA/MFA Theatre
Directing modules
Attachment (Assistant
Director/Directing in Drama
Schools)
Brecht and his Influences
Collaboration with Designers
Comedy and Farce
Commedia dell’Arte and
Working with Masks
Contemporary British Drama
Contemporary Irish Theatre
Improvisation and Devising
Techniques
Independent Directing Project
Introduction to Directing Film
Methodology (GITIS: Russian
Academy of Theatre Arts,
field study)
Meyerhold and Biomechanics
(GITIS: Russian Academy
of Theatre Arts, field study)
Music Theatre
Physical Theatre
Rehearsal Processes and
Workshops
Shakespeare
Stanislavskian Acting
The Artistic Director
Theatre of the East (field
study)
The Techniques of Adaptation
World Theatre (field study)
This information is a guide to course
content and is subject to change on
an annual basis.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 53

Acting | www.east15.ac.uk
Bayan Shbib, West Bank,
Palestine – MA Acting
International ’11
Throughout my year at the
Loughton Campus, I gained
an amazing array of techniques
and skills, as well as an enriching
human experience that involved
cultural bridging, leadership, conflict
resolution and a profound transformative
self-development.
I found each of my classes to be a
challenging place of cultural understanding,
somewhere we could abandon our
judgments about each other’s ethnicities
and work together. Languages and
traditions enabled a very colourful
experience of dialogue and interaction
between us. This diversity was a
reinforcing tool in helping us all to
become authentic actors. MA Acting
(International) taught me to see the world
differently; I have learnt that we are all
connected and affected by each other.
I am grateful to East 15 for giving me
this freedom as an actress.
Since graduating, I have been invited
back to UK to work at the National
Theatre. I feel inspired by my
international classroom, tutors
and friends, and am able to bring
the international discourse I
experienced at East 15 to a
wider audience.
Graduate
profile
essential to the role of the independent
filmmaker. You also acquire skills in
production management, the business
of the producer, and operating within the
collaborative context which characterises
this industry.
Our MA Filmmaking should appeal if
you have limited filmmaking experience
but a background (through education,
personal/work experience or both) in
work relevant to this area.
MA/MFA Theatre Directing
Our unique course will interest you if
you already are, or wish to become, a
professional theatre director. You study
individual modules, lasting approximately
four to six weeks each, and we run some
modules overseas, recently in Moscow,
Thailand and Bali. We ensure there
is a strong international focus with
teaching by a wide range of directors
and professional practitioners.
Our MA Theatre Directing runs for
twelve months on a full-time basis and our
MFA Theatre Directing for 24 months. If
you are an MFA student, then you take a
second year in which you undertake further
modules and direct a short production or
write a dissertation. Graduates can direct
professionally, function as artistic directors
or teach in universities
Our graduates
Our graduates include Oscar nominated
director Stephen Daldry, whose debut
movie, Billy Elliott, was nominated for three
Academy Awards and twelve BAFTAs.
His follow ups, The Hours and The Reader,
were also nominated for numerous awards.
He has been artistic director of The Gate
and The Royal Court.
Recent graduates include Oliver Wilson and
Arsher Ali, both now with the RSC; Shane
Dempsey, director of Stage Craft Youth
Theatre, Ireland; Abbey Wright, Resident
Assistant Director at the Donmar
Warehouse; Ashley Rolfe who appeared in
King Lear, Globe Theatre; Andy McSorley
who starred as Harry Haddon-Bell in Miss
Potter (Hopping Mad Productions); and
Alice O’Connell, Lois in The Rotters’ Club
(Company Pictures).
Notable graduates include Alison
Steadman who has appeared on stage,
TV and film, including Gavin and Stacey
(Baby Cow Productions), Pride and
Prejudice (A&E Television Networks)
and Shirley Valentine (Paramount Pictures);
Billy Murray who played Johnny Allen in
EastEnders (BBC) and Don Beech in
The Bill (Thames Television); Annette
Badland whose numerous roles include
Doctor Who (BBC) and the film Little
Voice (Scala Productions); and playwright
April de Angelis.
54 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.iser.essex.ac.uk/study | Applied Social and Economic Research
Applied Social and
Economic Research
We enjoy an outstanding reputation at both a national and international level
for our cutting-edge and high profile research.
Taught courses
MSc Applied Economics and Data
Analysis•† (delivered jointly with our
Department of Economics)
MA Longitudinal Social Research•†
(delivered jointly with our Department
of Sociology)
MSc Research Methods in Health•†
(delivered jointly with our School
of Health and Human Sciences)
MSc Survey Methods and Social
Research•† (delivered jointly with our
Department of Sociology)
Upper second class honours degree,
or equivalent, in a relevant subject.
Research degrees
Applied Social and Economic Research•†
MPhil, PhD
Health Research•† MPhil, PhD
Survey Methodology•† MPhil, PhD
Economics•† MPhil, PhD
Masters degree in a relevant area.
For joint and related programmes which may be of interest, please see:
Economics (page 87)
Health and Human Sciences (page 114)
Sociology (page 195)
Fact file
RESEARCH
University of Essex ranked ninth in
the UK for its research.
Research submitted in Economics and
Econometrics and Sociology subject
areas, see Economics and Sociology
for details.
For an explanation, see page 5.
FURTHER INFORMATION
English language requirements:
For all study: IELTS 6.5 or equivalent
(for details, see page 25).
Academic staff: 37
Research postgraduates: 32
For MSc Applied Economics and Data
Analysis:
T +44 (0)1206 872647
E pgadmit@essex.ac.uk
For MA Longitudinal Social Research
or MSc Survey Methods and Social
Research:
T +44 (0)1206 873051
E pgadmit@essex.ac.uk
For MSc Research Methods in Health:
T +44 (0)1206 872854
E pgadmit@essex.ac.uk
For research study:
T +44 (0)1206 873051
E pgadmit@essex.ac.uk
• available part-time
† ESRC accreditation
Location:
c Colchester Campus
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 55

Applied Social and Economic Research | www.iser.essex.ac.uk/study
Why study applied social
and economic research
at Essex?
n
n
n
n
n
One of the world’s most
highly-rated interdisciplinary
research institutes
National and international
reputation for longitudinal data
analysis and research on social
and economic policy issues, and
survey methods
Part of the University’s accredited
Doctoral Training Centre of the
Economic and Social Research
Council (ESRC), with a number
of ESRC studentships available
for new postgraduates
Excellent facilities and resources
available for use by all our students
Rich and stimulating research
environment, with staff and
students from all around the world
Career prospects
Studying with us will open doors
to an academic career for you,
as well as to a professional life
in government departments,
international organisations
and statistical institutions.
Several of our PhD students now
work at: Department of Economics,
University of Chicago, USA; Social
Policy Research Centre, University
of New South Wales, Australia;
Department of Economics and
Public Finance, University of Turin,
Italy; Department of Economics,
University of Linz, Austria; Centre
for Research on Social Dynamics,
Bocconi University, Italy; Applied
Microeconomics Research Unit,
University of Minho, Portugal; and
School of Health Administration,
Dalhousie University, Canada
About our Institute
We enjoy an outstanding reputation at both
a national and international level for our
cutting-edge and high profile research.
We have a high international academic
reputation, reflected in our publications
in top-ranked journals, in our contribution
to our University’s outstanding Research
Assessment Exercise ratings for economics
and sociology, and in our consistently high
level of support from the Economic and
Social Research Council (ESRC).
Our research focuses primarily on the life
course of the individual and the changing
nature of society. Our work to date has
examined the family, labour markets,
income and poverty, social disadvantage
and public policy. This means our research
is used by academics and researchers
around the world, by policy makers, by
politicians and by journalists involved
in ongoing debates about society.
We are home to the ESRC Research
Centre on Micro-Social Change, an
interdisciplinary centre with a prestigious
team of staff who have expertise in social
science disciplines, including economics,
sociology, demography, geography, health
research and statistics.
We are also home to the UK Longitudinal
Studies Centre (ULSC), funded by the
ESRC, which aims to promote longitudinal
research. We support users of longitudinal
data through the provision of advice,
information, training in analysis and
resources to make data easier to use.
Methodological research is carried out to
improve longitudinal survey methods and to
ensure the production of high quality data
for users. We run the British Household
Panel Survey, which has interviewed the
same sample members since 1991, and
Understanding Society, the world’s largest
longitudinal survey with 100,000 sample
members from 40,000 households.
Current research includes work by
Professors Steve Pudney and Amanda
Sacker, with Nobel Prize winning economist
James Heckman, on a multi-million pound
ground-breaking health project, while
latest findings from our Understanding
Society project have been reported in
the media. For more information please
see: www.iser.essex.ac.uk/survey/
understanding-society.
We form part of Essex’s interdisciplinary
Doctoral Training Centre, recently
designated by the UK’s Economic and
Social Research Council (ESRC) and
one of only 21 in the UK. This means
our courses have ESRC Doctoral Training
Centre accreditation, and a number of
ESRC studentships are available for new
students to begin an MSc or MA, followed
by a PhD, with us (1+3).
Our students attend presentations by
distinguished visiting speakers, as well
as by our staff and fellow postgraduates,
as we run a seminar series plus occasional
research seminars and workshops.
56 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.iser.essex.ac.uk/study | Applied Social and Economic Research
Staff and their research interests
Cara Booker, BS BA MPH PhD Southern
California (Senior Research Officer)
Life course epidemiology including
stressful events, coping, labour force
status transitions, psychological
well-being and health
Mike Brewer, MSc Bristol, MA Cambridge
(Professor)
Inequality and poverty evaluation of labour
market programmes; welcome reforms in
the design of personal tax; tax credit and
income support systems
Mark Bryan, MSc Warwick, PhD Essex
(Chief Research Officer)
Determination of hours of work; hours
constraints and related job mobility; trade
unions; determinants and effects of
training; effects of minimum wages on
training; applied econometrics
Malcolm Brynin, BSc London, MA
Reading, PhD City (Principal Research
Officer)
Education and training, particularly
the impact of family background; impact
of information and communication
technologies on domestic lifestyles; health,
lifestyle and aspirations of young people;
cultural and family influences on voting
and political values
Nick Buck, BA PhD Kent (Professor and
Deputy Director of ISER)
Impact of economic change and public
policy on social inequality and patterns
of household formation; labour market
marginality and multiple deprivation; impact
of territorial inequality on social processes;
social polarisation in global cities
Jon Burton, BA MA PhD Essex
(Research Fellow)
Survey methodology and survey
participation; the measurement of party
identification and voting/non-voting
Emilia Del Bono, BA Siena, MPhil PhD
Oxford (Senior Research Officer)
Labour economics; applied economics;
household economics
John Ermisch, BA Wisconsin, MA PhD
Kansas, FBA (Professor)
Economics of the family, economic
analysis of household formation and
housing economics; interactions between
demographic and economic behaviour
Maria Iacovou, BSc MSc PhD London
(Chief Research Officer)
Links between family structure and policy,
within Britain and in Europe; lives and
income of young people; transition to
adulthood; household dynamics; female
labour supply, fertility and family formation;
effects of family structure on educational
and labour market outcomes
Annette Jäckle, Diplom Betriebswirtin
(FH) Regensburg, MSc PhD Essex
(Research Fellow)
Methodological aspects of longitudinal
surveys, especially data collection
methods, measurement error and
non-response
Olena Kaminska, BA Kyiv-Mohyia, MA
Conneticut, PhD Nebraska-Lincoln (Survey
Statistician)
Survey methods, particularly on sampling,
non-response and measurement errors
and the interaction in cross-sectional,
longitudinal and comparative surveys
Yvonne Kelly, BSc PhD Liverpool
(Professor)
Inequalities in health and development
in children and young people; early life
influences on health throughout the life
course; pathways and causal processes in
physical health, social and emotional well
being and cognitive function
Gundi Knies, BA Free University Berlin,
MA LSE, PhD Bristol (Senior Research
Officer)
Linking large-scale longitudinal survey
data with external data sources; analysis
of neighbourhood effects
Heather Laurie, BA PhD Essex (Senior
Researcher and Director of ISER)
Women’s labour market participation;
internal household dynamics; distribution
of household resources; social
stratification and the social construction of
gender; use of multiple methods in social
research; qualitative and quantitative data;
computer-assisted analysis of qualitative
data; survey methodology
Horacio Levy, BA UNICAMP, MSc PhD
Barcelona (Senior Research Officer)
Building and using tax benefit
microsimulation models in developed and
developing countries; distributional effects
of taxes and social policies; child poverty
Simonetta Longhi, PhD Vrije (Senior
Research Officer)
Labour market analysis and regional
economics; wage inequality; regional wage
and unemployment disparities; impact of
factor mobility on host regions and on
regional disparities; migration; applied
econometrics
Renee Luthra, BA Austin, MA PhD UCLA
(Senior Research Officer)
International migration; immigrant
integration; social stratification
Peter Lynn, BSc London, MSc Sheffield
Hallam (Professor)
Survey data collection methodology
including population definitions, sample
design, sampling frames, questionnaire
design, prevention and analysis of
non-response, data collection mode
effects, measurement error and other
survey errors, weighting, complex standard
errors, survey quality framework; use and
abuse of survey data
Stephanie McFall, BA Bloomington,
MA PhD North Carolina (Senior Research
Fellow)
Social gerontology; prevention and
management of chronic conditions;
preventive health behaviour; survey
research methods
Alita Nandi, BSc Calcutta, MA New Delhi,
MA PhD Ohio (Senior Research Officer)
Empirical research in labour economics;
family economics; economics of education
Cheti Nicoletti, MA Louvain la Neuve,
PhD Florence (Chief Research Officer)
Panel data; duration models; non-sampling
problems; censored, grouped and
incomplete data; causal interference;
empirical labour economics
Steve Pudney, BSc Leicester, MSc LSE
(Professor)
Microeconomics; tax-benefit policy;
poverty; labour economics; economics
of crime and drugs
Birgitta Rabe, BA MA PhD Free
University Berlin (Senior Research Officer)
Data linkage; institutions and labour
markets; occupational pensions and job
mobility; determinants and outcomes of
internal migration
continued
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 57

Applied Social and Economic Research | www.iser.essex.ac.uk/study
Amanda Sacker, BSc PhD Hertfordshire
(Professor)
Life course epidemiology; inequalities in
physical and mental health
Andrea Salvatori, MSc PhD Warwick
(Senior Research Officer)
Labour economics; applied
microeconomics; policy evaluation;
subjective wellbeing
Alexandra Skew, BSc MSc PhD
Southampton (Senior Research Officer)
Cross-national comparative research;
longitudinal data analysis; research on
partnership formation, particularly among
lone parent families
Holly Sutherland, BA Cambridge
(Professor)
Building and using microsimulation
models; developing microsimulation
for international comparative research;
distributional effects of social policy;
gender effects of re-distribution policies;
child poverty measurement and analysis
Mark P Taylor, BA MA PhD Essex
(Research Director)
Employment issues and labour market
dynamics, particularly concerning
self-employment
Alberto Tumino, BA MSc Bocconi
(Senior Research Officer)
Microsimulation; policy evaluation
SC Noah Uhrig, BA Wisconsin, MA PhD
Stanford (Chief Research Officer)
Survey methodology; panel attrition;
interviewer effects; law and social norms
Taught courses
We offer three taught MSc courses and
an MA, run jointly with other departments
within Essex. Our staff are responsible
and directly involved in teaching modules
in econometrics, quantitative methods
and survey methods for these courses.
Our courses have Essex’s ESRC Doctoral
Training Centre accreditation, and a number
of studentships are available for new
students. Our courses are also the entry
requirement to begin your PhD with us.
MSc Applied Economics and Data
Analysis•†
This course provides you with training in
contemporary theory in current issues in
applied economics, and in the techniques
of data analysis, including analysis of
longitudinal or panel data. You graduate
with the skills necessary to analyse
economic issues using appropriate data,
which will equip you for a successful career
as a professional economist in universities,
government, commerce and industry.
MA Longitudinal Social Research•†
This course gives you training in
contemporary sociological theory, in
current issues in applied sociology, and in
the techniques of analysis of longitudinal
and panel data. You learn the skills
necessary to analyse sociological issues
using appropriate data, which means you
can undertake a successful career as a
professional sociologist in universities,
government, commerce and industry.
MSc Research Methods in Health•†
This course is an opportunity for you
to study research methods in relation
to issues of health in an interdisciplinary
environment. It offers you a grounding in
the key methodological and theoretical
components required to undertake
health-related research from a social
science perspective, combining quantitative
and qualitative research perspectives from
the areas of sociological research methods
and the specific application of these to
the burgeoning health context. It will
help you pursue future employment
in health-related research or with
health-related governmental or
non-governmental organisations.
MSc Survey Methods and Social
Research•†
Providing training in survey research
methodology, this course would suit you
if you want to work as a social or market
researcher, or are already employed in
this field and wish to undertake further
professional development. You cover all
the key topics in survey research, including
sampling methods, questionnaire design,
the management of the survey process
and methods for analysing survey data.
You can also choose an optional topic
from modules in our Department of
Sociology or from a different social
science discipline.
Research study
Our postgraduates are taught, supervised
by, and associate with leading researchers
in their fields. You will be actively involved in
all our research group activities and, with
nearly 40 research staff and a constant
flow of visiting scholars from abroad
(including economists, econometricians,
sociologists, social psychologists, survey
methodologists, statisticians, and political
scientists), we offer an academic
environment that is second to none.
The quality of our research is reflected
in our publications in top journals, and
in our extensive research contracts and
consultancy for organisations such as the
European Commission, various government
departments and charitable foundations
like the Joseph Rowntree Foundation,
Leverhulme Trust, and Nuffield Foundation.
You will also be able to work closely
with other departments at Essex, notably
our Departments of Economics and
58 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.iser.essex.ac.uk/study | Applied Social and Economic Research
Sociology, which are some of the most
significant contributors to the most recent
RAE (December 2008), that ranked
sociology research the best in the UK
and economics third.
analysis of cross-sectional and longitudinal
surveys, we also welcome those interested
in researching panel data and survival
analysis, missing data, measurement error,
endogeneity, and other estimation issues.
Our PhD students are provided with their
own desk, usually in a shared office, and
have access to specialist resources such
as The Hilary Doughty Research Library,
with significant holdings of published and
unpublished material on longitudinal and
panel data methodology, and its application
to economic and policy issues. In addition,
you can use our longitudinal and panel data
sets, including the British Household Panel
Survey (BHPS) and Understanding Society.
Access to such unique materials enhances
and furthers your research.
About our research degrees
Our PhDs enable you to be supervised
by some of the world’s leading experts
in their field. Our PhDs also have ESRC
Doctoral Training Centre accreditation,
so a number of ESRC studentships are
available for new students.
PhD Applied Social and Economic
Research•†
This PhD is aimed at those interested
in quantitative research in sociology and
other social sciences. It involves the use
of secondary data to answer socially
relevant research questions and we offer
supervision in: social stratification, social
class and other forms of disadvantage;
social behaviour, beliefs and values;
occupational choice and mobility; migration;
social change; life cycle and biography;
social group identity; sociology of
education; and family and socialization.
PhD Economics•†
If you are interested in applied
microeconomics and microeconometrics,
and plan to use socio-economic survey
data in your research, then this PhD should
suit you. We offer supervision in: economics
of the family; education; migration; labour
markets; retirement and pension; health
economics; inequality, poverty and income
distribution; public policy; and ethnicity.
As we have extensive experience in the
PhD Health Research•†
This PhD is suitable for those studying
quantitative health research. We offer
supervision in a range of topics under the
broad umbrella of social epidemiology like:
social inequalities in health; poverty and
health; ethnic variations in health; child
health and development; inter-generational
processes; and ageing and health. We
particularly welcome those interested
in health research using panel or cohort
surveys, like our British Household Panel
Survey, Understanding Society, and the
UK Millennium Cohort Study.
PhD Survey Methodology•†
If you have a strong interest in
quantitative survey methodology,
then we offer supervision in: sampling;
weighting; non-response; response
maximisation techniques; mode effects;
data linkage; and measurement error.
We especially welcome those interested
in sampling and non-sampling issues
using cross-sectional and longitudinal
surveys, such as our British Household
Panel Survey and Understanding Society.
Research areas
Research supervision is available in the
following areas:
n Health and the use of health services
n Household formation and dissolution
n Income, poverty, and wealth
n Labour market behaviour
n Longitudinal and panel data methods
and analysis
n Microsimulation of taxes and benefits
n Residential mobility
n Social classification systems
n Social mobility within and between
generations
n Survey methods and data
n Survey methodology
n Time use
Tina Rampino, Milan, Italy
– MSc Applied Economics
and Data Analysis ’09,
PhD Economics
I was encouraged to
apply to Essex following
a recommendation about
ISER’s excellent research
reputation from my
undergraduate supervisor in Italy.
After completing my MSc Applied
Economics and Data Analysis, I
decided to also undertake my PhD
Economics here because I would like
to work in an international organisation
when I graduate. I believe that a PhD in
this particular subject area will greatly
increase my chances in getting such a
job. I hope I will be able to find an
occupation that allows me to help
people through the knowledge I have
acquired during my postgraduate
studies at Essex.
I am most enjoying the fact that I can
fully focus on the topics I am interested
in for my PhD, which are child labour,
education and poverty reduction.
It is fantastic to be a student at Essex
as you get to meet so many people –
staff and other students – from all over
the world. One of my fondest memories
of Essex will be the solidarity
from my PhD fellows, who
have now become some of
my close friends.
Student
profile
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 59

Art History | www.essex.ac.uk/arthistory
Art History
We provide an excellent environment for the pursuit of both teaching and research,
and have repeatedly been awarded top grades in national assessments of teaching
quality and research standing.
Taught courses
MA Art History and Theory•
MA Critical Management and Curating•
MA Curating Contemporary Art•
MA Curating Latin American Art•
MA Gallery Studies and Critical Curating
MA Gallery Studies with Dissertation•
Graduate Diploma in Art History
and Theory
Upper second class honours degree, or
equivalent, in a relevant subject. Please
check course descriptions for any
additional requirements.
Research degrees
Art History and Theory• MPhil, PhD
Masters degree in a relevant area.
Fact file
RESEARCH
University of Essex ranked ninth in
the UK for its research.
History of Art, Architecture and Design
Art History and Theory ranked ninth
in the UK.
Quality level 4* 3* 2* 1* u/c
% of research activity 25 50 15 10 0
For an explanation, see page 5.
FURTHER INFORMATION
English language requirements:
For all study: IELTS 7.0 or equivalent
(for details, see page 25).
Academic staff: 7
Taught postgraduates: 40
Research postgraduates: 43
For taught courses:
T +44 (0)1206 872953
E pgadmit@essex.ac.uk
For research study:
T +44 (0)1206 872953
E philo@essex.ac.uk
• available part-time
Location:
c Colchester Campus
For related programmes which may be of interest, please see:
History (page 123)
Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies (page 158)
60 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/arthistory | Art History
Why study art history
at Essex?
n
n
n
n
n
Internationally renowned for our
strengths in art history and theory
Strong postgraduate community,
attracting students from both
home and abroad
Long established and excellent
record of winning external
research funding
Well established and highly
regarded courses offered within
our Centre for Curatorial Studies
World-class research undertaken
in the field of Latin American art
Career prospects
Former students go on to work in
museums and galleries in London
and throughout the world; other
employment sectors include
publishing and advertising, or
senior management positions
in a wide range of businesses.
Many of our students have also
progressed successfully to further
research and an academic career.
About our School
We provide an excellent environment for
the pursuit of both teaching and research,
and have repeatedly been awarded top
grades in national assessments of
teaching quality and research standing.
We have an unequalled track record
in attracting external research funding.
Over the past decade we have been
home to no fewer than five major Arts
and Humanities Research Council
(AHRC)-funded research projects including
the Centre for Studies of Surrealism’s
Legacies and a project on The Moral
Nature of the Image in the Renaissance
(a three-year examination of the modes
of reception of religious and secular art
in the Renaissance); UECLAA online,
a three-year project to create a digital
catalogue of our exceptional collection
of Latin American art; Meeting Margins:
Transnational Art in Latin America
and Europe 1950-78, a three-year
AHRC-funded study in collaboration
with the University of the Arts, London;
and Aesthetics after Photography, a
three-year research project in collaboration
with the University of Warwick.
Current research interests of individual
members of staff include: modern art in
France, especially Cubism and interwar
Surrealism (Professor Neil Cox); the
cultural significance of the museum,
museum architecture, and photography
and the Paris commune (Dr Michaela
Giebelhausen); the art, architecture and
urbanism of the Italian Renaissance
(Dr Caspar Pearson); and Rodin and
contemporary science (Dr Natasha
Ruiz-Gómez). Our research culture is
frequently enriched by research visitors;
during 2010-11, for example, we
welcomed the University’s first ever
Fulbright Scholar, Jann Marson, working on
Belgian Surrealism, as well as postdoctoral
researcher, Julia Pine, working on late Dalí.
We are also home to the Centre for
Curatorial Studies (led by director, Matthew
Poole), which brings together research in
the field of museology, exhibition studies
and curatorial practice, and also delivers
our postgraduate courses in each of
these areas.
We provide good facilities for study,
with access to a range of resources and
support mechanisms to foster progression.
Our students in our Centre for Curatorial
Studies have a dedicated office on our
Colchester Campus, which is used as
a study area, a production office for
exhibitions, a meeting room and a
workshop. It has its own telephone line,
fully networked computing facilities,
printers, a range of materials and a library
of our graduates’ portfolios, which
document their exhibitions.
We also have a large well-equipped
room for our research students. There are
desks and computers, a state-of-the-art
printer/fax machine and comfortable
seating, so you can use this room for
meetings and reading groups, as well as
private study.
Taught courses
Teaching, particularly at postgraduate
level, is bound up with all our activities
and research interests, creating a sense
of urgency and dynamism that focuses
our students' minds.
MA Art History and Theory•
This flexible course is suitable if you are
seeking employment in the art world or
elsewhere, or are interested in further
research and an academic career. With
options covering European and Latin
American art, architecture from the
Renaissance to the present day, museology,
contemporary art, and photography, you
can pursue your own interests in choosing
modules that appeal to you.
MA Art History and Theory contains
a strong research element, normally
culminating in a 20,000 word dissertation
on a topic of your choice.
MA Critical Management and Curating•
This course will equip you for a career in
visual arts management, critical curating,
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 61

Art History | www.essex.ac.uk/arthistory
and museum or gallery administration, or
in the broader field of aesthetic approaches
to understanding management and
organisations. Topics covered relate both to
the practical aspects of exhibition-making
and curatorship, as well as to issues that
affect and contribute to the formation of
curatorial themes and strategies for both
temporary exhibitions and museum
collections, as well as site-specific
artworks and artists' interventions.
MA Critical Management and Curating
gives you advanced professional training
that prepares you for careers in fields which
can involve a high level of decision-making
responsibility, demanding independence
and self-motivation, as well as the capacity
for team work and effective management.
MA Curating Contemporary Art•
This course provides you with academic
teaching and professional training in the
area of contemporary art curatorial practice.
You are given the freedom to pursue your
own research interests and to develop your
own practice as curators of contemporary
art. You become familiar with the basic
principles of professional good practice in
museum and gallery work, as well as other
forms of curatorial practice, and acquire
technical competence in applying these.
Graduates are well placed for employment
in specialised museum, gallery, and
freelance curating, as well as a wide
range of other careers.
MA Curating Latin American Art•
This MA offers a unique opportunity for you
to gain a professional training qualification
and undertake academic study in the
areas of museology, curatorial practice,
and Latin American art. We make use of
our University of Essex Collection of Latin
American Art (UECLAA) as a powerful
and rich teaching resource.
You learn about contemporary art curatorial
practice in the context of the study and
exhibition of Latin American art but are
given the freedom to pursue your own
research interests and develop your own
practice as curators of Latin American art.
Graduates are able to pursue careers in
62 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/arthistory | Art History
Taught course modules
MA Art History and Theory
Art and Religion in Rome From
Raphael to Bernini
The Hero, The Genius and the
Divine: Concepts of Creation
from the Renaissance to the
Nineteenth Century
Horror, Hell and the Sublime:
From Longinus to the
Romantics
Art, Politics and Ethics:
Contemporary Art and its
Viewers
Indigenous Art in the Colonial
World: From Mexico to the
Andes
The Bureau for Surrealist
Research
Critical Texts and Issues in
the History and Theory of
Exhibition Making
Case Studies in the History of
Museums and Exhibitions
Researching Art History I
Researching Art History II
MA Critical Management
and Curating
Management in Organisations
Management Psychology
Case Studies in Museums,
Galleries and Other
Curational Practices
Researching Art History I
MA Curating
Contemporary Art
Managing Galleries and
Exhibition Projects
Case Studies in Museums,
Galleries and Other
Curational Practices
Art, Politics and Ethics:
Contemporary Art and its
Viewers
Researching Art History I
Plus one module offered
within MA Art History
and Theory
MA Curating Latin
American Art
Managing Galleries and
Exhibition Projects
Case Studies in Museums,
Galleries and Other
Curational Practices
History and Identity in Latin
America
Researching Art History I
MA Gallery Studies and
Critical Curating
Critical Texts and Issues in
the History and Theory of
Exhibition Making
Case Studies in Museums,
Galleries and Other
Curational Practices
Managing Galleries and
Exhibition Projects
Researching Art History I
MA Gallery Studies with
Dissertation
Critical Texts and Issues in
the History and Theory of
Exhibition Making
Case Studies in Museums,
Galleries and Other
Curational Practices
Managing Galleries and
Exhibition Projects
Researching Art History I
Researching Art History II
One module offered on
MA Art History and Theory
This information is a guide to course
content and is subject to change on
an annual basis.
exhibition making and/or curatorship with
the requisite art historical, theoretical and
practical skills, with a special emphasis on
Latin American art.
MA Gallery Studies and Critical Curating
This full-time course offers a practical
and theoretical training if you are interested
in devising or curating exhibitions, and
includes the preparation of an exhibition
in our University art gallery.
In lectures and seminars, you explore
the history and theory of exhibition
making, as well as the functions, purposes
and narrative structures of exhibitions.
In practical workshops, you consider
essentials for successful exhibition making,
such as writing an exhibition proposal,
applying for loans, raising sponsorships
and managing your exhibition budget.
We include regular visits to museums and
galleries in London and the region which,
together with lectures by visiting speakers,
gives you the chance to meet established
professionals in the field.
MA Gallery Studies with Dissertation•
On this course you cover all the historical,
theoretical and practical materials included
in our MA Gallery Studies and Critical
Curating but replace your exhibition project
with a dissertation.
Graduate Diploma in Art History
and Theory
If you do not have the appropriate
undergraduate preparation to embark
on one of our MA courses, you may apply
for our nine-month Graduate Diploma,
which can constitute a qualifying year
for the relevant MA course.
Our Graduate Diploma consists of four
modules (two at undergraduate level and
two at postgraduate), which are chosen in
consultation with your course director. You
must complete the appropriate coursework
and examinations, and can also write a
project on a topic of your choice if that
is agreed by your course director. All
who complete this year successfully will be
awarded a Diploma, whether or not you
proceed to an MA.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 63

Art History | www.essex.ac.uk/arthistory
Staff and their research interests
Neil Cox, MA St Andrews, PhD Essex
(Professor)
Twentieth-century art; Picasso, Duchamp
and Surrealism; abstract expressionism;
art theory. Author of Cubism (Phaidon,
2000) and The Picasso Book (Tate,
2010), currently working on A Surrealist
History of Art
Michaela Giebelhausen, MA Frankfurt,
DPhil Oxford (Senior Lecturer)
Eighteenth- to twentieth-century art
and architecture; gallery studies.
Author of articles on museum and
prison architecture and Painting the
Bible: Representation and Belief in
Mid-Victorian England (Ashgate 2006).
Currently researching a book on cities
in ruins
Caspar Pearson, BA Birmingham, PhD
Essex (Lecturer)
Art, architecture and urbanism of the
Italian Renaissance; concepts of the
city in the writings of the scholar and
architect Leon Battista Alberti; the
painting of real life in the Renaissance;
representation of cities in the works
of Ghirlandaio and other fifteenth-century
artists. Before coming to Essex, lived and
worked in Italy for five years and was a
Fellow of the British School at Rome
Matthew Poole, BFA Oxford, MA
Northumbria (Lecturer)
Gallery studies; curating; contemporary
art. Freelance curator, co-founder and
director of PILOT – Artists’ and Curators’
forum: www.pilotlondon.org. Leader of the
Anti-Humanist Curating research project
Deborah Povey, BA MA PhD Essex
(Lecturer)
Art of the Low Countries from the
fifteenth- to seventeenth-centuries;
realism and symbolism; the artists Jan van
Eyck, Hieronymus Bosch, Pieter Brugel
the Elder and Jan Steen; Franco-Flemish
tapestries; art at the court of Burgundy;
ecclesiastical architecture of England and
France. Articles on Dutch landscape and
garden design, and Pieter Bruegel’s series
of the months. Co-author (with Neil Cox)
of A Picasso Bestiary (1995)
Natasha Ruiz-Gomez, PhD
Pennsylvania (Research Fellow)
French nineteenth-century art and
architecture, particularly Auguste
Rodin’s sculpture; architecture and
urban planning of Paris. Publications
include essays on Rodin’s sculpture,
collection of photographs and
contemporary architecture. Currently
researching a book-length study on
intersections of photography and
science in late nineteenth-century France
Lisa Wade, BA MA PhD Essex (Lecturer)
European art 1300-1800; images of
the Last Judgement and Hell in Italian
Renaissance art; visualised justice in the
netherworld in the light of contemporary
source material; representation of women
in religious art, particularly in the context
of contemporary theoretical debate;
iconography of saints and martyrs;
eighteenth-century theories of the sublime
Research study
We are extremely successful in securing
research funding for doctoral study, which
reflects not only our long-established
reputation as a destination for MPhil and
PhD study but also the close attention
we give to our individual students from
the point of first enquiry to completion.
At the centre of our research culture are
the research training modules, Researching
Art History I and II, which all our new
research students take. The first is intended
to give an insight into art historical research
through the presentation of live research
activity by members of our staff across the
range of our interests. In the second of
these, you present your work to your peers
and there is a formal presentation of a
64 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012
response from our MA students. We have
found this innovative model very successful
in fostering a professional approach to the
development of research projects through
discussion and debate.
In addition, our weekly Work in Progress
seminar provides opportunities for you
to hear about current research in
presentations given by invited speakers
from across the globe.
About our research degrees
Our PhD is a structured three-year
programme of advanced study and
research, and we also offer a two-year
MPhil. Supervision is by regular individual
tutorials and the award of a research
degree depends solely on the merits of
your thesis. A thesis submitted for the
degree of MPhil must not exceed 50,000
words in length, for the PhD 80,000 words.
The development of your research project
is supported and monitored via our
supervisory boards, which happen twice a
year for our full-time students. Here your
supervisor, and two other members of staff,
discuss your research with you, so your
progress in assessed against milestones
and any training or other support needs are
identified. We aim to have all our full-time
PhD students submit within four years.
We regard the PhD as not only an
academic degree but also a professional
qualification. Where possible, we provide
opportunities to acquire experience in
undergraduate or postgraduate teaching,
in conference organising and in curating
exhibitions. We ensure our students receive

www.essex.ac.uk/arthistory | Art History
Jann Marson, Portland,
United States – Visiting
PhD Art History and Theory
Student
profile
I am a US-UK Fulbright and
Vanier CGS scholar, and PhD
student from the University of
Toronto, currently enrolled at
Essex as a visiting PhD student.
Fulbright Fellowships require you to
affiliate with a university abroad and I
chose Essex for its top scholars in my
field and close proximity to London's
museums, galleries, libraries and archives,
which house primary sources related to
my thesis.
Essex’s School of Philosophy and Art
History was my first choice as it is one of
only two places to partner the Centre for
the Study of Surrealism and its Legacies,
which boasts the highest concentration of
Surrealist scholars in the world. Studying
here has presented me with opportunities
that I would not have experienced
otherwise; I co-taught an MA module and
then expanded on this by organising and
co-chairing a research-intensive workshop
with other art history scholars in the UK.
Easy access from the University to London
has enabled me to commute twice a week
for research at the British Library, the
British Museum, Tate, and other British
cultural institutions, which are among the
finest resources in the world for humanities
students. This has significantly advanced
my research.
After completing my studies at Essex,
I will begin a one-year fellowship at the
Getty Research Institute in Los Angeles,
where I hope to continue expanding my
knowledge of the ways humanities
scholarship helps us understand cultural
expression of all kinds. My time as a
Fulbright Scholar has enabled me to
engage a much broader audience in
my work, which addresses the complex
relationships between visual art,
literature, politics, protest and revolt.
These are as crucial to understanding
the challenges arising in current localised
struggles to promote awareness of
intangible cultural heritage, as they are
to navigating today's global climate of
international political unrest.
The highlight of my time at Essex
has been my new friendships and
opportunities for intellectual and cultural
exchange. I was delighted to find PhD
students eager to form extracurricular
study groups and create meaningful
discourse beyond what is provided by
our departments. Essex students have a
real sense of community and waste no
time discovering the valuable resource
that can be found in each other, which
I believe is a product of the University's
emphasis on interdisciplinary exchange.
Simply put, education is just as much
about the people as it is the information,
and I’ve made a lot of
friends with whom I plan
to stay in touch.
training in IT and research methodologies,
including advanced library research skills.
Most of our successful graduates are now
working in academic institutions, in national
or regional museums or galleries, or in other
arts-related professions, both throughout
the UK and abroad. Among recent
successes are the appointment of Jim
Walsh (PhD ’07) as chief executive of the
South Place Ethical Society in London, and
Lucy Bradnock (PhD ’09), working on
a project examining West Coast art at The
Getty Institute, Los Angeles. Our other
graduates teach in leading departments
in York, Glasgow and London, while the
curator of public programmes at Tate
Modern is an Essex art history graduate.
Research areas
Research supervision is available in the
following fields:
n Aesthetics and theory of art
n British and European art and theory in
the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries
n Colonial and modern Latin American
art since Independence
n Contemporary art and theory
n Cubism, Dada and Surrealism
n European art and theory 1250-1700,
particularly in Italy and France
n Expressionism
n Historiography of art history
n History and theory of architecture
n Museology and gallery studies
n Twentieth-century art and theory in
Europe, Britain and North America
n Urbanism and the built environment
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 65

Biological Sciences | www.essex.ac.uk/bs
Biological Sciences
We have an international reputation for our outstanding record of teaching
and research. The quality of our work is reflected in our large number of
publications in high profile journals.
Taught courses
MSc Biotechnology•
MSc/MA Environmental Governance: the
Natural World, Science and Society•†
MSc Environmental Resource
Management
MSc Marine Biology
MSc Molecular Medicine
MSc Natural Environment and Society
MSc Plant Biotechnology
Lower second class honours degree, or
equivalent, in a relevant subject.
MSc Biomedical Sciences
Cellular Pathology•
Clinical Biochemistry•
Haematology with Hospital Transfusion
Practice•
Medical Microbiology•
Lower second class honours degree, or
equivalent, in a relevant subject and
registration with the Health Professions
Council.
Research degrees
Biochemistry• MSD, MPhil, PhD
Biological Sciences• MSD, MPhil, PhD
Biological Sciences: Immunology• MSD,
MPhil, PhD
Cell and Molecular Biology• MSD,
MPhil, PhD
Chemical Biology• MSD, MPhil, PhD
Environmental Governance•† MSD,
MPhil, PhD
Environmental Sciences• MSD,
MPhil, PhD
Marine Biology• MSD, MPhil, PhD
Microbiology• MSD, MPhil, PhD
Molecular Medicine• MSD, MPhil, PhD
Upper second class honours degree, or
equivalent, in a relevant area.
Doctor of Medicine MD
For further details, see page 73.
Fact file
RESEARCH
University of Essex ranked ninth in
the UK for its research.
Biological Sciences
Quality level 4* 3* 2* 1* u/c
% of research activity 5 35 45 10 5
For an explanation, see page 5.
FURTHER INFORMATION
English language requirements:
For all study: IELTS 6.5 or equivalent (for
details, see page 25).
Academic staff: 48
Taught postgraduates: 99
Research postgraduates: 120
For taught courses:
T +44 (0)1206 873473
E pgadmit@essex.ac.uk
For research study:
T +44 (0)1206 873473
E pgadmit@essex.ac.uk
• available part-time
† ESRC accreditation
Location:
c Colchester Campus
For related and joint programmes which may be of interest, please see:
Health and Human Sciences (page 114)
Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies (page 158)
Sports Science (page 202)
66 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/bs | Biological Sciences
Why study biological
sciences at Essex?
n
n
n
n
n
A lively department with over
50 academic staff, delivering
high quality teaching and
research over a wide spectrum
of biological sciences
Research teams working at the
forefront of their fields with
international quality research in
environmental biology, molecular
biophysics and molecular medicine
Part of the University’s accredited
Doctoral Training Centre of the
Economic and Social Research
Council (ESRC), with a number
of ESRC studentships available
for new postgraduates
A unique multidisciplinary
environment that enables
us to offer a range of modular,
interdisciplinary taught courses
Excellent modern facilities,
including a wide range of
state-of-the-art equipment for
postgraduate research studies
Career Prospects
Our graduates go on to a
range of careers. Some work in
biomedical laboratories and in
the biotechnology industry, both
in research and development,
and in sales. Other careers include
work with governmental and
non-governmental environmental
agencies and organisations, or
teaching in schools and colleges.
Postgraduate study is often
a requirement for becoming a
researcher, scientist, academic
journal editor and to work in some
public bodies or private companies.
About our Department
We have an international reputation
for our outstanding record of teaching
and research. The quality of our work
is reflected in our large number of
publications in high profile journals, such
as Nature, Science, Proceedings of the
National Academy USA, Journal of
Biological Chemistry, Molecular Cell, Plant
Cell, Limnology and Oceanography and
Environmental Microbiology. Several of our
staff have active leadership roles in learned
societies and are editors of leading journals.
Our research is subdivided into common
areas: environmental biology, molecular
biophysics and molecular medicine. This
brings together our groups of like-minded
researchers who share equipment
and ideas.
Our Environmental Biology Research Group
addresses key global issues including
climate change, ocean acidification and
sustainability in agriculture and coastal
ecosystems. We study the interactions of
microbes, animals and plants with each
other and with their environment, working
from the genetic and cellular level through
to whole organisms and ecosystems. Our
research includes the responses of marine
phytoplankton to ocean acidification,
identification of specialised microbes
useful in rescuing environments polluted
by petrochemicals, the ecology and
sustainability of agricultural and coastal
ecosystems (eg salt marshes, mangroves
and coral reefs) and improvement of crop
productivity under drought and high light
conditions. We engage with external
organisations, including industry, applying
the results of our research to maximize the
benefits to society.
Our Molecular Biophysics Group employs
an array of techniques to understand
how molecular systems function. Our
approaches are primarily biophysical, which
means we use physical chemistry, physics
and computational methods to study
biological systems. We are a cohesive
group that work on a range of interests.
Our Molecular Medicine Group carries out
research at the basic-clinical interface and
employs techniques for studying diseases
at molecular and cellular level. We have
projects on cancer biology, viruses and
infection, bacterial infection, basic and
reproductive immunology, translational
and clinical proteomics, bioimaging
and bioinformatics.
We form part of Essex’s interdisciplinary
Doctoral Training Centre, recently
designated by the UK’s Economic and
Social Research Council (ESRC) and
one of only 21 in the UK. This means
some of our courses have ESRC Doctoral
Training Centre accreditation, and a number
of ESRC studentships are available for new
students to begin an MSc or MA, followed
by a PhD, with us (1+3).
Many of our Masters students progress
to PhD and approximately 40 per cent of
our postgraduates continue in research,
those with PhDs usually as post-doctoral
researchers in universities and
research institutes.
For other careers, an MSc or PhD
helps your application stand out. Our
postgraduates develop transferable
skills that are desirable in many jobs and
include problem-solving, self-motivation,
independence, working to deadlines,
producing reports and communication
skills. The numerical and analytical key
skills allow you to go into scientific
publishing and scientific administration,
and also sales and marketing.
Taught courses
MSc Biotechnology•
With over ten years experience of delivering
this subject, we have established ourself as
offering one of the most popular and highly
regarded courses in biotechnology in the
UK. We equip you with advanced training
in cutting-edge ‘omics’ technology that is
highly valued by employers in both
academia and the commercial sector.
The flexible modular structure of our course
allows specialisation in industrial, microbial,
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 67

Biological Sciences | www.essex.ac.uk/bs
Taught course modules
MSc Biotechnology
Gene and Protein Technology
Postgenomic Technologies
and Bioinformatics
12-week Research Project
Plus four optional modules
from:
Industrial Biotechnology
Molecular Medicine and
Biotechnology
Plant Biotechnology
Molecular Virology
Enzymology
Molecular and Developmental
Immunology
Cancer Biology
MSc/MA Environmental
Governance: the Natural
World, Science and
Society
Seminars in the Environment
Natural Resources and
Ecology
Economics and Law
Politics and Society
Research Skills and Data
Analysis
Research Project
Plus two optional modules
from:
Sustainability and Climate
Change
Water Pollution Biology
Coastal Ecology
Society and the Environment
Social Movements and
Environmental Issues
Advanced Conservation
Management and Practice
Conservation Management
in Tropical Environments
Environmental Politics
International Environmental
Politics
Political Principles, Bioethics
and Public Policy
Environmental Economics
European Environmental Law
This information is a guide to course
content and is subject to change on
an annual basis.
MSc Environmental
Resource Management
Seminars in the Environment
Natural Resources and Ecology
Research Skills and Data
Analysis
Biological Surveying
Protected Area Management
Managing for Sustainable
Ecosystems
Species Conservation
Research Project
Plus one optional module from:
Mariculture and Fisheries
Sustainability
Conservation Management
in Tropical Environments
Landscape Ecology
MSc Marine Biology
Marine Zoology
Marine Primary Productivity
Marine Microbial Ecology and
Biotechnology
Mariculture and Fisheries
Marine Practical Skills
Research Skills and Data
Analysis
Environmental Seminars
Research Project
Plus one optional module from:
Coral Reef Conservation
Management field module
Economics and Law
Politics and Society
MSc Molecular Medicine
Gene and Protein Technology
Postgenomic Technologies
and Bioinformatics
Seminars in Molecular
Medicine
Molecular Medicine and
Biotechnology
Research Project
Plus two optional modules from:
Molecular Virology
Human Genetics
Molecular and Developmental
Immunology
Cancer Biology
Molecular Mechanisms of
Disease and Molecular
Medicine
Spectroscopic Investigations
of Disease
MSc Natural Environment
and Society
Seminars in the Environment
Natural Resources and
Ecology
Economics and Law
Politics and Society
Research Skills and Data
Analysis
Managing for Sustainable
Ecosystems
Species Conservation
Research Project
Plus one optional module from:
Mariculture and Fisheries
Sustainability
Conservation Management in
Tropical Environments
MSc Plant Biotechnology
Gene and Protein Technology
Postgenomic Technologies
and Bioinformatics
Plant and Environmental
Biotechnology
Industrial Biotechnology
Plants for the Twenty-first
Century
Research Techniques in Plant
Biology
Research Project
MSc Biomedical Sciences
Cellular Pathology
Research Methods, Validation
and Development
Cellular Pathology 1
Modern Techniques in
Biomedical Science 1
Immunity in Health and
Disease
Laboratory Management
Cellular Pathology 2
Modern Techniques in
Biomedical Science 2
Issues in Cellular Pathology
and Statistics
Research Project (in Cellular
Pathology)
Clinical Biochemistry
Research Methods, Validation
and Development
Clinical Biochemistry 1
Modern Techniques in
Biomedical Science 1
Immunity in Health and
Disease
Laboratory Management
Clinical Biochemistry 2
Modern Techniques in
Biomedical Science 2
Issues in Clinical Biochemistry
and Statistics
Research Project (in Clinical
Biochemistry)
Haematology with Hospital
Transfusion Practice
Research Methods, Validation
and Development
Haematology with Blood
Transfusion 1
Modern Techniques in
Biomedical Science 1
Immunity in Health and
Disease
Laboratory Management
Haematology with Blood
Transfusion
Modern Techniques in
Biomedical Science 2
Issues in Haematology and
Statistics
Research Project (in
Haematology and Blood
Transfusion)
MSc Medical Microbiology
Research Methods, Validation
and Development
Medical Microbiology 1
Modern Techniques in
Biomedical Science 1
Immunity in Health and
Disease
Laboratory Management
Medical Microbiology 2
Modern Techniques in
Biomedical Science 2
Issues in Medical Microbiology
and Statistics
Research Project (in Medical
Microbiology)
68 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/bs | Biological Sciences
agricultural or medical biotechnology,
providing you with a broad spectrum of
future career opportunities. With an
emphasis on hands-on practical training,
including a major research project
component, supervised by research leaders
in their fields, we ensure you gain the best
educational and research experience as an
integral part of your studies. This course
also provides a solid foundation if you are
wishing to undertake further studies
leading to a PhD in our Department.
MSc/MA Environmental Governance: the
Natural World, Science and Society•†
An unprecedented combination of
pressures is threatening the health of social
and ecological systems across the world.
Continued population growth, rapidly
changing consumption patterns and climate
change are driving limited resources of
food, energy, water and materials towards
and beyond critical thresholds. There is an
urgent need for interdisciplinary study that
crosses the boundaries between intimately
interwoven natural and social systems.
Our MA/MSc Environmental Governance
addresses this by focusing on the analysis,
conservation, protection and management
of natural resources, and the institutions
and policies that shape human actions.
Eight Essex departments contribute to our
unique interdisciplinary course, providing
you with the critical capacity to analyse
environmental issues from a range of
perspectives. Our course is suited to
graduates from all disciplinary backgrounds
and gives a thorough training in the
principles and practices of environmental
governance if you wish to pursue a
career in environmental management
and regulation, research and policy.
MSc Environmental Resource
Management•
Natural resources and people are
inextricably linked. Much of what we
currently value about the environment
exists because of the positive actions of
human managers. Equally, most of what
we have lost is because of people and
their institutions.
MSc Environmental Resource Management
combines our international standing in the
natural and social sciences with Writtle
College’s leading expertise in land-based,
countryside and amenity industries, with
one day’s tuition per week at Writtle
College in Chelmsford. We focus on
developing your theoretical knowledge and
practical skills in the management of
environmental resources, with our teaching
covering the range of applied ecological
skills including surveying, protected species
monitoring, habitat creation and restoration,
environmental impact assessment
and project management. Graduates
are equipped for further academic
progression or employment in the fields
of conservation and rural resource
management in academic, voluntary,
public and private sectors.
MSc Marine Biology•
This course delivers advanced marine
biology theory and enables you to develop
a comprehensive range of practical and
research skills. We capitalise on the breadth
of research carried out in marine biology in
our Department and give you the chance to
engage with our current research activities,
both in the UK and abroad.
Our research active staff provide you
with analytical, experimental and field
study opportunities, while assessment
techniques are chosen to represent the
numerous skills required by modern day
marine biologists. You can specialise
through your research project, the topic
of which can be diverse, again reflecting
our broad research skills base.
MSc Molecular Medicine
Molecular medicine is a new and rapidly
evolving discipline which uses the modern
life sciences and their methods to study
the molecular basis of disease and the
use of therapeutic influences to correct
pathological alterations. Our overall focus
is to equip you with a broad and up-to-date
understanding of the molecular and genetic
factors that underline human disorders.
Our popular MSc Molecular Medicine gives
you the necessary knowledge and skills to
compete in the international marketplace,
as well as the experience of producing
a 12-week research project. Graduates
can continue their careers in molecular
medicine in hospitals, industry, universities
and research institutes, and other parts of
the public and private sectors. Our course
also provides a solid foundation if you wish
to study for your PhD.
MSc Natural Environment and Society
Social-ecological systems are more
vulnerable than formerly predicted.
Analysing and developing solutions to
address this immense challenge will take
a combination of economic, social, political,
legal and management expertise, which
our MSc Natural Environment and Society
aims to provide.
We combine our international excellence
in the natural and social sciences with
Writtle College’s leading expertise in
land-based, countryside and amenity
industries, to design a course for those
interested in gaining advanced knowledge
of contemporary theories on the
relationships between environment,
nature and society. You have the
opportunity to engage with key topics
such as human-nature interactions and
the social practices that shape the
environment and nature, and one day’s
tuition per week is at Writtle College in
Chelmsford. Our graduates are equipped
for further study or employment in the
fields of conservation and rural resource
management in the academic, voluntary,
public and private sectors.
MSc Plant Biotechnology
Our exciting and topical new MSc Plant
Biotechnology builds on our successful
MSc Biotechnology by offering graduates
in biological sciences the opportunity to
study biotechnology, as applied to the
production of the essential new crops
for food and fuel needed for our growing
population. We include a large laboratory
component allowing you to gain research
skills, while wider issues of sustainability
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 69

Biological Sciences | www.essex.ac.uk/bs
and socio-economic aspects as they
relate to the topic are discussed in our
specialist modules.
This course provides you with the cutting
edge skills and knowledge needed for jobs
in commercial biotechnology companies
and research positions in academia or with
government scientific bodies. It also offers
you the opportunity for further study to
PhD level.
MSc Biomedical Science
n Cellular Pathology•
n Clinical Biochemistry•
n Haematology with Hospital
Transfusion Practice•
n Medical Microbiology•
Our professional development courses are
only available if you are an HPC-registered
healthcare science professionals (ie
working for the NHS).
Our MSc Biomedical Science, with our
major specialities of Cellular Pathology,
Clinical Biochemistry, Haematology with
Hospital Transfusion Practice and Medical
Microbiology, plays an important role in
diagnosing and monitoring health and
disease. Our suite of course are aimed at
practising NHS biomedical scientists who
wish to enhance their careers and improve
the quality of service of their workplace.
We enable NHS biomedical scientists
to plan, carry out, and facilitate research
and development within the NHS
pathology laboratory. You evaluate
advantages, limitations and clinical
applications of a range of advanced BMS
techniques, and develop specialist skills in
relevant aspects of laboratory management.
You also evaluate the broader social,
economic and ethical implications of
selected issues in biomedical science
and health care provision.
Our courses share core modules to
underline our multidisciplinary approach to
diagnosing patients, while course-specific
modules focus on increasing your specialist
knowledge of the specific disciplines in
health and disease, and critically evaluating
methods and techniques applied in
this speciality.
Diploma
If your first degree is in a subject other
than biotechnology, we offer a full-time,
nine-month Diploma in Biotechnology
with English for Academic Purposes.
If you obtain a Diploma with Merit or
Staff and their research interests
Selwa Alsam, BSc Baghdad, MSc Bristol,
PhD London (Lecturer)
Medical microbiology: interactions of
micro-organisms with the blood brain
barrier using human brain microvascular
endothelial cells and macrophages;
hospital-related infections and infection
control
Ulrike Bechtold, Diplom Giessen, PhD
John Innes Centre (Lecturer)
Plant water relations: transcriptional
analysis and network modelling of
drought responses; plant phenotyping;
environmental stress signalling; natural
variation of water productivity and drought
tolerance; application of post translational
protein modifications as biomarkers in
plant stress
Edward Codling, BSc PhD Leeds
(Lecturer) (Joint appointment with the
Department of Mathematical Sciences)
Mathematical biology and ecology,
behavioural ecology and population
ecology: individual-based modelling;
animal movement and dispersal;
navigation; foraging; animal behaviour;
animal groups; human crowd behaviour;
fisheries dynamics and management
strategies; fisheries indicators; marine
protected areas; plankton dynamics and
trophic interactions
Ian Colbeck, MSc London, PhD
Lancaster (Professor)
Indoor air pollution: aerosol science;
environmental impact of nanoparticles;
environmental chemistry; environment and
health; airborne transmission of diseases;
bioaerosols: waste and recycling;
environment-society interactions
Chris Cooper, BSc Bristol, PhD Guelph
(Professor)
Bioenergetics, biophysics and biomedical
spectroscopy: haem proteins; blood
substitutes; nitric oxide biochemistry; free
radicals and oxidative stress; noveloptical
measurement of oxygen delivery and
consumption in muscle and brain
Paul Dobbin, BSc Leicester, PhD London
(Lecturer)
Microbial biochemistry and genetics:
study of the structures and functions
of bacterial cytochromes using protein
engineering and various spectroscopies;
identification of redox proteins involved
in anaerobic respiration by 2D gel
electrophoresis, microarray hybridization,
and chromosomal mutations; isolation and
characterisation of micro-organisms with
potential uses in bioremediation
Alex J Dumbrell, BSc MSc Bangor, PhD
York (Lecturer)
Community ecology: processes and
mechanisms regulating terrestrial
biodiversity and environmental microbial
diversity; theoretical ecology and
modelling; molecular techniques and
applications in community ecology;
bioinformatics and ecoinformatics;
plant and mycorrhizal ecology; tropical
ecology and biodiversity
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www.essex.ac.uk/bs | Biological Sciences
Distinction, it may be possible for you
to automatically register for our MSc
Biotechnology, so over two years you
gain a thorough training in biotechnology
principles and practices.
Research study
Our research groups work on important
international and national problems using
cutting-edge techniques.
In environmental microbiology, our
scientists work closely with our other
staff and collaborate with industry and
other research groups throughout the
world to tackle challenging global
problems, such as pollution, eutrophication,
sustainable agriculture and global warming.
The diversity of our research projects in
marine biology reflects the variety of
research skills within our Environmental
Biology Group, and our commitment to
increasing society’s understanding of how
different marine species, habitats and
ecosystems function. Our wide ranging
expertise capitalises on our state-of-the-art
laboratory equipment, aquarium facilities,
the coastal location of our University, and
our global network of field stations, to
provide high quality training and
international level research outputs.
Currently our Coral Reef Research Unit
directs research within the three main
centres of coral reef biodiversity, namely the
Indo-Pacific, Caribbean and the Red Sea.
This involves work with many organisations
like Operation Wallacea UK, the Indonesian
Institute of Science, the Honduras Coral
Reef Foundation and the Suez Canal
University in Egypt. Our research in plant
productivity is dependent upon efficient
utilisation of environmental resources,
especially light and water. Our group
applies integrative, cross-scale approaches
involving molecular genetic, biophysical,
biochemical and physiological techniques.
Our Molecular Biophysics Group employs
an array of techniques to understand how
molecular systems function and has
developed novel techniques to study how
proteins interact with each other and their
substrate at the single molecule level.
We observe the processes of DNA repair,
Parkinson's Disease and muscle motor
activation in real time, one molecule at
a time. G-protein Coupled Receptors
(GPCRs) are one of the most important
families of drug targets so, using receptors
such as rhodopsin as model systems, we
use biophysical and computational methods
Nelson Fernandez, BSc PhD London,
MSc Brunel (Professor)
Immunology: understanding the
properties of membrane receptors
involved in infection and immunity,
including the study of major
histocompatibility complex-encoded
molecules, macrophage-specific receptors
CD14 and innate recognition Toll-like
receptors; reproductive immunology
and associated early-stage expression
of histocompatibility genes important
in conception, development and
feto-maternal tolerance
Richard Geider, BA New York, PhD
Dalhousie (Professor)
Biological oceanography: limits to
phytoplankton photosynthesis and
growth; role of phytoplankton in marine
biogeochemistry; feedback between
environmental changes and marine
productivity
Andrew Harrison, BSc Manchester,
PhD Edinburgh (Senior Lecturer)
(Joint appointment with the Department
of Mathematical Sciences)
Bioinformatics and systems biology:
post-genomic technology; alternative
splicing; biomolecular networks;
mathematical biology
Leanne Hepburn, BSc MSc Aberdeen,
PhD Manchester (Lecturer)
Coral reef ecology and taphonomy: the
forces and processes during the dynamics
and diversity of reef systems; ecology of
sponges; biodiversity conservation
Michael Hough, BSc Leicester, PhD
De Montfort (Lecturer)
Structural biology: understanding
the relationship between protein
structure and function; combined x-ray
crystallography and single crystal
spectroscopy; driving reactions in protein
crystals; redox proteins; haem and copper
metalloproteins; mechanisms of ligand
discrimination in haem proteins;
synchrotron radiation
Neil Kad, BSc Sheffield, PhD Bristol
(Lecturer)
Molecular motor biophysics: single
molecular imaging and manipulation
of motors in vitro to understand complex
systems from the bottom up; development
of new imaging and analytical
methodologies
Elena Klenova, BSc PhD Moscow
(Reader)
Molecular and cellular biology: biological
role of CTCF and BORIS transcription
factors in cell growth, differentiation and
tumourigenesis; investigation of molecular
mechanisms of CTCF and BORIS function
Julie Lloyd, BSc PhD London (Lecturer)
Plant molecular biology: mechanisms of
the control of plant gene expression by
light; signalling phosphate deficiency;
molecular biology of trans-regulatory
proteins; microarray analysis of plant
gene expression
Jody Mason, BSc PhD Bristol (Lecturer)
Protein-protein interactions: coiled coils,
amyloidosis, protein engineering and
protein folding; library design, screening,
selection and biophysical characterisation
to understand how protein-protein
interactions achieve stability and specificity
continued
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Biological Sciences | www.essex.ac.uk/bs
to examine structure, activation and
misfolding in GPCRs. Metal ions play a
central role in many biological processes
and transition metals, such as iron and
copper, are amongst the most abundant
and are often found as co-factors in
proteins with myriad functions. We use
an array of spectroscopic techniques, as
well as structural methods, to understand
mechanistic and functional aspects of
haem and copper containing proteins
and enzymes.
One focus of research in our Molecular
Medicine Group is the regulation of
transcription and molecular mechanisms
of cancer tumourigenesis, as research
employs high throughput proteomic
approaches to provide new insights
into the mechanisms of tumourigenesis.
We also study the molecular biology of
medically important viruses which includes
the enteroviruses that can cause a number
of human diseases, including paralytic
poliomyelitis, aseptic meningitis, heart
disease, common colds and type 1
diabetes. We aim to improve our
understanding of how viruses replicate
and cause disease to enable targeted
design of vaccines/antiviral agents. We also
have broad research interests in all aspects
of hospital-related infections and focus
on the interaction of microorganisms such
as E. coli, the causative agent of meningitis
in neonates with the blood brain barrier
and encephalitis-associated mechanisms.
Our immunological research investigates
membrane receptors involved in infection
and immunity; these include major
histocompatibility complex-encoded
receptors, which are essential in antigen
presentation and the handling of pathogens
by specialised cells of the immune system.
The relationship between the maternal
immune system during pregnancy, and its
influence in embryonic development and
fetal tolerance, is also studied. One key
component is our use of state-of-the-art
bio-imaging technologies to study cancer
cells, DNA structures, and understand
how proteins in the body interact with
pathogens, such as viruses or bacteria,
and how these pathogens attach
themselves to the cell membranes of
healthy cells to cause infection and disease.
Bioimaging is now a core facility in our
Department and has been pivotal in the
expansion of our MSc courses in this area,
and in the training of our research students.
Modern biomedicine is increasingly
dependent upon the analysis of large
Terry McGenity, BSc PhD Leicester
(Senior Lecturer)
Environmental microbiology: microbial
activities, interactions and effects
on past and present environments;
microbial ecology of extreme and
polluted environments; long-term survival
of micro-organisms in salt; microbial
adaptations to life in hypersaline
environments
Metodi V Metodiev, MSc PhD Sofia
(Lecturer)
Proteomics: protein-protein interactions;
protein phosphorylation; signal
transduction; MAPK and G-protein
dependent pathways
Phil Mullineaux, BSc PhD Wales
(Professor)
Plant molecular genetics: signalling
networks that control defence gene
expression in plants and marine algae
subject to high light stress; redox-mediated
co-ordination of abiotic and biotic stress
defence signalling pathways; drought
responsive gene expression in legumes
and Arabidopsis thaliana
John Norton, BSc Liverpool, PhD Hull
(Professor)
Molecular cell biology: mechanisms of Id
helix-loop-helix transcription factors in the
regulation of cell growth; differentiation
and tumourigenesis; early response gene
signalling in B lymphocytes; development
of gene-base diagnostics for lymphoid
malignancies
Christine Raines, BSc PhD Glasgow
(Professor and Head of Department)
Plant molecular physiology: relative
importance of individual enzymes in the
Calvin cycle in controlling rate of carbon
fixation and plant growth; in vivo role of
stromal protein complexes in regulation
of chloroplast metabolism; application
of proteomic, metabolomic and
bioinformatics approaches to chloroplast
metabolism; elevated CO2 effects on
photosynthetic capacity in field conditions
Brandon Reeder, BSc MSc PhD
Essex (Lecturer)
Molecular biophysics: mechanisms of
oxidative reactions relating to the globin
superfamily (eg cytoglobin, myoglobin)
and how these relate to physiological
and pathological functions; lipid oxidation,
singlet oxygen and cell signalling
mechanisms; engineering electron
transfer pathways in redox active haem
proteins; therapeutics to ameliorate
haem protein-induced oxidative
reactions; optical spectroscopies,
LC and LC-MS/MS methods
Phil Reeves, BSc PhD Warwick
(Lecturer)
Membrane protein biochemistry and
biophysics: structure, function and
biogenesis of G-protein coupled receptors
(GPCR); development of tools for
recombinant expression and purification
of membrane proteins; NMR and
crystallization of GPCR including
rhodopsin and melanocortin receptors
72 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/bs | Biological Sciences
data-sets which include the so-called
Omic technologies, such as epigenomics,
genomics, glycomics, metabolomics,
proteomics and transcriptomics. The
application of these technologies enables
whole-genome studies of a range of
biomolecules, each of which could be a
key biomarker that discriminates between
health and disease. Our Bioinformatics
Group specialises in improving the
interpretation of large Omic datasets.
Our research is highly multi-disciplinary,
bringing together ideas from biology,
informatics, physics and statistics.
About our research degrees
Our PhD is a structured programme of
advanced study and research. We also
offer two other research degrees: an MPhil,
and an MSD (MSc by dissertation). If you
wish to undertake PhD studies but are not
Chris Reynolds, BSc PhD St Andrews
(Professor)
Computational chemistry/bioinformatics:
development of methods in computational
chemistry and their applications to
problems in biology; homology modelling;
G-protein coupled receptor activation;
virtual screening; structural bioinformatics;
modelling polarisation in enzymes
David Smith, BSc PhD Essex
(Senior Lecturer)
Coral reef biology: coral ecophysiology;
phenotypic and genotypic expression;
community ecology and conservation
management; water pollution, water
quality issues and faecal contamination
of environmentally-sensitive waters;
water quality management
Glyn Stanway, BSc PhD London
(Professor)
Virology: interaction between viruses
and cellular receptors; virus replication;
molecular approaches to understanding
virus pathogenicity; evolution, generic
relationships and molecular determinants
of host range
Michael Steinke, Diploma PhD Bremen
(Lecturer)
Marine biology: plankton ecology and
the production of biogenic trace gases;
role of infochemicals in predator-prey
interactions; aquatic infochemistry;
sulphur biogeochemistry
David Suggett, BSc Liverpool, MSc PhD
Southampton (Lecturer)
Aquatic productivity: environmental
control of photosynthesis (microalgae,
macroalgae, corals and sea grasses);
adaptive plasticity of microalgal
photosynthesis; bio-optical signatures
of marine and freshwaters; coral
ecophysiology; carbon metabolism
and cycling within lakes and coastal
marine systems
Graham Underwood, BSc Reading,
DPhil Sussex (Professor)
Marine ecology: diversity and ecology of
sediment-inhabiting estuarine diatoms;
biofilms in tropical reef systems; the
formation of algal biofilms and production
of exopolymers; response of algal
communities to nutrients; processes
of biostabilisation, sediment dynamics
and algal-bacterial coupling
Corinne Whitby, BSc Hull, PhD Liverpool
(Lecturer)
Molecular microbial ecology: role of
bacteria in nutrient cycling; microbial
biodegradation of xenobiotics;
environmental healthcare
Jonathan Worrall, BSc PhD Newcastle
(Lecturer)
Biochemistry and structural studies: the
pre-apoptotic complex formed between
cytochrome c and cardiolipin; copper
homeostasis in microbial systems
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 73

Biological Sciences | www.essex.ac.uk/bs
Sarah-Jane Walsh,
Eastbourne, East Sussex
– BSc Marine and Freshwater
Biology ’09, PhD Marine
Biology
Student
profile
My PhD topic is fairly rare in the
UK, due to research primarily
being conducted in the tropics.
When I saw that Essex had a title
very close to the area I wanted
to specialise in, I jumped at the chance to
take it! I was also happy to conduct my
postgraduate studies at Essex due to
the University’s high research status in
biological status and because of the
notable scientists within the Department,
who have helped to shape much of the
subject I currently study. It is great to be
able to work alongside these people and
have their contributions in your publications.
I have been lucky enough to be awarded
full funding from the scientific body, NERC,
and I receive funding for field research from
Operation Wallacea, in return for my input
into their own summer expeditions.
I get to travel a lot with my research and
recently attended an amazing course in
Mexico with top researches in my field,
which was great for expanding my
background knowledge across
disciplines, as well as getting to grips with
a range of methodologies and instruction
in the use of several commonly used
scientific machinery. Conferences are
also a fantastic opportunity to see what
is at the forefront of your discipline and
currently undergoing experimentation, as
there is often a time lag between research
being conducted and publication. It
enables you to get a real feel for what
is going on in your field, as well as being
a good way to meet other students and
possible collaborators.
My fondest memories of studying at
Essex will be the travelling opportunities
it has given me, particularly intensive field
courses where I underwent instruction
from scientists at the forefront of my
subject. And I will never forget the first
time I met another student on
a conference, who recognised
my name from a publication.
sufficiently qualified, you may be offered
our MSD where, on satisfactory progress,
you can be upgraded to our PhD.
There are two entry levels to our PhD:
n a good undergraduate degree – upper
second class honours or above in an
appropriate subject; or
n an MSc in an appropriate subject.
We offer structured training programmes
which all must attend. These provide
training in generic and key skills. You
are expected to attend departmental and
research group seminars, and give research
seminars about your studies in research
group meetings. A Departmental Graduate
Forum, organised by our graduate students,
is held each September and you present
your research, either as a poster or an oral
presentation, with prizes for the best. You
are encouraged, and funded, to attend
national and international conferences
and, during the later stages of your PhD,
expected to present your work at such
conferences.
You must attend two formal supervisory
board meetings each year where you submit
literature reviews and research reports to
the Board members prior to the meeting.
Your PhD thesis is generally completed
within three to four years and has a
maximum length of 80,000 words. Your
MPhil is usually completed in two years,
with a maximum length of 50,000 words.
Your MSD is usually completed in one year,
with a maximum length of 30,000 words.
Our students are frequently employed
as graduate laboratory assistants to
act as demonstrators in undergraduate
laboratory classes. Such teaching is a
valuable experience for you.
Research areas
We offer research supervision within our
different research groups. We also offer
an interdisciplinary PhD Environmental
Governance, which forms part of an
accredited Doctoral Training Centre
of the ESRC at Essex.
Research supervision is available in the
following areas:
n Bacterial infections
n Cancer biology
n Environmental microbiology
n Environmental plant biology
n G-protein coupled receptors
n Immunology
n Marine and freshwater biology
n Metalloproteins
n Molecular mechanisms of
tumourogenesis
n Peptide interactions
n Plant productivity
n Protein molecular dynamics
n Sustainable environments
n Viral infections
Doctor of Medicine
Medically qualified staff at Essex, or at an
NHS Trust associated with us, may apply
for the degree of Doctor of Medicine. The
minimum period of study and research is
two years, and the maximum is four years.
Please contact us for more details.
74 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/ccfea | Computational Finance
Computational Finance
We are an innovative and laboratory-based teaching and research centre, with
an international reputation for leading-edge, interdisciplinary work combining
economic and financial modelling with computational implementation.
Taught courses
MSc Computational Finance•
MSc Financial Software Engineering•
MSc High Frequency Finance and
Trading
Upper second class honours degree, or
equivalent, in a relevant subject.
Research degrees
Computational Finance• PhD
Masters degree in a relevant subject.
Fact file
RESEARCH
University of Essex ranked ninth
in the UK for its research.
Research submitted in Economics and
Econometrics, and Computer Science
and Informatics subject areas, see
Economics and Computer Science for
details.
For an explanation, see page 5.
FURTHER INFORMATION
English language requirements:
For all study: IELTS 6.0 or equivalent (for
details, see page 25).
Academic staff: 11
Taught postgraduates: 22
Research postgraduates: 29
For taught courses:
T +44 (0)1206 874876
E pgadmit@essex.ac.uk
For research study:
T +44 (0)1206 874876
E ltriolo@essex.ac.uk
• available part-time
Location:
c Colchester Campus
For related programmes which may be of interest, please see:
Computer Science (page 80 )
Economics (page 87)
Electronics and Telecommunications (page 94)
Essex Business School (page 100)
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 75

Computational Finance | www.essex.ac.uk/ccfea
Why study
computational
finance at Essex?
n
n
n
n
n
Cross-disciplinary syllabus
incorporating the latest research
from agent-based modelling,
computational-intelligence in
finance, high frequency finance and
computational risk management
Practical hands-on instruction
across all our programmes
Strong emphasis on the skills
required by industry
Excellent links with industry
and government bodies
Approachable and friendly
lecturers, who are leaders in
their fields
Career prospects
Graduates of our Centre have
gone on to become quantitative
analysts, portfolio managers and
software engineers at various
institutions, including major
investment banks like HSBC
and Mitsubishi UFJ Securities.
We have an extensive network
of industrial contacts through our
City Associates Board and our
alumni, while our expert seminar
series gives you the opportunity
to work with leading figures from
industry. A number of our students
have held internships with
prestigious City institutions, such
as HSBC, Old Mutual and the Bank
of England.
About our Centre
We are an innovative and laboratory-based
teaching and research centre, with an
international reputation for leading-edge,
interdisciplinary work combining economic
and financial modelling with computational
implementation. We are supported by
Essex’s highly rated Department of
Economics, School of Computer Science
and Electronic Engineering, and Essex
Business School.
Our research falls into four
inter-related areas: agent-based
modelling of financial markets, the use
of computational-intelligence methods
for investment decision making,
high frequency finance, and computational
risk management. Our research is geared
towards practical applications, and many
of our academic staff have experience
of applying their findings both in industry
and in advising the UK government.
We place a strong emphasis on empirical
work and make use of high frequency
data both in our research and teaching.
High frequency data is defined as the full
real-time record of all trading activities and
their associated characteristics observed
in an electronic exchange system. These
financial ‘tick-by-tick’ data sets provide
deeper insights into the price formation
process at the micro-level and have been
widely used to study various (theoretical
and empirical) market microstructure
issues, such as price discovery, order
choice behaviour of market participants
and optimal order placement strategy.
We host advanced workshops and
seminars by experts in the area of
computational finance and economics,
so you have the opportunity to attend
lectures given by practitioners, including
senior staff from HSBC, Olsen Ltd, Royal
Bank of Scotland and the Financial
Services Authority.
Taught courses
If you are a high calibre and creative
student from a quantitative discipline (for
example, engineering, physics, computer
science, statistics, mathematics or
quantitative economics/finance), then you
will enjoy our intellectually challenging and
socially vibrant atmosphere. You receive
practical hands-on instruction, with a focus
on problem solving skills, that equips you
for high flying careers.
Our taught courses run for one year on
a full-time basis and consist of taught
modules for the first two semesters,
followed by a dissertation in the summer.
We ensure your study is highly practical
and involves both lectures and hands-on
laboratory sessions in which you have
the opportunity to analyse and model
real-world financial data.
Each of our taught courses is highly
cross-disciplinary and involves some
elements of programming, statistics and
mathematics, with the particular focus
depending on the course you choose.
However we do not assume that you
have prior formal training in finance or
economics, so run an optional pre-sessional
course that provides all your required
foundational material.
MSc Computational Finance•
Our MSc Computational Finance
equips you with the core concepts
and mathematical principles of modern
quantitative finance, plus the operational
skills to use computational packages
(mainly Matlab) for financial modelling.
In addition to traditional topics in
derivatives and asset pricing, we place
a special emphasis on risk management
in a non-Gaussian environment with
extreme events. You have the opportunity
to study methods of non-linear and
evolutionary computational methods
for derivatives pricing and portfolio
management. You graduate with an
understanding of the use of artificial
financial market environments for stress
testing, and the design of auctions and
other financial contracts.
MSc Financial Software Engineering•
This course allows you to attain a high
degree of competence in software
76 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/ccfea | Computational Finance
development, in the area of financial
software engineering, for implementation
in an electronic market environment.
We introduce you to the information and
communication technology and automation
that underpins financial systems, and
you receive training on the structure,
instruments and institutional aspects of
financial markets, banking, payment and
settlement systems. We also have an option
for you to acquire training in quantitative
finance and our case study approach
will familiarise you with financial
software architecture.
Our MSc Financial Software Engineering
should interest you if you have a good first
degree in computer science or engineering,
or a BSc degree that provided a high level
of programming expertise such as C++
and/or .NET. Our training on software
engineering for large, dynamic and
automated financial systems and finance
models, plus the focus software design in
a number of real-world financial systems,
will enable you to be a leader in this field.
MSc High Frequency Finance
and Trading
On this course we equip you with the
core concepts and quantitative methods
in high frequency finance, along with the
operational skills to use state-of-the-art
computational methods for financial
modelling. We enable you to attain an
understanding of financial markets at
the level of individual trades occurring
over sub-millisecond timescales, and
apply this to the development of
real-time approaches to trading and
risk management. In addition to traditional
topics in financial econometrics and
market microstructure theory, we put
special emphasis on statistical and
computational methods for modelling
trading strategies and predictive services
that are deployed by hedge funds,
algorithmic trading groups, derivatives
desks, and risk management departments.
MSc High Frequency Finance and Trading
includes hands-on projects on topics such
as order book analysis, VWAP & TWAP,
pairs trading, statistical arbitrage, and
market impact functions. You have the
opportunity to study the use of financial
market simulators for stress testing trading
strategies, and designing electronic
trading platforms.
Research study
We offer you a vibrant research
environment. Our PhD students publish
papers in prestigious international
conferences and often attract the attention
of industry and government: one of our
PhD students was recently invited to
present their research on term structure
models to the Bank of England, while many
others get the opportunity to directly apply
their research through internships at
investment banks and hedge funds.
Research degrees
Our PhD is a three-year programme with
a strong computational and operational
component that should appeal if your
existing background is in computational
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 77

Computational Finance | www.essex.ac.uk/ccfea
Taught course modules
MSc Computational
Finance
Derivative Securities
Mathematical Research
Techniques using MATLAB
Introduction to Financial
Market Analysis or
Quantitative Finance and
Market Analysis
Learning and Computational
Intelligence in Economics
and Finance
Financial Engineering and
Risk Management
Industry Expert Lectures
in Finance
MSc Financial Software
Engineering
Distributed Computing or
Software Design and
Architecture
Advanced Relational and
Object-Oriented Databases
Underlying Technology in
Financial Systems
Introduction to Financial
Market Analysis
Financial Engineering and Risk
Management
Industry Expert Lectures
in Finance
MSc High Frequency
Finance and Trading
Finance and Empirical Market
Microstructure
Mathematical Research
Techniques using MATLAB
Introduction to Financial
Market Analysis or
Quantitative Methods in
Finance and Trading
Learning and Computational
Intelligence in Economics
and Finance
Introduction to Java with
Application to Simulation
Modelling in Finance and
Economics or Underlying
Technology in Financial
Systems High Frequency
This information is a guide to course
content and is subject to change on
an annual basis.
Academic staff
Nick Constantinou, BSc Reading, MSc
London, PhD Essex (Lecturer) (Essex
Business School)
Maria Fasli, BSc TEI Thessaloniki, PhD
Essex (Senior Lecturer and Head of
School) (School of Computer Science and
Electronic Engineering)
Wing Lon Ng, Dipl Kfm Cologne,
Dr.res.pol Munster (Lecturer) (CCFEA)
Sheri Markose, BA Bombay, MA Delhi,
PhD London (Professor) (Department of
Economics)
Richard Olsen, Licentiate Zurich, MPhil
Oxford, PhD Zurich (Visiting Professor)
(CCFEA)
Steve Phelps, BSc Sussex, PhD
Liverpool (Lecturer) (CCFEA)
Edward Tsang, BBA Hong Kong, MSc
PhD Essex (Professor) (School of
Computer Science and Electronic
Engineering)
Qingfu Zhang, BSc Shanxi, MSc Xidian
(Professor) (School of Computer Science
and Electronic Engineering and
Department of Mathematical Sciences)
78 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/ccfea | Computational Finance
finance. We normally require our applicants
to have a Masters degree at distinction
level in a quantitative discipline, such as
engineering, physics, computer science,
statistics, mathematics or quantitative
economics/finance.
Our PhD students are normally jointly
supervised by academic staff in two of our
constituent departments, in order to give
you an interdisciplinary perspective to your
topic of research.
Research areas
Research supervision is available in the
following fields:
n Agent-based modelling of financial
markets
n Computational risk management
n High frequency finance
n Use of computational intelligence
methods for investment decision
making
Agent-based models of financial markets
view markets as self-organising systems.
By simulating each participant in the market
as an adaptive agent making use of
inductive rules of thumb, we hope to build
more realistic models than traditional
neo-classical models, which assume all
participants in the market are rational
expected-utility optimisers. Agent-based
models have the potential to provide policy
makers and financial institutions with a
powerful interactive tool to find answers
for ‘what if’ questions and to perform ‘wind
tunnel tests’ for market and policy design.
Computational risk management applies
computational methods to option pricing,
interest rate models and credit-risk models.
Our current topics include: group invariant
solutions to the CIR model, pricing options
using FFTs under a mean reverting process
with stochastic volatility and jumps, ZCB
prices in the Vasicek and CIR models,
and solving the Asian option PDE using
lie-symmetry methods.
Lenka Hladova, Slovakia
– BSc Economics ’09,
Graduate Diploma
Economics ’10, MSc
Computational Finance
Student
profile
Our research in high frequency finance
includes developing real-time trading
platforms, as well as deriving new financial
econometric models for real-time data
with a special focus on the asymmetric
behaviour between the supply and demand
sides of the market and the time varying
information set that traders refer to before
submitting their orders. Comprehending
the market conditions under which traders
either demand or supply liquidity leads
to a better understanding of the price
formation process.
I decided to study at
Essex because it was a big
campus-based university, and
offered many courses to choose
from. I have always loved
finance, especially the mathematical and
statistical side of it. MSc Computational
Finance offered me a great selection of
modules which all looked very interesting
and practical.
The teaching in CCFEA is at a very high
level, and all my lectures and laboratories
are brilliant. I really appreciate that all
my lecturers always try to answer our
questions, and to make sure that we
understand. It is also good that they all
know your name and talk with you outside
of your classes, so have given me some
valuable advice about my future and
further career.
I think it is very important to have a good
education, which Essex offers. During
my studies, especially my Masters
within CCFEA, I have realised what I
would love to do in my career. Having a
postgraduate qualification gives me an
edge in the competitive world of work.
My fondest memory of the University
will be all the new people I have
met; I have made very good
friends with people from all
over the world.
Our research on computational intelligence
for investment decision making includes
reinforcement-learning for portfolio
optimisation, the use of grammatical
evolution and genetic programming for
building algorithmic-traders which are able
to detect and exploit patterns in volatility
or other market indicators, the use of
heuristic-optimisation algorithms for
portfolio-optimisation in non-Gaussian
environments with real-world constraints,
and the use of genetic algorithms for
estimation problems with ill-behaved
likelihood functions.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 79

Computer Science | www.essex.ac.uk/csee
Computer Science
We have an international reputation for outstanding quality research and
postgraduate training. Our teaching and research is supported by extensive
networked computer facilities and software aids, together with a wide range
of test and instrumentation equipment.
Taught courses
MSc Computer Science•
MSc Advanced Web Engineering•
MSc Computational Intelligence•
MSc Computer Engineering•
MSc Embedded Systems•
MSc Intelligent Systems and Robotics•
Good honours degree, or equivalent, in
computer science or a related discipline.
Research degrees
Computer Science• MSD, MPhil, PhD
Applied Physics• MSD, MPhil, PhD
Computing and Electronic Systems•
MSD, MPhil, PhD
Electronic Systems Engineering• MSD,
MPhil, PhD
Good honours or Masters degree, or
equivalent, in a relevant discipline.
Fact file
RESEARCH
University of Essex ranked ninth
in the UK for its research.
Computer Science and Informatics
Quality level 4* 3* 2* 1* u/c
% of research activity 15 50 30 5 0
For an explanation, see page 5.
FURTHER INFORMATION
English language requirements:
For all study: IELTS 6.0 or equivalent
(for details, see page 25).
Academic staff: 60
Taught postgraduates: 91
Research postgraduates: 124
For taught courses:
T +44 (0)1206 872438
E pgadmit@essex.ac.uk
For research study:
T +44 (0)1206 874879
E csee@essex.ac.uk
• available part-time
Location:
c Colchester Campus
In addition to the stated entry
requirements, we take into account
industrial or other experience when
assessing an application.
For related programmes which may be of interest, please see:
Computational Finance (page 75)
Electronics and Telecommunications (page 94)
80 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/csee | Computer Science
Why study computer
science at Essex?
n
n
n
n
n
One of the UK’s leading Schools of
Computer Science and Electronic
Engineering
Ranked eleventh in the UK in the
most recent Research Assessment
Exercise (RAE, December 2008)
Long-standing reputation for
telecommunications and a centre
of excellence in networking
Cutting-edge research in photonic
networks, network services,
pervasive computing, multimedia
and optoelectronics
Thriving academic community
with staff from over eleven
countries and students from
all over the world
Career prospects
Studying within our School
provides both the recent graduate
and the practising engineer with
the opportunity to gain new skills
or enhance existing ones. Our
MSc courses, in addition to
providing advanced training,
also form a natural progression
to postgraduate research.
Our graduates have progressed
to a variety of senior positions in
industry and academia. Some of
the companies and organisations
where our former graduates
are now employed include:
Electronic Data Systems, Pfizer
Pharmaceuticals, Bank of Mexico,
Visa International, Hyperknowledge
(Cambridge), Hellenic Air
Force, ICSS (Beijing), United
Microelectronic Corporation
(Taiwan) and within our University.
About our School
We have an international reputation
for outstanding quality research and
postgraduate training. Our teaching
and research is supported by extensive
networked computer facilities and software
aids, together with a wide range of test
and instrumentation equipment.
Our research activity is concentrated in
the following principal research areas:
audio and video networking, multimedia
architectures and applications, photonics,
and RF engineering and propagation.
Cross-disciplinary projects draw on the
expertise of our electronic engineers,
computer scientists, mathematicians,
physicists and psychologists.
Our impressive external research funding
stands at over £4 million. We participate in
a number of EU initiatives and undertake
projects under contract to many outside
bodies, including government and industrial
organisations. For example, Professor
Martin Henson has recently secured
a £400,000 grant to investigate how
intelligent inhabited environments can be
adapted for different types of buildings.
In addition, Professor Dimitra Simeonidou,
along with other partners, has been
awarded Engineering and Physical
Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
funding of £7.2 million to pioneer
technologies that will transform the internet,
as growing demands are stretching the
original network to its limits. This major
project aims to radically transform the
infrastructure underpinning today’s
over-stretched network.
Alongside this, Dr Martin Reed has secured
a PMI2 (Prime Minister’s Initiative for
International Education) Connect award
to build links between Essex and
Northwestern University in the United
States. His project explores high
performance network testbeds and will
provide mobility for our students, through
internships, placements and exchanges.
Taught courses
All our MSc courses have British Computer
Society (BCS) accreditation which is
recognised worldwide. Our taught courses
provide a thorough and up-to-date
knowledge of the theory, methods and
applications of computer science, while
allowing you to specialise in the fields of
your choice. Each course has a set of core
components, that can be combined with
optional modules, to enable you to gain
either in-depth specialisation or a breadth
of understanding across several topics.
MSc Computer Science•
This course will give you the greatest
flexibility to familiarise yourself with the
areas of computing that interest you most.
You will be able to choose from a range of
modules that encompass agent-based and
multi-agent systems, machine learning,
pattern recognition, distributed information
management systems, embedded systems,
robotics, evolutionary computation,
theoretical computer science, formal
methods and many more.
Our graduates have achieved success in a
variety of professions. Many have pursued
careers in computing and information
technology, while others have gone on to
work in research organisations or become
university academics.
MSc Advanced Web Engineering•
Our MSc Advanced Web Engineering
reflects how web applications continue to
revolutionise the way modern enterprises
conduct their business, both internally and
externally. We educate you in the design
and construction of web and e-commerce
applications, and develop your
understanding of current trends in this
rapidly-evolving area. You acquire skills in
using cutting-edge technologies including
distributed computing, software design,
object databases, XML, Web Services, JSP,
ASP.NET, MVC frameworks and AJAX.
Graduates can work in a wide range of
web-application and commerce-related
companies.
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Computer Science | www.essex.ac.uk/csee
MSc Computational Intelligence•
Computational intelligence deals with the
theory, design, application, and development
of biologically, socially and linguistically
motivated computational paradigms.
There is emphasis on genetic algorithms,
evolutionary programming, fuzzy systems,
neural networks, connectionist systems,
and hybrid intelligent systems in which
these paradigms are contained. Our unique
MSc Computational Intelligence covers the
theoretical, applied and practical aspects
of this.
You will focus on linking computational
intelligence techniques to real-world
applications and projects, including
computational intelligence in business
and financial applications, computational
intelligence in games, computational
intelligence in biological sciences and
medicine, and computational intelligence
in industrial control. We recently launched
the Computational Intelligence Centre to
further our existing reputation as a world
class centre of excellence in this subject.
Upon graduation, you will be trained
in computational intelligence and its
applications, which will open employment in:
software companies designing intelligent
software; banks and businesses designing
intelligent prediction and modelling systems
for various processes in their institutions;
computer games companies designing
intelligent adaptive games; pharmaceutical
companies designing intelligent systems
that model the given drug and its various
interactions; and heavy industries (like
oil, steel, chemical and car) designing
intelligent modelling and control systems.
MSc Computer Engineering•
Computer engineering encompasses
the principles, methods, and modern
tools for the design and implementation
of computing systems. Advances in
technology are yielding smaller and
higher-performance computer systems
permeating into a wide range of
applications, from communication systems
to consumer products and common
household appliances. Our MSc Computer
Engineering is the first in the UK and
provides a balanced perspective of both
Staff and their research interests
Victor Callaghan, BEng PhD Sheffield
(Professor)
Inhabited intelligent environments;
ambient intelligence; pervasive computing;
affective computing; robotics; end-user
programming; smart classrooms;
mixed-reality systems; socio-technical
science
Martin Colley, BSc London, PhD Essex
(Senior Lecturer)
Robotics; distributed simulation; computer
architecture; fault tolerance; parallel
real-time systems
Amnon H Eden, MSc PhD Tel Aviv
(Lecturer)
Software design; the philosophy of
computer science; object-oriented
programming; artificial intelligence
Maria Fasli, BSc TEI Thessaloniki, PhD
Essex (Senior Lecturer and Head of
School)
Agents and multi-agent systems; agent
theories; electronic markets and strategic
behaviour; planning and reasoning about
action; web search assistants; web service
discovery and composition; trust
management; agent-oriented software
engineering
Chris Fox, BSc MSc PhD Essex (Reader)
Computational semantics; source code
analysis; business process modelling
John Gan, BSc NPU, MSc PhD SEU
(Professor)
Data modelling and prediction; data fusion;
brain-computer interfaces; robotic vision
and control
Dongbing Gu, BSc MSc BIT, China, PhD
Essex (Reader)
Multi-agent systems; wireless sensor
networks; distributed control algorithms;
distributed information fusion; cooperative
control; reinforcement learning; fuzzy logic
and neural network based motion control;
model predictive control
Hani Hagras, BSc MSc Alexandria, PhD
Essex (Professor)
Machine learning; genetic and
evolutionary computing; fuzzy logic; neural
networks; robotics; pattern recognition;
multi-embedded agent systems;
intelligent buildings
Martin Henson, BSc Southampton,
MSc Essex, PGCE CNAA (Professor)
Logics of specification languages;
logics of program development;
theories of operation and data
refinement; constructive theories
for program development
Huosheng Hu, MSc Central South, PhD
Oxford, CEng MIEE SMIEEE MAAAI
MIAS MACM (Professor)
Human-centred robotics; human-robot
interaction; sensor, integration and data
fusion algorithms; multi-agent
co-operation and co-evolution; embedded
systems and networked robots
Udo Kruschwitz, Diplom-Informatiker
Humboldt Universität Berlin, PhD Essex
(Senior Lecturer)
Intelligent web search; information
retrieval; knowledge extraction; natural
language processing; query log analysis
Simon Lucas, BSc Kent, PhD
Southampton (Professor)
Artificial intelligence and games; machine
learning; evolutionary computation
Klaus McDonald-Maier, Dipl.-Ing. Ulm,
MS Lyon, Dr.rer.nat. Jena, PGCHE Kent,
SMIEEE FIET (Professor)
Embedded systems and system-on-chip
(SoC) design, development support and
technology to increase performance and
reliability; advanced computer
architectures offering vast processing
power for robotics, image processing and
other real-time critical applications;
application of AI for real world problems
and robot control
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www.essex.ac.uk/csee | Computer Science
hardware and software elements of
computing systems, and their relative
design trade-offs and applications. It will
build on your knowledge in mathematics,
science, and engineering to ensure you
have a sound foundation. Laboratory
experiences enable you to understand
experimental design and simulation
techniques. We are internationally leading
in this and you will have access to unique
computer engineering platforms including
our intelligent Flat (iSpace), Robotics Arena
and networked intelligent campus
(iCampus), in addition to advanced
networking and multimedia labs.
Upon graduation, you can look for
employment in: heavy industries (like
oil, steel, chemical and car) designing
advanced computer systems and control;
hardware companies designing and
developing microprocessors, personal
computers, and supercomputers;
communication and mobile phone
companies designing advanced computer
systems for communications systems; large
computer and microelectronics companies
writing software and firmware for
embedded microcontrollers, and designing
VLSI chips, analog sensors, mixed signal
circuit boards, and operating systems;
embedded system companies developing
advanced computer systems, and mobile
applications and phones; banks and
businesses designing intelligent distributed
systems to serve their operations; and
computer games companies designing
advanced computer games.
MSc Embedded Systems•
Embedded system technology is underlying
the ever more capable electronic and
computing systems that we use in our
daily lives, ranging from cars and mobile
telephones to washing machines and
aeroplanes. This major growth area has a
large and increasing industry demand for
engineers and computer scientists who
possess in-depth expertise in embedded
systems, so we equip you with the advanced
knowledge to work in all aspects of this.
You develop practical skills in the design,
programming and interfacing of embedded
Ramaswamy Palaniappan, BE MEngSc
PhD Malaya, MIEE MIEEE MBMES
(Lecturer)
Biological signal analysis; biometrics;
brain-computer interface; genetic
algorithm; neural network
Massimo Poesio, Laurea Torino, PhD
Rochester (Reader)
Natural language processing; semantics
and pragmatics; text mining and ontology
learning; anaphora resolution; corpora and
corpus annotation tools; computational
psycholinguistics
Riccardo Poli, Laurea Elec Eng PhD
Florence (Professor)
Genetic programming; evolutionary
computation; swarm intelligence; theory
and applications
Jerome Robinson, BSc MSc London,
MSc CNAA, PGCE Leeds (Lecturer)
Data extraction from web pages;
embedded processor systems
implementation
Paul Scott, MA Oxford, MSc London,
DPhil Sussex (Senior Lecturer)
Machine learning; data mining; applied
artificial intelligence
Francisco Sepulveda, BSc California
Santa Barbara, MSc Clemson, PhD
Unicamp (Br) (Reader)
Brain-computer interfaces; biomedical
signals and systems; computational
neuroscience; computational intelligence;
affective computing
Sam Steel, BA Cambridge, PhD
Edinburgh (Senior Lecturer)
Artificial intelligence; planning; logical
aspects of artificial intelligence; agency,
explaining behaviour and rational
behaviour
Edward Tsang, BBA Hong Kong, MSc
PhD Essex (Professor)
Applied artificial intelligence;
computational finance; economics and
management; evolutionary computation;
heuristic search; constraint satisfaction;
scheduling
Ray Turner, BSc MA PhD London
(Professor)
Mathematical logic; theoretical computer
science
Alexei Vernitski, BSc MSc Ural State,
PhD Essex (Lecturer) (Joint appointment
with the Department of Mathematical
Sciences)
Computability and algorithmic complexity;
applications of graph theory and algebra
to computer science
Norbert Völker, Dipl-Math Bochum,
Dr-Ing FernUniversitaet Hagen (Senior
lecturer)
Formal methods; theorem proving and its
applications; software system verification
Qingfu Zhang, BSc Shanxi, MSc PhD
Xidian (Professor) (Joint appointment with
the Department of Mathematical Sciences)
Neural networks; evolutionary
computation; data mining; mathematical
programming; telecommunication network
Staff in our School whose interests are primarily in
electronics and telecommunications are listed on
page 97.
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Computer Science | www.essex.ac.uk/csee
Taught course modules
All on our taught Masters
courses take the following
modules:
Professional Practice and
Research Methodology
Individual Project and
Dissertation
MSc Computer
Science
Group Project
Plus six approved additional
modules
You may study one of the
approved themes or make
a guided selection
The available themes are:
Artificial Intelligence
and Agents
Constraint Satisfaction for
Decision Making
Machine Learning and
Data Mining
Plus four from:
Human-Machine Interaction
XML and Related
Technologies
Software Design and
Architecture
Pervasive Computing and
Ambient Intelligence
Mathematical Research
Techniques Using MATLAB
Neural and Evolutionary
Computation
Development of Large
Software Systems
Generic Programming and
its Applications
Natural Language Engineering
Fuzzy Logic and Hybrid
Systems
Computer Vision
Distributed Information
Management Systems
Advanced Relational
and Object-Oriented
Databases
Distributed Computing
Pervasive Computing and
Ambient Intelligence
Plus three from:
Machine Learning and
Data Mining
Development of Large
Software Systems
E-Commerce Programming
XML and Related
Technologies
Constraint Satisfaction
for Decision Making
Software Design and
Architecture
Mathematical Research
Techniques using MATLAB
Human-Machine Interaction
Generic Programming and
its Applications
Natural Language Engineering
Fuzzy Logic and Hybrid
Systems
Software Engineering
Advanced Relational and
Object-Oriented Databases
Software Design and
Architecture
Plus three from:
Human-Machine Interaction
Distributed Computing
XML and Related
Technologies
Constraint Satisfaction for
Decision Making
Pervasive Computing and
Ambient Intelligence
Machine Learning and
Data Mining
E-Commerce Programming
Natural Language Engineering
MSc Advanced
Web Engineering
E-Commerce Programming
Distributed Computing
Software Design and
Architecture
Group Project
Plus two from:
Advanced Relational and
Object-Oriented Databases
XML and Related
Technologies
Constraint Satisfaction
for Decision Making
Agent Technology for
E-Commerce
MSc Computational
Intelligence
Machine Learning and Data
Mining
Heuristic and Evolutionary
Computation
Artificial Neural Networks
Fuzzy Logic Control and
Hybrid Systems
Plus one from:
Genetic Programming
and its Applications
Constraint Satisfaction
for Decision Making
Intelligent Systems
and Robotics
Global Project Management
Execution, Monitoring, Control
and Closure
The Management of
Information
Learning and Computational
Intelligence in Economics
and Finance
Computational Modelling
in Finance and Economy
Financial Engineering and
Risk Management
High Frequency Finance
and Empirical Market
Micro-Structure
Introduction to Financial
Market Analysis
MSc Computer
Engineering
Distributed Computing
Programming Embedded
Systems
Embedded Systems
Co-design
Converged Networks
and Services or Mobile
Communications
Digital Signal Process
Plus two from:
Advanced Embedded
System Design
Human-Machine Interaction
Heuristic and Evolutionary
Computation
Constraint Satisfaction for
Decision Making
Fuzzy Logic and Hybrid
Systems
Advanced Relational and
Object-Oriented Databases
Genetic Programming and
its Applications
MSc Embedded Systems
Advanced Embedded Systems
Design
Digital Signal Processing
Programming Embedded
Systems
Group Project
Plus three from:
Human-Machine Interaction
Distributed Computing
Constraint Satisfaction for
Decision Making
Pervasive Computing and
Ambient Intelligence
Heuristic and Evolutionary
Computation
Embedded Systems Co-Design
Fuzzy Logic and Hybrid
Systems
MSc Intelligent Systems
and Robotics
Intelligent Systems and
Robotics
Machine Learning and
Data Mining
Programming Embedded
Systems
Computer Vision
Group Project
Plus two from:
Human-Machine Interaction
Constraint Satisfaction for
Decision Making
Pervasive Computing and
Ambient Intelligence
Heuristic and Evolutionary
Computation
Embedded Systems
Co-Design
Natural Language Engineering
Fuzzy Logic and Hybrid
Systems
This information is a guide to course
content and is subject to change on
an annual basis.
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www.essex.ac.uk/csee | Computer Science
processors, as well as an understanding of
current applications, technological trends
and their potential impact on systems of the
future. We have an international reputation
for research in this field, so maintain well
equipped laboratories through our links
with industrial partners. This enables us
to offer you instruction in a range of
topics including (but not restricted to)
hardware/software co-design, task
oriented programming, systems integration,
middleware, networking, human computer
interfaces, embedded agents, and the
embedded internet.
MSc Intelligent Systems and Robotics•
This course will give you skills that are
in high demand from both the academic
research community and a range of
industrial companies working in these
areas. We provide a comprehensive
coverage of contemporary intelligent
systems, with robots serving as a major
example of the technology. Thanks to the
leading research being undertaken in our
School, you gain a solid understanding of
the foundations of this technology, ranging
from the principles by which sensed data
are converted into useful information to
the practical aspects of developing
intelligent and robotic systems, but we
also offer a range of options which cover
state-of-the-art modern techniques.
These directly reflect research directions
in our School, including biologically-inspired
robots, biometrics, or computational
intelligence.
Postgraduate Diplomas with English
If your first degree requires additional
technical experience for direct entry onto
our MSc courses, we offer two full-time,
nine-month Diplomas, in Electronic
Engineering with English for Academic
Purposes and in Computer Science with
English for Academic Purposes. If you
obtain a Diploma with Merit or Distinction,
you can automatically register for one of
our MSc courses.
Research study
Our PhD students study in an environment
of active research on the leading edge
of telecommunications, networking and
electronics. Members of our School
are successful in attracting research
grants from both UK and European
funding bodies.
Our PhD students are encouraged
to publish and present their papers at
internationally renowned conferences.
Recently, our research students have
been organising their own successful
conference, CEEC10, which attracted
research students from many other
universities. This conference provided
experience in presenting papers and
Robotics work in our School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering
gave our students the opportunity to
network with fellow researchers.
About our research degrees
Our research degrees are programmes
of advanced study and research. As well
as our PhD, which nominally takes three
years, we also offer an MPhil, which take
two years, and an MSc by dissertation,
which takes one year. Furthermore, we
have a PhD via our ‘integrated programme’
which takes four years and involves a year’s
MSc study before commencing your
research itself.
Studying for your PhD involves
person-to-person interaction with
your supervisor, who will guide you in
developing your chosen research topic,
refine your research skills, and advise you
in capitalising on the technical knowledge
you already have from your taught degree.
Supervisors often keep in touch with their
PhD graduates throughout their careers,
and may work on scientific collaborations
with them after they finish their doctorate.
Our PhD graduates generally go on to
pursue careers as academics or as
researchers in industry.
MSc Intelligent Systems and Robotics
is delivered by a our team of
internationally-recognised researchers,
with expertise spanning the entire range
of intelligent systems and experience of
developing robots intended for land, under
water and in the air. Research carried out
by our team has resulted in appearance
in the Robot Soccer World Cup final, an
autonomous robot fish in the London
Aquarium, a self-programming computer
vision system, and many others.
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Computer Science | www.essex.ac.uk/csee
Although you will become an expert in a
specific area, your PhD will also develop
your appreciation of the research
methodology and experimental skills
appropriate to your topic, and develop the
high-level research skills listed below:
n the ability to recognise and validate
problems;
n original, independent and critical
thinking, and the ability to develop
theoretical concepts;
n knowledge of recent advances within
your field and in related areas;
n an understanding of relevant research
methodologies and techniques and
their appropriate application within
your research field;
n the ability to critically analyse and
evaluate you findings and those of
others; and
n an ability to summarise, document,
report and reflect on progress.
We have a number of studentships and
bursaries available, however these are
highly competitive, and the total number
is limited. You should state very clearly on
your application form whether you have
your own private funding, funding from
a sponsor (such as your government), or
whether you wish to apply for a scholarship
from our University. We also employ a
number of our PhD students as Graduate
Teaching Assistants and Laboratory
Assistants on a part-time basis. As well
as earning extra income, you gain valuable
experience of communicating your subject
in a learning environment.
Research areas
Research in our School covers a range
of topics, from materials science and
semiconductor device physics, to the
theory of computation and the philosophy
of computer science. Most of our groups
are based around research laboratories,
many of which offer world-class facilities.
Research supervision is available in
the following fields:
n
Analogue and digital systems
architectures
Swathi Kantharaja,
Bangalore, India –
MSc Computer Science ’11
Graduate
profile
n Artificial intelligence
n Brain computer interfaces
n Computational intelligence
n Data communications and networking
n Design and construction of ultrafast
systems for Terahertz studies
n Educational technology
n E-learning
n Embedded systems
n Human-computer interfaces
n Intelligent inhabited environments
n Mathematics, statistics and numerical
methods
n Mixed reality
n Natural and evolutionary computation
n Natural language engineering
I decided to study at Essex
because of the University’s
reputation for being
internationally diverse, as well
as being a forerunner in the field
of computer science offering numerous
combinations of modules. I wanted to
study computer science to further my
prior knowledge and experience, as
it is an extremely innovative topic.
I really enjoyed living as part of a
community on campus; there was a
vibrant and friendly atmosphere. The
facilities on offer, especially in the library,
are state-of-the-art and helped immensely
with my learning. I also loved the
surrounding areas, including the lake,
as this is very beautiful. Finally, having
a place such as the Happy Days diner,
which gave us somewhere to congregate
and eat together, allowed me to see all of
my friends.
I feel that the modules I studied have
prepared me extremely well for working
as a software developer, as they are all
relevant to the present world. I really
enjoyed my time at Essex and I would
definitely recommend it to
prospective students,
especially those considering
studying abroad.
n Optical and semiconductor devices
n Optimisation and constraint satisfaction
n Radio, radar and electromagnetics
n Robotics
n Semiconductors: theory and experiment
n Signal processing
n Software agents
n Software engineering
n Theoretical computer science
n THz spectroscopy of molecules
n Video, image processing and
computer vision
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www.essex.ac.uk/economics | Economics
Economics
We have an international reputation for the outstanding quality of our research and
graduate training. We were ranked joint third in the UK in the last RAE, reflecting
our well-established international reputation for excellence.
Taught courses
MSc Economics•†
MSc Accounting and Financial
Economics•
MSc Applied Economics and Data
Analysis•
MSc Economics and Econometrics†
MSc Financial and Business Economics•
MSc Financial Economics
MSc Financial Economics and
Econometrics
MSc International Economics•
MSc Management Economics
Upper second class honours degree
in economics or a related discipline.
For students with a first degree in a
subject other than economics, or whose
economics training does not provide
sufficient technical experiences for
direct entry on to an MSc, we offer
two full-time Diplomas.
Research degrees
Economics MPhil, PhD† (three-year
degree)
A good honours first degree in economics,
normally an upper second, or equivalent,
and a good performance in MA/MSc
Economics, or equivalent. A well-developed
research degree proposal is also essential.
Economics PhD† (four-year degree)
A good first degree in economics, normally
upper second class or equivalent.
Fact file
RESEARCH
University of Essex ranked ninth
in the UK for its research.
Economics and Econometrics
Department of Economics ranked third
in the UK.
Quality level 4* 3* 2* 1* u/c
% of research activity 40 55 5 0 0
For an explanation, see page 5.
FURTHER INFORMATION
English language requirements:
For all study: IELTS 6.5 or equivalent
(for details, see page 25).
Academic staff: 35
Taught postgraduates: 120
Research postgraduates: 70
For taught courses:
T +44 (0)1206 872647
E pgecon@essex.ac.uk
For research study:
T +44 (0)1206 872726
E pgecon@essex.ac.uk
• available part-time
† ESRC accreditation
Location:
c Colchester Campus
For related programmes which may be of interest, please see:
Applied Social and Economic Research (page 55)
Biological Sciences (page 66)
Computational Finance (page 75)
Essex Business School (page 100)
Politics (page 176)
Sociology (page 195)
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 87

Economics | www.essex.ac.uk/economics
Why study economics
at Essex?
n
n
n
n
n
One of the UK’s leading
Departments of Economics
Ranked joint third in the UK in the
most recent Research Assessment
Exercise (RAE, December 2008)
Part of our University’s accredited
Doctoral Training Centre of the
Economic and Social Research
Council (ESRC), with a number of
ESRC studentships available for
new postgraduates
Thriving academic community with
staff from over ten countries and
students from all over the world
Several staff elected to leadership
roles in learned societies and
editors of leading economics
journals
Career prospects
With the skills and knowledge you
acquire from studying within our
Department, you will be in demand
from a wide range of employers.
We have excellent links with the
research community, both in the
UK and worldwide, and strong ties
with the business/consultancy
world, especially in London and
other major financial centres.
Our graduates have achieved
success in a variety of professions.
Many pursue careers in banking
and finance, government ministries
and NGOs. Some have careers in
research organisations or become
university academics.
Examples of the jobs you may do
after graduating are: statistician;
economist in a bank or other
financial organisation; official in
a regulatory agency; business or
financial analyst; economic analyst
or advisor; financial, management
or economic consultant; managerial
position; and government official.
About our Department
We have an international reputation for
the outstanding quality of our research and
graduate training.
The top quality of our work is reflected in
our stream of publications in high profile
academic journals like Economic Journal,
Journal of Econometrics, American
Economic Journal and Journal of the
European Economic Association.
Essex economists are engaged in a variety
of research networks and collaborate
with economists in the UK and overseas.
Much of our research is related to policy
and we often provide advice to government
and non-government organisations. We also
aim to apply economic methods in new and
original ways. One example is Professor
Andrea Galeotti’s research on the diffusion
of information through social networks,
another is Professor Marco Francesconi’s
work on how resource allocation takes
place within the family.
We have expertise in a range of
research fields such as: macroeconomics
and general equilibrium; international
trade and economic development;
industrial organisation; labour economics,
the economics of the family; applied
econometrics, and panel data methods.
Our MSc courses draw on these research
strengths, and include a dissertation
individually supervised by an expert
in your field.
Our interdisciplinary PhD programme
provides progression that includes
advanced economic methods and data
analysis, with links to research programmes
in our Institute of Economic and Social
and Economic Research and other social
science departments at Essex.
In 2010, the Nobel Prize for Economic
Sciences was awarded to Professor
Christopher Pissarides, who did his Masters
and undergraduate degree with us. Like
many of our alumni, he retains close links
with our staff and other Essex graduates.
Taught courses
Our MSc courses provide a thorough and
up-to-date training in the theory, methods
and applications of modern economics.
Our taught courses allow you to specialise
in the fields of your choice and each has a
set of core components that can be
combined with optional modules to enable
you to gain either in-depth specialisation or
a breadth of understanding across several
topics. Some of our courses have ESRC
Doctoral Training Centre accreditation,
meaning they can form part of 1+3 funding
opportunities worth up to £18,000 each for
talented postgraduates.
MSc Economics•†
Our popular flagship course provides an
advanced understanding in techniques of
economic analysis. It is widely recognised
as a route into PhD studies at Essex
and other universities. One module,
Microeconomics, provides a rigorous
training in key areas such as strategic
behaviour, public choice and general
equilibrium, while Macroeconomics covers
modern theory and methods with
applications to policy.
Key employability skills include analytical
reasoning, model building, mathematical
techniques, evaluation of mathematical
models, econometrics and statistics, and
data analysis.
MSc Accounting and Financial
Economics•
Are you interested in studying within our
highly ranked Department and the well
respected Essex Business School? This
joint course offers compulsory modules
evenly split between both. Economics
modules cover mathematical methods
and the analysis of financial markets.
Essex Business School modules include
Management Accounting Issues in Financial
Reporting, so you gain in-depth knowledge
of the use of accounting information in
organisational control and decision making,
plus the use of financial statements and the
problems of measurement and disclosure.
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www.essex.ac.uk/economics | Economics
Graduates are well placed for success
in decision making in the interface between
economics and accounting. Key skills
include analytical reasoning, mathematical
methods and the evaluation of business
accounts.
MSc Applied Economics and
Data Analysis•
We run this course jointly with our Institute
for Social and Economic Research (ISER),
which specialises in the analysis of
household and labour market data. Our
MSc Applied Economics and Data Analysis
has a data-orientated, applied focus.
One compulsory module (taught by ISER)
is Panel Data Methods, which introduces
the main techniques used in the analysis
of panel data, the specification of models,
and the tests of their validity. It includes
methods for analysing persistence over
time in economic variables, for example the
duration of an individual’s unemployment
spell. Another core module, Applications
of Data Analysis, focuses on handling
different types of datasets, on survey
methodology and sampling frames, and
on how to deal with problems of response
rates and attrition. These modules provide
the tools for analysing and implementing
some of the models that are presented in
theory modules, like Microeconomics.
macroeconomics, while Empirical Methods
of Economics and Finance introduces you
to techniques for analysing stock market
and other financial data. These modules
combine to equip you for further study at
doctoral level or for a dynamic career in
economic or business research.
MSc Financial and Business Economics•
Careers in business and finance often
require an economic approach, which our
MSc Financial and Business Economics
provides by allowing you to study the
economical principles that are at the heart
of finance and business, and to develop
an awareness of their applications.
One compulsory module, Topics in Financial
Economics, covers a variety of topics in
corporate finance and looks closely at two
broad questions: (i) how to raise funds to
maintain the activity of the firm?, and, (ii)
who should control the firm? You start
with asset pricing algebra, and defining
debt and equity in the firm as basic
options, leading up to the Modigliani-Miller
irrelevance theorems. You graduate with
key employability skills like numeracy and
ICT knowledge, research skills, information
and communication skills, and the ability
to evaluate trends in business and finance.
MSc Financial Economics
Are you interested in finance and its
economic foundations? The emphasis
of this course is on ways economic
reasoning can inform and illuminate
the financial decision making of investors
and the financial choices made by firms.
You gain key skills in the analysis of
complex financial data.
Your compulsory modules in Economics of
Financial Markets and Topics in Financial
Economics give you the chance to gain
a broad understanding of financial
economics. In particular, Economics of
Financial Markets studies the notions of
risk and return in equity markets, both in
the context of asset pricing and in the
management of equity portfolios. In addition
to key employability skills like numeracy
and ICT knowledge, information and
communication, you acquire a deep
knowledge how financial markets work
and how to analyse them.
MSc Financial Economics
and Econometrics
This specialised course includes
in-depth theoretical and applied aspects
of econometrics to complement subjects
in financial markets and corporate finance.
MSc Economics and Econometrics†
Would you like to undertake advanced
study in quantitative analysis in an
environment of research excellence? This
popular course emphasises the foundations
of econometrics and its application to
a wide range of topics in economics.
Among the compulsory modules, Estimation
and Inference in Econometrics provides the
statistical foundation for a variety of ways
of testing economic hypotheses. We span
topics from the classical linear regression
model, to the use of asymptotic methods
in econometrics and classical hypothesis
tests. Time Series Econometrics provides
methods for analysing the dynamic
processes that are often found in
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 89

Economics | www.essex.ac.uk/economics
Taught course modules
MSc Economics
Microeconomics
Macroeconomics
Mathematical Methods
Econometric Methods and
Applications
Three optional modules
MSc Accounting and
Financial Economics
MSc Economics and
Econometrics
Microeconomics
Macroeconomics
Time Series Econometrics
Estimation and Inference in
Econometrics
Empirical Methods in
Economics and Finance
Two optional modules
MSc Financial Economics
and Econometrics
Economics of Financial
Markets
Topics in Financial Economics
Time Series Econometrics
Estimation and Inference
in Econometrics
Empirical Methods of
Economics and Finance
Two optional modules
All taught courses include a dissertation
which must be on an approved topic.
This information is a guide to course
content and is subject to change on
an annual basis.
Economics of Financial
Markets
Issues in Financial Reporting
Management Accounting
Mathematical Methods
Three optional modules
MSc Applied Economics
and Data Analysis
Microeconomics
Mathematical Methods
Panel Data Methods
Applications of Data Analysis
Either Econometric Methods
and Applications or
Estimation and Inference in
Econometrics
Two optional modules
MSc Financial and
Business Economics
Economics of Financial
Markets
Topics in Financial Economics
Theory of Industrial
Organisation
Mathematical Methods
Econometric Methods and
Applications
Two optional modules
MSc Financial Economics
Economics of Financial
Markets
Topics in Financial Economics
Mathematical Methods
Econometric Methods and
Applications
Empirical Methods of
Economics and Finance
Two optional modules
MSc International
Economics
International Trade Theory
International Finance
Mathematical Methods
Econometric Methods and
Applications
Three optional modules
MSc Management
Economics
Microeconomics
Mathematical Methods
Theory of Industrial
Organisation
Economics of Organisational
Management
Three optional modules
Optional modules
These are examples of the
optional modules you can take,
subject to the agreement of our
Graduate Director.
Applications of Data Analysis
Economic Development
Theory
Economics of Financial
Markets
Economics of Organisational
Management
Empirical Methods of
Economics and Finance
Game Theory and Applications
International Finance
International Trade Theory
Panel Data Methods
Theory of Industrial
Organisation
Time Series Econometrics
Topics in Financial Economics
Topics in Labour Economics
Topics in Public Economics
Trade and Development
90 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/economics | Economics
In one compulsory module, Estimation
and Inference in Econometrics, you gain
a thorough understanding of the principles
of estimation and inference in econometrics
enabling you to justify, or criticise where
appropriate, the use of particular
econometric methods of estimation and
inference. You learn how these methods
are applied to the analysis of financial
market data in another core module,
Empirical Methods of Economics and
Finance. You also see the economic
rationale for different approaches in
modules like Economics of Financial
Markets and Topics in Financial Economics.
These equip you with the right combination
of skills for rigorous analysis to underpin
high-level policy advice or decision making
in the fast moving financial sector.
MSc International Economics•†
Would you like to develop expertise
in theoretical and applied issues of
international economic relations? This
course gives you such knowledge, plus
a critical awareness of the integration
of theory, data, and analysis in relation
to international economics.
A core module, International Trade Theory,
covers trade models under different
economic settings and with different
market structures. You examine their
implications for patterns of trade
and trade policies such as tariffs and
quotas. This provides insights into trade
negotiations like the WTO and preferential
trade agreements. You also study
International Finance, which deals with
macroeconomic adjustment, exchange
rates and the balance of payments
when capital markets are integrated
across the globe. Together these give
you an overview of the causes and effects
of globalisation in the world economy,
with applications to issues such as foreign
direct investment. This course equips you
with the skills for a career in international
organisations engaged in business
and finance, or in government and
non-governmental organisations
concerned with global development.
MSc Management Economics
This course trains you to use economics in
managerial decisions and in the analysing
of strategic interactions among firms. We
combine theory and applications to provide
you with a unique combination of business
knowledge and economic skills.
Your core module, Economics of
Organisational Management, is just one
compulsory module that allows you to get
a formal understanding of the basics of
contract theory, incentive theory, and the
theory of the firm, and how to apply these
to real world management decision making.
This is linked to another core module,
Theory of Industrial Organisation, which
focuses on interaction between firms in
different market structures and how
strategic interactions can affect sales and
profitability. You gain logical thinking skills
and are able to discuss economic theory
in plain language, relating it to managerial
decisions and market intelligence.
Our September Mathematics/Statistics
Programme
We run this intensive programme for our
new students in the three weeks prior
to the start of the academic year. If you
are about to undertake any of our MSc
courses, or have been admitted to the first
year of our four-year doctoral programme,
this course will familiarise you with the
techniques of calculus, linear algebra and
elementary statistics.
Diplomas
We offer two full-time, nine-month
Diplomas, in Economics and in Economics
with English for Academic Purposes. If you
obtain a Diploma with Merit or Distinction,
you can automatically register for
one of our MSc courses, so over the
two years gain a thorough training in
economics principles and practice.
Research study
Essex has been awarded one of only
21 ESRC-accredited Doctoral Training
Centres in the UK. This official recognition
of our research training means we can
offer fully-funded ESRC studentships
for a variety of doctoral pathways, of
which economics and econometrics,
and economics and social research
are the most prominent.
Our PhD students study in an environment
of active research on the leading edge of
economics. Recently, one member of staff
was awarded more than £20,000 from the
European Commission to study intellectual
property rights (IPRs), while another leads
a team given almost £100,000 from the
ESRC to develop a trading network
games project.
The research of our PhD students often
attracts attention. In November 2010,
at the ICT and Economic Growth
Conference in Germany, one PhD student
was awarded the best conference paper
prize for his work on the role of education
in households. Working with a former
member of staff, another student analysed
the effects of TV chef Jamie Oliver’s school
dinners on student achievement. These
findings were reported in the media and a
paper is to be published in the Journal of
Health Economics.
About our research degrees
Our PhD is a structured three-year
programme of advanced study and
research. We also offer an MPhil, a
two-year programme. If you wish to
undertake a PhD but are not sufficiently
qualified, you may be offered our MSc
and PhD (four-year programme), where
progression to your PhD is conditional on
successful completion of your MSc.
There are two entry levels to our PhD:
n
n
students with good first degrees
(BA or BSc, or equivalent) enter the
four-year programme, the first year
of which is study at MSc level; or
students with a good MSc or MA
degree (or equivalent) in economics
enter directly to our three-year PhD.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 91

Economics | www.essex.ac.uk/economics
Staff and their research interests
Rossella Argenziano, Laurea MA
Naples, MA MPhil PhD Yale (Lecturer)
Microeconomic theory; game theory;
industrial organisation
Roy Bailey, BA MA Essex (Reader)
Monetary economics; financial economics;
economic history; futures markets analysis
Alison L Booth, MSc PhD LSE
(Professor)
Labour economics; training and education
economics; personnel economics;
microeconomics
Holger Breinlich, BSc MSc Mannheim,
PhD LSE (Lecturer)
International trade; economic geography;
applied econometrics
Carlos Carrillo Tudela, MSc PhD Essex
(Lecturer)
Labour economics; search and matching
theory; macroeconomics
Abishek Chakravarty, BA Delhi, MA
Jawaharlal Nehru, PhD UCL (Lecturer)
Development economics; household
economics; applied microeconomics;
health economics; policy evaluation
Marcus Chambers, MA PhD Essex
(Professor)
Econometric theory; applied econometrics;
time series analysis
Melvyn Coles, BA Cambridge, MSc
Southampton, PhD Princeton (Professor)
Business cycle theory; microeconomics;
labour economics; macroeconomics;
dynamic firm pricing behaviour; wage
bargaining; trading patterns in markets
Daniele Condorelli, MA Bocconi, PhD
UCL (Lecturer)
Microeconomic theory; industrial
organisation; public economics; law
and economics; network economics
Ben Etheridge, BA Oxford, MSc PhD
UCL (Lecturer)
Macroeconomics; microeconomics;
public economics
Marco Francesconi, Laurea Milan, PhD
New York (Professor)
Labour economics; family economics;
intergenerational links; applied
microeconometrics
Andrea Galeotti, CLEP Bocconi, MPhil
PhD Tinbergen (Professor)
Network economics; microeconomics;
game theory; industrial organisation;
information economics; political economy
Christian Ghiglino, MSc
Geneva/Grenoble, PhD Geneva/CERN
(Professor)
General equilibrium theory; economic
growth; innovation; income distribution;
network economics
Rowena Gray, BA Dublin, MA PhD UC
Davis (Lecturer)
Labour economics; economic history;
economic growth
Tim Hatton, BA PhD Warwick (Professor)
Economic history; labour economics;
applied economics
Gordon Kemp, BA Cambridge, MA PhD
Warwick (Senior Lecturer)
Econometric theory and applied
econometrics
Carmen Li, BA MA Lima, MSc PhD LSE
(Senior Lecturer)
Development economics; economics
of Latin America and Eastern Europe
Sheri Markose, BA Bombay, MA Delhi,
PhD London (Professor)
Economics of uncertainty; martingale
theory; financial markets
Alastair McAuley, BSc London (Reader)
Economies in transition; planning and
markets in Russia and eastern Europe;
British economic policy
Stefan Niemann, BA Bonn (Lecturer)
Macroeconomics; public finance;
international finance
Patrick Nolen, BSc Trinity College, MA
PhD Cornell (Lecturer)
Development; behavioural and
experimental economics
Matthias Parey, Diplom Bonn, PhD UCL
(Lecturer)
Labour economics; economics of
education; microeconometrics
David Reinstein, BS George Washington,
PhD Berkeley (Lecturer)
Altruism; social pressure; psychology;
institutions; information and market
structure
Jim Richmond, MA Glasgow, MSc
London (Emeritus Professor)
Econometric theory and applied
econometrics
Kate Rockett, BA Brown, PhD Berkeley
(Senior Lecturer)
Industrial organisation; international trade;
applied microeconomics
Joao Santos Silva, Licenciatura MSc
ISEG/Universidade Tecnica de Lisboa,
PhD Bristol (Professor)
Theoretical and applied microeconometrics
Eric Smith, BA Williams, PhD
Pennsylvania (Professor)
Public economics; industrial organisation;
labour economics
George Symeonidis, BA Athens, MSc
PhD LSE (Senior Lecturer)
Industrial economics; microeconomics
Luis Vasconcelos, BA Nova, MA PhD
Northwestern (Lecturer)
Industrial organisation; contract theory;
applied microeconomics; strategy
Fernando Vega-Redondo, Lic en Econ
Madrid, PhD Minnesota (Professor)
Game theory; social networks;
complex networks; microeconomics
Gianluigi Vernasca, BSc Parma, MSc
Warwick, DPhil Paria, PhD Warwick
(Lecturer)
Industrial organisation; game theory;
macroeconomics
Tianxi Wang, BA MRes LSE (Lecturer)
Economic theory; contract theory;
game theory
Helen Weeds, BA MPhil PhD Oxford
(Lecturer)
Industrial organisation; competition policy
and regulation; economics of broadcasting
Simon Weidenholzer, MA PhD Vienna
(Reader)
Microeconomics; game theory; behavioural
economics; network economics
92 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/economics | Economics
Domenico Tabasso, Sassari,
Italy – MSc Economics ’06,
PhD Economics ’11
Graduate
profile
After my BA I worked as a
research assistant at an Italian
university. During that period I
realised that I wanted to start
a proper career in research,
so applying for a PhD was a natural
choice. I decided to study at Essex
because the Department of Economics
is internationally famous for its researchers
and particularly well known in my field
of specialisation, labour economics.
I really liked the atmosphere in the
Department. Staff were always willing to
discuss research issues in a constructive
and very informal way, so it was a very
stimulating and enriching environment.
I also appreciated the fact that Essex’s
Department of Economics is very well
connected with other universities in the
UK and internationally. This means some
of the best economists in the world come
to Essex for seminars, conferences and
workshops. For a PhD student, feeling
part of such a vibrant community
was an extremely motivating and
rewarding factor.
One of my fondest memories of Essex
is the spring and summer time, when the
good weather made it easy to meet friends
and colleagues on campus. I made some
really good friends – and met my future
wife – at the University.
After graduating, I started my career
as an academic researcher and am now
a research fellow at the University of
Melbourne, Australia. Having my PhD from
Essex has been crucial for entering the
academic job market. The Department’s
staff were extremely helpful during the
period in which I was looking for a job
and their contributions were
very important for successfully
completing my studies and
starting my new career.
If you are admitted to our four-year
programme, you begin with a year in
which you take MSc-level modules in
microeconomics, macroeconomics,
mathematical methods, econometrics and
options in the fields of your choice. During
the remaining three months, you work on
your PhD topic. You also have the option of
doing an MSc dissertation, thereby securing
an MSc at the end of your first year.
In the second year of our four-year
programme (the first year of our three-year
programme), you take two doctoral
modules chosen from microeconomics,
macroeconomics and econometrics. At the
end of the year, you will have successfully
completed your modules and made
significant progress in identifying your
chosen research topics. During the final
two years, you complete your thesis
under the guidance of your supervisors.
As a PhD student, you attend a weekly
Research Strategy Seminar at which you
outline your work and discuss the ideas
of others. (Our research students also
have opportunities to present at workshops
and seminars in our Department, as well
as national and international conferences
and workshops). There are opportunities
to participate in master classes on
advanced research methods at Essex
and at other institutions.
Research areas
Research supervision is available in
the following fields:
n Applied econometrics
n Development economics
n Econometric theory
n Economics of the family
n Economic theory
n Finance
n Game theory and applications
n Industrial organisation
n International trade
n Labour economics
n Macroeconomics
n Monetary economics
n Networks
n Public economics
Your PhD thesis is generally completed
within three to four academic years and
has a maximum length of 80,000 words.
We employ a number of PhD students
as Graduate Teaching Assistants. By
teaching small groups of undergraduates
for up to four hours per week, you gain
valuable experience of communicating
economic ideas.
Holders of Essex PhDs obtain
appointments in government or
international organisations and many
embark upon academic careers in UK
universities and around the world. In
recent years, graduates have been
appointed to lectureships and research
posts at universities including Chicago,
the London School of Economics, Leicester,
Loughborough, St Andrews and East
Anglia, among others.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 93

Electronics and Telecommunications | www.essex.ac.uk/csee
Electronics and
Telecommunications
We have an international reputation for outstanding quality research and
postgraduate training. Our teaching and research is supported by extensive
networked computer facilities and software aids, together with a wide range
of test and instrumentation equipment.
Taught courses
MSc Computer and Information
Networks•
MSc Computer Engineering•
MSc Computer Security•
Good honours degree, or equivalent, in
computer science, electronics or a related
discipline.
MSc Telecommunications and
Information Systems•
Good honours degree, or equivalent, in
electronics or a related discipline.
Research degrees
Applied Physics• MSD, MPhil, PhD
Computing and Electronic Systems•
MSD, MPhil, PhD
Electronic Systems Engineering• MSD,
MPhil, PhD
Good honours or Masters degree, or
equivalent, in relevant discipline.
Fact file
RESEARCH
University of Essex ranked ninth
in the UK for its research.
Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Quality level 4* 3* 2* 1* u/c
% of research activity 20 40 30 10 0
For an explanation, see page 5.
FURTHER INFORMATION
English language requirements:
For all study: IELTS 6.0 or equivalent (for
details, see page 25).
Academic staff: 60
Taught postgraduates: 91
Research postgraduates: 124
For taught courses:
T +44 (0)1206 872438
E pgadmit@essex.ac.uk
For research study:
T +44 (0)1206 872438
E csee@essex.ac.uk
• available part-time
Location:
c Colchester Campus
In addition to the stated entry
requirements, we take into account
industrial or other experience when
assessing an application.
For related programmes which may be of interest, please see:
Computational Finance (page 75)
Computer Science (page 80)
94 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/csee | Electronics and Telecommunications
Why study electronics
and telecommunications
at Essex?
n
n
n
n
n
One of the UK’s leading Schools of
Computer Science and Electronic
Engineering
Ranked eleventh in the UK in the
most recent Research Assessment
Exercise (RAE, December 2008)
Long-standing reputation
for telecommunications and a
centre of excellence in networking
Cutting-edge research in
photonic networks, network
services, pervasive computing,
multimedia and optoelectronics
Thriving academic community
with staff from over eleven
countries and students from
all over the world
Career prospects
Studying within our School
provides both the recent graduate
and the practising engineer with
the opportunity to gain new
skills or enhance existing ones.
Our MSc courses, in addition
to providing advanced training,
also form a natural progression
to postgraduate research.
Our graduates have progressed
to a variety of senior positions in
industry and academia. Some of
the companies and organisations
where our former graduates are
now employed include: Alcatel
Submarine, BT Group, QinetiQ,
Dolby Laboratories, Fujitsu,
Royal Air Forces, and within
our University and Imperial
College, London.
About our School
We have an international reputation
for outstanding quality research and
postgraduate training. Our teaching
and research is supported by extensive
networked computer facilities and
software aids, together with a wide range
of test and instrumentation equipment.
Our research activity is concentrated in
the following principal research areas:
audio and video networking, multimedia
architectures and applications, photonics,
and RF engineering and propagation.
Cross-disciplinary projects draw on the
expertise of our electronic engineers,
computer scientists, mathematicians,
physicists and psychologists.
Our impressive external research funding
stands at over £4 million. We participate in
a number of EU initiatives and undertake
projects under contract to many outside
bodies, including government and industrial
organisations. For example, Professor Martin
Henson has recently secured a £400,000
grant to investigate how intelligent inhabited
environments can be adapted for different
types of buildings.
In addition, Professor Dimitra Simeonidou,
along with other partners, has been
awarded Engineering and Physical
Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
funding of £7.2 million to pioneer
technologies that will transform the internet,
as growing demands are stretching the
original network to its limits. This major
project aims to radically transform the
infrastructure underpinning today’s
over-stretched network.
Alongside this, Dr Martin Reed has
secured a PMI2 (Prime Minister’s Initiative
for International Education) Connect award
to build links between Essex and
Northwestern University in the United
States. His project explores high
performance network testbeds and will
provide mobility for our students, through
internships, placements and exchanges.
Taught courses
All our MSc courses have Institution
of Engineering and Technology (IET)
accreditation which is recognised worldwide.
Our taught courses provide a thorough
and up-to-date knowledge of the theory,
methods and applications of electronics
and telecommunications, while allowing
you to specialise in the fields of your choice.
Each course has a set of core components,
that can be combined with optional modules,
to enable you to gain either in-depth
specialisation or a breadth of understanding
across several topics.
MSc Computer and Information Networks•
This course gives you in-depth knowledge
of the principles and practice of computer
networking, covering topics like current
and future internet protocols, programming
network services and so on. We offer a
strong practical element through laboratory
programmes in software engineering and in
computer networking.
Graduates typically find work in network
management, both in the UK and overseas.
MSc Computer Engineering•
For more information and course modules
for our MSc Computer Engineering, please
see our Computer Science entry.
MSc Computer Security•
This course allows you to explore
security issues in the modern, networked
environment in which we live and work.
Our modules give you in-depth knowledge
of the issues involved in securing computer
systems, both stand-alone and networked,
looking at the types of attack, how one
hardens systems, detects intruders, and
so on. Topics such as cryptography, secure
communication and virtual private networks
are also explored.
Graduates with the skills obtained on
our MSc Computer Security are typically
employed as computer security specialists
in large financial institutions.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 95

Electronics and Telecommunications | www.essex.ac.uk/csee
Taught course modules
All on our taught Masters
courses take the following
modules:
Professional Practice and
Research Methodology
Individual Project and
Dissertation
MSc Computer and
Information Networks
Networking Principles
Programming in Java
Distributed Computing
Networks Laboratory
IP Networking and
Applications
Plus two from:
Converged Networks and
Systems
Mobile Communications
Network Security
Advanced Transport Networks
Pervasive Computing and
Ambient Intelligence
MSc Computer Security
Networking Principles
Programming in Java
IP Networking and
Applications
Computer Security
Networks Laboratory
Plus two from:
Converged Networks and
Systems
Mobile Communications
Network Security
Cryptography and Codes
Pervasive Computing and
Ambient Intelligence
MSc Telecommunications
and Information Systems
Theory of Signals and Systems
Transmission Systems
Networking Principles
Programming in Java
Communications Laboratory
Plus two from:
Mobile Communications
Advanced Transport Networks
Computer Security
Network Security
Pervasive Computing and
Ambient Intelligence
Converged Networks and
Systems
This information is a guide to
course content and is subject
to change each year.
MSc Telecommunications and
Information Systems•
Starting from the concept of a signal, we
cover the fundamentals of how signals are
acquired, processed and transmitted over
a wide range of media — electronic, optical
and radio. Our laboratory work shows how
these principles are put into practice and
your software development skills are
improved through a series of lectures,
exercises and assignments. Building on
this, we explore a number of state-of-the-art
topics in detail though optional modules,
giving your an opportunity to tailor what
you learn according to your interests and
chosen career.
MSc Telecommunications and Information
Systems graduates work in major
telecommunications companies around
the world. We have run this course for
over 25 years and, in that time, educated
over a thousand communications specialists.
Postgraduate Diplomas with English
If your first degree requires additional
technical experience for direct entry onto
our MSc courses, we offer two full-time,
nine-month Diplomas, in Electronic
Engineering with English for Academic
Purposes and in Computer Science with
English for Academic Purposes.
If you obtain a Diploma with Merit or
Distinction, you can automatically register
for one of our MSc courses.
Research study
Our PhD students study in an environment
of active research on the leading edge
of telecommunications, networking and
electronics. Members of our School are
successful in attracting research grants
from both UK and European funding bodies.
Our PhD students are encouraged to publish
and present their papers at internationally
renowned conferences. Recently, our
research students have been organising
their own successful conference, CEEC10,
which attracted research students from
many other universities. This conference
provided experience in presenting papers
and gave our students the opportunity to
network with fellow researchers.
About our research degrees
Our research degrees are programmes of
advanced study and research. As well as our
PhD, which nominally takes three years, we
also offer an MPhil, which take two years,
and an MSc by dissertation, which takes
one year. Furthermore, we have a PhD
via our ‘integrated programme’ which takes
four years and involves a year’s MSc study
before commencing your research itself.
96 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/csee | Electronics and Telecommunications
Staff and their research interests
Michael Adams, BSc London, MSc PhD
Wales, ARCS CEng FIEE (Professor)
Optoelectronic physics and technology;
development of photonic amplifiers
and semiconductor lasers; novel
optical devices
Naci Balkan, BSc Ankara, PhD Glasgow,
CPhys FInstP (Professor)
Non-equilibrium carriers in semiconductors
– physics and technology; optoelectronic
devices operating in the 0.35-2.8µm
wavelength range – VCSELs, HELLISH
devices, wavelength convertors and optical
amplifiers; novel materials for photonic
devices
David Bebbington, MA PhD Cambridge
(Senior Lecturer)
Meteorological radars; radar imagery;
electromagnetic wave propagation in
remote sensing
Adrian Clark, BSc Newcastle, PhD
London, CPhys MInstP MIEEE (Reader)
Computer vision; virtual and augmented
reality; wearable computers; genetic
programming
Steve Fitz, BEng Southampton, CEng
MIEE (Senior Lecturer)
RF communication components and
systems; wireless location and position
fixing; short-range proximity devices;
MM-wave indoor wireless networks
Malcolm Hawksford, BSc PhD DSc
Aston, CEng FIEE FAES FIOA (Professor)
Audio engineering; loudspeaker systems;
spatial and multi-channel audio;
perceptual-modelling; high-resolution
audio; audio measurements; circuit design;
digital signal processing; digital power
amplification; ADC/DAC conversion;
sigma-delta modulation; network
applications; teleconferencing using
spatial audio
David Hunter, BSc PhD Strathclyde,
CEng MIEE SMIEEE (Reader)
Telecommunications and data
networking protocols; protocols for
wireless sensor networks; protocols for
WDM Grid networks; optical local area
networks; optical packet switching and
networking; performance evaluation of
communications systems; communications
switching architectures
Dariush Mirshekar-Syahkal, BSc
Tehran, MSc PhD London, CEng FIEE
SMIEEE (Professor)
Microwave passive components, including
antennas and filters; numerical techniques
in electromagnetic field problems;
non-destructive evaluation of materials
by electromagnetic techniques
Reza Nejabati, BSc Tehran, MSc PhD
Essex, MIET MIEEE (Academic Fellow)
Service oriented and application-aware
networks; programmable and virtual
network infrastructure; grid computing
infrastructure for e-science
Nigel Newton, BSc Bath, PhD London,
DIC (Reader)
Numerical methods for stochastic
processes with application to signal
processing, control engineering,
economics and physics; nonlinear
filtering and stochastic control;
information theory and its connections
with statistical mechanics
Martin Reed, BEng Surrey, PhD Essex,
MAES (Lecturer)
Quality of service mechanisms for Internet
protocol networks; management and
control of optical and core networks;
multimedia Internet applications;
multi-dimensional signal processing
algorithms; non-linear system identification
Steve Sangwine, BSc Southampton,
PhD Reading, CEng FIET SMIEEE
(Senior Lecturer)
Colour-image processing; hypercomplex
Fourier transforms; vector image filters;
medical image analysis (colour skin
images); networks-on-chip; digital circuit
design and test
Dimitra Simeonidou, BSc MSc
Thessaloniki, PhD Essex, MIEEE
(Professor)
Long-haul fibre networks; broadband
networks; network management; optical
transmission; optical signal processing
Alexi Vernitski, BSc MSc Ural State,
PhD Essex, PGCHE Middlesex (Lecturer)
(Joint appointment with the Department
of Mathematical Sciences)
Finite automata; computability;
computational complexity; encryption
techniques; discrete neural networks;
computer viruses
Anthony Vickers, BSc PhD Lancaster
CEng FIEE (Reader)
Photonics – optoelectronic devices;
high-speed lasers and photo detectors;
THz devices; ultrafast measurement
techniques; advanced RF measurement
techniques; THz spectroscopy; biophysics
Stuart Walker, BSc Manchester, MSc
PhD Essex (Professor)
High-capacity optical network systems;
semiconductor laser characteristics;
broadband optical receiver design; optical
transmission; local access architectures
based on arrayed waveguide gratings
John Woods, BEng PhD Essex (Senior
Lecturer)
Image processing; multimedia;
model-based coding and 3-D
modelling; IP and ATM networks;
telecommunications principles; robotics
and autonomous vehicles; sensor
networks and robotic aviation
Kun Yang, BEng MSc Jilin, PhD UCL,
MIEE MIEEE MDMTF (Reader)
Wireless networks; mobile networks;
heterogeneous networks; fix-mobile
convergence; pervasive service
engineering; mobile computers;
network management
Nick Zakhleniuk, BSc MSc PhD Kyiv,
FInsP (Lecturer)
Computational nanotechnology and
TCAD tools; modelling of electronic and
optoelectronic devices and photonic
components; theory of semiconductors
and low-dimensional systems
Staff in our School whose interests are primarily in
computer science are listed on page 82.
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Electronics and Telecommunications | www.essex.ac.uk/csee
Studying for your PhD involves
person-to-person interaction with your
supervisor, who will guide you in developing
your chosen research topic, refine your
research skills, and advise you in capitalising
on the technical knowledge you already
have from your taught degree. Supervisors
often keep in touch with their PhD
graduates throughout their careers, and may
work on scientific collaborations with them
after they finish their doctorate. Our PhD
graduates generally go on to pursue careers
as academics or as researchers in industry.
Although you will become an expert in a
specific area, your PhD will also develop
your appreciation of the research
methodology and experimental skills
appropriate to your topic, and develop the
high-level research skills listed below:
n
n
n
n
n
n
the ability to recognise and validate
problems;
original, independent and critical
thinking, and the ability to develop
theoretical concepts;
knowledge of recent advances within
your field and in related areas;
an understanding of relevant research
methodologies and techniques and their
appropriate application within your
research field;
the ability to critically analyse and
evaluate you findings and those of
others; and
an ability to summarise, document,
report and reflect on progress.
We have a number of studentships and
bursaries available, however these are
highly competitive, and the total number
is limited. You should state very clearly on
your application form whether you have your
own private funding, funding from a sponsor
(such as your government), or whether you
wish to apply for a scholarship from our
University. We also employ a number of
our PhD students as Graduate Teaching
Assistants and Laboratory Assistants on
a part-time basis. As well as earning extra
income, you gain valuable experience of
communicating your subject in a learning
environment.
98 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/csee | Electronics and Telecommunications
Research areas
Research in our School covers a range
of topics, from materials science and
semiconductor device physics, to the
theory of computation and the philosophy
of computer science. Most of our groups
are based around research laboratories,
many of which offer world-class facilities.
Research supervision is available in the
following fields:
n Analogue and digital systems
architectures
n Artificial intelligence
n Brain computer interfaces
n Computational intelligence
n Data communications and networking
n Design and construction of ultrafast
systems for Terahertz studies
n Educational technology
n E-learning
n Embedded systems
n Human-computer interfaces
n Intelligent inhabited environments
n Mathematics, statistics and numerical
methods
n Mixed reality
n Natural and evolutionary computation
n Natural language engineering
n Optical and semiconductor devices
n Optimisation and constraint satisfaction
n Radio, radar and electromagnetics
n Robotics
n Semiconductors: theory and experiment
n Signal processing
n Software agents
n Software engineering
n Theoretical computer science
n THz spectroscopy of molecules
n Video, image processing and
computer vision
Ian Mothersole,
Manningtree, Essex
– BEng Computers
and Networks ’07, MSc
Computer Security ’09,
PhD Computer Network
Security
Student
profile
Whilst studying for my
undergraduate and
postgraduate degrees at Essex,
I built a good relationship with
my current supervisor, and
together we came up with a brand new
research project, making my decision
to carry on to PhD study easy.
During my undergraduate studies,
the module I enjoyed most was based
around computer security, and for
my Masters I decided to further my
knowledge in this subject area. My
interest in this has continued to grow
over the last few years, and now my
current research project looks at
network security.
I love the atmosphere around the
Colchester Campus, and I very often
enjoy a walk around the lakes taking
in the excellent scenery. The School
of Computer Science and Electronic
Engineering has a great community feel
about it, and it fits in perfectly at Essex.
Even though the School is quite large,
everyone is very friendly and happy to
help in any situation.
In the future I would like to go into
teaching, and my experience as a
graduate demonstrator in the School
has been extremely useful.
I am extremely proud of what I have
achieved here, and I would recommend
postgraduate study at Essex
to anyone who wants to
explore their own ideas.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 99

Essex Business School | www.essex.ac.uk/ebs
Essex Business School
In our rapidly changing, increasingly complex world of business, a new breed of
business leader is needed. One who will not only be commercially astute but also
visionary, creative and ethical, and who will focus on the needs of both business
and society.
Taught courses
MBA
Essex MBA• c
Upper second class honours degree, or
equivalent, plus a minimum of three years
management experience.
Accounting taught courses
MSc Accounting• c
MSc Accounting and Finance• c
MSc Accounting and Management• c
MSc International Accounting• c
MRes Accounting• c
Upper second class honours degree,
or equivalent, in accounting or
related discipline.
MSc Accounting and Financial
Management• c
Upper second class honours degree, or
equivalent, in business, economics or a
related discipline.
Banking and finance taught courses
MSc Banking• c
MSc Banking and Finance• c
MSc Finance•† c
MSc Finance and Investment• c
MSc Finance and Management• c
MSc Financial Engineering and Risk
Management• c
MSc International Finance• c
Upper second class honours degree,
or equivalent, in finance, economics
or business. We welcome applications
from candidates with any science or
engineering degree, particularly for MSc
Finance and MSc International Finance.
Entrepreneurship and innovation
taught courses
MSc Creative Industry
Management•‡ s
MSc Entrepreneurship and
Innovation•‡ s
MSc Global Project and Innovation
Management• s
MSc International Business and
Entrepreneurship•‡ s
MSc International Marketing and
Entrepreneurship•‡ s
MSc Organisation Studies and
International Human Resource
Management•‡ s
MSc Public Management• s
MSc Social and Community Enterprise
Management•‡ s
Postgraduate Certificate in Creative
Industry Management•‡ s
Upper second class honours degree or
equivalent. Please check programme
descriptions for additional requirements.
For related and joint programmes which may be of interest, please see:
Art History (page 60)
Biological Sciences (page 66)
Computational Finance (page 75)
Economics (page 87)
Linguistics (page 149)
Psychoanalytic Studies (page 183)
100 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/ebs | Essex Business School
Management taug ht courses
MSc International Management• c
MSc Management and Organisational
Dynamics• c
MSc Management, Marketing and
Society• c
MSc Management Psychology• c
MA Management Studies• c
MRes Management• c
Upper second class honours degree,
or equivalent, in management or a
related discipline.
Research degrees
Accounting• MSD, MPhil, PhD c
Banking• MPhil, PhD c
Entrepreneurship MSD, MPhil, PhD• s
Finance• MSD, MPhil, PhD c
Finance and Accounting• Integrated
PhD c
Management• MSD, MPhil, PhD c s
Masters degree in a relevant area.
Fact file
RESEARCH
University of Essex ranked ninth
in the UK for its research.
Accounting and Finance
Essex Business School ranked second
in the UK.
Quality level 4* 3* 2* 1* u/c
% of research activity 10 45 40 5 0
For an explanation, see page 5.
FURTHER INFORMATION
English language requirements:
For all study: IELTS 6.5 or equivalent
(for details, see page 25).
Academic staff: 75
Taught postgraduates: 174
Research postgraduates: 79
For our MBA programme:
T +44 (0)1202 874241
E cstrohm@essex.ac.uk
For taught courses at our
Colchester Campus:
T +44 (0)1206 873376
E pgadmit@essex.ac.uk
For taught courses at our
Southend Campus:
T +44 (0)1702 328388
E pgadmit@essex.ac.uk
For research study:
T +44 (0)1206 873505
E jsexton@essex.ac.uk
• available part-time
‡ available in modular format
† ESRC accreditation
Location:
c Colchester Campus
s Southend Campus
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 101

Essex Business School | www.essex.ac.uk/ebs
Why study at Essex
Business School?
n
n
n
n
n
Offer an holistic approach to
business education which
examines the economic value of
business and the social, ethical and
environmental implications of
business strategies and practices
Part of the University’s accredited
Doctoral Training Centre of the
Economic and Social Research
Council (ESRC), with a number
of ESRC studentships available
for new postgraduates
Emphasis on looking at business
from a broad range of different
perspectives and practical case
studies incorporated into all
courses
Strong international dimension to
study, using examples from across
the world to enrich your
understanding of the global
business environment
Our team of world class academics
bring cutting-edge research work
into your classroom
Career prospects
The breadth and depth of our
courses and research, informed by
social science theories and
concepts, ensures you are able to
succeed in a range of business
roles across the commercial, public
and not-for-profit sectors. Our
courses are designed to foster the
business leaders of the future who,
through creativity, innovation and
ethical awareness, will be able to
meet the many challenges that the
international business world
continues to present.
About our School
In our rapidly changing, increasingly complex
world of business, a new breed of business
leader is needed. One who will not only be
commercially astute but also visionary,
creative and ethical, and who will focus on
the needs of both business and society.
At Essex Business School we are nurturing
such leaders through our courses, which
take a fully rounded approach to business
education that recognises the mutuality
between business and society. In today’s
complex and interconnected world,
managers and senior executives need to
understand how the bottom line is affected,
not only by economic and financial
performance, but also by technological
change, social and environmental factors,
and political and ideological risk. Graduates
from our courses will be among the new
generation of business leaders who will
ensure that business works for the benefit
of all stakeholders in the community.
Drawing on our strengths in the core
business disciplines of accounting,
banking, finance, management, marketing
and entrepreneurship, together with our
distinctive international perspective, we
equip you with the knowledge and skills to
respond effectively to complex issues, and
the critical insight to appreciate the broader
implications of your actions. As a result, you
will flourish in the face of global change and
make a meaningful and lasting impact, not
only in the business world, but also in the
wider community. We are proud to be known
as ‘the business school for a new world’.
Faced with a world where there are major
concerns about the viability and stability
of the global financial system, and where
a failure of corporate governance has
resulted in a demand for higher standards
of business ethics, we are well placed to
address the mutual relationship between
business and society because we embed
the values and practices of business
ethics, social responsibility, care for the
environment, and human rights in all
our courses.
Taught courses
We offer a range of taught courses if
you are seeking employment in industry,
commerce, the public and voluntary sectors,
and the financial services industries, as
well as if you are interested in pursuing an
interest in research or an academic career.
Our Masters courses include both
compulsory and optional modules, so
you can tailor the content of your course
to more closely fit your interests and
aspirations. Regular assessment by
coursework, presentations, case studies,
group work, tests and examinations provide
you with feedback on your progress,
culminating in the submission of a 15,000
word dissertation or comprehensive
business plan.
MBA
Essex MBA•
We have designed our MBA programme for
a new breed of business leader; one who
needs to be innovative, inquisitive, creative,
and ethical.
An MBA is not just about the course or
qualification, it is about your future. Whether
your goal is to become an executive or an
entrepreneur, the right MBA will accelerate
your career. It must not only provide general
business knowledge but also knowledge
which is current and tackles the big issues
facing organisations today, and those they
will encounter tomorrow. Our MBA provides
you with such knowledge and equips you
with the skill set to apply this newly acquired
knowledge in the workplace. We have
limited the numbers on each cohort to
ensure you have the individual attention
you deserve to maximise the value of
your investment in our course.
We connect you to the latest developments
in business practice by bringing senior
executives from leading companies in to talk
about contemporary business issues and to
teach, particularly on our innovative 'Ensuring
Employability' series of weekly workshops.
In addition to fostering links with
experienced business practitioners, our
MBA has significant links with major
102 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/ebs | Essex Business School
Compulsory modules give you an
introduction to the theoretical and critical
approaches to accounting and financial
management, and you can build on this
foundation to extend your knowledge in
particular areas by choosing three optional
modules. This course will be useful if you
wish to pursue a career in industry,
commerce or professional services firms.
MSc Accounting and Management•
This course will broaden and deepen
your thinking about accounting and
management. You develop a broader
understanding of the changing roles and
perception of management and accounting
within the context of shifting societal values,
competing cultural influences and
ideological demands, dwindling natural
resources, globalised competition and the
increasingly widespread impact of
information technology.
institutions in the City of London,
leading public sector institutions and
non-governmental organisations, the
last through our successful community
advice project.
Accounting courses
MSc Accounting•
This course develops your understanding
of advanced topics and methods in
accounting. You develop a clearer vision
and understanding of the changing role and
perception of accounting within the context
of changing global markets, competition
and shifting societal values.
We provide a broad educational programme
that prepares you to face the challenges of
managing and working in organisations
within a wide array of competing economic,
social, political and cultural conditions.
MSc Accounting and Finance•
This course develops your understanding of
advanced accounting together with finance
topics and methods. Compulsory modules
allow you to critically discuss many of the
recent developments in both theoretical
and empirical approaches to accounting
and corporate finance. You are also able to
pursue specialist interests with up to two
optional modules. Furthermore, in order to
prepare you for writing your dissertation,
there is a full year module on research
methodologies and methods, which includes
both quantitative and qualitative approaches
to empirical research.
Although this is a self-contained course,
if you successfully complete you will be
encouraged to continue your academic
studies by applying for a PhD.
MSc Accounting and Financial
Management•
Our MSc Accounting and Financial
Management should interest you if
you are without a first degree majoring
in accounting, as it is suitable for those
who previously studied business, economics
or other related subjects. We offer a
comprehensive grounding in corporate
reporting and analysis, and management
accounting and control.
Our MSc Accounting and Management
offers you a broad educational programme
that prepares you to face the challenges of
managing and working in a variety of
organisations, both within Europe and
internationally.
MSc International Accounting•
We have designed this course to broaden
your thinking about international accounting.
We develop your vision and understanding
of the changing roles and perception of
accounting within the context of changing
global markets, competition and shifting
societal values.
Our MSc International Accounting should
interest both home and international
students, and provides a broad educational
programme which prepares you to face the
challenges of managing and working in
organisations within a wide array of
competing economic, social, political and
cultural conditions.
The MRes programme•
Our MRes programme is designed for
those wishing to follow a career in research
and/or academia, so we equip you with
the skills and knowledge to appreciate
the depth and breadth of this in a social
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 103

Essex Business School | www.essex.ac.uk/ebs
Taught course modules
MBA
Essex MBA
Sustainable Business
Strategies
Innovation and
Entrepreneurship
Managerial Accounting
International Business
Environment
People and Organisations
Business Strategy
Research Methods and Skills
Four optional modules
MBA Project
Accounting
courses
MSc Accounting
Issues in Financial Reporting
Management Accounting
Research Methods and
Methodologies in Accounting
and Management
Three optional modules
Dissertation
MSc Accounting and
Finance
Issues in Financial Reporting
Management Accounting
Research Methods in
Accounting and Management
or Research Methods in
Finance: Empirical Methods
in Finance
Portfolio Management
Two optional modules
Dissertation
MSc Accounting and
Financial Management
Corporate Reporting and
Analysis
Financial Decision Making
Research Methods and
Methodologies in Accounting
and Management
Three optional modules
Dissertation
MSc Accounting and
Management
Issues in Financial Reporting
Management Accounting
Management in Organisations
Research Methods and
Methodologies in Accounting
and Management
Two optional modules
Dissertation
MSc International
Accounting
Issues in Financial Reporting
Management Accounting
International Management
Accounting
International Financial
Reporting
Research Methods and
Methodologies in Accounting
and Management
One optional module
Dissertation
MRes Accounting
Issues in Financial Reporting
Management Accounting
Research Evaluation Project
Research Methods and
Methodologies in Accounting
and Management
Philosophy of Management
and Accounting
One optional module
Dissertation
Banking and
finance courses
MSc Banking
Financial Crises
Modern Banking
Research Methods in Finance:
Empirical Methods in Finance
Bank Strategy and Risk
Two optional modules
Dissertation
MSc Banking and Finance
Modern Banking
Portfolio Management
Research Methods in Finance:
Empirical Methods in Finance
Bank Strategy and Risk
Two optional modules
Dissertation
MSc Finance
Derivative Securities
Asset Pricing
Portfolio Management
Research Methods in Finance:
Empirical Methods in Finance
Research Methods in Finance:
Foundations in Finance
One optional module
Dissertation
MSc Finance and
Investment
Portfolio Management
Corporate Finance
Behavioural Finance
Research Methods in Finance:
Empirical Methods in Finance
Three optional modules
Dissertation
MSc Finance and
Management
Corporate Finance
Management in Organisations
Portfolio Management
Research Methods and
Methodologies in Accounting
and Management or
Research Methods in
Finance: Empirical Methods
in Finance
Two optional modules
Dissertation
MSc Financial Engineering
and Risk Management
Asset Pricing
Derivative Securities
Research Methods in Finance:
Empirical Methods in Finance
Risk Management
Financial Modelling
Mathematical Research
Techniques Using Matlab
One optional module
Dissertation
MSc International Finance
Derivative Securities
Exchange Rates and
International Finance
Modern Banking
Research Methods in Finance:
Empirical Methods in Finance
Two optional modules
Dissertation
Entrepreneurship
and innovation
courses
MSc Creative Industry
Management
Theories of Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship Policy,
Culture, and Regional
Economic Development
Creative Industries:
Environment, Trends and
Characteristics
Innovation and Creative
Business Leadership
Managing Creative Enterprises
Business Research Methods
Dissertation or Comprehensive
Business Plan
MSc Entrepreneurship
and Innovation
Theories of Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship Policy,
Culture, and Regional
Economic Development
Creative Ideas Platform 1
Managing the New Enterprise
Creative Ideas Platform 2
Business Research Methods
Three optional modules
Dissertation or Comprehensive
Business Plan
104 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/ebs | Essex Business School
MSc Global Project and
Innovation Management
Global Project Management
International Business
Environment
Management of Innovation
The Management of
Information
Business Research Methods
Managing a New Enterprise
Dissertations or Project or
Business Plan
MSc International
Business and
Entrepreneurship
Theories of Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship Policy,
Culture, and Regional
Economic Development
The International Business
Environment
Types and Processes of
Internationalisation and
Entrepreneurship
Leadership and Management
Issues in International
Business
Business Research Methods
Dissertation or International
Business Plan
MSc International
Marketing and
Entrepreneurship
Theories of Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship Policy,
Culture, and Regional
Economic Development
The International Business
Environment
International Marketing
Strategy and Planning
International Marketing
Management
Business Research Methods
Dissertation or International
Marketing Plan
MSc Organisation Studies
and International Human
Resource Management
Theories of Entrepreneurship
Organisation, Learning and
Collaboration in a Globalised
World
Ethics, Governance and
Sustainability
Leadership and Management
Issues in International
Business
Innovation Management
International Human Resource
Management
Business Research Methods
Dissertation or Comprehensive
Business Plan
MSc Public Management
Theory and Practice of
Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship Policy,
Culture and Regional
Economic Development
Social Enterprise
Governance and the Public
and Non-Profit Sectors
The Management of
Information
Two optional modules
Dissertation
MSc Social and
Community Enterprise
Management
Theories of Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship Policy,
Culture, and Regional
Economic Development
Governance and the Public
and Non-Profit Sectors
Resourcing Social and
Community Enterprises
Business Research Methods
Two optional modules
Dissertation or Project
Postgraduate Certificate in
Creative Industry
Management
Creative Industries:
Environment, Trends and
Characteristics
Managing Creative Enterprises
Management
courses
MSc International
Management
Management in Organisations
Critical Perspectives on
Management Knowledge
International Management
Research Methods and
Methodologies in Accounting
and Management
Critical Marketing or Business
Ethics and Accountability
One optional module
Dissertation
MA Management and
Organisational Dynamics
Joint Seminar in
Psychoanalysis and
Management
Management in Organisations
Management Psychology
Psychoanalysis of Groups and
Organisations
Psychoanalytic Theory
Dissertation
MSc Management,
Marketing and Society
Management in Organisations
Critical Perspectives on
Management Knowledge
Critical Marketing
Research Methods and
Methodologies in Accounting
and Management
Management Psychology
or Philosophy of
Management and Accounting
One optional module
Dissertation
MSc Management
Psychology
Management in Organisations
Critical Perspectives on
Management Knowledge
Management Psychology
Research Methods and
Methodologies in Accounting
and Management
Critical Marketing or
Philosophy of Management
and Accounting
One optional module
Dissertation
MA Management Studies
Management in Organisations
Critical Perspectives on
Management Knowledge
Production and Performance
Research Methods and
Methodologies in Accounting
and Management
Philosophy of Management
and Accounting or Business
Ethics and Accountability
One optional module
Dissertation
MRes Management
Issues in Financial
Reporting or Management
Accounting
Research Evaluation Project
Research Methods and
Methodologies in Accounting
and Management
The Philosophy of
Management and Accounting
Advanced Qualitative
Research Methods
One optional module
Dissertation
This information is a guide to course
content and is subject to change on
an annual basis.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 105

Essex Business School | www.essex.ac.uk/ebs
science context. Our course content is a
direct response to requirements for, and
suggested improvements in, research
training laid down by the Economic and
Social Research Council (ESRC).
Banking and finance
courses
MSc Banking•
Our MSc Banking will enable you to
broaden and deepen your knowledge of
advanced concepts in banking. We focus
on the role of modern banking institutions
in an increasingly competitive and global
marketplace and cover topical issues such
as: bank strategies and risks in a changing
environment, financial innovation,
internationalisation, banking crises
and regulation.
MSc Banking and Finance•
This course allows you to follow an
advanced and up-to-date programme of
study in banking and finance. You develop
a broad vision and understanding of the
changing role and nature of modern
banking firms within the context of an
increasingly market-oriented and risk
operating environment, the impact of
technology, financial innovation, regulation
and the internationalisation process.
MSc Finance•†
This course provides opportunities for
you to enhance your knowledge and
understanding of finance beyond your first
degree level and to develop your abilities to
read and understand the journals and
current literature.
MSc Finance will develop your analytical
and critical thinking skills, and provide
research training. You design and carry out
independent studies and, as a graduate, are
well prepared for employment as a finance
specialist in industry, government,
universities or research institutions.
MSc Finance and Investment•
This course equips you with the theoretical
knowledge, quantitative tools and analytical
skills that allow you to thrive in the worlds of
practical and academic finance. You embark
106 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012
on a broad educational programme that
prepares you to face the challenges of
managing and working in organisations
within a wide array of competing economic,
social, political and cultural conditions.
As a graduate, you are ideally positioned
to take up employment in investment
management, corporate finance, trading
or consulting.
MSc Finance and Management•
We have designed MSc Finance and
Management to broaden and deepen your
thinking about the subject. Our course will
interest both home and international
students who wish to embark on a broad
educational programme which prepares you
to face the challenges and demands of
working in organisations within a wide array
of competing economic, social, political and
cultural conditions.
MSc Financial Engineering and
Risk Management•
This course will interest you if you want to
follow advanced, contemporary study in
financial engineering and risk management.
In the wake of the financial crisis, a deeper
understanding of the risks within modern
financial securities, and the design of
adequate and robust risk management
systems to measure and manage these
risks, is essential.
The content and structure of our course
is ideally suited if you wish to work in
commercial, investment and central banks,
hedge funds, regulatory authorities, credit
rating agencies and other similar
organisations.
MSc International Finance•
This course develops a broad vision and
understanding of the changing role and
nature of international finance within the
context of globalised markets, the
increasingly widespread impact of
information technology and the move
toward large international trading blocks,
such as the EU.
As a graduate, you will be ideally positioned
to take up a position in investment
management, corporate finance, trading
or consulting.
Entrepreneurship and
innovation courses
MSc Creative Industry Management•‡
Our course explores innovative leadership
among managers of entrepreneurial
organisations in the creative industries
of performing and visual arts, new digital
media, and design. We address creativity
and leadership issues, techniques, policy
development and their applications
in the public sector, manufacturing and
service industries.
You also explore creative business
management opportunities and respond
to recognition, at an international level,
of the economic importance of the
creative industries. We focus on the
generation of leadership capabilities
among managers and the need to
develop creative management styles,
skills, inter-organisational relationships
and multi-disciplinary methods with
which to manage complex, organisational
environments.
MSc Entrepreneurship and Innovation•‡
This course addresses critical issues
that are central to economic growth and
social transformation. These are issues
which are high on the agendas of business,
governments, policy-makers, researchers,
educators and wider communities of
interest across the world, as the study
of them has emerged as critical to our
understanding of economic and
social change.
MSc Entrepreneurship and Innovation
enables you to acquire the essential
knowledge, vital contemporary skills
and competencies, and critical awareness
necessary for a rewarding career in
a dynamic business environment. Our
course is also relevant to careers in:
government and other policy-making
institutions; in non-governmental or
community-based organisations; and
for potential entrepreneurs creating,
managing and sustaining their own
enterprises.

www.essex.ac.uk/ebs | Essex Business School
Staff and their research interests
Khaled Abdala, BA BSc MA MSc Essex,
MPhil Sheffield, PhD Birmingham
(Lecturer)
Applications of IT in accounting, finance
and management; business information
systems; e-commerce and e-business;
human resources management in e-work
and e-business; e-work and social
exclusion; e-business and mobility
Yazid Abdullahi, BA Abuja, MSc
Bedfordshire, PhD Essex (Lecturer)
Innovation and small firms;
entrepreneurship and regional
development; new firm creation;
innovations and regions; small firm growth;
technology and entrepreneurship
Magda Abou-Seada, BCom MA Cairo,
PhD UWE (Lecturer)
Auditor independence; auditor
responsibility for fraud detection; evidence
search and evaluation in auditing; financial
reporting and corporate governance;
voluntary disclosures in annual reports;
effect of implementing IFRS on stock
markets
Pawan Adhikari, BA MBA Tribhuvan,
PhD Nordland (Lecturer)
Accounting standards, comparative public
sector accounting, management control in
the public sector, public expenditure
reforms in developing nations
Anne Argent, LLB Anglia Ruskin, LLM
Essex (Lecturer)
EU law; company law; employment law
Steffen Böhm, BA Lancaster, MA
Warwick (Reader)
Philosophy of organisation (particularly
critical and post-structural theory);
political theory and the organisation
of resistance; political economy of
globalisation; theories and practices of
social movements; alternative forms of
organisation; automobility; art of/as
subversion and resistance; knowledge,
learning and subjectivity
Cecilia Cassinger, MSc PhD Lund
(Lecturer)
Marketing communication; branding and
image construction; consumption and
everyday life; cultural geographies of
retailing; narrative theory
Jerry Coakley, BA NUI, MSc London,
PhD Open (Professor)
TARs and nonlinearities/asymmetries in
financial markets; behavioural finance;
international finance and exchange rate
modelling; corporate finance; panel
estimators with (I) variables and CSD
David Collins, MA Glasgow, MSc
Strathclyde (Reader)
Organisational change; the guru industry
Lynne Conrad, BA Napier, MA PhD
Essex, FCCA (Senior Lecturer)
Accounting and accountability in regulated
industries; management accounting
developments in the NHS; new public
management; application of structuration
theory in accounting research
Nick Constantinou, BSc Reading,
MSc London, PhD Essex (Lecturer)
Asset and liability management in
insurance; market and credit risk
management of structured products;
risk-based capital in financial investments
Christian De Cock, lic TEW Antwerp,
MSc PhD Manchester (Professor)
Cultural political economy; justification;
creativity
George Dotsis, MSc London, PhD
Athens (Lecturer)
Volatility derivatives; effects of parameter
uncertainty on asset allocation and
derivatives valuation; estimations of
continuous time processes; resampling
methods
Teck Yong Eng, BSc Surrey, MSc PhD
UMIST (Professor)
Network relationship management; supply
chain management; commercialisation of
non-profit business
Mohamed Fadzly, BAcc MPhil Malaysia,
CIMA (Lecturer)
Accounting education; ethics in
accounting practice; accounting and
theology
Ann-Christine Frandsen, MSc PhD
Gothenburg (Senior Lecturer)
Accounting and its relations to banking,
finance, management and strategy;
unconventional visual representational
forms of accounting
Claudia Girardone, BA Genoa, MA PhD
Bangor (Reader)
Modelling efficiency of financial
institutions; bank financial management;
bank mergers and acquisitions; structure
and performance in European banking
Paul Hamalainen, BSc PhD
Loughborough, ACA FHEA (Senior
Lecturer)
Bank regulation theory and policy design;
banking in emerging economies; Islamic
banking; bank disclosure/transparency;
accounting for financial instruments; bank
risk management; bank corporate
governance
Philip Hancock, BA CNAA, MA Warwick,
PhD Keele (Professor)
Organization culture; architecture and
space; the management of aesthetics
Martin Harris, BA Cambridge, MSc LSE,
PhD Imperial (Senior Lecturer)
Technology, organisation and innovating
firm; ICT, institutional change and the
information society; the historiography of
technological change
Patrick Hitchen, BSc Essex, MBA
London (Lecturer)
Marketing ethics; international
management; business strategy;
managing across cultures
Heather Hopfl, BA Open, PhD Lancaster,
AFBPsS FCIM FBAM (Professor)
Imagery, literature and popular culture;
problem of theorisation; poststructuralism;
aesthetics and practice; dramaturgical
aspects of organisation
Norvald Instefjord, Sivilokonom HAE
Norwegian School of Economics, PhD
London Business School (Reader)
Corporate finance; banking; market
microstructure; corporate governance;
credit and operational risk management;
security design
Kelum Jayasinghe, BComm MBA
Colombo, PhD Bradford (Senior Lecturer)
Accounting, governance and
accountability issues in developing
countries; management accounting and
organisational change in voluntary sector
organisations; accounting systems and
systems of accountability in indigenous
communities and homes; accounting in
continued
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Essex Business School | www.essex.ac.uk/ebs
micro-finance practices in rural/informal
enterprises and agriculture and fishing
sectors; aid-agencies and public sector
management control particularly at local
government level
Marjana Johansson, MSc Akademi, PhD
Stockholm, (Lecturer)
Events and festivals; arts and cultural
organisations; organisational ethnography
Neil Kellard, BA Manchester, MSc
Warwick, PhD Nottingham (Professor)
Derivative market efficiency; hedge funds;
hedge ratios; return predictability; asset
price volatility; international finance
(including forward premium puzzle and
purchasing power parity); Prebisch-singer
hypothesis; modelling and forecasting
commodity prices; linkages between
commodities; growth and poverty; the
‘food’ crisis; applied econometrics
Simon Kelly, BA PhD Lancaster
(Lecturer)
Leadership development in the UK public
sector; management education and the
application of ethnomethodology in
organisational research
Iqbal Khadaroo, BBA IIUM, MBA UM,
FCCA, PGCHET, PhD Queen’s (Senior
Lecturer)
Public sector accounting; public private
partnership; accountability; performance
management
Jerzy Kociatkiewicz, MA Warsaw, PhD
Polish Academy of Sciences (Lecturer)
Technology and organising; social
construction of space; narrativity, science
fiction and organisations; knowledge
management; identity, self and branding
Azimjon Kuvandikov, BA MA Lancaster,
PhD York (Lecturer)
Financial reporting; corporate governance;
merger and acquisitions; employment
effects of mergers and acquisitions
Caleb Kwong, BSc Bath, MSc Glasgow,
PhD Leeds (Lecturer)
Social entrepreneurship and microfinance;
human resource management; female
entrepreneurship; ethnic entrepreneurship
Chris Land, BA Bradford, MA PhD
Warwick (Senior Lecturer)
Aesthetics and politics of organisations;
community as an organisational discourse;
literature, organisation and utopia; the
organisation of piracy in the early
eighteenth century; organisations and new
social movements; cycling cultures
Jun Li, BA MA People’s University of
China, PGDip PhD Lancaster, PGCTHE
Luton (Senior Lecturer)
Business clusters; innovation
management; international
entrepreneurship; Chinese
entrepreneurship
Pik Kun Liew, BA PhD Sheffield
(Lecturer)
Corporate governance; auditing;
globalisation; corporate social responsibility
Xiaoquan Liu, MSc PhD Lancaster
(Senior Lecturer)
Derivatives; asset pricing
Ricardo Malagueño de Santana,
BA UFPE, MSc Pompeu Fabra, MRes
ESADE (Lecturer)
Management accounting systems;
behavioural research in accounting;
control systems and product innovation
Stuart Manson, BA MBA Strathclyde,
CA (Professor)
Audit automation; pension fund reporting;
audit reporting; accounting history;
corporate governance
Sumohon Matilal, BComm MComm
Calcutta, MRes PhD Essex (Lecturer)
Accounting and the visual; narrative
analysis; problems of accounting
representations; corporate and political
accountability
Jay Mitra, BA Calcutta, MA Jadavpur,
MSc Stirling (Professor and Head of
Group)
New business creation and economic
development; small firm growth and
innovation; business networks and
clusters; entrepreneurship and innovation
policy; small firm internationalisation
Li Ying Meng, BA Tongji, BA Wuerzburg,
PhD Cranfield (Lecturer)
Information/knowledge management and
firm performance; marketing and financial
justification; quantitative and qualitative
research methods; entrepreneurship and
marketing
Sandra Moog, PhD Berkeley (Lecturer)
International environmental politics and
transnational civic activism; globalisation;
sustainable development and
environmental justice; evolution of civil
society organisations in south and north
America and western Europe
Hiroyuki Nakata, BA MA Kyoto,
PhD Stanford (Lecturer)
Application of microeconomic theory
(general equilibrium and game theory)
in finance; the social costs of volatility;
expectations or beliefs formation; impacts
of finance on R&D activities
John Nankervis, BA MA Auckland,
PhD Surrey (Professor)
Financial econometrics; bootstrap
methods and applications; autocorrelation
testing in dependent time series
Vivekanand Nawosah, BSc Mauritius,
MSc PhD Exeter (Lecturer)
Empirical asset pricing; duration analysis;
the term structure of interest rates;
behavioural finance
Manuela Nocker, BSc Padua, PhD LSE
(Lecturer)
Critical project studies; organisational
ethnography; the narrative approach
in organisational analysis;
strategy-as-practice; organisation
innovation
Sena Ozdemir, BA Istanbul Bilgi, MA
PhD Portsmouth (Lecturer)
New product/service development and
performance; innovation in services;
adoption and diffusion of innovations;
marketing capabilities in innovative firms;
open innovation and user involvement in
open innovation environments
Georgios Panos, BSc Ioannina, MSc
Warwick, PhD Aberdeen (Lecturer)
Entrepreneurship; labour and personnel
economics; behavioural economics and
finance
Sudarshan Pillalamarri, BA Bhavans
Vivekananda, MSc Clermont, PhD Aarhus
(Lecturer)
Auditing; ethical decision-making in
accounting; role of moral reasoning in
accounting
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www.essex.ac.uk/ebs | Essex Business School
Konstantinos Poulis, BBA Athens,
PhD Manchester (Lecturer)
Standardisation/adaption strategy debate;
internationalisation processes of consumer
goods firms; case study methodology
Kathleen Riach, MA MSc PhD Glasgow
(Senior Lecturer)
Organisational age inequality; ageing
identities at work; body and embodiment;
sensual methodologies
Carlo Rosa, MSc PhD LSE (Lecturer)
Monetary economics; macroeconomics
and financial econometrics; international
finance
Anna Sarkisyan, BSc MSc Plekhanov,
MSc Southampton, PhD Cass (Lecturer)
Banking; securitisation; financial regulation
and supervision
Vania Sena, MSc DPhil York (Professor)
Human capital agglomerations, innovation
in business, IP and productivity
Liya Shen, MSc PhD Essex (Lecturer)
Options; futures; wavelet method; fund
management
Michael Sherer, BA (Econ) MA (Econ)
Manchester, FCA (Professor and Head
of School)
Application of structuration theory to
accounting and auditing; corporate
governance and mismanagement;
business plans for not-for-profit
organisations; enterprise resource
planning in UK universities; embedding
evaluation in a contemporary visual
arts organisation
Stevphen Shukaitis, BA East
Stroudsburg, MA New School for Social
Research, PhD Queen Mary (Lecturer)
Class composition analysis and
autonomist Marxism; avant-garde arts and
aesthetics; politics of self-organisation;
affect, embodiment and ethics; networked
forms of labour
Prem Sikka, BA Open, MSc London, PhD
Sheffield, FCCA (Professor)
Accounting, crime and racism; auditor
regulation; governance of the UK
accountancy profession; corporate
governance; globalisation; the
accountancy profession and the
state-profession relationship; insolvency;
globalisation; tax havens; corporate social
responsibility
Stuart Snaith, BA Keele, MSc PhD Essex
(Lecturer)
Forward premium puzzle; purchasing
power parity puzzle; syndicated/project
finance loans; panel unit root
testing/panel regressions; long-horizon
regressions
John Stittle, BA Nottingham Trent, MA
London, FCCA (Senior Lecturer)
Privatisation of UK railway industry;
Railtrack’s track access charges; social
and ethical issues in corporate reporting;
the financing of Network Rail
Misagh Tavasori, BSc MBA Sharif,
PhD Manchester (Lecturer)
Corporate social entrepreneurship;
social entrepreneurship in multinational
corporations; international business
development
Hardy M Thomas, BA MSc DPhil Ulster
(Lecturer)
Corporate control and governance; market
valuation of corporations; real options and
investment appraisal
Melissa Tyler, BA Birmingham,
PhD Derby (Reader)
Emotional, aesthetic and sexualized
labour; gender and management;
management of culture and identity;
sales-service work
Shahzad Uddin, BCom MCom FCMA
Dhaka, MSc PhD Manchester, PGCHET
Queens (Professor)
Management accounting and privatisation
issues in developing and developed
countries; development issues and
accounting; globalisation, aid agencies and
accounting; small business financing;
accounting and lending decisions; public
sector management
Giorgio Valente, MA Tilburg, PhD
Warwick (Professor)
International finance; fixed income
markets; market microstructure; macro
finance
Dmitri Vinogradov, Dipl Moscow State,
MSc Moscow HSE, PhD Heidelberg
(Lecturer)
The theory of financial intermediation;
financial markets in general equilibrium;
decision-making under uncertainty
Christina Volkmann, MA Münster, MBA
PhD Exeter (Lecturer)
Architectural space in the organizational
context; architectural and geographic
imagery in financial advertising
Svetlana Warhurst, BSc Polotsk State,
MSc PhD Manchester Metropolitan
(Lecturer)
Internationalisation and international
entrepreneurship; autonomy and
embeddedness of subsidiaries of MNCs;
subsidiary performance; country-of-origin
effects; regional development
Samantha Warren, BA PhD Portsmouth
(Professor)
Visual methods; organizational aesthetics;
materiality and identity
Ceri Watkins, BSc Newcastle, MA PhD
Essex (Lecturer)
Organisational performance; space and
organisation; theatre and performance; art
and organisation; teams; organisational
hierarchy
Andrew Wood, BA MSc PhD London
(Reader)
Momentum in the UK and disposition
effects; syndicated loans and the role of
the underwriter; the expectations
hypothesis
Shu-Jung Sunny Yang, PhD New South
Wales and Sydney, AGSM (Senior
Lecturer)
Operations strategy; product innovation;
competitive strategy
Yong Yang, MSc UEA, PhD Queen Mary
(Lecturer)
International business; applied economics;
technology-outsourcing
Idlan Zakaria, BCom New Zealand,
MA Lancaster (Lecturer)
Market-based corporate governance
research; management control and
performance measurement; corporate
disclosure policy; executive remuneration
Ping Zheng, MBA MPhil PhD Kent
(Lecturer)
Management and organisational
behaviour; ownership impact on shaping
management processes; emerging forms
of business venture under market
socialism in contemporary China; Chinese
entrepreneurship
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Essex Business School | www.essex.ac.uk/ebs
MSc Global Project and Innovation
Management•
This course ensures you understand the
dynamics, underpinning theories and
concepts relating to global project and
innovation management. You develop
critical insights into how global, innovative
projects become part of the strategic
decision-making process of businesses
and how they complement the management
of related areas of information, new
enterprise creation, business research
and the workings of the international
business environment.
MSc International Business and
Entrepreneurship•‡
MSc International Business and
Entrepreneurship is concerned with
critical aspects of business formation and
development across international borders.
We cover a highly topical area of business
study through a critical examination of
different types of international business
activity, underpinning theories, and
innovative approaches to new business
creation in different cultural and
economic contexts.
The international scope and character
of our course is evidenced in our overall
objectives, the use of international case
studies and data sets, and the availability
of staff, policy-makers and practitioners
from an international community of
businesses, academic institutions and
other organisations.
MSc International Marketing and
Entrepreneurship•‡
This course is concerned with marketing,
public relations and customer-centred
business activity as they apply to different
types of organisations in varying stages of
formation or growth in different international
and cultural environments. It responds to
a growing recognition of the development
of strategic, international marketing
knowledge, capabilities, skills and
techniques among existing professionals
of private, public and not-for-profit
organisations.
You cover marketing issues related
to new ventures and entrepreneurial
public and private sector organisations
managing change processes, including
the investigation of key marketing principles
like advertising, PR, e-marketing, ethical
issues, governance, and their application.
MSc Organisation Studies and
International Human Resource
Management•‡
Our course allows you to acquire a thorough
understanding of the nature and role of
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www.essex.ac.uk/ebs | Essex Business School
organisations and the management of
people at work. Our emphasis is on an
international perspective of leadership
and the management of human resources,
and on social and ethical criteria that foster
the sustainability of entrepreneurship,
organisational structures and processes,
collaboration, learning, and innovation.
Central to our course is an examination
of the evolution of organisations through
their people, and the management of
organisational content and processes
in varying international environments.
MSc Public Management•
MSc Public Management is concerned
with the critical, multi-disciplinary study
of entrepreneurial management in the
public sector. We provide a critical
perspective on the dilemmas of strategy,
effective management and organisation
in a complex environment, governance,
and the idea of enterprise in the public
and not-for-profit sectors.
Building on the experience of other
public sector related international
programmes offered at Essex, our
MSc Public Management gives an
opportunity for critical study of issues
of civic leadership and governance in an
environment of continuous change. You
also address: new forms of public and
not-for-profit enterprise across different
sectors; globalisation and international
perspectives; social and economic
development; and the inter-relationships
between the public, private, voluntary
and community sectors. It will enable
you to investigate critical, and increasingly
entrepreneurial, relationships between
the state, civil society and the market.
MSc Social and Community Enterprise
Management•‡
This course studies the management
and sustainability of social and community
enterprises, so you examine the people
and organisations engaged in taking risks
on behalf of customers and stakeholders
in a community environment.
Managers of social and community
enterprises look for new ways in which to
serve their stakeholders, weighing-up both
social and financial returns on investments
and long-term benefits for the community.
You examine social and community-based
entrepreneurship through practical
exercises and case studies, and study
how social networking and social capital
combine innovatively with traditional
sources of technological, financial
and human capital.
Postgraduate Certificate in Creative
Industry Management•‡
Our postgraduate certificate comprises
two core modules that focus on the key
issues of the management of creative
enterprises and the broader context of the
environment, trends and characteristics of
the creative industry sector. You develop
your understanding of entrepreneurial
organisations in the creative industries, their
economic, social and technological context,
and how they are managed. We equip you
with critical, analytical and learning skills,
and with the ability to manage your own
learning and network with different
stakeholders. We help you apply your skills
and knowledge to a range of complex
situations in the creative industries and take
responsibility for continuing to develop your
own knowledge and skills.
This course will also help you progress
towards a rewarding career in the creative
industries by offering a range of business
support services, so that you emerge as a
key contributor to a learning, innovative and
entrepreneurial community.
Management courses
MSc International Management•
This course should interest you if you wish
to pursue a career within an international
dimension or want to gain a greater
understanding of the increasingly global
context in which businesses operate, and
the changing role of management and
organisation in the twenty-first century.
Although a first degree in business or
management is not a pre-requisite, some
experience of studying a social science
is needed.
MA Management and Organisational
Dynamics•
We deliver this course jointly with our Centre
for Psychoanalytic Studies and equip you
with powerful tools to support creative work
in organisations. Uniquely, we draw on both
critical management theory and current
thinking on underlying group dynamics. Our
course is designed for leaders, consultants,
researchers and others who wish to get to
grips with the complex human processes
that impact on change in organisations.
MSc Management, Marketing and Society•
This course should interest you if you want
to focus your studies on both management
and marketing. You will be introduced to
cutting-edge marketing theory and practice,
and there is a strong emphasis on locating
marketing and management within their
broader social context.
While the relationship between marketing
and society is a complex one, being able to
understand this relationship and evaluate
the impact of change, is a crucial skill for
marketing managers today. By focusing on
this broader perspective, often neglected in
straight marketing courses, we encourage
you to become a reflexive practitioner who
is aware of the complex relations between
marketing theory and practice, and the
way that theory and practice can impact
on the world.
MSc Management Psychology•
MSc Management Psychology will
develop your critical understanding
of the relationship between behaviour
and experience. Our primary focus is
on the individual in the organisation, the
construction of meaning, bureaucratic and
technological consciousness, organisational
socialisation and secondary adjustments,
and the significance of time, gender and
motive as organising principles.
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Essex Business School | www.essex.ac.uk/ebs
Our course has been designed if you wish
to work in the field of organisational analysis
or in management education and research,
and is excellent preparation for further
academic study or for a career in a research
or consultancy based profession.
MA Management Studies•
This course is primarily for existing or
aspiring managers seeking a programme
which equips you for a successful
organisational career by introducing you
to cutting-edge research in management
theory and practice. Our core focus is on
research skills, so you graduate with the
ability to keep up-to-date with future
developments in management theory
and to conduct your own, independent
research projects where knowledge is
not readily available.
The MRes programme•
Our MRes programme is designed for
those wishing to follow a career in research
and/or academia, so we equip you with
the skills and knowledge to appreciate
the depth and breadth of this in a social
science context. Our course content is a
direct response to requirements for, and
suggested improvements in, research
training laid down by the Economic and
Social Research Council (ESRC).
Research study
We have an international reputation
for cutting-edge research in accounting,
finance, management and entrepreneurship.
Our reputation was confirmed when
we were ranked second in the UK for
accounting and finance research, with
95 percent of our research graded as
of international quality.
Both theoretical and applied research
can be found within our School, with
much of it addressing the important
issues currently being faced by commercial
businesses, public sector bodies and
not-for-profit organisations. We are
recognised for being at the forefront of
research in: business ethics and corporate
social responsibility; organisation studies;
leadership and strategy; finance and
banking; risk management; and
international management.
Many of our academic staff have world
class research reputations and bring their
research findings and expertise into the
classroom to broaden and enhance your
learning experience.
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www.essex.ac.uk/ebs | Essex Business School
Odusola Abimbola Philips,
Lagos, Nigeria – MSc
Creative Industry
Management
I chose to study at the University
of Essex because of its excellent
rating as a top ten university for
research. I really enjoy the depth
of up-to-date research I am able
to engage in, and it is great to get the
opportunity to solve real case studies
with our lecturers and other students on
the course.
What I have enjoyed most about being
at Essex is being part of a diverse
community. I have had the opportunity to
make friends with people from so many
different cultures and backgrounds. It has
really helped me learn about other
people’s attitudes and beliefs, and I am
sure that the friends I have made will stay
my friends for life.
Essex Business School itself is very
friendly and the lecturers are easy to
talk to which has made my time here
so enjoyable.
When I leave Essex, my ultimate aim is
to start a consulting firm for creative
industries in Nigeria. I have gained so
much knowledge from my time studying
here and I really believe that this
knowledge will be invaluable to
the firms in creative industries
back home.
Student
profile
About our research degrees
We offer postgraduate research degrees
leading to a PhD in finance, accounting,
banking, entrepreneurship, finance and
accounting, and management. A number
of our teaching staff started their academic
careers at Essex, either as undergraduates
or postgraduates, and we encourage our
Masters graduates to consider academia
as a career option by staying on to
undertake a doctorate.
Research areas
n Accountability, performance and risk
management in public sector
organisations
n Accounting, governance and innovation
in emerging economies
n Asset pricing
n Auditing
n Bank performance and risk
n Behavioural finance
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
Behavioural finance and market
anomalies
Business administration and
entrepreneurship
Corporate finance and portfolio
management
Corporate governance
Corporate social responsibility
Critical management studies
Dynamic capabilities, marketing and new
product development
Environmental governance and
sustainability
Equality and diversity
Exchange rates and international finance
Financial econometrics and modelling
Financial reporting
Human resource management
Identity construction and the
management of identity
International business and
entrepreneurship
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
Management accounting
Market-based accounting research
Marketing, consumer behaviour and
consumption
Organisational culture, arts and
aesthetics
Pricing of financial assets and
derivatives
Risk and change in the new economy
Social accounting and auditing
Social entrepreneurship
Value creation and appropriation
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 113

Health and Human Sciences | www.essex.ac.uk/hhs
Health and Human Sciences
We have an excellent reputation for the quality of our teaching, with an ever
expanding range of health-related courses on offer, while our reputation for
research (submitted with our Department of Sociology) is outstanding.
Taught courses
Pre-registration
MSc Adult Nursing
MSc Mental Health Nursing
MSc Occupational Therapy
MSc Physiotherapy
MSc Speech and Language Therapy
DClinPsych in Clinical Psychology•
Standard
Masters in Public Health (MPH)•
MA/MSc Health and Organisational
Research•†
MA/MSc Research Methods in Health•†
MRes Health Studies•
Modular/CPD
Advanced Musculoskeletal Assessment•
Health Care Management•
Health Care Practice•
Infection Control•
Medical and Clinical Education•
Public Health Management•
Postgraduate Certificate in Psychological
Wellbeing Practitioner (Improving
Access to Psychological Therapies,
Low-Intensity Therapy)•
Professional doctorates
Clinical Psychology*•
Counselling Psychology*•
Health and Social Care Education•
Health Service Management•
Occupational Therapy•
Physiotherapy•
Public Health•
Social Care Practice Management•
Social Services Management•
Speech and Language Therapy*•
Please refer to individual course
descriptions for details.
Research degrees
Health and Organisational Research•†
MPhil, PhD
Health Studies• MSD, MPhil, PhD
Nursing Studies• MSD, MPhil, PhD
Occupational Therapy• MSD, MPhil,
PhD
Public Health• MSD, MPhil, PhD
Social Policy• MSD, MPhil, PhD
This list is not exhaustive so for further
research opportunities, please contact our
administrator directly to discuss.
For MSD, good honours degree in relevant
area. For MPhil or PhD, Masters degree in
relevant area. IELTS 6.5 or equivalent.
Fact file
RESEARCH
University of Essex ranked ninth
in the UK for its research.
Research submitted in Sociology subject
area, see Sociology for details.
For an explanation, see page 5.
FURTHER INFORMATION
English language requirements:
please see specific programme
requirements (for details, see page 25).
Academic staff: 65
Taught postgraduates: 220
Research postgraduates: 100
For taught courses:
T +44 (0)1206 872854
or +44 (0)1206 873375
E hhs@essex.ac.uk
For research study:
T +44 (0)1206 873375
E mahass@essex.ac.uk
• available part-time
† ESRC accreditation
* subject to approval
Location:
c Colchester Campus
For related programmes which may be of interest, please see:
Biological Sciences (page 66)
Law (page 142)
Psychology (page 189)
Sociology (page 195)
Sports Science (page 202)
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www.essex.ac.uk/hhs | Health and Human Sciences
Why study health and
human sciences at Essex?
n
n
n
n
n
Collaborative teaching includes
significant input from practitioners
and service users, which ensures
your postgraduate qualification
is relevant and fit for purpose
Part of the University’s accredited
Doctoral Training Centre of the
Economic and Social Research
Council (ESRC), with a number
of ESRC studentships available
for new postgraduates
Innovative teaching and
progression routes offer
postgraduate qualifications that
provide an exciting direct pathway
into a variety of health-oriented
careers, including professional
development opportunities with
flexible pathways on a full or
part-time modular basis
Our taught courses further your
skills and knowledge, stimulate
independent thought and have a
positive impact on local, national
and international health services
Working with partnership
organisations, we come together
to share and develop skills and
knowledge
Career prospects
As part of our fast-track
pre-registration programmes,
we organise placements for our
students, during which you have
the opportunity to experience
day-to-day life in your chosen
career. Many go on to work in these
environments after graduation and
registration.
We currently have graduates
working in both clinical and
management positions in local
trusts, hospitals and care
organisations, as well as in
local and county councils.
About our School
We have an excellent reputation for
the quality of our teaching, with an ever
expanding range of health-related courses
on offer, while our reputation for research
(submitted with our Department of
Sociology) is outstanding.
Within our School, our educational provision
meets professional regulatory requirements
and achieves high standards. We do so by
having staff that are multi-professional, so
they have clinical and academic credibility.
In addition, we draw on the expertise of
our visiting fellows and lecturers, who are
experienced practitioners, to provide further
specialist contributions to our programmes.
All our staff are concerned with the
development of evidence-based practice
in their own areas of clinical expertise,
and many are supported in carrying out
health-related research. Externally, we
have strong partnership agreements with
other educational establishments and
health organisations, including the Tavistock
Clinic in London. We deliver teaching and
research at both our Colchester and
Southend campuses.
We specialise in applied, multi-disciplinary
research that addresses issues of national
and international concern to health policy
and practice, and related fields. We have
research interest groups in ‘Developing
Professional Practice’ and ‘Applied Health
Research’, and also host the NIHR
Research Design Service for the East of
England. Many of our students aspire to
careers within healthcare or are already
working as nurses, doctors, psychologists,
allied health professionals, care assistants,
social workers and managers in healthcare
environments.
We offer a range of postgraduate studies
in health-related subjects, including taught
courses, taught pre-registration courses,
research degrees and doctoral
programmes.
Taught courses
We offer a range of unique one-year
standard and two-year pre-registration
taught courses. By pre-registration, we
mean that these courses lead to the
additional qualification of eligibility to
apply for registration with the appropriate
regulatory body.
Our courses include full and part-time
studies, which provide you with a learning
environment suited to your professional
commitments. Many of our programmes
are offered as part of interprofessional
learning (IPL), encouraging professionals
to learn with and from each other – an
understanding that helps to ensure you
have the expertise to respond adequately
and effectively to the complexity of your
service user needs, and ensures that care
is safe, seamless and of a high standard.
We form part of Essex’s interdisciplinary
Doctoral Training Centre, recently
designated by the UK’s Economic and
Social Research Council (ESRC) and one
of only 21 in the UK. This means two of
our courses have ESRC Doctoral Training
Centre accreditation, and a number of
ESRC studentships are available for
new students.
Pre-registration
Our full-time accelerated courses
are suitable if you are a graduate who
wishes to become eligible to register
with the relevant regulatory body within
two years. Our students on these courses
share learning experiences across all
pre-registration disciplines. We use
problem-based learning and design our
courses as a continuous progression of
integrated theory and practice.
Subject to meeting UK residency criteria,
your tuition fees are paid by the Strategic
Health Authority and additional support
funding may also be available.
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Health and Human Sciences | www.essex.ac.uk/hhs
Taught course modules
Advanced Musculoskeletal
Assessment and Practice
Work-based Learning
Soft Tissue and Joint Injection
Therapy
Advanced Musculoskeletal
Assessment
Research Design and Critical
Appraisal
Data Collection, Analysis and
Interpretation
Two optional modules
Advanced Musculoskeletal
Assessment (Imaging)
Work-based Learning
Introduction to
Ultrasonography
Advanced Musculoskeletal
Assessment
Research Design and Critical
Appraisal
Data Collection, Analysis
and Interpretation
Intermediate and Advanced
Use of Musculoskeletal
Ultrasound
Health and Organisational
Research
Management in Organisations
Theory and Method in
Health Research
Statistical Analysis
Research Evaluation Project
Qualitative Health Research
One optional module from
Essex Business School
One optional module from
School of Health and
Human Sciences
Health Care Management
The Context of Healthcare
Management
Health Economics
Research Design and Critical
Appraisal
Data Collection, Analysis and
Interpretation
Management Project
Three optional modules
Health Care Practice
Work-based Learning
Programme Specific
Assessment
Three research methods
modules
Three optional modules
Health Studies
Theory and Method in Health
Research
Research Design and Critical
Appraisal
Statistic al Analysis
Qualitative Health Research
Two optional modules
Infection Control
Introduction to Medical
Microbiology and
Immunology
Public Health and
Communicable Disease
Control
Applied Microbiology in
Public Health
Research Methods
Medical and Clinical
Education
Learning, Teaching and
Assessment
Learning Organisations and
Quality Enhancement
Course Design and
Development
Research Methods
One optional module
Psychological Wellbeing
Practitioner (Improving
Access to Psychological
Therapies, Low-Intensity
Therapy)
Engagement and Assessment
of Patients With Common
Mental Health Problems
Evidence-based Low Intensity
Treatment for Common
Mental Health Disorders
Values, Policy, Culture and
Diversity
Working Within a Social, Work
and Healthcare Context
Public Health (MPH)
Topics in Public Health
Epidemiology
Research Design and Critical
Appraisal
Health Promotion
Statistical Analysis
Communicable Disease
Control
Two optional modules
Public Health
Management
Topics in Public Health
Context of Health Care
Management
Research Design and Critical
Appraisal
Statistical Analysis or Data
Collection, Analysis and
Interpretation
Work-based Learning Project
Two optional modules
Research Methods
in Health
Survey Methods 1: Design
and Measurement
Quantitative Analysis
from Univariate to
Multivariate Methods
Theory and Methods in Health
Panel Data Methods
for Sociologists
Qualitative Health Research
All MSc courses include a dissertation.
This information is a guide to course
content and is subject to change on an
annual basis.
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www.essex.ac.uk/hhs | Health and Human Sciences
MSc Adult Nursing
Our course balances the study of the
practice of nursing with academic work
to develop your evidence-based practice
and skills of reflection and critical analysis.
You spend half your time in clinical
placements, with bases across Essex, and
successful completion leads to registration
as an adult nurse with the Nursing and
Midwifery Council.
MSc Mental Health Nursing
Our course balances the study of
the practice of mental health nursing
with academic study to develop your
evidence-based practice and skills of
reflection and critical analysis. You spend
half your time in clinical placements, with
bases across Essex, and successful
completion leads to registration as a
mental health nurse with the Nursing
and Midwifery Council.
MSc Occupational Therapy
Our MSc Occupational Therapy views
the client as central to the therapeutic
process, promoting health and well
being through the use of occupation. You
complete four blocks of practice placement,
working alongside occupational therapists
in a variety of practice areas. Successful
completion leads you to eligibility to apply
for registration with the Health Professions
Council as an occupational therapist.
MSc Physiotherapy
This course is patient-focused and
student-centred, reflecting contemporary
health and social care practice. You
undertake blocks of practice education
with practising physiotherapists in the
workplace and successful completion
leads you to eligibility to apply for
registration with the Health Professions
Council as a physiotherapist.
MSc Speech and Language Therapy
This course is client-focused and uses
problem-based learning methods to
integrate theory and clinical practice.
You undertake day visits and blocks
of practice education with speech and
language therapists in the workplace.
Successful completion leads you to
eligibility to apply for registration with the
Health Professions Council as a speech
and language therapist.
Entry requirements for our pre-registration
courses are:
n Relevant honours degree, minimum
lower second class;
n Satisfactory CRB and occupational
health checks (arranged by us);
n Excellent communication and
interpersonal skills;
n IELTS score of 7.0 or above for MSc
Adult Nursing and MSc Mental Health
Nursing;
n IELTS score of 7.0 or above, with
no element under 6.5, for MSc
Occupational Therapy and MSc
Physiotherapy;
n IELTS score of 8.0 or above, with
no element under 7.7 for MSc Speech
and Language Therapy.
DClinPsych in Clinical Psychology•
Our qualifying training course has been
developed through our partnership with
NHS Trusts in Essex and the Tavistock and
Portman NHS Foundation Trust in London.
As a trainee, you will be employed by the
North Essex Mental Health Partnership
Trust and enrol for a Doctorate in Clinical
Psychology at our University. Teaching will
follow a competencies model and the ethos
of the course is an integrative approach
to clinical practice. Placements will
predominantly be in the county of Essex
and successful completion leads to
eligibility to apply for registration with
the Health Professions Council as a
practitioner psychologist.
Applicants should apply through Clearing
House. Entry requirements are:
n Graduate Basis for Chartered
Membership (GBC) with the BPS;
n Honours degree (2.1 or above, with
a third year average of 65 per cent or
above) in psychology or a recognised
overseas degree in psychology
(equivalent to at least an upper
second honours) or a BPS accredited
conversion degree in psychology
(with an average mark of 65 per cent
or above) or a lower second class
honours degree in psychology with
subsequent demonstration of academic
competence, for example through
achieving 65 per cent or above
(or equivalent) at Masters/doctoral
level in a research degree relevant to
clinical psychology;
n One year’s full time, or equivalent,
clinical or research experience relevant
to clinical psychology;
n Appointable within the NHS;
n Eligible for home-based tuition fees;
n IELTS 7.0 (with no component
below 7.0).
Standard
Our following courses are available on both
a modular, part-time and, in some cases,
full-time basis. Only full-time courses are
available to international students.
Masters in Public Health (MPH)•
Our Masters in Public Health is designed to
give you the knowledge and skills needed
to fulfil a leadership role in public health,
whether in the UK or the rest of the world.
It is a useful introduction to the academic
part of the syllabus for the MFPHM Part 1
examination.
MA/MSc Health and Organisational
Research•†
This course is the Masters element of an
ESRC-accredited pathway for our Doctoral
Training Centre, so is taught across our
School and our Essex Business School,
drawing upon both substantive and
methodological expertise from within
these two schools.
As well as providing requisite training for
our ESRC-funded students, we offer a
unique opportunity for you to study within
an interdisciplinary environment, so this
course should be of interest if you wish
to pursue a career in health services and
health research.
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MA/MSc Research Methods in Health•†
This course is the Masters element of an
ESRC-accredited pathway for our Doctoral
Training Centre, so is taught across our
School and our Institute for Social and
Economic Research, drawing upon
substantive and methodological expertise
from both areas. As well as providing
requisite training for our ESRC-funded
students, we offer a unique opportunity
for you to study within an interdisciplinary
environment.
Providing advanced postgraduate
training in survey research methodology,
this course would suit you if you want
to work as a social or market researcher,
or are already employed in this field and
wish to undertake further professional
development. You cover all the key topics
in survey research, including sampling
methods, questionnaire design, the
management of the survey process and
methods for analysing survey data. You can
also choose an optional topic from a range
of modules in our Department of Sociology
or from a different social science discipline.
MRes Health Studies•
We have designed this course to meet the
Economic and Social Research Council
(ESRC) requirements for Masters research
training. We provide you with advanced
research training in relation to health issues,
so it is suitable if you are anticipating a
research career in public or private sectors,
or wishing to continue to PhD level.
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www.essex.ac.uk/hhs | Health and Human Sciences
Staff and their research interests
The following staff are available to offer
research supervision. For more information
on our staff, please visit our website.
Leanne Andrews, BA Essex, MSc UCL,
PhD Essex (Lecturer)
Health promotion; eating behaviour;
stress; post-traumatic stress disorder
Matthew Birks, RMN, BSc MA
Nottingham, EdD Derby (Lecturer)
Non-medical interventions in mental
health care; the sociology of health and
personality disorder
Sheila Black, BSc Leicester, MSc Surrey,
PhD Essex (Lecturer)
Research methods and their application
Frances Blumenfeld, BA MA Tel Aviv,
Clin PsyD UEA (Senior Lecturer)
Parenting programmes; young offenders;
externalizing problems
Simon Carmel, BSc Durham, MSc
Liverpool, MSc Surrey, PhD London
(Lecturer)
Sociology of medical science, technology
and innovation; social organisation of
healthcare work; inter-professional
relations; theories of practice; qualitative
health services research
Mark Francis-Wright, EdD UEA, BSc
Coventry, MeD Nottingham, Dip PCE
(Lecturer)
Professional/vocational education in
health; health students with disabilities,
including dyslexia; inclusive curriculum
development; learning disabilities and
mental health/forensic mental health
issues; qualitative methodologies
Gill Green, BSc Bradford, MA PhD
London (Professor and Director, NIHR
Research Design Service for East
of England)
Chronic illness; stigma; health services
research; sociology of health and illness
Joanna Jackson, MCSP Cert Ed (FE), BA
Open, MSc Loughborough, EdD UEA
(Senior Lecturer and Head of School)
Physiotherapy education; physiotherapy
practice
Susan McPherson, BSc LSE, MSc UCL
(Lecturer)
Management of mental illness in primary
care; the social history of mental illness
Peter Martin, BN PhD Wales, RMN
PGCE RNT (Senior Lecturer)
Nursing theory and practice; service
evaluation and development; clinical
decision making; mental health services
Steve Moores, BSc Exeter, MSc
Southampton, PhD London, PGCE Keele
(Lecturer)
Comparing aromatherapy massage with
traditional therapy in the treatment of
anxiety; use of placebo effects in
occupational therapy; use of virtual
learning environments
David Pevalin, MA Leicester, MA Calgary,
PhD Essex (Senior Lecturer and Dean of
the Facility of Science and Engineering)
Health inequalities; social epidemiology;
social survey data analysis
Ewen Speed, BA Caledonian, MSc
Strathclyde, PhD Dublin (Graduate Director
(Research) and Lecturer)
Sociology of mental health; consumerism
and consumption in health care; health
related social movements; health related
stigma; sociology of health and illness
Valerie Thurtle, RGN, BSc Southampton,
MA Essex, PhD King’s (Lecturer)
Public health, particularly health promotion
and community development; community
nursing, particularly health visiting school
nursing; professional identity and career
trajectories (largely related to community
nurses); children and young people
Wayne Wilson, Dip RCSLT, MA PhD
Essex (Senior Lecturer)
Representation of language in graphic
symbols; speech motor control;
augmentative and alternative
communication
Learning is facilitated through a variety of
approaches including lectures, seminars,
group work, and problem-based learning.
Teaching contributions are drawn from
expertise across our University, as well
as from a range of external contributors.
Entry requirements for our standard
courses are:
n Good undergraduate degree or a
graduate medical qualification (for
Masters in Public Health);
n Good first degree in a relevant subject
(typically social sciences, health sciences
or health studies) or equivalent
professional standing (for all other
courses);
n IELTS 6.5 or equivalent.
Modular/CPD
Modern health services require education
to be relevant, flexible and, most importantly,
outcome-focused. This means that,
as well as offering our standard and
pre-registration taught courses, we
also provide continuing professional
development pathways for professionals,
already working in the health sector, who
wish to further their practical and/or
academic skills.
These courses are offered as options
on a modular basis which can be taken
over two to five years.
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Our modular programmes incorporate
multiple student/individual-focused
pathways which lead to awards within
specialist health areas. Many modules
are available as stand alone formats,
designed to address the immediate and
ever changing needs of clinical services.
In addition to this, you may also credit
accumulate towards interim and final
awards, including postgraduate certificate,
postgraduate diploma and a full taught
Masters.
Advanced Musculoskeletal Assessment•
We offer two musculoskeletal pathways –
Assessment and Practice, and Imaging.
These provide multiple pathways for
experienced clinicians, so you can expand
your knowledge and skills while assessing
and managing patients with a range of
musculoskeletal conditions beyond your
normal scope of practice. Our optional
modules allow you to expand your
musculoskeletal practice with a focus on
imaging, including ultrasonography, or a
focus on patient management, including
injection therapy. Teaching contributions are
drawn from expertise across our academic
departments and many modules are
supported by Moodle.
Health Care Practice•
This course will interest you if you are a
health care professional in primary,
secondary and tertiary settings, wishing to
advance your knowledge base and clinical
skills. Irrespective of your clinical speciality,
you will become actively involved in the
advancement of practice which will be
recognised within our MSc Health Care
Practice. It is anticipated that this course
will also significantly contribute towards
your registration as an advanced
practitioner with the Nursing and
Midwifery Council.
We offer five specialist variations:
n Health Care Practice;
n Health Care Practice (End of Life Care);
n Health Care Practice (Long Term
Conditions);
n Health Care Practice (Mental Health);
n Health Care Practice (Respiratory Care).
These specialist pathways provide you with
a broad and critical understanding of the
underlying key concepts, as well as the
necessary skills to access and critically
appraise research findings, thereby
ensuring that you are able to apply your
understanding of the health sciences, legal
and ethical frameworks, and health care
policy to critique and enhance your own
evidence-based and professional practice.
Entry requirements for Advanced
Musculoskeletal Assessment and
Health Care Practice are:
n Relevant professional qualification
and current registration with the
relevant UK professional body;
n Minimum of four years’ post-registration
experience (for Advanced
Musculoskeletal Assessment) and two
years’ post-registration experience
(for Health Care Practice);
n Relevant first degree or professional
experience and qualifications that
demonstrate ability to study at Level 7;
n Current employment in a relevant field
of practice;
n Demonstration of existing specialist
competencies in musculoskeletal
practice;
n IELTS 6.5 or equivalent.
Health Care Management•
This course is aimed at managers and
professionals working across a wide range
of health and social care sectors. It enables
you to enhance your management skills
and build your knowledge base through
practice-based interprofessional learning
and research. Core coursework focuses on
research methods and health services
management, while optional coursework
allows you to develop a unique set of
practical and intellectual skills.
Entry requirements are:
n Honours degree or equivalent (which
may include professional experience);
n Current involvement in health or social
care management.
Infection Control•
Our course gives nurses in hospital and
community settings the skills that lead
to innovative practice in infection control.
It is entirely web-based and therefore
accessible as distance learning, although
study days are held on our Colchester
Campus every three months.
Entry requirements are:
n Current registration with the NMC;
n Relevant first honours degree;
n Current employment in an infection
control role;
n IELTS 6.5 or equivalent.
Medical and Clinical Education•
This inter-professional course should
interest doctors, nurses, physiotherapists,
speech and language therapists, or any
other healthcare professional involved in
teaching and assessing in practice. It is
mapped against Nurse Practice Teacher,
Nurse Teacher, GP Associate Trainer, GP
Trainer, Occupational Therapist and
Physiotherapist Clinical Educator learning
outcomes. Our teaching is delivered
through face-to-face lectures and tutorials,
and online through Moodle.
If you wish to achieve NMC Practice
Teacher or Teacher qualifications, you
must supply (on application) evidence
of successful completion of a mentor
preparation programme or equivalent.
It should be noted that midwife applicants
will not be able to meet the NMC
Teacher standards.
Entry requirements are:
n Current registration with a relevant
professional regulatory body;
n Relevant first degree or equivalent;
n Current involvement in teaching and
assessing in practice, plus three years’
healthcare experience;
n IELTS 6.5 or equivalent.
Public Health Management•
We designed this course to provide you
with the knowledge and skills needed to
fulfil a management role in public health
and community development within a health
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www.essex.ac.uk/hhs | Health and Human Sciences
or social care context. It would be most
useful if you are part of the broader public
health workforce but do not have a clinical
background.
Entry requirements are:
n Good undergraduate degree or
equivalent;
n IELTS 6.5 or equivalent.
Postgraduate Certificate in Psychological
Wellbeing Practitioner (Improving Access
to Psychological Therapies, Low-Intensity
Therapy)•
This course enables you to address
common mental health problems
(anxiety and depression) and the use of
evidence-based practices for such issues.
You are provided with training aimed
at the implementation of packages of
cognitive-behaviour therapy (eg supported
self-help) and an understanding of common
pharmacological approaches to care. The
primary aim of this role is to assist in clinical
improvement and social inclusion, such as
people returning to work. Our course will
lead to you being able to register as a
psychological wellbeing practitioner with
the British Association for Behavioural and
Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP).
Entry requirements are:
n Relevant undergraduate degree or
equivalent;
n Relevant professional qualification
(nursing, clinical psychology, social work,
occupational therapy or counselling);
n Acceptance on an IAPT trainee position
through your local primary care trust.
Professional doctorates
Professional doctorates are specialist
qualifications appropriate if you are
in, or aspiring to, senior professional
appointments in practice, education or
management. Completion requires you to
demonstrate unification, at the highest level,
of theory and practice within a professional
context. Such a qualification assesses your
ability to perform at the level of ‘expert’
within a chosen field.
Our programmes can be studied flexibly
between four and seven years. Decisions
about the duration of the study period are
based on your individual need and funded
support. Each programme comprises
three elements:
Taught modules – you complete a research
methods module to underpin subsequent
research work. You are guided in selecting
further module(s) to meet identified deficits
within your knowledge base.
Work-based learning – you create
portfolios of learning chronicling the
development of expert practice. These are
constructed from the specialist application
of generic outcomes in areas such as risk
and diagnostic reasoning.
Original research through a doctoral-level
dissertation – you undertake a dissertation
of 40,000 words on a subject relevant to
your area of practice.
Professional doctorates in Health
and Social Care•
Professional doctorates are awarded in
named areas of health and social care.
Within our School, these include:
n Clinical Psychology*•
n Counselling Psychology*•
n Health and Social Care Education•
n Health Service Management•
n Occupational Therapy•
n Physiotherapy•
n Public Health•
n Social Care Practice Management•
n Social Services Management•
n Speech and Language Therapy*•
Entry requirements are:
n Current registration with a professional
regulatory body, where appropriate;
n Current employment in a senior
position as a manager or practitioner
within a health or social care
organisation, as appropriate;
n Masters qualification (or equivalent).
Research study
We have research interest groups in
‘Developing Professional Practice’ and
‘Applied Health Research’. Examples
of current research projects are those
addressing social exclusion and health
inequality from both a micro perspective,
focused on vulnerable residents living in
bedsits, to analyses of national databases
to identify causes of health inequality.
We have a number of studies that focus
on mental health and optimal treatment
pathways or therapies, while patient benefit
is the aim of much of our research, through
better understanding and dissemination
of the patient experience.
About our research degrees
We offer supervision for the degree of
MSc by dissertation• and for the degrees
of MPhil• and PhD•, including Health
Studies, Public Health, Nursing Studies,
Occupational Health or Social Policy.
We offer interdisciplinary PhD programmes
which form part of an accredited Doctoral
Training Centre of the ESRC at Essex.
Research areas
Research supervision is available in the
following fields:
n Analysis of large scale surveys
n Approaches to pain management
n Child and adolescent mental health
n Children with special educational needs
n Clinical decision making
n Clinical psychology
n Cognitive behavioural therapy
n Consumerism and consumption in
health care
n Cross-cultural mental health
n Educational psychology
n Evaluation of psychological treatments
n Health-related social movements
n Health-related stigma
n Health services research
n Housing and health
n How life events and conditions
influence health
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Susan McGill, Hertford,
Hertfordshire – MSc
Occupational Therapy
Student
profile
Studying to be an occupational
therapist was, in some ways,
the most difficult and the easiest
decision I ever made! At 42
years of age, with a well paid job
and young children, giving up our family
security unnecessarily seemed rather risky.
However, I knew something had to change
if I was to be passionate about my job.
I was employed in customer-focused and
business roles, and knew that working
with people was a motivating factor for
me. However, as I climbed into managerial
responsibilities, I discovered I was getting
further from the actual customer and more
dissatisfied with each role I took.
Once my children were in full-time school,
so money and time were less scarce, I
began to research a career change. I saw
a life coach, spoke to friends and family,
and conducted extensive research through
the internet. I knew I needed to work with
people and do something purposeful, that
made a difference.
I gradually narrowed my search and
came up with occupational therapy
– it met all my requirements and then
some! I have always been 'a do-er',
trying out many different life experiences,
and I believe passionately in the sense of
purpose and zest for life that occupation
can bring. Learning that the central
philosophy in occupational therapy
mirrored this, and that such a career
met all my motivating drivers, was
an epiphany!
It is early days on my course at Essex
but I'm enjoying every minute of it.
I thought it would be tough going
into the world of academia and on
to an accelerated Masters course but
I have not doubted my decision for
one second. In fact, as I learn more
about the profession, it feels that
where I am now is a culmination
of everything I've done before
and I know I have made the
right choice.
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
Interpretative policy analysis of
health care
Mental health services
Nursing theory and practice
Physiotherapy education and practice
Political economy of health care
Post-trauma responses/stress
disorder/growth
Professional/clinical education
and practice
Public health management
Public health practice and policy
Qualitative methods
Quantitative methodologies and analysis
of large-scale datasets (panel and
cohort studies)
Service evaluation and development
Social aspects of HIV/AIDS
Social epidemiology and health
inequalities
Social inequality and health
n Social issues around health and the
intersection of theories of delinquency
and health
n Social organisation of health care
n Sociology of happiness and wellbeing
n Sociology of health and illness
n Sociology of mental health
n Sociology of risk
n The third sector and health care
provision
n Understanding and application of
research in health settings
This is not an exhaustive list and more can
be found on our website.
If you are looking to carry out research in
a different area to those listed above, then
please contact us to discuss this further.
We encourage the consideration of brief
research proposals, prior to the submission
of your full application.
122 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/history | History
History
We have developed a strong research profile, coming joint second in the UK
in the most recent Research Assessment Exercise (RAE, December 2008).
Our distinctiveness can be summed up under five headings: contemporary,
comparative, interdisciplinary, international and innovative.
Taught courses
MA History•
MA Cultural and Social History•
MA Digital History•
MA Historical Studies• (part-time only)
MA Local, Community and Family
History•
MA Researching History in Britain•
At least an upper second class honours
degree, or equivalent, in history or a
related subject.
Postgraduate Certificate/Diploma
in History•
Postgraduate Certificate/Diploma
in Cultural and Social History•
Postgraduate Certificate/Diploma
in Digital History•
Postgraduate Certificate/Diploma
in Historical Studies• (part-time only)
Postgraduate Certificate/Diploma in
Local, Community and Family History•
Generally, at least a second class honours
degree, or equivalent, in history or a
related subject.
Research degrees
History• MAD, MPhil, PhD
For MAD, at least a second class honours
degree, or equivalent, in history or a
related subject
For MPhil or PhD, a Masters degree in
history or a related subject.
Fact file
RESEARCH
University of Essex ranked ninth in
the UK for its research.
History
Department of History ranked second in
the UK.
Quality level 4* 3* 2* 1* u/c
% of research activity 35 35 25 5 0
For an explanation, see page 5.
FURTHER INFORMATION
English language requirements:
For all study: IELTS 7.0 or equivalent (for
details, see page 25).
Academic staff: 22
Taught postgraduates: 20
Research postgraduates: 24
For taught courses:
T +44 (0)1206 872190
E pgadmit@essex.ac.uk
For research study:
T +44 (0)1206 872190
E history@essex.ac.uk
• available part-time
Location:
c Colchester Campus
For related programmes which may be of interest, please see:
Art History (page 60)
Politics (page 176)
Sociology (page 195)
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 123

History | www.essex.ac.uk/history
Why study history
at Essex?
n
n
n
n
n
Joint second in the UK for research
in the last Research Assessment
Exercise (RAE, 2008)
Particular emphasis on social and
cultural history of the early modern
and modern periods
Interdisciplinary opportunities
through collaboration with other
Essex departments
Part-time (modular), evening taught
MA Historical Studies available
A strong international community
of staff and students
Career prospects
With the skills and knowledge
you acquire from studying in
our Department, you will find
yourself in demand from a wide
range of employers. For example,
the ability to establish a brief,
analyse information, and report
on findings are key skills for
managerial and professional
activities.
We have excellent links with the
research community, both in the
UK and worldwide, so many of our
students have gone on to teach
in higher education institutions.
Others have found employment
in archives, research, managing
research funds, other forms of
educational provision, the Civil
Service, the National Health
Service, and management.
About our Department
We have developed a strong research
profile, coming joint second in the UK
in the most recent Research Assessment
Exercise (RAE, December 2008). Our
distinctiveness can be summed up under
five headings: contemporary, comparative,
interdisciplinary, international and innovative.
We have a lively postgraduate community,
with many international students, and
take pride in providing excellent research
training and careful supervision in a friendly
atmosphere, with good staff-student
relationships.
We enjoy the mix of areas and specialisms
found along our corridors. Our pattern of
appointments has deliberately brought
together scholars with a wide range of
approaches and fields in early-modern,
modern and contemporary history. We offer
programmes that reflect our strengths in
social and cultural history, and have
particular expertise in the following
geographical areas: Britain (including local
and regional history), Europe, the United
States, Russia, Brazil, Southern Africa and
Britain’s Asian Empire.
Our themes of particular research interest
include: class, race and gender formation;
nationalism; wars and revolutions; the
history of medicine; international relations
and oil diplomacy; the history of crime;
popular culture and consumption; slave
societies; the history of ideas and print
culture; the history of the Roma and
Sinti in Europe; and historical censuses
and surveys.
Recently Professor John Walter obtained
a large Leverhulme grant of £100,000 to
study popular political understanding in
the English Civil War, while Dr Matthias
Röhrig Assunção is working on an Arts
and Humanities Research Council
(AHRC)-funded project to explore cultural
exchanges, between Africa and South
America, in the development of the art of
capoeira, and Professor Edward Higgs is
engaged on an Economic and Social
Research Council (ESRC)-funded project
to create a digitised version of the British
censuses of 1851 to 1911 for academic
purposes.
Our Albert Sloman Library has excellent
collections in British and European modern
history, and its holdings in the areas of
Latin America, Russia and the US are of
national importance. Its Special Collection
has a number of collections of interest to
historical research, including the libraries
of the Essex Society for Archaeology and
History and of the Royal Historical Society.
The History Data Service is based in the
UK Data Archive at Essex. This national
service provider for the acquisition,
dissemination and preservation of digital
resources for historians is particularly
strong in nineteenth and twentieth-century
economic and social history.
Taught courses
Our MA courses provide a thorough and
up-to-date training in the theory, methods
and latest advances in the historical
disciplines, while our range of modules
allows you to specialise in the fields of
your choice. Each of our taught courses
has a set of core components that can be
combined with optional modules to enable
you to gain either in-depth specialisation or
a breadth of understanding across several
topics. Your MA should involve five taught
modules and a 20,000 word dissertation
on a topic of your choice.
In addition to University of Essex
Scholarships, our postgraduates have held
Overseas Research and Commonwealth
scholarships. Under the Arts and
Humanities Research Council Block Grant
Partnership scheme, research preparation
Master’s and Doctoral studentships are
available in history.
MA History•
Our popular flagship course offers you
a rigorous, flexible and wide-ranging
education in the subject. You take a
practical module in research techniques
with Research Methods in History, gain
an introduction to historical theory and
study the latest in historical research
in specific fields.
124 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/history | History
Taught course modules
MA History
Research Methods in History
Approaches to Cultural and
Social History
Three optional modules
Dissertation
MA Cultural and Social
History
Research Methods in History
Approaches to Cultural and
Social History
Three optional modules
Dissertation on cultural or
social history
This information is a guide to course
content and is subject to change on
an annual basis.
MA Digital History
Research Methods in History
Approaches to Cultural and
Social History
Techniques in Data
Management and Digital
Preservation
Internet and Digital Skills
for Historians
One optional module
Dissertation
MA Historical Studies
Four optional modules
Summer School
Dissertation
MA Local, Community and
Family History
Research Methods in History
Concepts and Approaches in
Local and Regional History
Trends and Themes in Essex
and Suffolk History,
1500-1700
Decency and Disorder in
Essex, 1700-1900
The Patterns of Victorian Life
Dissertation
MA Researching History in
Britain
Research Methods in History
Quantitative Methods and
Computer Applications in
Historical Research
Basic Quantitative Methods
in Historical Research
One optional module
Dissertation
Postgraduate Certificate
in History/Cultural and
Social History/Digital
History
Research Methods in History
Approaches to Cultural and
Social History
Three optional modules
Postgraduate Certificate
in Historical Studies
Four optional modules
Summer School
Postgraduate Certificate
in Local, Community and
Family History
Research Methods in History
Concepts and Approaches in
Local and Regional History
Three optional modules
Optional modules
Consumption and Modernity: Britain
1780-1960
Current Debates in British History
Decency and Disorder in Essex,
1700-1900
Gender in Early Modern Europe
History of Display: Development of
International Expositions and Museums
in Historical Perspective
History of Medicine
Internet and Digital Skills for Historians
Issues in Film Theory and History
Nationalism, War and Ethnic Cleansing
Print and the Construction of Knowledge
Since the Fifteenth Century
Race and Class: South Africa and the
United States
Slavery in the Atlantic World
Techniques in Data Management and
Digital Preservation
The Afro-American Heritage:
Post-emancipation Societies in Latin
America and the Caribbean
The Patterns of Victorian Life
Trends and Themes in English Local
History, 1500-1700
Given the flexibility of our course, it is
possible to take various 'pathways' by
selecting differing optional modules.
Combinations of our modules can enable
you to pursue your interests in gender
history; the history of race, nationalism and
ethnicity; the history of class and gender;
comparative history; local and regional
history; and slavery and Atlantic history.
Key employability skills include learning
how to create a research brief, analytical
reasoning, the marshalling of information,
problem solving, and various forms of
information presentation.
MA Cultural and Social History•
This course offers you modules in social
and cultural history, dealing with a range
of areas, themes and periods, which place
you at the cutting-edge of historical thought
on issues such as gender, race, class,
modernity, mentalities and identities.
You explore the varied ways in which
understandings of the relationship between
evidence and interpretation, language and
the material world, economies and
identities, have been challenged and
changed by the ‘cultural turn’.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 125

History | www.essex.ac.uk/history
Recent publication by Essex graduate Amanda Flather,
now a lecturer in our Department
Graduates gain key employability skills like
a greater understanding of the specificity
of different cultures, as well as the ability
to create a brief, analytical reasoning,
the marshalling of information, problem
solving, and presentation skills.
MA Digital History•
If you are about to embark on research,
then our MA Digital History provides you
with an intensive, hands-on training in
current approaches within the digital
historical disciplines. Our modules cover
relevant subjects like the identification
of online resources and publishing, the
creating and storage of digital resources,
computing, and quantitative and qualitative
analysis. We combine this with modules
on current research topics that allow
you to apply such techniques in
historical disciplines.
Key employability skills include the ability
to handle and manipulate digital data and
images, knowledge of the curation of
such material, quantitative and computer
methods, the creation of a brief, analytical
reasoning, the marshalling of information,
problem solving, and presentation
skills, including undertaking web-based
presentations. While studying, you will
also be eligible for consideration for
internships and work placements within
our UK Data Archive.
MA Historical Studies•
We have specifically tailored MA Historical
Studies to meet the needs of our part-time
learners. This course is taught only in the
evening, over a minimum of three years,
and you can choose from an exciting range
of modules in early modern and modern
history. Our course will particularly appeal
if you are seeking career enhancement in
teaching and other occupations, or simply
wish to keep your mind active. Applications
from individuals who do not meet standard
entry requirements are given further
consideration.
MA Local, Community and Family History•
This course introduces you to the concepts
and approaches used in local, community
and family history. Local/micro history,
as well as community and family studies,
has played an increasingly important part
in the development of historical analysis.
We reflect these developments with our
modules that draw on the rich national
(and comparative) literature in these fields,
with a primary focus on the period from
1800 to the twentieth century. You will
also design and conduct a substantial
independent study on a chosen historical
topic or in the field of local, community
or family history.
Our course will develop your skills in
comparative historical analysis, giving you
key transferable skills that will greatly
enhance your employability upon
graduation.
MA Researching History in Britain•
This course equips you with the level of
historical sophistication and skill required
for postgraduate research work in history,
providing essential training if you are
planning to proceed to doctoral level.
MA Researching History in Britain will widen
and deepen your historical perspective and
develop your skills in historical analysis.
If you are about to embark on historical
research, you will receive an intensive
grounding in current approaches within
the historical discipline which include
methodological questions (for example,
computing and quantitative analysis), as
well as the identification and use of
research materials.
Postgraduate Certificate and Diploma
in History
We offer Postgraduate Certificates and
Diplomas, which run for six to nine months
full-time and consist of 60 or 120 credits of
taught modules, respectively. Our Graduate
Diplomas equip those with a Bachelor’s
degree with specific knowledge to proceed
to a Masters in a different subject area.
Our Postgraduate Certificates and
Diplomas consist of the modules and
assessed work of our Masters courses,
without the dissertation element.
Research study
We are one of the UK’s leading research
departments. Past and present members
of our staff are at the forefront of research
in the historical disciplines.
Our PhD students study in an environment
of active research on the leading edge
of the historical disciplines. Indeed, the
research of our PhD students often attracts
attention, with many giving papers at
seminar series and conferences like the
Social History Society. A few examples of
recent research include:
n Slave Resistance in Comparative
Perspective: Western Cuba and North
Eastern Brazil Plantation, 1808-1848
n Images of Community in British and
French Cinema, 1939-1951
n Resistance in Exile: Sitting Bull and the
Hunkpapa Sioux in Canada, 1876-1888
n Representations of Masculinity in the
Superhero Film Post 9/11
n Institutions and Strategies of Political
Propaganda During the Military
Dictatorship in Brazil, 1964-1985
126 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/history | History
n Queues, Complaints, Dissatisfaction:
Politics and Culture of Consumption
in the German Democratic Republic,
1970-1990
n Imagining Caribbean Womanhood:
Racialised Femininities Colour-Blind
Nationalisms and Beauty Contests
n Infant Mortality in England 1890-1913:
A Study of Five Urban Areas
About our research degrees
We offer three main research degrees,
all examined by a thesis or dissertation:
MA by Dissertation – this will particularly
suit you if your circumstances make a
taught MA inappropriate and your previous
academic achievement indicates an ability
to undertake a research-only degree in
history (research training is best acquired
through a taught course). Our students may
register for an MA by Dissertation in any
topic for which we have the appropriate
supervisory expertise available, including
those not covered by our taught MA
courses. The minimum period of study
is usually one year full-time (two years
part-time) and your dissertation should
be no more than 30,000 words.
MPhil – this is examined by a thesis of
50,000 words (maximum), over a minimum
period of two years (four years part-time).
PhD – your PhD degree is examined by
a thesis of 80,000 words (maximum), over
a minimum period of three years (six years
part-time). We offer supervision in a wide
range of topics and have particular
expertise in a number of key areas.
Our graduates have achieved success in a
variety of professions. In addition to posts
within higher education, this includes work
in archives, research, managing research
funds, and other forms of educational
provision.
Staff and their research interests
Hugh Brogan, MA Cambridge
(Research Professor)
History of the United States
Catherine Crawford, BA British
Columbia, MSc Sussex, DPhil Oxford
(Lecturer)
History of medicine
Joan Davies, BA PhD London (Visiting
Fellow)
Social and political history of early
modern France; the reformation in France
Amanda Flather, BA PhD Essex
(Lecturer)
Social and cultural history of early
modern Europe
Mark Frost, BA Oxford, PhD Cambridge
(Lecturer)
Print, politics and religion in Britain’s
Asian Empire
Peter Gurney, BA MA DPhil Sussex
(Senior Lecturer)
Modern British social history; mass
consumption
Laila Haidarali, BA MA PhD York,
Toronto (Lecturer)
Cultural history of African American
women
Brian Hamnett, BA PhD Cambridge
(Research Professor)
Comparative Iberian empires; Iberian
background; Mexican history
Edward Higgs, BA DPhil Oxford
(Professor)
Statistical representations of society; the
history of state surveillance and personal
identification
Elena Hore, BA PhD Essex (Lecturer)
Contemporary Russian history and
politics
Jeremy Krikler, BA Cape Town, DPhil
Oxford (Reader)
Agrarian history/peasant studies;
South African history; labour history;
race and class
James Raven, MA PhD Cambridge
(Professor)
Modern British literary and cultural history
Matthias Röhrig Assunção, MA Paris,
PhD FU Berlin (Senior Lecturer)
History of Brazil and Venezuela,
especially social history and
agrarian history
Nadine Rossol, MA St Andrews, PhD
Limerick (Lecturer)
German history, especially social and
cultural history of Weimar and Nazi
Germany; European cultural and urban
history; police history
Alison Rowlands, BA Oxford, PhD
Cambridge (Senior Lecturer and Head
of Department)
Early modern German and European
history; gender history; witchcraft
– early modern
Rainer Schulze, BA PhD Göttingen
(Professor)
Twentieth-century German history;
regionalism in nineteenth- and
twentieth-century Europe
Kevin Schürer, BA CNAA, PhD London
(Professor)
Historical demography; historical social
structure and history of the family;
community history
Steve Smith, BA Oxford, PhD
Birmingham (Professor)
History of modern Russia and China;
comparative labour history
Tony Swift, BA Washington, MA PhD
California (Senior Lecturer)
Russian history; popular culture
Clodagh Tait, BA PhD Cork
(Senior Lecturer)
Social and cultural history of Britain
and Ireland, 1500-1700
Fiona Venn, BA PhD Bristol (Senior
Lecturer)
History of Anglo-American relations;
history of oil diplomacy
John Walter, MA Cambridge, MA
Pennsylvania (Professor)
Early modern British and European
history; historical anthropology;
historical sociology
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 127

History | www.essex.ac.uk/history
Amanda Wilkinson, Great
Holland, Essex – BA History
and Sociology ’07, MA
Cultural and Social History
’08 and PhD History
Staying at Essex to undertake
my PhD was an easy decision
to make, as I had completed
my BA and MA within the
University’s Department
of History, so knew the staff in my
Department, and my potential supervisor,
really well. Indeed, the Department of
History at Essex was simply the perfect
place for me to continue my studies.
My PhD examines the cultural and social
implications of women working away from
the home, in order to further understand
the nature of under-enumeration in the
census data between the years 1840
and 1944. This is an aspect of history
that I am fascinated with and I really
wanted to learn more about it. I love
the fact that my PhD gives me this
opportunity to really immerse
myself in my work, and to spend
time researching and developing my
writing further. Having really enjoyed
my undergraduate time and my MA
at Essex, I feel very lucky to have been
able to stay here and study further.
I would love to work in academia in
the future, so for me doing a PhD degree
is essential. Following completion of
my PhD, I would like to spend my time
lecturing and researching.
I will have many fond memories
of being at the University of
Essex, particularly the close
friends that I have made while
studying here.
Student
profile
Research areas
Research supervision is available in the
following fields:
n Community history
n Comparative labour history
n Cultural history of African American
women
n Early modern British history
n European cultural and urban history
n Gender history
n Historical demography
n Historical social structure and history
of the family
n History of Anglo-American relations
n History of Brazil and Venezuela,
especially social and agrarian history
n History of medicine
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
History of oil diplomacy
History of state surveillance and
personal identification
History of the United States
Holocaust, genocide and forced
migration in the twentieth century,
including the history of Bergen-Belsen,
and the Roma and Sinti in Europe
Labour history
Mass consumption
Modern British social, literary and
cultural history
Police history
Print, politics and religion in Britain's
Asian Empire
Race and class
Russian history, politics and popular
culture
n
n
n
n
n
n
Social and cultural history of Britain
and Ireland, 1500-1700
Social and cultural history of early
modern Europe
South African history
Statistical representations of society
Twentieth-century German history,
especially social and cultural history
of Weimar and Nazi Germany
Witchcraft – early modern
128 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/hrc | Human Rights
Human Rights
We are the UK’s leading centre for the interdisciplinary study of the theory and
practice of human rights, with a worldwide reputation for our research, teaching
and practice. In February 2010, we were awarded the Queen’s Anniversary Prize
in recognition of our work in advancing human rights across the globe.
Taught courses
MA Human Rights and Cultural Diversity•
MSc Human Rights and Research
Methods•†
MA Theory and Practice of Human
Rights•
First or upper second class honours
degree, or equivalent, in a relevant subject.
Research degrees
Human Rights• MPhil, PhD
Good upper second class honours
degree with a Masters, or equivalent,
in a relevant subject.
Fact file
RESEARCH
University of Essex ranked ninth in
the UK for its research.
Research submitted in Law subject
area, see Law for details.
For an explanation, see page 5.
FURTHER INFORMATION
English language requirements:
For all study: IELTS 7.0 or equivalent
(for details, see page 25).
Academic staff: 50
Taught postgraduates: 55
For taught courses:
T +44 (0)1206 872529
E hrep@essex.ac.uk
For research study:
T +44 (0)1206 872529
E hrep@essex.ac.uk
• available part-time
† ESRC accreditation
Location:
c Colchester Campus
For related programmes which may be of interest, please see:
Law (page 142)
Philosophy (page 170)
Politics (page 176)
Sociology (page 195)
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 129

Human Rights | www.essex.ac.uk/hrc
Why study human rights
at Essex?
n
n
n
n
n
One of the oldest academic
human rights centres in the world
and one of the world’s most
prestigious and highly-regarded
human rights centres, awarded
the Queen’s Anniversary Prize
Part of the University’s accredited
Doctoral Training Centre of the
Economic and Social Research
Council (ESRC), with a number
of ESRC studentships available
for new postgraduates
Almost two thousand Essex human
rights graduates now work around
the globe
An unrivalled range of academic
core and optional modules for
our taught courses
Academic staff of international
standing both within academia
and within the global human
rights community
Career prospects
Graduates of our MA courses
go on to a variety of careers in the
governmental, inter-governmental
and non-governmental sectors,
and undertake further research.
Our graduates now work for the
Council of Europe, the United
Nations, the Organisation for
Security and Co-operation in
Europe, Save the Children, Shelter,
Amnesty International, Human
Rights Watch and the International
Commission of Jurists.
About our Centre
We are the UK’s leading centre for the
interdisciplinary study of the theory and
practice of human rights, with a worldwide
reputation for our research, teaching and
practice. In February 2010, we were
awarded the Queen’s Anniversary Prize
in recognition of our work in advancing
human rights across the globe.
In 1983, we established the first
postgraduate course in international
human rights law in the UK. Then, as
the new Millennium began, we introduced
a suite of undergraduate human rights
programmes, amongst the first in the
UK and the world.
The foundation of our ground-breaking
teaching is world class human rights
research and practice. Our research is
wide ranging and in-depth. Topics include
the prohibition against torture, freedom
of religion, children in armed conflict,
methods of democratic assessment, and
the relationship between human rights and
foreign direct investment. While our primary
focus is international and comparative
human rights, our acclaimed research-active
staff also encompass human rights and
democracy in the UK.
Our human rights research has always
been informed by human rights practice.
For many years, our senior staff have
held – and continue to occupy – key
positions in the United Nations human
rights and development fields. We have also
conducted numerous cases in Strasbourg,
establishing far-reaching precedents that
have shaped the jurisprudence of the
European Court of Human Rights.
Members of our Centre include Professor
John Packer, senior legal adviser and
first director, OSCE High Commissioner
on National Minorities (1995-2004);
Professor Sir Nigel Rodley, member of
UN Human Rights Committee since 2001
and UN Special Rapporteur on Torture
(1993-2001); Professor Françoise
Hampson, member of UN Sub-Commission
(1998-2007); Professor Paul Hunt,
member of the Committee on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights (1999-2002)
and UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to
Health (2002-08); Professor Diane Elson,
Special Adviser to Executive Director at
UNIFEM (1998-2000); Professor Geoff
Gilbert, Editor in Chief of the International
Journal of Refugee Law.
We form part of Essex’s interdisciplinary
Doctoral Training Centre, recently
designated by the UK’s Economic and
Social Research Council (ESRC) and one
of only 21 in the UK. This means some of
our courses have ESRC Doctoral Training
Centre accreditation, and a number of
ESRC studentships are available for new
students to begin an MSc, followed by a
PhD, with us (1+3).
Taught courses
Our Masters courses are multidisciplinary
and provide a first class education in both
the intellectual foundations of human rights
and in the application of human rights
within a complex global environment.
As a student within our Centre, you will be
taught and supervised by our staff who are
world leaders and experts in the field of
human rights.
Internships are a central part of our courses
and we strongly advise you to undertake an
internship to gain professional and personal
experience. Many of our graduates now
work in the human rights field to which they
were introduced during their internship.
Interns work with inter-governmental and
non-governmental organisations for a
varying amount of time during the summer
term, in the UK or abroad. We advise you in
seeking your internship, although you are
free to seek out organisations and design
new internships for yourself. You may draw
upon our global network of alumni, along
with fellows practising in the field.
MA Human Rights and Cultural Diversity•
Our MA Human Rights and Cultural
Diversity is suitable if you have a particular
interest in this specialised area of study.
You acquire a deeper knowledge and
understanding of the central issues and
debates surrounding the application and
130 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/hrc | Human Rights
justification of human rights within a
culturally complex and diverse world.
These problems are legal, social, political
and philosophical, and we reflect this in
our multidisciplinary approach. In contrast
to our other human rights courses, this
MA examines human rights specifically in
relation to cultural diversity.
Graduates are well placed for careers as
a journalist, a policy analyst or researcher,
as an official in the United Nations system
or as an activist in humanitarian and
policy-making non-governmental bodies
in the UK and abroad. We also prepare
you to undertake further independent
research in the field of human rights.
MSc Human Rights and Research
Methods•†
This course gives you a thorough and
comprehensive education in both human
rights and social science research
methodologies. You study theoretical and
practical problems, which are legal, social,
political and philosophical, in the recognition
and protection of human rights. Our
multidisciplinary approach is combined with
your development of the methodological
and research skills required for gathering
and presenting human rights data
and indicators
Graduates can look for employment in
policy analysis, human rights data collection
and within the growing number of national
and international bodies that draw directly
upon qualitative and quantitative
methodological skills in their work.
MA Theory and Practice of Human Rights•
Our interdisciplinary course examines
the history, theoretical development
and implementation of human rights.
It is intended if you want to work in the
field but also if you are interested in the
legal, political, sociological or ethical theory.
It was described by Dr Simon Caney of
Oxford University as the “premier degree
of its kind”.
Beyond the practical problems of human
rights lie many unresolved theoretical and
philosophical issues. These form the basis
of our course, which provides you with a
solid grounding in fundamental matters of
the law, politics, philosophy and sociology
of human rights. It will enable you to
undertake practical or legal work for
human rights organisations.
Research study
Over the last two decades, we have
developed an extensive record in the field
of academic and policy research, much of
which has been funded by external bodies.
We are well-known for our work
internationally on civil and political rights,
including the prohibition against torture, as
well as international humanitarian law and
the protection of human rights in situations
of armed conflict. These remain major areas
of research for us.
Members of our Centre have expertise
across a wide range of other human rights
issues, spanning various disciplines. For
example, our staff have researched, taught
and worked in the fields of democracy and
development; economic, social and cultural
rights; refugees and migration; and the
protection of human rights in the UK.
The diversity of our interdisciplinary
expertise allows us to conduct research
in the most significant areas of human
rights and democracy.
We also offer group-specific human rights
expertise in addressing such issues as
gender mainstreaming, the human rights of
children, discrimination, minority rights, and
racism. Our staff have worked in different
regions on issues ranging from democratic
and electoral processes in post-communist
countries and Latin America, to human
rights in the European Union.
About our research degrees
We have been providing world class
Masters’ level education in human rights
for over two decades, so now offer our
PhD Human Rights.
Our PhD was established to meet the
demands of our many prospective students
who have an established interest in human
rights and wish to pursue doctoral research
which goes beyond a single academic
discipline but includes a distinct multi
and interdisciplinary perspective.
Research areas
Supervision is available across a
broad range of academic interests
in human rights.
Taught course modules
MA Human Rights and
Cultural Diversity
Colloquium
Three optional modules
MSc Human Rights and
Research Methods
Colloquium
Political Explanation
Comparative Politics of
Human Rights
Two optional modules
MA Theory and Practice
of Human Rights
Colloquium
International Human
Rights Law
Sociology of Human Rights
Comparative Politics of
Human Rights
Philosophy and Rights
Two optional modules
All taught courses include a dissertation.
This information is a guide to course
content and is subject to change on an
annual basis.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 131

Human Rights | www.essex.ac.uk/hrc
Staff and their research interests
Academic staff members of the Human
Rights Centre include:
Steffen Böhm, BA Lancaster, MA
Warwick (Reader) (Essex Business
School)
Paul Bou-Habib, BSc MSc LSE, PhD
Princeton (Lecturer) (Department of
Government)
Will Cartwright, BA LLM London, BPhil
Oxford (Lecturer) (School of Philosophy
and Art History)
Caroline Checkley, LLB MA Essex, Mdip
City (Human Rights Librarian)
Diane Elson, BA Oxford, PhD Manchester
(Professor) (Department of Sociology)
Andrew Fagan, BSc MA PhD Essex
(Lecturer and Deputy Director of the
Centre) (Human Rights Centre)
Youseph Farah, LLB Hebrew, LLM PhD
Essex (Lecturer) (School of Law)
Deirdre Fottrell, BA LLB NUI, MA Dublin,
LLM LSE, Barrister (Lecturer) (School of
Law)
Fabian Freyenhagen, BA Oxford, PhD
Sheffield (Lecturer) (School of Philosophy
and Art History)
Geoff Gilbert, LLB Leicester, LLM
SJD Virginia, Barrister (Professor)
(School of Law)
Carolyn Hamilton, LLB Bristol (Professor)
(Children’s Legal Centre)
Françoise Hampson, LLB Newcastle,
UK (Professor) (School of Law)
Anna Hardiman-McCartney, BA Oxon,
LLM Cantab, PhD Cambridge (Lecturer)
(School of Law)
Karen Hulme, LLB LLM Nottingham, PhD
Essex (Senior Lecturer) (School of Law)
Paul Hunt, MA Cambridge, M Jur
Waikato, NZ, Solicitor (Professor) (School
of Law)
Todd Landman, BA Pennsylvania, MA
Georgetown, MA Colorado, PhD Essex
(Professor) (Department of Government)
Sheldon Leader, BA Yale, MA DPhil
Oxford, Barrister (Professor) (School
of Law)
Jonathan Lichtenstein, BA Leeds (Senior
Lecturer) (Department of Literature,
Film, and Theatre Studies)
Christopher Marsden, LLB LLM London
(Senior Lecturer) (School of Law)
Alastair McAuley, BSc London (Reader)
(Department of Economics)
Sabine Michalowski, Dip Paris II, 2nd
Staatsexamen Kammerigeridit Berlin, PhD
Sheffield (Reader) (School of Law)
Lydia Morris, BA Keele, PhD London
(Professor) (Department of Sociology)
David Ong, LLB LLM Hull (Reader)
(School of Law)
John Packer, BA Manitoba, LLM Essex
(Professor and Director of the Centre)
(Human Rights Centre)
Elizabeth Palmer, LLB Manchester, MA
PGCE Glasgow (Senior Lecturer) (School
of Law)
Renos Papadopoulos, DiPClinEdPsych
Belgrade, PhD Cape Town (Professor)
(Centre for Psychoanalytic Studies)
Peter Patrick, BA Georgia, PhD
Pennsylvania (Professor) (Department
of Language and Linguistics)
Steve Peers, BA McMaster, LLB
W Ontario, LLM London, PhD Essex
(Professor) (School of Law)
James Raven, MA PhD Cambridge
(Professor) (Department of History)
Sir Nigel Rodley, LLB Leeds, LLM
Columbia, LLM New York, PhD Essex
(Professor and Chair, Human Rights
Centre) (School of Law)
Leon Rubin, BA York, MA McMaster
(Professor) (East 15 Acting School)
Róisin Ryan-Flood, BA Cork, MPhil
Dublin, PhD LSE (Lecturer) (Department
of Sociology)
Colin Samson, BA Arizona, MSc London,
PhD California (Senior Lecturer)
(Department of Sociology)
Clara Sandoval, LLB Javeriana,
Columbia, MA PhD Essex (Senior
Lecturer) (School of Law)
Rainer Schulze, BA PhD Göttingen
(Professor) (Department of History)
Scott Sheeran, LLB BCom Otago, LLM
Cambridge, Barrister and Solicitor NZ
(Lecturer) (School of Law)
Prem Sikka, BA Open, MSc London,
PhD Sheffield, FCCA (Professor) (Essex
Business School)
Nigel South, BA MA Essex, PhD CNAA
(Professor) (Department of Sociology)
Yasemin Soysal, BA Bogazici, Istanbul,
PhD Stanford (Senior Lecturer)
(Department of Sociology)
Maurice Sunkin, LLB LLM London,
PhD Essex, Barrister (Professor) (School
of Law)
Jane Wright, LLB LLM London, Solicitor
(Professor) (School of Law)
132 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/hrc | Human Rights
Staff and students from our Human Rights Centre receiving the Queen’s Anniversary Prize at Buckingham Palace
Thomas Lombardi, London
– BA Politics and Law ’08,
MSc Human Rights and
Research Methods ’11
Graduate
profile
The University’s reputation as a
centre of excellence for human
rights made Essex an easy
choice for me. The chance
to study with world renowned
experts in human rights was an exhilarating
prospect which didn’t disappoint. The
Colchester Campus was also a draw;
surrounded by lakes and parkland, it
was a beautiful place to study and
unwind after a hard day’s work.
I had a modest idea, before I came
to Essex, of what I wanted to achieve,
which wasn’t overtoppling a corrupt
autocratic regime or creating a welfarist
state! Instead I wanted to understand a
question which puzzled me in everyday
life: why do human rights get such a bad
press in the UK? I am proud to say that I
achieved this goal in a steady and gradual
process, culminating in my dissertation.
At Essex, you are given this opportunity
to develop your own personal approach
to rights. I feel that I now understand
rights not as some magical tool or an
empty promise but rather, at minimum,
as political, sociological and legal
constructs safeguarding our equality,
dignity and autonomy.
Working alongside such dedicated
people was humbling, exciting and
enriching. There were also opportunities
to socialise, such as our introductory
tour around Colchester and end of year
trips to Kosovo and Europe. My visit to
Kosovo, plus various activities in and
around campus, certainly helped develop
my skills and provided great experiences.
There were many activities to get
involved in, like the Human Rights in
Schools project, as well as various
University societies.
Since graduating, I have found
employment as a floating support
worker for the Look Ahead housing
group. I would recommend getting as
much practical experience as possible
whilst at Essex and taking any vocational
opportunities that are offered as all of
this, and the voluntary experience I
gained at Crisis during my Christmas
holidays, helped me secure my position.
If I had not studied at the Human
Rights Centre, I would not have had the
theoretical knowledge and people skills
to contribute effectively to my current
role. My time at Essex gave me a unique
approach to social care and allowed
me to put a person’s autonomy,
equality and dignity first, with a
solid belief in its foundations.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 133

International Academy | www.essex.ac.uk/internationalacademy
International Academy
We have a thriving student community from all over the world and maintain the
highest standards of teaching within our stimulating, diverse and supportive
learning environment.
Taught courses
Graduate Diplomas
English for Academic Purposes
Applied Linguistics with English
for Academic Purposes
Art History and Theory with English
for Academic Purposes
Biotechnology with English for
Academic Purposes
Computer Science with English
for Academic Purposes
Economics with English for
Academic Purposes
Electronic Engineering with English
for Academic Purposes
History with English for Academic
Purposes
Politics with English for Academic
Purposes
Psychoanalytic Studies with English
for Academic Purposes
Psychological Studies with English
for Academic Purposes
Good first degree, minimum of lower
second class, or equivalent. Three-year
higher education qualification from a
recognised institution, minimum of lower
second class, or equivalent. For applicants
whose native language is not English, a
minimum score of IELTS 5.5, with 5.0 in
writing, or TOEFL 520 (Paper-based)
or 68 (Internet-based), with 3.5 in writing
or equivalent.
Graduate Certificate in English for
Academic Purposes
Relevant Bachelor’s degree. For applicants
whose native language is not English, a
minimum score of IELTS 5.0, with 5.5 in
writing, or recognised equivalent.
MA Teaching English to Speakers of
Other Languages (TESOL)•
Good first degree, upper second class, or
equivalent. Applicants must also have a
minimum two years’ teaching experience,
although teaching practice may be offered
if you have less. For applicants whose
native language is not English, a minimum
score of IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL 570
(Paper-based) or 88 (Internet-based).
Cambridge Certificate in English
Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA)
Standard of education equivalent to that
required for entry into higher education,
aged 20 or over and with a standard of
English which will enable you to teach at
a range of levels. There is a pre-interview
task and an interview, both of which
involve language awareness of English
and communicative competency.
Fact file
English language requirements:
See entry requirements.
Academic staff: 50
Taught postgraduates: 42
For taught courses:
T +44 (0)1206 872217
E pgadmit@essex.ac.uk
• available part-time
Location:
c Colchester Campus
For related programmes which may be of interest, please see:
Linguistics (page 149)
134 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/internationalacademy | International Academy
Why study at the
International Academy
at Essex?
n
n
n
n
Over 30 years experience
of working with international
students and teachers of English
Extensive number of courses
available for all our students
Wide range of support
programmes while studying
at Essex
Learning from enthusiastic and
inspiring teaching staff, who are
experts in their fields
About our Academy
We have a thriving student community
from all over the world and maintain the
highest standards of teaching within our
stimulating, diverse and supportive learning
environment.
We offer some of the best routes for
international students to enter higher
education in the UK, although our
innovative programmes also attract
home students because of our distinctive
learning environment.
We ensure you achieve your full potential,
enjoy your course and gain experience in
different ways of thinking and learning.
You work with enthusiastic and friendly
members of staff who are experts in their
fields and help you acquire the necessary
subject knowledge and skills, while
developing a critical and reflective
approach to your study.
We also offer a range of intensive
pre-sessional and in-sessional programmes,
if you wish to improve your general and
academic English while at Essex.
Taught courses
Our students receive individual care and
attention, particularly as we ensure our
classes are run in small groups of
approximately twelve students only.
n
Opportunity to meet students
from all over the world
Career prospects
Our Graduate Diplomas and
Certificate offer our international
students an opportunity to excel
in their chosen field by ensuring
language proficiency alongside
specialist input, allowing
progression to both Masters
and doctoral study.
Our taught MA ensures you
develop professionally and
personally, by relating the theory
of TESOL to its practical application
within the ESOL context. In addition
to developing and extending
your role as a classroom teacher,
we provide training in the
skills required to develop your
professional career as a trainer,
mentor, curriculum and materials
designer, and, where appropriate,
preparation for a PhD.
Our Cambridge Certificate in
English Language Teaching to
Adults is an initial qualification
that allows you to become a
professional teacher.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 135

International Academy | www.essex.ac.uk/internationalacademy
Taught course modules
English for Academic
Purposes
EAP
Research Methods
Critical Thinking
British Society and Culture
Intercultural Communication
Applied Linguistics with
English for Academic
Purposes
EAP
Second Language Learning
Methodology of Teaching
English as a Foreign
Language
Research Methods
Art History and Theory
with English for Academic
Purposes
EAP
Critical Thinking
Two modules from:
The High Renaissance in Italy
1480-1600
Turn of the Century: from Art
Nouveau to Abstraction
Contemporary Art 1980
to the Present
Biotechnology with
English for Academic
Purposes
EAP
Critical Thinking
Genome Science
Microbial Diversity and Ecology
Plant and Environmental
Biotechnology
Water Pollution Biology
Computer Science with
English for Academic
Purposes
EAP
Critical Thinking
Computer Science Project
and Industrial Practice
Databases and Internet
Technology
Programming in Java
Operating Systems or Web
Application Programming or
Computer Security
Economics with English
for Academic Purposes
EAP
Mathematical Methods
in Economics
Macroeconomics
Microeconomics
Electronic Engineering
with English for Academic
Purposes
EAP
Critical Thinking
Electronic and
Telecommunication Project
and Industrial Practice
Engineering Mathematics
Mathematical Research
Techniques Using Matlab or
Telecommunication Networks
Embedded Processors
and Systems or
Telecommunication Principles
History with English for
Academic Purposes
EAP
Critical Thinking
Making Histories: Concepts,
Themes, Sources
One History Special Subject
One History third-year
half option
Politics with English for
Academic Purposes
EAP
Political Analysis
Introduction to Political Theory
Critical Thinking
Psychoanalytic Studies
with English for Academic
Purposes
EAP
Research Methods
Critical Thinking
The Unconscious –
Psychoanalysis, Culture and
Society – Freud
The Unconscious – Analytical
Psychology, Culture and
Society – Jung
Organisational Dynamics
Theory
Psychological Studies with
English for Academic
Purposes
EAP
Critical Thinking
Research Methods
Developmental Psychology
One optional module from
a list including:
Cognitive Psychology
Brain and Behaviour
Comparative Cognition
History of Psychology
Graduate Certificate in
English for Academic
Purposes
EAP
Critical Thinking
Intercultural Communication
MA TESOL
English Language Teaching
Materials and Methods
Practical Description of
English
Psycholinguistic and
Sociolinguistic Studies
Postgraduate Study Skills
Research Methods (including
classroom observation)
One option from:
Teaching English for Specific
Purposes
Teaching English for Academic
Purposes
Investigation into the Young
Learners’ Classroom
Introduction to Teaching
Young Learners
CELTA
Teaching Methodology
Teaching Practice
Teaching Observation
EAP = English for Academic Purposes
This information is a guide to course
content and is subject to change on an
annual basis.
136 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/internationalacademy | International Academy
Staff and their research interests
Elizabeth Austin, BA York, MSc
Edinburgh, RSA Dip TEFL (Assistant
Director)
English for academic purposes; academic
literacy; educational technologies
Mandy Bannerman, CELTA Barcelona,
MA St Andrews (Lecturer)
Twentieth-century Irish and Scottish
literature; contemporary poetry
Stuart Bannerman, MA Edinburgh,
RSA Dip TEFLA ACIM (Director)
Marketing of higher education;
globalisation and education
Richard Barnard, BA Essex (Assistant
Director)
Teaching of mathematics; the
development of teaching for varied
ability levels
Tony Clohesy, BA MA PhD Essex
(Lecturer)
British politics; political philosophy
Nilüfer Demirkan-Jones, BA PGCE PhD
Hacettepe Ankara, MA MPhil Essex
(Assistant Director)
Teaching English to young learners;
learning strategies; sociolinguistics and
language teaching; e-learning
Fiona Elsted, BA Kent, RSA Dip TEFLA
CTEFLA (Lecturer)
Teacher training; academic management
Dave Glover, BA Essex (Lecturer)
Grammar description; metalanguage;
acquisition, especially with regard to the
English verb; vocabulary acquisition;
computer-assisted language learning
Mark Hollingworth, BA Leeds, Dip TEFL
PGCE TESOL London, MA Essex
(Lecturer)
Grammar; writing for law; academic writing
Jane Holst-Larkin, BA Wellington, MA
Waikato, Dip Auckland (Lecturer)
English for academic purposes;
communication studies; critical thinking
Ritta Husted, BA MA PhD Essex
(Lecturer)
Second language acquisition; learner
strategies; materials development,
teaching practice
Janet Glennie Smith, BA UEA, MA
Southampton, DELTA UCLES (Lecturer)
Japanese education; teacher training;
IELTS examinations
Sandra Stephenson, BA Portsmouth,
MA Reading (Lecturer)
Computer-assisted language learning
Gisela Szpytko, BPhil (Ed) Birmingham,
Cert Ed London, RSA Dip TEFL Oxford,
CTEFLA London (Lecturer)
Teaching pronunciation; English for
academic purposes; teacher training;
using corpora in English language
teaching; grammar
Desmond Thomas, BA Oxford, PGCE
MA PhD London (Lecturer)
Teaching of EAP; sociolinguistics; teacher
education; qualitative research methods
Our pre-Masters Graduate Diplomas
offer you an excellent pathway to further
postgraduate courses at Essex, while
our MA TESOL provides a thorough and
up-to-date training in the theory, methods
and applications of English language
teaching.
Graduate Diplomas
Our Graduate Diplomas provide you with an
excellent entry route onto a Masters if you
have graduated with a Bachelors degree,
or have studied for a three-year Diploma,
but do not yet meet the entry criteria for
your chosen Masters.
We enhance your intellectual skills, in
particular, how to think critically and
construct arguments, and how to
practise and develop both qualitative
and quantitative research methods. We
provide an introduction to intercultural
communication and cross-cultural
negotiation skills and strategies, and
develop your English language and
study skills.
Our ten subject-based Graduate
Diplomas are if you need to improve
subject knowledge, as well as your
language and study skills, before going
on to Masters study. You follow modules
with us, as well as in your chosen
academic department/school/centre to
gain direct experience of study in that
relevant discipline.
Successful completion of our subject-based
Graduate Diploma, with the appropriate
mark, will qualify you for entry to a
Masters-level course, and greatly assist
if you intend to undertake future
doctoral research.
Graduate Certificate in English for
Academic Purposes
Our Graduate Certificate in English for
Academic Purposes is suitable if you need
to improve your language and academic
skills before progressing onto a higher
level course.
Successful completion, with the appropriate
grade, will normally qualify you for entry to
a Masters or Graduate Diploma course at
our University.
MA Teaching English to Speakers of
Other Languages (TESOL)•
We have designed our MA TESOL to
give both native and non-native speakers
some teaching experience at high school
level and above. We enable you to update
and extend your knowledge of current
concepts and theories relating to TESOL
methodology and practice.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 137

International Academy | www.essex.ac.uk/internationalacademy
I would recommend the
International Academy’s MA
TESOL to anyone looking to
develop their teaching practice
and increase their knowledge
of theory within the field of TESOL.
As a student in the International
Academy, I was given a high level of
support, especially from my lecturers
who were both encouraging and
inspiring. Working with students
from a range of different teaching
backgrounds was also very insightful.
Throughout my course, I had the
opportunity to study a breadth of theory,
as well as understanding how this can
be put into practice. Another part of my
MA TESOL that I found very valuable
was the reflection and evaluation of my
own teaching practice. This has helped
me a lot in my current teaching job at the
International Academy, as I now have
skills in place to enable me to critically
reflect upon my teaching,
so have become much more
effective in my role.
Amy Walker, Beverley, East
Yorkshire – MA TESOL ‘11
Graduate
profile
We place emphasis on the practical
application of the theoretical bases of
TESOL to classroom practice within an
expanding global teaching environment.
In order to reflect the link between theory
and practice, micro-teaching, collaborative
classroom observation and small-scale
research form part of your assessment.
Our MA TESOL will be particularly
attractive if you are a teacher who is
unable to leave employment for a full
year, as each component can be
considered as a complete course.
Credits awarded at each exit point can
be accumulated and transferred to the
next stage, so you can build up sufficient
credits to progress through the different
levels, from 60 credits (Postgraduate
Certificate), to 120 credits (Postgraduate
Diploma) and 180 credits (Masters).
Our assessment includes a 12,000-word
supervised dissertation based on original
TESOL related research. Delivery is flexible,
so you can study full-time for one year or
part-time over two years, and we also offer
modular study, which allows you to
complete our course within a maximum
of six years.
CELTA
This is one of the foremost initial
qualifications if you wish to become
a professional teacher of the English
language and is designed for proficient
or native speakers of English with little
or no experience of teaching English as
a foreign language.
CELTA is internationally recognised and
accredited by Cambridge ESOL, it is a
highly practical course that provides you
with the skills to plan, deliver, and reflect on
key issues in English language teaching.
138 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/centres/lastud | Latin American Studies
Latin American Studies
We have a long history of teaching and research in Latin American studies, and offer
humanities and social science subjects in this field. Our work is supported and complemented
by our important library holdings of Latin American materials and our unique collection of
Latin American art.
Taught courses
MA Curating Latin American Art•
See Art History, page 60,
for entry requirements.
MA/MSc International Relations•
MA International Relations and the
Media•
MA/MSc Political Economy•
See Politics, page 176, for entry
requirements.
Research degrees
Supervision for the degrees of MPhil•
and PhD• on topics connected with
Latin America is available in the
following areas:
Fact file
Our University has a long history of
teaching and research in fields related
to Latin American studies.
Academic staff contributing to studies
in Latin America: 8
For taught course and research
degree enquiries:
please see relevant subject entries for
contact details.
• available part-time
Location:
c Colchester Campus
Art History
History
Human Rights
Literature
Politics and International Relations
Sociology
Our departments, schools and centres
delivering these research degrees also
offer a number of Doctoral Programmes
with a Latin American component.
Please see relevant subject entries
for contact details.
See relevant subject entry.
For related programmes which may be of interest, please see:
Art History (page 60)
History (page 123)
Human Rights (page 129)
Literature (page 158)
Politics (page 176)
Sociology (page 195)
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 139

Latin American Studies | www.essex.ac.uk/centres/lastud
Why study Latin
America at Essex?
n
n
n
n
Library holdings that include
some of the most important
Latin American collections
held in Europe
Access to the unique University
of Essex Collection of Latin
American Art (UECLAA)
Staff with a wide range of
expertise on topics across
Latin American studies
Close links with scholars
and many universities across
Latin America
About our Centre
We have a long history of teaching and
research in Latin American studies, and
offer humanities and social science subjects
in this field. Our work is supported and
complemented by our important library
holdings of Latin American materials and
our unique collection of Latin American
art. Throughout the year, we organise
conferences, exhibitions and social events
that relate to Latin American studies.
Taught courses
Across our University, we offer a number
of taught courses on aspects of Latin
American studies. These draw on other
strengths at Essex, such as our outstanding
Departments of Sociology and Government
(both ranked first in the UK in the last
Research Assessment Exercise), our highly
rated Department of Economics (ranked
third in the last Research Assessment
Exercise) and our well-respected School
of Philosophy and Art History (our research
in Art History was ranked tenth in the last
Research Assessment Exercise). You will
also enjoy first hand access to our famous
collection of Latin America art.
Further information about these taught
courses is available in the relevant
departmental sections of this prospectus.
n
Lively community of Latin
American students and a lively
Latin American Society which is
active in promoting Latin American
dance, film, music and other
activities
Career prospects
Graduates with expertise in Latin
America now work in many fields
including journalism, human rights,
arts administration, teaching, aid
and development, international
relations and politics.
Staff and their research interests
Robin Blackburn, BSc (Econ) London
(Professor) (Department of Sociology)
Slavery in the new world; the Cuban
revolution; historical sociology;
globalisation
Steffen Böhm, BBA Lancaster,
MA Warwick (Reader) (Essex Business
School)
Political economy of globalisation;
theories and practices of social
movements, particularly in Brazil
and Argentina
Andrew Canessa, BSc PhD London
(Senior Lecturer) (Department of
Sociology)
Andean anthropology and religion;
indigenous nationalism; development;
nation and identity; gender
Sabine Michalowski, Dip Paris II,
2nd Staatsexamen Kammergericht
Berlin, PhD Sheffield (Reader) (School
of Law)
Trade and human rights law
Beatriz de Paiva, Bacharelado
Licenciaturas Federal University of Rio
de Janeiro, PhD Heriot Watt (Teaching
Fellow) (Department of Language and
Linguistics)
Learning of pragmatic abilities in
a second language, particularly
in Portuguese
Matthias Röhrig Assunção, MA Paris,
PhD FU Berlin (Senior Lecturer)
(Department of History)
History of Brazil and Venezuela, especially
social history and agrarian history
Maria Cristina Fumagalli, BA Milan,
PhD Sheffield (Senior Lecturer)
(Department of Literature, Film, and
Theatre Studies)
Caribbean literature; postcolonial writing
Peter Hulme, BA Leeds, PhD Essex
(Professor and Head of Department)
(Department of Literature, Film, and
Theatre Studies)
Caribbean literature and cultures;
travel writing; the relationships
between literature and colonialism;
postcolonial theory
Clara Sandoval, LLB Javeriana,
Colombia, MA PhD Essex (Senior
Lecturer) (School of Law)
Inter-American system of human rights;
transitional justice and business and
human rights
140 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/centres/lastud | Latin American Studies
Stefanie Kogler, Giraz,
Austria – BA Latin American
Studies ’10, MA Curating
Latin American Art
Student
profile
After attending an open day
at Essex, I felt sure BA Latin
American Studies was the right
course for me. I had a great time
during my undergraduate studies
and this made me to decide that I wanted
to further specialise in my field of interest,
art from Latin America. The University of
Essex is really the only place to offer study
opportunities in this depth, plus the
expertise of staff and chance to work with
established scholars in their field, was a
major influence in me choosing to stay.
I am most enjoying the flexibility of my
postgraduate course and the opportunities
it gives me to become involved with the
University of Essex Collection of Latin
American Art, thus gaining invaluable first
hand experience in working for a public
collection. In addition, I find University staff
are very helpful and friendly, while our
Albert Sloman Library holds an excellent
and wide ranging collection of books
about Latin America.
After completing my MA, I would like to
work in a small to medium size gallery or
museum as I want to be involved in all
aspects, from the day to day running of
the venue to putting together exhibitions
and events. I would like to be able to
work closely with artists, critics and other
professionals in the field and I feel that
my studies at Essex have really helped
me with this, as I have gained valuable
working experience in archiving while
I have been studying. I am
now keen to put my skills to
good use!
Research degrees
We offer supervision for MPhil• or PhD•
on topics connected to Latin America.
Research supervision is available in:
n Art history
n History
n Human rights
n Literature
n Politics and international relations
n Sociology
Further information about this research
study is available in the relevant
departmental sections of this prospectus.
Library holdings
Our Albert Sloman Library possesses one
of Europe’s most important Latin American
collections. Holdings total over 90,000
books and pamphlets, plus over 2,000
periodical titles of which some 200 are
current. All items are recorded on our
online catalogue and we have a specialist
librarian responsible for maintaining,
developing and promoting this collection.
We have an outstanding collection of
Latin American reference materials, strong
holdings of national censuses and other
statistical series, and several specialised
items, such as facsimile editions of
Mexican codices.
University of Essex
Collection of Latin
American Art
Our University of Essex Collection of Latin
American Art is an internationally significant
public art collection. We actively acquire
modern and contemporary art in a range of
media from Latin America. Inaugurated in
1993, we now hold approximately 750
works by 350 artists from 18 countries, with
selected works are on display in our Library
and in the grounds of Wivenhoe Park, plus a
full digitized catalogue of our Collection
online at: www.ueclaa.org.
Our Collection is a national focus for
interdisciplinary research, teaching and
learning, as well as increasing awareness of
art from Latin America for the enrichment of
the academic and wider community. We are
supported by an archive of around 4,500
items, including artists’ correspondence and
ephemera, together with catalogues and
information on galleries and arts
organisations throughout Latin America.
Maria Freire’s America del Sur (1990) painting which is
part of UECLAA
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 141

Law | www.essex.ac.uk/law
Law
We have an international reputation for research and a commitment to providing
legal education of the highest quality, with our students coming from many
different backgrounds.
Taught courses
LLM EU Law and Comparative
Legal Studies
LLM European Business Law (Pallas)
LLM European Union Law•
LLM Health Care Law and Human
Rights•
LLM International Human Rights
and Humanitarian Law•
LLM International Human Rights Law•
LLM International Trade Law•
LLM Internet Law•
LLM UK Human Rights and Public Law•
Postgraduate Diploma in European
Union Law
Postgraduate Diploma in International
Trade Law
Postgraduate Diploma in Internet Law
Postgraduate Diploma in UK Human
Rights and Public Law
A good upper second class honours
degree in law, or in a related discipline,
and/or substantial practical experience
in a field related to the course. Please
check course descriptions for
additional requirements.
Research degrees
Law• MPhil, PhD
Human Rights and Research Methods•†
MPhil, PhD
Applicants should normally hold, or be
expecting to obtain, a Masters degree in
law and an LLB degree with first or upper
second class honours, or an equivalent
qualification.
Fact file
RESEARCH
University of Essex ranked ninth in
the UK for its research.
Law
Quality level 4* 3* 2* 1* u/c
% of research activity 5 45 40 10 0
For an explanation, see page 5.
FURTHER INFORMATION
English language requirements:
For all study: IELTS 6.5 with at least
6.0 for the writing component (7.0 with
at least 6.5 for the writing component for
LLM International Human Rights and
Humanitarian Law and LLM International
Human Rights Law) (for details, see
page 25).
Academic staff: 38 full-time, 27 part-time
Taught postgraduates: 104
Research postgraduates: 60
For taught courses:
T +44 (0)1206 872719
E pgadmit@essex.ac.uk
For research study:
T +44 (0)1206 872585
E pgadmit@essex.ac.uk
• available part-time
† ESRC accreditation
Location:
c Colchester Campus
For joint and related programmes which may be of interest, please see:
Human Rights (page 129)
Philosophy (page 170)
Politics (page 176)
142 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/law | Law
Why study law at Essex?
n
n
n
n
n
Specialised courses taught by our
internationally renowned experts
who offer a combination of
academic excellence and practical
application
Part of the University’s accredited
Doctoral Training Centre of the
Economic and Social Research
Council (ESRC), with a number
of ESRC studentships available
for new postgraduates
Acknowledged reputation in
international, governmental and
commercial spheres
Large postgraduate community
from all over the world
Staff who work for, and advise,
international organisations and
governments across the globe
Career prospects
Our graduates have gone on
to a wide variety of careers in
international and intergovernmental
organisations or employment
with governments across the
world, in commerce and banking,
in non-governmental organisations
and, as might be expected, in the
legal profession and the judiciary.
Our specialised LLMs make our
graduates attractive to employers
in all these fields.
Our large community of
graduates regularly inform
our current postgraduates of
opportunities in their organisations
and businesses.
About our School
We have an international reputation for
research and a commitment to providing
legal education of the highest quality, with
our students coming from many different
backgrounds. One of the striking features
of law at Essex is our international flavour,
evidenced in our student intake, the
experience of our staff, and our strengths
in areas such as international human rights
law, international trade law and the law
of the EU.
A message from Geoff Gilbert,
Head of School
“We welcome postgraduates from all
over the world and from a variety of
backgrounds. As well as being intellectually
demanding, we provide a supportive
environment in which you can pursue
your academic and personal goals.
Our postgraduates form a strong cohesive
community and contribute to our intellectual
and social life in many ways. Some organise
conferences, some undertake part-time
teaching, and some simply show by
their efforts that they are developing
intellectually. Many go on to become
leaders in their fields; our website contains
a range of examples, along with news
from our extensive community of alumni.
Our students have the opportunity to learn
from many of the most significant and
well-rounded lawyers in the world and to
take part in a selection of extra-curricular
activities, ranging from mooting to human
rights field exercises. Our postgraduates
are also invited to join us at many social
events throughout the academic year.”
Taught courses
Our taught Masters offer scope if you
are interested in a career either in law
or one of many related spheres, such
as industry, commerce, financial services,
the media, or governmental and
non-governmental agencies.
The Human Rights Clinic of our Human
Rights Centre offers you an opportunity to
become involved in human rights work. In
particular, our Litigation Unit allows you to
improve your litigation skills while taking
part in the design of litigation strategies
in a variety of cases, their litigation and the
presentation of amicus curiae briefs before
national and international courts. You can
also participate in the work of our Essex
Business and Human Rights Project
through advocacy and consultancy work,
including the preparation of policy
documents and contributions to amicus
curiae briefs. This is recommended if you
are taking our pathway in economic
relations and human rights.
Our Essex Transitional Justice Network also
provides you with an opportunity to take an
active part in any of the interdisciplinary
projects carried out by academic staff in
this area, some of which are predominantly
of a legal nature, such as the litigation of
cases or the writing of amicus curiae briefs.
Besides the modules that count towards
the assessment of your course, we offer
those on LLM International Human Rights
Law or LLM International Human Rights
and Humanitarian Law the opportunity
to participate in a broad range of activities
that enhance your knowledge, as well as
your legal skills, and make your Essex
experience unique. We have links with
Colchester Garrison, home to the UK’s
Rapid Reaction Force, 16th Air Assault
Brigade. Since the mid 1990s, our
postgraduates have taken part in the
SimulEx with officers from the Brigade,
exploring the humanitarian and military
aspects of hypothetical scenarios set in
conflict or post-conflict situations. You are
also eligible to take part in the Concours
Pictet, an international competition in the
field of the law of armed conflict.
LLM EU Law and Comparative
Legal Studies
This LLM provides you with an advanced
conceptual understanding of the legal
principles of European Community law,
the EU, and the legal cultures and main
legal system present in Europe and, when
relevant to the subject, elsewhere. You will
understand comparative law as a modern
discipline in its own right, with its history,
development and new challenges
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 143

Law | www.essex.ac.uk/law
Taught course modules
LLM EU Law and
Comparative Legal
Studies
Community Legal Order
Theory and Method of
Comparative Legal Studies
Modules from:
Comparative Law of the
Persons
Comparative Legal Systems
Comparative Public Law
Comparative Study of the
Jurisprudential/ Philosophical
Basis of English and French
Law
EU Company Law
LLM European Business
Law (Pallas Programme)
Banking and Capital Markets
Company Law
Competition Law
Contracts in Europe
Environment Protection
and Business Activities
International/European
Taxation
Intellectual Property Law
International Trade and
Dispute Law
LLM European Union Law
Modules from:
EU Employment Law
Economics of the European
Union
European Competition Law
European Environmental Law
External Relations of
European Community
Free Movement
Intellectual Property in the EC
Philosophy and Politics
of the EU
The Enlargement of the
European Union
EU Company Law
LLM Health Care Law and
Human Rights
Health Care Law
Health and Human Rights
Three options from:
Health Care Ethics
Issues at the End of Life
Issues in Reproductive Health
Law of Special Needs
Theory and Practice of Health
and Human Rights
LLM International Human
Rights and Humanitarian
Law
The Fundamentals of
International Law for
Humanitarian Situations
International Law of Armed
Conflict
Five modules from:
Topics in the International Law
of Armed Conflict
International Criminal Law
Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights
The Protection of Refugees
and Other Displaced Persons
in International Law
Law of International
Peacekeeping
European Convention on
Human Rights I
Protection of Minorities
and Indigenous Peoples
in International Law
Human Rights and
Development
Human Rights for Women
Promotion and Protection
of Human Rights in Africa
The Inter-American System of
Human Rights
Human Rights Across Nations
and Cultures
Human Rights and the
Environment
Acute Crises and
Displacement
Transitional Justice
LLM International Human
Rights Law
International Human Rights
Law: General Seminar
Five modules from:
Acute Crises and
Displacement
Business and Human Rights
Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights
European Convention
on Human Rights I
Human Rights and
Development
Human Rights and
Environment
Human Rights of Women
International Criminal Law
International Child Law
International Law of Armed
Conflicts I
International Protection
of Refugees
International Trade and
Human Rights
Law of International Peace
Keeping
The Protection of Minorities
and Indigenous Peoples in
International Law
Promotion and Protection
of Human Rights in Africa
The Inter-American System of
Human Rights – Civil and
Political Rights
Transitional Justice
Human Rights and the
Environment
Acute Crisis and Displacement
Treatment of Persons Deprived
of Their Liberty
LLM International
Trade Law
International Trade Finance
Law
International Sales Contract
and Carriage of Goods
Four modules from:
International Commercial
Dispute Resolution I
International Commercial
Dispute Resolution II
International Financial Law
International Law of Credit
and Security
International Tax Law
Legal Aspects of Electronic
Commercial Transactions
Marine Insurance I and Marine
Insurance II
Public International Trade Law
International Commercial
Litigation
LLM Internet Law
Broadcasting and
Telecommunications
Six modules from:
Cybercrime
Data Protection
European Broadcasting
Law and Policy
Freedom of Expression,
Privacy and the Media
Information Technology
and Competition Law
Law and Cultural Property
Legal Aspects of Electronic
Commercial Transactions
Trading in Digital Goods
and Services
Broadcasting, Internet Video
Law and Regulations
LLM UK Human Rights
and Public Law
Central Issues in Public Law
Modules from:
Current Issues in UK Human
Rights Law
Elections and the Law
Researching using Legal
Materials
Approaches to Legal Theory
EU Law and Human Rights
Human Rights in Philosophy
and Law
Research Methods in
Public Law
All taught courses include a dissertation.
This information is a guide to course
content and is subject to change on an
annual basis.
144 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/law | Law
(globalisation, emergence of China,
harmonisation of European law etc). You
also undertake a comprehensive review
of more specialised subjects, as well as
general and specific approaches to
comparative law.
Our course develops your critical, analytical
and research skills, ensuring you are
capable of working in the field of EU law
as a lawyer, regulator, legal adviser or
researcher with government or international
and business organisations (including the
EU administration), and as an academic.
LLM European Business Law
(Pallas Programme)
This course has been ranked among the
six best LLM courses in Europe and the
ten best in the world. LLM European
Business Law (Pallas Programme) produces
graduates working across the full range
of public and private sector institutions,
including with top international law firms
in most major European countries and
on other continents.
This course is located at our Colchester
Campus but lecturers come from top law
firms around the world and other partner
institutions to teach. It should particularly
interest you if you are thinking of a legal
practice which requires knowledge of
comparative European law, as well as of
the norms coming from the Union itself.
As part of your studies, you will meet with
law firms in London, as well as members of
the judiciary in Brussels and Luxembourg.
LLM European Union Law•
This LLM allows you to acquire a
specialist’s knowledge and understanding
of the law of the EU. You develop critical,
analytical and research skills, ensuring you
are capable of working in the field of EU
law as a lawyer, regulator, legal adviser or
researcher with government or international
and business organisations (including the
EU administration), and as an academic.
LLM Health Care Law and Human Rights•
On this LLM, you look at health care law,
a rapidly expanding discipline as it has
to provide a regulatory framework for all
issues arising in the context of the provision
of health care (eg consent to medical
treatment, medical negligence or abortion)
and constantly react to novel medical
and scientific developments (eg stem
cell research or cloning). Human rights law
plays a growing role in the regulation and
provision of health care, as human rights
considerations must be taken into account
when deciding how to organise the
provision of health care, or when striking
a balance between the individual rights of
patients and conflicting rights of others
or societal interests.
We provide you with an advanced
conceptual understanding of the methods,
techniques and legal principles regarding
health care law and human rights. This is
informed by insight based on scholarship
at the forefront of the discipline and allows
you to set health care law and human rights
into its ethical, social and global contexts.
LLM International Human Rights and
Humanitarian Law•
This LLM builds on the success of
our long-established LLM International
Human Rights Law, and our expertise
with respect to the protection of human
rights in situations of acute crisis. You
critically examine how international law
protects individuals in such situations, with
core modules exploring the rules of general
public international law most relevant to
the study of human rights, humanitarian
law and international peacekeeping,
together with the international machinery
for the protection of human rights, the
international law of armed conflict and
international refugee law.
Our LLM International Human Rights
and Humanitarian Law should appeal
if you looking to work with humanitarian
organisations in the field or have
experience and want to examine the
legal aspects of your work in more detail.
It would be of interest if you are a member
of the military seeking to broaden your
understanding of the international law
pertaining to peacekeeping and other
types of military operation, or a member of
governments or international organisations
responsible for establishing peacekeeping
or other humanitarian operations.
LLM International Human Rights Law•
The oldest established human rights law
course in Europe, our world leading LLM
International Human Rights Law offers
you detailed coverage of the international
and regional machinery for protecting and
promoting human rights, plus knowledge of
different human rights, their interplay, and
their protection in peace, as well as conflict,
situations. You are taught by one of the
strongest teams of academic and
professionally experienced human rights
lawyers in the world – many of our staff
have held or currently hold posts in the UN
or other international organisations. Your
assessment is academically challenging
and provides you with a variety of skills
useful for subsequent work in this field.
Given the important and emerging area
of economic relations and human rights,
we have established a pathway in this.
Successful completion entitles you to
have this focus indicated in the formal
description of your degree and allows you
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 145

Law | www.essex.ac.uk/law
Staff and their research interests
Olugbenga Bamodu, LLB LASU, LLM
London, PhD Nottingham, Barrister
Solicitor Nigeria (Lecturer)
International trade law; commercial
conflict of laws; harmonisation of laws;
commercial law
Penny Brearey-Horne, LLB LLM Essex
(Lecturer)
Trusts, equity and medicine law
Fernne Brennan, BA Greenwich,
LLB LLM King’s, PGDip Solicitor
(Senior Lecturer)
Criminal law; national and EC law; race,
ethnicity and gender discrimination;
human rights; racism, xenophobia and
intolerance; medical law (discrimination)
Kathryn Caldwell, BA Reading, MA
McMaster, Dip LLB Kent (Principal
Teaching Fellow)
European Union law; family law; legal
theory of law and economics
Darren Calley, LLB PhD Essex (Lecturer)
Tort; public international law (especially the
law of the sea); animal welfare law
Richard Cornes, LLB Auckland, LLM
Melbourne, Barrister Solicitor NZ (Senior
Lecturer)
Constitutional reform; administrative law
Tom Cornford, MA Cantab, LLM London,
Barrister (Senior Lecturer)
Jurisprudence and legal theory; public law
Youseph Farah, LLB Hebrew, LLM PhD
Essex (Lecturer)
E-commerce law; contract law; commercial
arbitration; investments, arbitration and
international commercial litigation
Deirdre Fottrell, BA LLB NUI, MA Dublin,
LLM LSE, Barrister (Lecturer)
International human rights law; the rights
of the child and women
Geoff Gilbert, LLB Leicester, LLM SJD
Virginia, Barrister (Professor, Head of
School and editor-in-chief of International
Journal of Refugee Law)
International criminal law; extradition law;
international refugee law; minority rights;
international human rights law
James Gobert, BA Cornell, JD Duke
(Professor)
Criminal law; criminology; jurisprudence;
legal process; alternative dispute
resolution
Audrey Guinchard, DEUG Licence
Maitrise PhD Jean Moulin (Lecturer)
French law; comparative law; criminal law;
criminal procedure; cybercrime
Brigid Hadfield, LLB Edinburgh, LLM
Queen’s Belfast (Professor)
Constitutional law; devolution
Françoise Hampson, LLB Newcastle,
UK (Professor and former member of the
UN Sub-Commission for the Protection
and Promotion of Human Rights)
Human rights law; international law of
armed conflicts; European convention
on human rights
Anna Hardiman-McCartney, BA Oxon,
LLM Cantab, PhD Cambridge (Lecturer)
Administrative law; constitutional law; UK
human rights law
David Holloway, MA Cantab, MA
Complutensa, Barrister (Lecturer)
International arbitration; international
dispute resolution; international trade law;
private international law; international
investment law; commercial law;
comparative procedural law
Karen Hulme, LLB LLM Nottingham, PhD
Essex (Senior Lecturer)
Public international law; law of armed
conflict; international environmental law;
law of evidence
Paul Hunt, MA Cambridge, MJur Waikato,
NZ, Solicitor (Professor, member and
rapporteur of the UN Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights Committee 1999-2002,
UN special rapporteur on the right to health
2002-08 and Senior Human Rights
Advisor at the WHO)
Economic, social and cultural rights;
the right to health; development, poverty
and human rights; international human
rights law
Marios Koutsias, LLB Thessaloniki, LLM
PhD Essex (Lecturer)
European Union law with emphasis on
commercial aspects; company law;
international trade law and development;
globalisation
Sheldon Leader, BA Yale, MA DPhil
Oxford, Barrister (Professor)
Jurisprudence; labour law; company law;
business and human rights; international
human rights
Peter Luther, MA Oxon, MA Sheffield
(Senior Lecturer)
Legal history; property law; common law
David Marrani, LAP Maîtrise en droit
public interne MA Nice, MA Toulon
(Lecturer)
Constitutional and administrative
law; public administration; comparative
law; environmental law; political and
legal theory
Christopher Marsden, LLB LLM London
(Senior Lecturer)
Internet law; media law; competition law
and economics; free speech and law
Sabine Michalowski, Dip Paris II, 2nd
Staatsexamen Kammergericht Berlin, PhD
Sheffield (Reader)
Medical law; civil liberties; trade and
human rights law
Agasha Mugasha, LLB Makerere,
PGDLP LDC, LLM D Jur York, Solicitor
(Professor)
International trade finance law; banking
law and regulation; capital markets law;
financial services regulations; commercial
law; international e-commerce law
David Ong, LLB LLM Hull (Reader)
International law of the sea; international
environmental law; marine environmental
law; public international law; international
relations; public law
Elizabeth Palmer, LLB Manchester, MA
PGCE Glasgow (Senior Lecturer)
Commercial law; common law; public law
Steve Peers, BA McMaster, LLB
W Ontario, LLM London, PhD Essex
(Professor)
EC law; anti-discrimination law; labour law;
public international law; human rights
Sir Nigel Rodley, LLB Leeds, LLM
Columbia, LLM New York, PhD Essex
(Professor, Chair of the Human Rights
Centre and member of the UN Human
Rights Committee)
Public international law; international
human rights law; civil and political rights
146 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/law | Law
Clara Sandoval, LLB Javeriana,
Colombia, MA PhD Essex (Senior
Lecturer and co-convenor of Essex
Transitional Justice Network)
International human rights law; legal
theory; public international law;
inter-American system for the protection
of human rights; transitional justice and
business and human rights
Scott Sheeran, LLB BCom Otago, LLM
Cambridge, Barrister Solicitor NZ
(Lecturer)
Public international law; law of
international peacekeeping; United
Nations law and practice; international
human rights law
Peter Stone, MA LLB Cambridge,
Barrister (Professor)
EC law; conflict of laws; intellectual
property law
Maurice Sunkin, LLM London, PhD
Essex, Barrister (Professor)
Public law (especially judicial review);
environmental planning law
Jane Wright, LLB LLM London, Solicitor
(Professor)
Common law; comparative law; civil
liberties; international and UK human
rights law; minority rights
to develop an integrated understanding of
the points of contact between the world
economy and human rights, providing a
grounding in the institutions, processes,
and values involved.
LLM International Trade Law•
This specialist course in business and
commercial law enables you to analyse
cutting-edge and topical issues, while
improving your knowledge and writing skills.
Focusing on the international dimension,
you explore the legal issues and pertinent
regulatory principles in the trade transaction
and the broad spectrum of related services.
We encourage you to tailor this course
to suit your own interests by giving
you options with the modules you take,
the questions you attempt and your
dissertation topic.
LLM Internet Law•
This LLM should interest well-qualified
students from all over the world with
relevant industry and regulatory experience.
Our unique mix of modules provide you
with an opportunity to experience the entire
range of ‘converged’ legal skills for the
digital information environment of the
twenty-first century. Small class sizes
ensure excellent staff-student research
interaction and our staff are a unique
international team of comparative lawyers,
with our professors forming the core of
EXCCEL: Essex Centre for Comparative
and European Law. Our EXCCEL seminar
series means you can hear from a range
of external speakers from academia
and regulation.
Our LLM Internet Law examines the
convergence of communications media
which has raised legal problems about
access to, and use of, telecommunications
networks, the Internet and broadcast media.
Your first term core module identifies the
regulatory and private law framework within
which the communication and information
technology industries operate, and you
write your dissertation on a topic of your
choice within the field of information
technology, media and e-commerce.
LLM UK Human Rights and Public Law•
Public law and domestic human rights law
are currently two of the most dynamic areas
of law. The Human Rights Act (1998), the
growth in judicial review and the expansion
of regulatory systems constitutional reforms
present many new challenges and
opportunities for lawyers and courts.
Our course will be particularly attractive if
you are in the UK but should also appeal
if you are from the Commonwealth or other
common law jurisdictions, or from other
member states of the EU. While our primary
focus is UK law, opportunities exist for you
to pursue modules in comparative law and
international protection of human rights.
At a time when the UK is undergoing
immense constitutional change with
respect to human rights and devolution, and
when judicial review of government action
is resorted to with increasing regularity, our
LLM UK Human Rights and Public Law
provides you with essential in depth
coverage taught by academics who are
leading scholars in this field.
Postgraduate Diplomas
We do not admit students on to diplomas
but they are sometimes awarded, based on
a student’s performance on their LLM.
Research study
We have an international reputation
for excellence in research and teaching,
and our academics are at the cutting
edge of scholarship. We build on our
areas of success to foster an environment
conducive to the highest quality research
founded in legal theory and practice
including socio-legal studies.
Our research students are encouraged
to play a participative role in our activities,
which include seminars at which speakers
from home and abroad present ideas.
About our research degrees
We offer research degrees, either PhD or
MPhil, in most fields of law. You are initially
admitted to read for an MPhil and, subject
to satisfactory progress, transferred to
our PhD track during your second year.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 147

Law | www.essex.ac.uk/law
I studied political science
and international relations at
university in Istanbul and found
human rights to be the area
that interested me most. I knew
Essex was the best place to study this
subject further, with a worldwide
reputation for its academic staff in the
School of Law and the very well respected
Human Rights Centre.
I found there were always interesting
projects and research going on at Essex,
with academic staff happy to involve
current students. In addition, the
University has numerous student
societies to join and quite a few are
focused on human rights (Human Rights
Society, STAR, Student for Free Tibet
and Model United Nations Essex) which
allowed me to gain practical experience.
Cicek Gockun, Kyrenia,
Cyprus – LLM International
Human Rights Law ’11
Graduate
profile
Two elements of my LLM International
Human Rights Law were invaluable. Firstly,
the quality and enthusiasm of my teaching
staff who are always friendly and helpful,
and secondly the diversity on my course,
with students from all over the world and
varying age ranges. Combining young
students and professionals was an
important aspect of my course which
opened my eyes to different facts on the
world and allowed me to empathise and
work more successfully in my field.
Since graduating, I have taken a job
at the Human Rights Centre here, as
Student Activities Officer, so am
co-ordinating student support events
such as field trips to Europe and Kosovo,
student conferences on human rights
in Asia and in Africa, and other
extracurricular activities.
My LLM gave me new experiences
and ideas which I never thought of
before. It also ensured I have the
right research skills and
academic discipline to consider
undertaking a PhD in the future.
You receive supervision by our academics
who are experts in your chosen area.
Recent PhD theses have included studies
of human rights and humanitarian law
at national, European and international
levels; company, commercial and trade
law; family, child and medical law; digital
and communications technology laws;
public and constitutional law; and
environmental law.
Our former PhD students have gone
on to work in legal practice, commerce
and industry, in the non-governmental
organisation sector and academia,
including the academic community
in our School of Law.
Research areas
Research supervision is available in
the following fields:
n Access to justice issues, including
the use of courts and the impact of
judicial decisions, especially in the
context of public law
n Commercial law
n Communications law, including
telecommunications law, information
technology and e-commerce
n Company law
n Competition law
n Constitutional and administrative law
n Corporate crime
n Criminal law
n Election law
n English legal history
n Environmental law
n European Union law
n Human Rights Act
n Human rights aspects of trade
and investment law
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
International arbitration
International banking law
International commercial law
International dispute resolution
International economic law
International human rights law, in
particular international law of armed
conflict, refugee law, criminal law,
international protection of minorities,
economic and social rights (including
the right to health), freedom of
expression and freedom of religion
Jurisprudence, legal and political theory
Labour law, including comparative
labour law
Law of international finance
Media law and broadcasting regulation
Medical and health care law
Property law
Public international law
Race, equality and discrimination law
Reparations
Social welfare law
148 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/linguistics | Linguistics
Linguistics
We are one of the largest and most prestigious departments of our kind in the
world, rated as producing the highest proportion of ‘world-leading’ linguistics
research of any university in the UK in the most recent Research Assessment
Exercise (RAE, December 2008).
Taught courses
MA Applied Linguistics•
MA Applied Linguistics and Intercultural
Communication•
MA Computer-Assisted Language
Learning•
MA English for Specific Purposes•
MA English Language•
MA English Language and Linguistics•
MA English Language and Literature•
MA English Language Teaching•
MA English Language Teaching
(Young Learners)
MA Language Acquisition•
MA Language Disorders•
MA Language Testing and Programme
Evaluation•
MA Linguistics•
MA Linguistic Studies•
MA Management and Professional
Communication•
MA Phonology•
MA Psycholinguistics and
Neurolinguistics•
MA Sociolinguistics•
MA Sociolinguistics of the Arab World
MA Syntax•
MA Teaching English as a Foreign
Language•
MA Varieties of English
MRes Analyzing Language Use•†
MRes Experimental Linguistics•†
MRes Linguistics•
Upper second class honours degree, or
equivalent, in a relevant subject.
Research degrees
Analysing Language Use•† MPhil, PhD
Applied Linguistics• MPhil, PhD
English Language Teaching• MPhil, PhD
Experimental Linguistics•† MPhil, PhD
Linguistics• MPhil, PhD
Psycholinguistics and Neurolinguistics•
MPhil, PhD
Sociolinguistics• MPhil, PhD
Masters degree in a relevant area.
Fact file
RESEARCH
University of Essex ranked ninth in
the UK for its research.
Linguistics
Department of Language and Linguistics
ranked fourth in the UK.
Quality level 4* 3* 2* 1* u/c
% of research activity 25 35 25 15 0
For an explanation, see page 5.
FURTHER INFORMATION
English language requirements:
Taught courses: IELTS 6.5
Research degrees: IELTS 7.0
(for details, see page 25).
Academic staff: 27
Taught postgraduates: 92
Research postgraduates: 137
For taught courses:
T +44 (0)1206 873473
E pgadmit@essex.ac.uk
For research study:
T +44 (0)1206 873473
E pgadmit@essex.ac.uk
• available part-time
† ESRC accreditation
Location:
c Colchester Campus
For related programmes which may be of interest, please see:
Health and Human Sciences (page 114)
International Academy (page 134)
Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies (page158)
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 149

Linguistics | www.essex.ac.uk/linguistics
Why study linguistics
at Essex?
n
n
Outstanding research environment
– rated as producing the highest
proportion of ‘world-leading’
linguistics research of any
university in the UK in the last
Research Assessment Exercise
(RAE, 2008)
Part of the University’s accredited
Doctoral Training Centre of the
Economic and Social Research
Council (ESRC), with a number
of ESRC studentships available
for new postgraduates
n Unrivalled range of over 20
specialist MA courses
n
n
Master of Research (MRes) and
integrated ‘new route’ four-year
PhD programmes available
MA Linguistic Studies available on
credit accumulation basis to study
part-time over a number of years
Career prospects
Given the breadth of our
provision, career prospects for
our graduates vary depending
on the study undertaken, but a
number of our programmes relate
to English language teaching,
and our students come to us
with the intention of entering
the ELT/TESOL profession, or
to further knowledge in this area.
Some of our other MAs connect
with careers in computing,
language disorders/speech
therapy, and management.
From most of our taught courses
there is a natural progression to
PhD study, using the research
training from our MA programmes.
Often the career destination is
university lecturing or research.
150 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012
About our Department
We are one of the largest and most
prestigious departments of our kind in
the world, rated as producing the highest
proportion of ‘world-leading’ linguistics
research of any university in the UK in
the most recent Research Assessment
Exercise (RAE, December 2008).
Comprising 24 academic staff, we offer
teaching and research supervision in:
language acquisition, language learning
and language teaching; culture and
communication; psycholinguistics; language
disorders; sociolinguistics; and theoretical
and descriptive linguistics.
We have a large and thriving graduate
community working within a dynamic
research environment. We form part of
Essex’s interdisciplinary Doctoral Training
Centre, recently designated by the UK’s
Economic and Social Research Council
(ESRC) and one of only 21 in the UK. This
means some of our courses have ESRC
Doctoral Training Centre accreditation,
and a number of ESRC studentships are
available for new students to begin an MSc
or MA, followed by a PhD, with us (1+3).
Taught courses
Our taught courses typically consist of eight
one-term modules assessed by coursework
and a 16,000-word dissertation, which
allows you to focus in depth on a topic of
special interest from April onwards. The
normal format involves a set of four core
modules and a choice of four relevant
specialist options from more than 100
on offer. The flexible modular structure
means that our MAs can be followed on
a 12-month full-time and a 24-month
part-time basis.
If you are unable to study full-time, we
offer MA Linguistic Studies on a credit
accumulation basis: you gain credits for
each module you take (over a number
of years, if necessary) until you have
completed the credit requirement of
your MA.
Takers of our MA TEFL and some other
courses come to us with the specific
intention of entering the ELT/TESOL
profession, which they duly go on to do.
Graduates of our MA ELT and other
courses related to English language
teaching and applied linguistics often join
us after a career in English teaching, to
update their expertise and return to the
classroom with a career enhancement.
The specialist knowledge you gain enables
you to take on senior or specialist roles
(eg in CALL, ESP, teaching young learners
or testing), not necessarily only in the
classroom but also in educational advice
and management, programme evaluation,
syllabus design and teacher education.
Our other MAs, as their names suggest,
connect you with careers in computing,
language disorders/speech therapy
and management.
From most of our taught courses there is
a natural progression to PhD study, using
the research training in your MA course.
Often the career destination afterwards is
university lecturing or research. Given the
interdisciplinary nature of the areas of
linguistics we cover, this could be in
departments of English, linguistics,
education, sociology or even cognitive
science. For example, from our MA
Psycholinguistics and Neurolinguistics,
several graduates have taken academic
posts at the Max Planck Institute for
Psycholinguistics and at the Universities
of Tuebingen, Hamburg, Kobe, and
Thessaloniki.
Other careers our postgraduates have
gone on to, where the generic skills they
acquired with us are also valued, include
publishing, social work, administration,
retail and public speaking.
MA Applied Linguistics•
This course explores the results of recent
empirical studies of second language
acquisition, focusing on how learners
develop L2 knowledge and what role
classroom practice plays in that
development. You learn to apply the
insights of current linguistic theory in
understanding and explaining non-native
language acquisition. Our core topics
include: second language acquisition,
language teaching, linguistic theory and
research methods for studying language,

www.essex.ac.uk/linguistics | Linguistics
with a wide range of options in applied
linguistics for you to choose from (including
materials evaluation, language testing,
sociolinguistics, first language acquisition,
computers in language learning, language
disorders and pragmatics).
MA Applied Linguistics and Intercultural
Communication•
This course provides insights into
cross-cultural communication (and
mis-communication), including professional
(ie workplace) communication. With the
ever increasing spread of English as
a world language, there is widespread
communication between people of different
cultural backgrounds both within English
and involving English and other languages,
so you gain hands-on experience of
applying a range of approaches, techniques
and tools from applied linguistics to real-life
spoken and written communication data.
Our core topics include: intercultural
pragmatics, English for specific purposes,
corpora in teaching and learning, culture
and communication, and discourse analysis.
Research theories and findings will be
linked throughout your studies to possible
pedagogical applications for English
language teaching/TESOL.
MA Computer-Assisted Language
Learning•
If you wish to become a CALL specialist
in an ELT/EFL/TESOL work environment,
then our course provides you with the
theoretical foundations for CALL as an area
of applied linguistics for language teaching,
including practical experience of locating
and evaluating existing CALL resources
and using basic tools, plus experience in
the creation of CALL tasks and materials.
To prepare you for possible research in
CALL, we also engage in a critical
discussion of current research and how
to conduct empirical investigations.
MA English for Specific Purposes•
On our MA English for Specific Purposes,
you focus on the teaching, learning
and use of English for academic and
occupational purposes. English is now the
most widely used language for international
communication in the areas of business,
science, medicine and education, and
consequently many ELT/EFL/TESOL
teachers are required to teach adults
either preparing for university study
through the medium of English or
using English for work-related purposes.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 151

Linguistics | www.essex.ac.uk/linguistics
Taught course modules
MA Applied Linguistics
Applied Linguistics and
Second Language
Acquisition Research I and II
Language Teaching
Five optional modules
MA Applied Linguistics
and Intercultural
Communication
Foundations of Intercultural
and Professional
Communication
Pragmatics: Discourse
and Rhetoric
Intercultural Pragmatics
Five optional modules
MA Computer-Assisted
Language Learning
Foundations of CALL
Non-experimental Quantitative
Methods for ELT
Computer Applications for
Language Learning
Corpora in ELT
Four optional modules
MA English for Specific
Purposes
Foundations of ESP
Research Topics in ESP
Genre Analysis, Academic
English and ESP
Five optional modules
MA English Language
Six English language
modules
Two Linguistics modules
MA English Language
and Linguistics
Theoretical and Descriptive
Phonology
Descriptive Syntax
English Phonology
English Syntax
Four optional modules
MA English Language
and Literature
Theoretical and Descriptive
Phonology
English Phonology
English Syntax I
English Syntax II
Four optional modules
MA English Language
Teaching
Four of:
Teaching Listening and
Speaking
Teaching Reading in EFL/ESL
Teaching Writing in EFL/ESL
Learner Perspectives
on Vocabulary
Language Teachers in
Classrooms
Language Learners in
Classrooms
Non-experimental Quantitative
Research Methods in ELT
Qualitative Methodology in
ELT/AL Research
Four optional modules
MA English Language
Teaching (Young Learners)
Introduction to Teaching Young
Learners
Literacy Development and the
Teaching of Reading
to Young Learners
Design of Language Teaching
Programmes and Materials
for Young Learners
Qualitative Research Methods
or Non-experimental
Quantitative Research
Methods
Four optional modules
MA Language Acquisition
Foundations of Linguistics
Experimental Design and
Analysis
Four Acquisition options
Two Linguistics options
MA Language Disorders
Foundations of Linguistics
Language Disorders in Adults
Phonological Development
and Phonological Disorders
Developmental Language
Disorders
Experimental Design and
Analysis
Three optional module
MA Language Testing and
Programme Evaluation
Language Testing
Non-experimental Quantitative
Research Methods for
ELT/Applied Linguistics
Communicative Language
Testing
Language Programme
Evaluation
Further Quantitative Research
Methods
Three optional modules
MA Linguistics
Theoretical and Descriptive
Phonology
Constraint-based Phonology
Two of:
Introduction to Lexical
Functional Grammar
Minimalist Syntax I
Introduction to HPSG
One of:
Topics in Lexical Functional
Grammar
Minimalist Syntax II
Topics in HPSG
Three optional modules
MA Linguistic Studies
Eight optional modules
MA Management and
Professional
Communication
Foundations of Intercultural
and Professional
Communication
Management in Organisations
Topics in Professional
Communication
Management Psychology
Three optional modules
MA Phonology
Theoretical and Descriptive
Phonology
Phonetics
Constraint-based Phonology
Current Issues in Phonology
Four optional modules
MA Psycholinguistics and
Neurolinguistics
Foundations of Linguistics
The Mental Lexicon
Language Disorders in Adults
Experimental Design and
Analysis
Neuroscience of Language
Sentence Processing
Two optional modules
MA Sociolinguistics
Sociolinguistics I and II
Sociolinguistic Methods I
and II
Four optional modules
MA Sociolinguistics of the
Arab World
Sociolinguistics I
Sociolinguistic Methods I
and II
Variations of Arabic I and II
Three optional modules
152 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/linguistics | Linguistics
MA Syntax
Minimalist Syntax I and II
Introduction to HPSG
Topics in HPSG
Introduction to Lexical
Functional Grammar
Topics in Lexical Functional
Grammar
Two optional modules
MA Teaching English
as a Foreign Language
Materials and Methods I and II
Teaching Practice I and II
Teaching English for Specific
Purposes or Morphology
Language Learners in
Classrooms
Two optional modules
MA Varieties of English
Sociolinguistics
Sociolinguistic Methods
Variation in English I and II
Four optional modules
MRes
Dissertation
Four subject-specific modules
Two research-support modules
Two departmental professional
development training courses
All taught courses include a dissertation.
This information is a guide to course
content and is subject to change on an
annual basis.
For full listings of all optional modules
available, please visit:
www.essex.ac.uk/linguistics.
We target key topics in this area like
teaching EAP, teaching ESP, needs
analysis, materials design and evaluation,
genre analysis, and academic writing.
MA English Language•
This course gives you knowledge of how
English language is used both by adults
and children, and how it varies across the
Anglophone world. You will research both
general linguistic and social aspects of
English language structure and use, so
you achieve both a practical and theoretical
knowledge of major paradigms and
interpretive traditions. Our research skills
training covers techniques of methodology
and analysis needed for empirical data
collection, transcription and investigation
of current issues in English language.
MA English Language and Linguistics•
If you wish to focus specifically on the
linguistics of the English language then
our MA English Language and Linguistics
should interest you. Our core modules
provide an in-depth investigation of the
grammatical system and the sound system
of English. In addition, our specialist options
cover a wide range of topics related to
English, including dialectal and social
variation, language change, phonetics,
pragmatics and conversation analysis.
MA English Language and Literature•
This course contributes towards the theory
and practice behind aspects of English
language teaching, as well as providing
you with elements of the study of English
language in use in different situations and
for different purposes. It should interest you
if your future career may include both the
teaching of English language and English
literature, or if you wish to gain knowledge
of how literature may be applied in the
teaching of language, or if you want to
gain experience in the study of each
discipline at a postgraduate level.
MA English Language Teaching•
If you are an experienced teacher of
English as a second or foreign language,
then our MA English Language Teaching
will enable you to develop and update your
knowledge of relevant ideas and research.
Our modules focus on teaching, reading,
writing, speaking, listening and vocabulary,
with at least 20 other ELT/TESOL-related
options normally available for you.
MA English Language Teaching
(Young Learners)•
This course is designed to address the ever
expanding interest, from around the world,
in the teaching of English as a second or
foreign language to young children (ages
5 - 12). This makes it timely to offer our
course dedicated to the teaching of EFL
or ESL to such young learners, and to
prepare you to undertake much-needed
research in this area. Our core topics
include: psychological foundations of child
development, syllabuses, materials and
methods specifically for young learners,
primary level literacy and research methods
in the young learners’ classroom.
MA Language Acquisition•
We provide you with a systematic
understanding of approaches to the study
of language adopted in contemporary work
in linguistics. You acquire advanced training
in methods used to formulate, test and
critically evaluate research hypotheses
about the nature of language acquisition,
and in data collection, analysis and
presentation techniques used in relevant
empirical research. You undertake original
language-related research projects so you
acquire a range of advanced cognitive skills,
practical and key skills.
MA Language Disorders•
Our MA Language Disorders presents you
with linguistic perspectives on the nature of
language disorders, equipping you with the
linguistic techniques required to undertake
research into language disorders, and
familiarises you with how disorders are
diagnosed and treated. Core topics include:
developmental mental disorders, acquired
disorders, phonological disorders, specific
language impairment, diagnosing language
disorders, treating language disorders, and
language research methods, plus a module
providing an introduction to core concepts
in contemporary linguistics.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 153

Linguistics | www.essex.ac.uk/linguistics
Staff and their research interests
Enam Al-Wer, BA Jordan, MLing
Manchester, PhD Essex (Teaching Fellow)
Sociolinguistics, particularly language
variation and change (especially of
Arabic); dialect/language contact;
multilingualism; minority languages
Doug Arnold, MA Cambridge, MA PhD
Essex (Senior Lecturer and Head of
Department)
Formal syntax and semantics;
computational linguistics
Bob Borsley, BA Wales, PhD Edinburgh
(Professor)
Syntactic theory (especially HPSG); the
syntax of English, Welsh and Polish
Vineeta Chand, BA Berkeley, MA PhD
Davis (Lecturer)
Language variation and change; language
ideologies; language and globalisation;
post-colonial world Englishes; clinical
sociolinguistics
Rebecca Clift, BA Durham, MPhil PhD
Cambridge (Senior Lecturer)
Conversation analysis; the relationship of
grammar and interaction; reported speech;
narrative in talk
Sonja Eisenbeiss, MA Köln, PhD
Düsseldorf (Lecturer)
Psycholinguistics; first language
acquisition by normally developing children
and children with specific language
impairment; morphological theory;
argument structure and lexical semantics
Helen Emery, BA Stirling, MA Reading,
PhD Cardiff (Senior Teaching Fellow)
ELT; literacy development in a second
language; child language acquisition;
teaching young learners
Adela Gánem Gutiérrez, BA Mexico,
MA PhD Southampton (Lecturer)
SLA connections of several focal areas
in current ELT; computer-assisted
language learning; learner autonomy; the
role of interaction in language learning;
task-based learning; the role of feedback
and scaffolding in the classroom
Julian Good, BA Stirling, PhD Essex,
CTEFLA (Lecturer)
Classroom dynamics and teacher decision
making; materials analysis; qualitative
research; the links between ELT and
maintaining language diversity
Nigel Harwood, BA Hull, MA Lancaster,
PhD Kent (Senior Lecturer)
Academic writing; English for academic
purposes; corpus-based studies in ELT
and applied linguistics; materials design
Roger Hawkins, MA Edinburgh, PhD
Cambridge (Professor)
Second language acquisition (from the
perspective of universal grammar)
Wyn Johnson, BA MA PhD Essex
(Senior Lecturer)
Theoretical and descriptive phonology;
acquisition of phonology
Mike Jones, BA Sussex, LesL Doct Paris
(Reader)
Syntactic theory and description,
particularly in relation to English and the
Romance languages
Nancy Kula, BA Lusaka, MA SOAS,
PhD Leiden (Lecturer)
Phonology; acquisition of phonology
MA Language Testing and Programme
Evaluation•
On this course, you investigate current
theories and developments in language
testing within contemporary applied
linguistics, which provides you with a
grounding in the design and evaluation
of language tests and programmes. Our
core topics include: language testing,
programme evaluation and research
methods, and there is a wide variety
of optional modules.
MA Linguistics•
This course provides you with a formal and
empirical grounding in all core areas of
linguistics: phonology, morphology, syntax
and semantics. We review and evaluate
the major theoretical approaches in these
disciplines. Our optional modules are in
the related fields of descriptive linguistics,
language acquisition, psycholinguistics,
neurolinguistics, sociolinguistics and
computational linguistics.
MA Linguistic Studies•
This course offers you postgraduate-level
training in linguistics with a wide choice
of modules from which to put together a
programme suited to your individual needs.
You may take MA Linguistics Studies
as our other courses but also on a credit
accumulation basis over a period of up
to five years, and may choose any of
our modules. This course is particularly
appropriate if you need to study on a
part-time basis and wish to fit your course
choices in with your existing commitments.
MA Management and Professional
Communication•
We offer this course in collaboration with
Essex Business School, so you can draw
upon our research and practice in both
applied linguistics and management
studies. You are introduced to a range
of management theories while also
provided with a number of different
approaches to analyse workplace
discourse and communication, such
as conversational analysis and analysis
of computer corpora. You also research
workplace settings and analyse the
discourse these settings produce both
quantitatively and qualitatively. Our core
topics include: intercultural pragmatics,
English for specific purposes, culture and
communication, and discourse analysis.
154 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/linguistics | Linguistics
Tony Lilley OBE, BA London, CertEd
(TEFL) Bangor, MA Essex (Senior
Lecturer)
ELT, ESP and the role of applied
linguistics in language teaching, language
testing and teacher development
Peter Patrick, BA Georgia, PhD
Pennsylvania (Professor)
Language variation and change; creoles
and language contact; North American
and Caribbean Englishes; sociolinguistics
and urban dialectology; legal and medical
discourse
Bojana Petric, BA MA Yugoslavia, PhD
Budapest (Lecturer)
Applied linguistics; ELT; academic writing;
ESP; intercultural communication
Andrew Radford, BA PhD Cambridge
(Professor)
Syntax, including the acquisition of syntax
by monolingual children, bilingual children
and children with specific language
impairment
MA Phonology•
MA Phonology examines universal and
language-specific patterns of sound, and
provides you with the theoretical machinery
for their formalisation. You survey the main
aspects of phonology: auto segmental
architecture, distinctive features and their
geometry, syllables, metrical structure,
interaction with morphology, prosodic
domains and their hierarchy, principles and
parameters, and constraints. We engage
the dilemma of rules and derivations vs
output constraints (cf Optimality Theory)
and offer a range of options including
sociophonology, psychological dimensions
of speech and phonological disorders.
Karen Roehr, MA Hamburg, PhD
Lancaster (Lecturer)
Second language acquisition, especially
instructed language learning,
metalinguistic knowledge and individual
learner differences; first language
acquisition and cognitive-functional
theories of language
Louisa Sadler, BA Sussex, MA PhD
Essex (Professor)
LFG; HPSG; computational linguistics;
the morphology-syntax interface; Welsh
Phil Scholfield, BA Cambridge, CertEd
(TEFL) Bangor (Senior Lecturer)
Vocabulary in the reading, writing and
learning activities of learners of English;
learner strategies; empirical methods in
language research
Andrew Spencer, BSc Sussex, PhD
Essex (Professor)
Morphological theory; the
morphology-syntax interface; argument
structure and lexical semantics; Slavic
linguistics; the languages of the former
Soviet Union
MA Psycholinguistics and
Neurolinguistics•
This course provides a thorough grounding
in research on human language processing
and the representation of language in the
brain and language disorders. You
investigate similarities and differences
in the processing of sounds, words and
sentences, look at different kinds of
language impairment (for example, aphasia,
specific language impairment or Williams
Syndrome) and investigate the relevance of
data from human language processing and
language disorders to our understanding of
the nature of language, for example, on
issues such as the modularity of language.
MA Sociolinguistics•
This course gives you the theoretical
and analytical tools to understand and
evaluate current work in sociolinguistics,
and prepares you to undertake original
research. We familiarise you with
the foundations of contemporary
sociolinguistics (language variation
and change, discourse, multilingualism
and ethnography of speaking) and offer
modules in some of its most prominent
sub-disciplines (variation theory,
socio-pragmatics, conversation analysis,
language contact, language and gender,
and language rights). You gain first-hand
experience of data collection and learn
both quantitative and qualitative methods
of analysis.
MA Sociolinguistics of the Arab World•
This course provides a foundation in the
sociolinguistics and language variation of
Arabic and should interest you if you plan
to pursue a doctorate by research on topics
in Arabic linguistics, as we provide you with
the necessary grounding in the external
and internal histories of the language. You
will learn the theoretical and analytical tools
to evaluate and understand current issues
in Arabic sociolinguistics, and be prepared
to undertake original research. You gain
first-hand experience of data collection
and training in methods of analysis. Our
core modules include those focusing on
sociolinguistic theory and sociolinguistic
methods, and variation in Arabic and the
sociolinguistics of Arabic-speaking
communities.
MA Syntax•
If you have little or no previous background
in syntactic theory, then our MA Syntax
gives you a good grounding in the most
influential current models within generative
syntax: Chomsky’s minimalist programme
on the one hand, and lexical-functional
grammar (LFG) and head-driven phrase
structure grammar (HPSG) framework
on the other. We also offer specialised
modules which bring you up-to-date with
recent research in more specific areas of
syntax, or in areas which impinge on syntax
(eg morphology and semantics).
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 155

Linguistics | www.essex.ac.uk/linguistics
MA Teaching English as a Foreign
Language•
If you intend to become a professional
teacher of English but have little or no prior
teaching experience, then our MA Teaching
English as a Foreign Language offers you
vocationally-relevant training through
teaching practice and allows you to plan,
execute and reflect on real teaching. Our
core module, in both terms, is on materials
and methods of language teaching
together with practice of teaching real
classes. At least 20 other ELT/TESOL
modules are normally available as options.
Unlike our other courses, MA Teaching
English as a Foreign Language can only
accommodate a limited number of students,
so early application is advisable.
MA Varieties of English•
On this course you explore the variety
that exists in English, both geographically
and socially, as English is spoken by
hundreds of millions of people around
the world, as a first, second and additional
language. We consider how English came
to be spoken in many parts of the world,
the structural (phonological, morphological,
syntactic) differences between different
varieties of English, and the relationship
that this variation has to its speakers’
gender, ethnicity, regional origins and
other social factors.
We approach this diversity of English
within the framework of variationist
sociolinguistics, both theoretically and
methodologically, equipping you with the
skills to ask broader questions about the
nature of language variation and change,
as well as actually design and conduct
research yourself on some aspect of
variation in English. Our specialist options
include: pidgin and creole linguistics,
sociophonology, and language and gender.
MRes Analyzing Language Use•†
This course, which forms part of our
accredited Doctoral Training Centre of the
ESRC at Essex, provides tailored support
for the researcher-in-training in the analysis
of language use in diverse forms in
156 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012
different contexts. You gain familiarity with
contemporary work in sociolinguistics and
related fields such as conversation analysis,
and acquire the theoretical and practical
skills to pursue original research.
MRes Experimental Linguistics•†
This course, which forms part of our
accredited Doctoral Training Centre of
the ESRC at Essex, provides tailored
support for the researcher-in-training at the
interface of theoretical and experimental
work in linguistics. You choose from a range
of modules across all our core areas of
linguistics, and in psycholinguistics and
language acquisition, including modules
on experimental design and quantitative
research methods.
MRes Linguistics•
This course provides tailored support for
the researcher-in-training, in any of our
areas, with a range of subject-specific
and research-support graduate modules
available, according to the nature of your
dissertation project and newly developed
professional development training
modules. Language modules may be
taken as needed.
Compared to our MA courses, all our
MRes programmes offer flexibility and
fewer taught modules with an emphasis
on your dissertation and individual research
assignments. You must have a draft
research proposal at your application
stage and a supervisor is assigned to
you to guide your choice of modules
and work on your dissertation.
Diploma
If your first degree is in a subject other than
linguistics, we offer a full-time, nine-month
Diploma in Linguistics with English for
Academic Purposes.
If you obtain a Diploma with Merit or
Distinction, it may be possible for you to
automatically register for one of our taught
courses, so over the two years you gain a
thorough training in linguistics.
Research study
We have a large and thriving graduate
community, and provide an active and
stimulating environment for graduate study
with over 130 full and part-time research
students. We have a strong research group
culture, and our graduate students are
encouraged to take part in our weekly
Departmental Seminar which regularly
features eminent outside speakers. We
organise two conferences annually that
are specifically for our graduate students
to present work and gain valuable
conference presentation practice. There is
also an opportunity to publish your work in
our Essex Graduate Student Working
Papers in Linguistics series.
We aim to provide you with work and
storage space, including laboratory facilities
and access to online bibliographies, corpora
and other resources. Essex has excellent
library holdings in all areas of linguistics,
with online access to many periodicals
and resources. We have open access
computing labs running many software
packages that our research students need
in their work. We also have a number of
resources for conducting linguistic research
in psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics and
language acquisition.
Research degrees
You can study and investigate any of the
areas of language study covered by our
taught courses and we offer PhD•, MPhil•
and MA by supervised research•, and the
Integrated ‘new route’ PhD• which
combines training with supervised PhD
research. Our two kinds of research
degree are:
n
Our four-year route (the Integrated
‘new route’ PhD) where your first year
is a preparatory MRes year, so you take
six training modules and write an
assessed MRes dissertation. In your
second year, you embark on your
research topic and writing your thesis.
This programme is ideal if you wish
to develop your knowledge of existing
research and improve understanding
of research methods before embarking
on independent research.

www.essex.ac.uk/linguistics | Linguistics
Ariel Vazquez Carranza,
Mexico – MA Linguistic Studies
’09, PhD Sociolinguistics
Student
profile
After doing my first degree in
Mexico, I came to Essex for my
Masters because the modules
offered as part of my course
were very appealing and I knew
staff in the Department of Language and
Linguistics had worldwide recognition for
their work.
During my Masters at Essex, I learnt
about the methodology of conversation
analysis and became hooked on this and
its findings on the organisation of talk, so
decided to pursue a PhD and investigate
Spanish conversation with this
methodology, as this has not been done
before. I received a grant, the Overseas
Research Award’s Scheme, as well as a
University of Essex Scholarship. Without
this funding I would not have been able
to do my PhD.
Essex is the perfect university for my
PhD studies since my supervisor is an
outstanding conversation analyst, as well
as very helpful and supportive of my
work. What I enjoy most about being
here is the opportunity to learn new
transferable skills and improve my
academic skills, as this will help me in
my future career. I find there is a good
atmosphere for study at the Colchester
Campus, particularly because of the
beautiful park in which the University
is located.
After graduating, I would like to find
a job in academia and continue my
research in conversation analysis in
Mexican Spanish, as well as
promote the importance of
doing a postgraduate degree.
n
Our three-year supervised research
route is if you already have a solid
knowledge of existing research in
your field and a good understanding of
research methods. If you have a suitable
research proposal, you may register
for your PhD or MPhil and immediately
begin your independent research, under
the guidance of your supervisor and
supervisory board.
Our programmes can be taken on a
full-time basis or, if you are from the UK
and other EU countries, on a part-time
basis. If you are an international student
who has already acquired a very solid
research training, you can apply to study
for your PhD by distance learning.
Conducting effective research requires
mastery of a wide range of skills, so
we recognise you may need to ‘top up’
your knowledge of theoretical issues or
understanding of statistical and
computational techniques at points during
your studies. You can attend any of over
100 of our training or other modules, as
and when you need to.
You have an opportunity to join one of our
research groups as soon as you register.
These are small, informal groups, led by one
or more members of our linguistics staff,
and attended by all our research students
working on topics that fall within the remit
of the research group. The main function is
to encourage discussion, exchange of ideas
and mutual support. Our research groups
provide a forum within which you can
regularly present your work and receive
peer feedback. We have found this an
excellent complement to the normal
advice and feedback you will get from
your supervisor.
Research areas
Research supervision is available in the
following fields:
n Analysing language use,
n Applied linguistics,
n Computer-Assisted Language Learning
n English for specific purposes
n English language teaching
n Experimental linguistics
n L1 acquisition
n L2 learning
n Morphology
n Phonology
n Psycholinguistics
n Sociolinguistics
n Syntax
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 157

Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies | www.essex.ac.uk/lifts
Literature, Film,
and Theatre Studies
We combine expertise in literature, film, and theatre studies to provide a strong
and supportive environment for your postgraduate studies.
Taught courses
MA Literature•
MA Creative Writing•
MA English Language and Literature•
MA Film and Literature•
MA Film Studies•
MA Myth, Literature, and the
Unconscious•
MA Theatre•
Upper second class honours degree,
or equivalent, in a relevant area.
MA Wild Writing: Literature and
the Environment•
Upper second class honours degree, or
equivalent, in a humanities or science
discipline.
Research degrees
Creative Writing• MAD, MPhil, PhD
Film Studies• MAD, MPhil, PhD
Literature• MAD, MPhil, PhD
Theatre Studies• MAD, MPhil, PhD
Masters degree, or equivalent, in a
relevant area. Applicants may be accepted
on the strength of an outstanding
Bachelors degree.
Fact file
RESEARCH
University of Essex ranked ninth
in the UK for its research.
English Language and Literature
Quality level 4* 3* 2* 1* u/c
% of research activity 10 45 40 5 0
For an explanation, see page 5.
FURTHER INFORMATION
English language requirements:
For all study: IELTS 7.0 or equivalent
(for details, see page 25).
Academic staff: 19
Taught postgraduates: 66
Research postgraduates: 78
For taught courses:
T +44 (0)1206 872624
E pgadmit@essex.ac.uk
For research study:
T +44 (0)1206 872624
E thorj@essex.ac.uk
• available part-time
Location:
c Colchester Campus
For related and joint programmes which may be of interest, please see:
Acting (page 51)
Art History (page 60)
Biological Sciences (page 66)
History (page 123)
Linguistics (page 149)
158 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/lifts | Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies
Why study literature,
film, and theatre studies
at Essex?
n
n
n
n
n
Interdisciplinary department
offering close supervision and a
friendly atmosphere for intellectual
debate
Long history of poets, novelists
and theatre writers working with
our students
Dedicated film screening facility
with a new, state-of-the-art cinema
Use of the well-equipped Lakeside
Theatre at our Colchester Campus
(seating 217) for practical work
Thriving postgraduate community
of students from around the world
Career prospects
A number of our graduates have
gone on to undertake successful
careers as writers.
Other past MA and research
students are now established
as scholars, university lecturers,
teachers, publishers, publishers’
editors, journalists, arts
administrators, theatre artistic
directors, drama advisers, and
translators.
About our Department
We combine expertise in literature, film,
and theatre studies to provide a strong
and supportive environment for your
postgraduate studies.
We are distinctive in the breadth of our
cultural interests, providing knowledge
across a range of literatures, including
English, United States, French, Italian and
Latin American. US literature, and drama
and theatre have always been prominent,
while writers like US poets Robert Lowell
and Ed Dorn, and British dramatists Edward
Bond and Michèle Roberts, have at
different times taught in our Department, a
tradition we continue with the development
of our MA Creative Writing.
Many of our academic staff are scholars
of international reputation including our
professors, John Gillies, Richard Gray,
Peter Hulme and Marina Warner, who are
recognised experts in the fields respectively
of Shakespeare, US literature, postcolonial
studies, and cultural history. Richard Gray
was the first specialist in US literature to
be appointed to the British Academy, while
Marina Warner is a distinguished novelist
also appointed to the British Academy.
Since 2009, Nobel Prize winner Derek
Walcott has worked annually with our
students as our Professor of Poetry. In
January 2011, he was awarded the
prestigious TS Eliot Prize for his collection,
White Egrets.
productions of new plays here but there
has been a wealth of new work produced
by our own staff and students.
An essential element of our Lakeside
Theatre’s programme has been the
opportunity it has given our students to
write or direct new plays, as well as
re-define classics and re-discover neglected
masterpieces. Our record of dramatic
exploration and enterprise is unique.
Taught courses
All our MAs can be taken either full-time
for one year or part-time over two years.
Five modules are followed, over the autumn
and spring terms, and generally consist
of ten two-hour seminars, the format of
which may include introductions by your
tutor, presentations by you and discussion
based on a programme of reading.
Assessment is by four essays of
4,000-5,000 words, a reflective piece
on research methods and a dissertation
(of approximately 20,000 words). Where
appropriate, films, plays or pieces of
creative writing can be submitted as
your dissertation.
There is normally considerable freedom
for you to choose the topics of your essays
and dissertation. You will be issued with our
MA guide giving detailed advice on writing
at MA level and your written work will be
supervised by appropriate specialist staff.
As we have long been home to practising
poets, novelists, dramatists and actors, plus
critics and theorists, you are part of an
environment where you can combine critical
with creative work. On our film courses, for
example, you explore different world
cinemas and learn about the history of film,
its formal aesthetics, and its contexts of
production and reception. You can also
learn filmmaking.
Over the past three decades, our Lakeside
Theatre at our Colchester Campus has
been established as a major venue for good
drama, known for a commitment to new
writing for the stage. Not only do many
professional touring companies bring their
MA Literature•
MA Literature is our flagship course. Two
of your five modules are compulsory:
The Study of Literature Today acts as an
introduction to the study of literature at
graduate level and as a focal point for all
our students on this course, while Research
Methods in Literary and Cultural Analysis
offers essential training in the skills and
methodology necessary to succeed at this,
and higher, levels of graduate research.
Beyond that, our course is characterised
by a high degree of choice, with room for
you to focus on specialist interests, such as
US literature or Shakespeare, or to sample
from different areas. You graduate with
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 159

Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies | www.essex.ac.uk/lifts
Taught course modules
MA Literature
The Study of Literature Today
Research Methods in Literary
and Cultural Analysis
Three Literature options
Dissertation
MA Creative Writing
Creative Writing Workshop
Research Methods in Literary
and Cultural Analysis
Three Creative Writing options
Dissertation
MA Film and Literature
Issues in Film Theory
and History
Research Methods in Literary
and Cultural Analysis
One Film Studies module
Two Literature, Film, and
Theatre Studies options
Dissertation or individually
produced film or video with
written component
MA Film Studies
Issues in Film Theory
and History
Research Methods in Literary
and Cultural Analysis
Workshop in Film and
Video Production
Two options from:
Non-fiction Film: From
Document to Drama-doc
Creative Writing and Reflection
Women Filmmakers
Dissertation or individually
produced film or video with
written component
MA Myth, Literature, and
the Unconscious
Interpretation of Myth
The Mythological Psyche
Cities and the Sacred
Dreams and Myths
Myth and Modernism: Joint
Seminar in Myth, Literature
and Depth Psychology
Dissertation
MA Theatre
Research Methods in Literary
and Cultural Analysis
Four options, at least two in
Theatre Studies
Dissertation or own play plus
shorter dissertation
MA Wild Writing:
Literature and the
Environment
The Wild East
The New Nature Writing
Either Research Methods in
Literary and Cultural Analysis
or Research Skills and Data
Analysis
One Literature option
One Biological Sciences
option
Dissertation
This information is a guide to course
content and is subject to change on
an annual basis.
For a full listing of all modules please visit:
www.essex.ac.uk/lifts.
textual and analytical skills that are relevant
to a wide range of future careers.
MA Creative Writing•
Building on our strong tradition of creative
writing, MA Creative Writing offers a unique
approach to the practice of writing with
emphasis on innovation and experiment. Our
variety of modules deepen your knowledge
of literary tradition, and different modes and
genres, in order to develop your practical
skills of expression and invention. With
planned readings and writing exercises in
class, you expand your techniques, as well
as your critical judgement of your own work.
Our creative writing teaching team has
a breadth of experience in the literatures
of different cultures and different forms.
Our current teaching staff include
internationally acclaimed novelist and critic
Marina Warner, poet and short story writer
Philip Terry, lyric writer Adrian May, and
award-winning playwrights Elizabeth Kuti
and Jonathan Lichtenstein. Less formally,
we have readings, talks and visiting writers
and currently host two Royal Literary Fund
160 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012
Fellows, who are professional writers on
hand to help you develop your writing on
a one-to-one basis.
MA English Language and Literature•
This course contributes towards the theory
and practice behind aspects of English
language teaching, as well as providing
you with elements of the study on English
language in use in different situations and
for different purposes. It should interest you
if your future career may include both the
teaching of English language and English
literature, or if you wish to gain knowledge
of how literature may be applied in the
teaching of language, or if you want to gain
experience in the study of each discipline at
a postgraduate level. For more information,
including a modules list, please see our
Linguistics entry.
MA Film and Literature•
This course focuses on the theoretical
and practical interactions between literature
and film, providing you with a range of
textual and analytic skills. It allows you to
choose a specific area of literary studies to
complement your study of film history and
theory, and to enhance your understanding
of the different ways that literary and filmic
texts create their meanings.
The comparative nature of our MA Film
and Literature is informed by the research
expertise of our staff, which encompasses
a wide range of world cinemas, postcolonial
studies, cultural theory, translation,
adaptation theory, and modernist and
postmodernist aesthetics. You can explore
the relationship between literature and film
from a number of different perspectives,
including how the practices of one medium
anticipates and influences the other.
MA Film Studies•
MA Film Studies offers a unique
opportunity, not only to explore film
and video from analytic and aesthetic
perspectives, but to apply this theoretical
knowledge to a collective or personal video
project. Our focus is mainly on alternative,
low-budget cinemas but our core seminar
also takes in fundamentals of film history
and theory, including Hollywood. Modules

www.essex.ac.uk/lifts | Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies
Film screening facilities at our Colchester Campus
Derek Walcott, our Professor of Poetry, undertaking
a reading to our students at our Colchester Campus
are taught by our film specialists and by
professional film/video makers.
Graduates will have a strong sense
of independent, documentary and
experimental filmmaking practices, and
our course is intended to act as a bridge
if you wish to pursue careers or further
courses in film and video.
MA Myth, Literature, and the Unconscious•
This interdisciplinary course draws on
complementary expertise in our Department
and in our Centre for Psychoanalytic
Studies. You critically explore theories of
myth, both ancient and modern, but focus
on the depth psychological theories of
Freud and Jung, which postulate that the
real subject matter of myth is the
unconscious mind. With these theoretical
foci, you examine the role of myth in
literature, with special emphasis on mythic
representations of the city in western
culture and the uses of myth in some key
texts of literary modernism, whose authors
worked in an intellectual milieu informed by
the new depth psychologies.
Graduates develop key skills in oral
and written communication, and are
able to work in an interdisciplinary way
with literary and psychoanalytic texts, which
will enhance your career prospects. Our
course will also prepare you for possible
progression to doctoral research.
MA Theatre•
MA Theatre allows you to take between
two and four of our specialist theatre
modules. Our theatre modules have two
emphases: Shakespeare and Playwriting,
with Playwriting modules recommended
if you wish to write your own stage plays.
We introduce you to a range of
contemporary plays and give you an idea
about the possibilities that exist within the
form of contemporary drama. Whilst this
study is taking place, you begin your own
writing. We will encourage you to work
independently as scholars in your specific
fields of investigation, and to formulate and
present a reflective view of your findings,
which will enhance your career prospects,
as well as prepare you for possible
progression to doctoral research.
MA Wild Writing: Literature and the
Environment•
This course offers a unique combination of
science and humanities, focusing on writing
about the environment. Its concerns are
global, though our core modules focus
these through a study of the writing and
environment of the local region, and through
an introduction to twenty-first-century
writing about nature.
You can join our MA Wild Writing: Literature
and the Environment with or without a
specialist background in literary studies
or biological sciences, as one distinctive
feature is our combination of literary and
scientific analysis, although you can vary
the balance of these two elements. We
include field trips in the local area and a
creative writing route is also available by
choosing our creative writing modules and
the creative writing form of assessment
for your core course and/or dissertation.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 161

Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies | www.essex.ac.uk/lifts
Staff and their research interests
Sanja Bahun, BA Belgrade, MA PhD
Rutgers, New Jersey (Lecturer)
International modernism; comparative
literature and film; theory of comparative
arts; psychoanalytic and critical theory;
women’s and gender studies
Leon Burnett, BA Wales, MA PhD Essex
(Reader)
Comparative literature; modern European
poetry; literary translation; myths and
legends; Russian literature 1820-1940
Shohini Chaudhuri, BA Oxford, MA PhD
London (Senior Lecturer)
Film theory; world cinema; contemporary
writing; cultural theory and psychoanalysis
Clare Finburgh, BA Manchester,
MA Toulouse, PhD UCL (Lecturer)
French modern drama and literature;
postcolonial theory and drama; dramatic
and performance theory; the plays, novels
and political writings of Jean Genet
Maria Cristina Fumagalli, BA Milan, PhD
Sheffield (Senior Lecturer)
Caribbean literature; contemporary
poetry; postcolonial writing; women
writing; literary and filmic rewritings
and adaptations
Jeffrey Geiger, BA Cornell, MA PhD
California (Senior Lecturer)
Documentary film; ethnographic writing
and film; third or emerging cinemas; US
literature since 1945; constructs of race
and gender; travel writing
John Gillies, BA MA New England, MPhil
Oxford, PhD ANU (Professor)
Shakespeare, renaissance drama and
cultural poetics, with emphasis to poetics
of space and place; performance issues
in relation to Shakespeare and
renaissance drama
Richard Gray, MA PhD Cambridge
(Professor)
Literature and history of the American
South; American prose and poetry of the
last two centuries; fiction of William
Faulkner
John Haynes, BA PhD Manchester
(Lecturer)
Soviet cinema; international film; history
of political film; documentary film-making
Peter Hulme, BA Leeds, PhD Essex
(Professor and Head of Department)
Travel writing; the relationships between
literature and colonialism; Caribbean
history and literature; postcolonial theory
Elizabeth Kuti, BA Oxford, PhD Dublin
(Lecturer)
Playwriting; theatre and drama, especially
of the eighteenth century
Jonathan Lichtenstein, BA Leeds
(Senior Lecturer)
Creative writing, especially for the theatre;
tragedy and psychoanalysis
Karin Littau, BA Trent, MA PhD Warwick
(Senior Lecturer)
Twentieth-century English and European
literature; film studies with a particular
interest in the relation between film
and literature; literary theory;
translation studies
Adrian May, BA Essex, MA Cardiff, PhD
Essex (Lecturer)
Creative writing, especially with mythic,
song lyric, local, folkloric or traditional
influences; exploring positive views of
tradition; fiction of DH Lawrence and
Stevie Smith
Susan Oliver, BA Essex, PhD Cambridge
(Lecturer)
Romanticism; Scottish Literature;
transatlantic studies; eighteenth
and nineteenth-century literature;
nature writing and ecocriticism
Research study
We have more than 70 PhD students
researching all areas of our work which
ensures a vibrant intellectual community.
You may wish to study at Essex because
you want to work with our successful
researchers: we are, for example, just
completing one major Arts and Humanities
Research Council (AHRC) research project
called American Tropics: Towards a
Literary Geography, which has provided
scholarships for two students to work on
Caribbean literature, including paying for
research trips to the region.
162 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012
Creative writing is a particular growth area.
We cater for all genres, with published
novelists, poets, and playwrights on our
teaching staff and a programme of visiting
writers to stimulate your imagination: Derek
Walcott, Tom Raworth, Richard Beard, Earl
Lovelace, and Madeleine Bunting have all
read at our Colchester Campus recently.
The titles of just a few books published by
our staff in 2010 and 2011 gives some
indication of the extent and range of our
research: American Documentary Film:
Projecting the Nation; Cuba’s Wild East:
Towards a Literary Geography of Oriente;
The Intimate and the Extimate: Violence
and Gender in the Globalized World;
Contemporary French Theatre and
Performance; After the Fall: American
Literature Since 9/11.
Research degrees
We welcome applications for research
study if you have a good first degree and,
preferably, an MA. We offer supervision for
PhD Literature•, PhD Creative Writing•, PhD
Theatre Studies•, PhD Film Studies•, MPhil•
and MA by Dissertation• in all the fields of
our staff research interest. Between us,
we offer a range of expertise in different
literatures and approaches to literature,
covering most aspects of early modern and
modern writing in English, plus a number of
other languages.

www.essex.ac.uk/lifts | Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies
Owen Robinson, BA PhD Essex
(Senior Lecturer)
US literature, in particular African
American, Southern and post-war
writing; William Faulkner;
reader-response theory; Bakhtin
Deirdre Serjeantson, MA Oxford, PhD
Dublin (Lecturer)
Renaissance literature; religious
translation; early-modern Irish and
Scottish writing; bibliography
Philip Terry, BA Leeds, DPhil Sussex
(Senior Lecturer)
Creative writing; French literature;
Oulipo; contemporary fiction
Marina Warner, BA Oxford (Professor)
Creative writing; literature and myth;
cultural history
Wendy McMahon,
Wolverhampton, West
Midlands – BA English and
European Literature ’01,
PhD Literature ’08
Graduate
profile
I have always had a passion
for literature which was only
enhanced during my
undergraduate and postgraduate
degrees. I really enjoyed my time
at Essex and chose to return to complete
my PhD because of the Department’s
comparative and interdisciplinary nature.
What I enjoyed most was the
independence I had whilst completing
my research. The Department houses
a wide range of expertise and provides
a lively intellectual space within which
to engender your own research.
The University has such a strong sense
of community. Whilst at Essex I took every
opportunity that the Department offered,
whether it be training, the opportunity to
present work, or social engagements.
I would advise others to do the same as
I gained so much from this.
My best memory of my time at Essex has
to be when I presented my first research
paper at a departmental seminar, it gave
me a real sense of achievement.
Since completing my PhD I have been
appointed a lecturer in American Studies
at the University of East Anglia. My PhD
study provided me with the fundamental
training to forge and pursue my
desired academic career.
Research areas
Research supervision is available in
the following fields:
n Adaptation and re-writing
n African American literature
n Bakhtin
n Bibliography
n Caribbean history and literature
n Comparative literature
n Contemporary writing
n Creative writing in all genres
n Cultural history
n Cultural theory and psychoanalysis
n Documentary film and filmmaking
n Dramatic and performance theory
n Early-modern Irish and Scottish writing
n Ethnographic writing and film
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
Fiction of William Faulkner
Film theory
French literature, especially modern
drama and theatre
History of political film
International modernism
Literary translation
Literature and myth
Modern European poetry
Oulipo
Performance and Shakespeare
Place, space, and literary studies
Playwriting
Postcolonial literature and theory
Postcolonial theatre and drama
Psychoanalytic and critical theory
Reader-response theory
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
Religious translation
Renaissance literature
Russian Literature
Shakespeare and cultural poetics
Soviet cinema
The plays, novels and political writings
of Jean Genet
Theatre and drama especially of
the eighteenth century
Third or emerging cinemas
Tragedy and psychoanalysis
Travel writing
Twentieth-century English and
European literature
US literature
Women’s writing
World cinema
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 163

Mathematical Sciences | www.essex.ac.uk/maths
Mathematical Sciences
We have an international reputation in many areas such as semi-group theory,
optimisation, probability, applied statistics, bioinformatics and mathematical
biology. Our staff are strongly committed to research and to the promotion of
graduate activities.
Taught courses
MSc Discrete Mathematics and its
Applications•
MSc Financial Decision Making with
Applications•
MSc Mathematics and Finance•
MSc Operational Research and
Computer Science•
MSc Statistics and Computer Science•
MSc Statistics and Data Analysis•
MSc Statistics and Econometrics•
MSc Statistics and Operational
Research•
Graduate Diploma in Mathematics
Upper second class honours degree, or
equivalent, in a relevant subject. Please
check course descriptions for additional
requirements.
Postgraduate Diplomas are available in all
our MSc courses
Research degrees
Applied Mathematics• MSD, MPhil, PhD
Bioinformatics• MPhil, PhD
Biostatistics• MPhil, PhD
Discrete Mathematics• MPhil
Mathematical Biology• MPhil, PhD
Mathematics• MSD, MPhil, PhD
Operational Research• MSD, MPhil, PhD
Operational Research and Computer
Science• MSD, MPhil, PhD
Pure Mathematics• MSD, MPhil, PhD
Statistics• MSD, MPhil, PhD
Statistics and Data Analysis• MPhil
Statistics and Operational Research•
MPhil
Good honours or Masters degree, or
equivalent, in a relevant area.
Fact file
RESEARCH
University of Essex ranked ninth
in the UK for its research.
Research submitted in Biological
Sciences, and Computer Science and
Informatics subject areas, see Biological
Sciences and Computer Science for
details.
For an explanation, see page 5.
FURTHER INFORMATION
English language requirements
For all study: IELTS 6.0 or equivalent (for
details, see page 25).
Academic staff: 14
Taught postgraduates: 18
Research postgraduates: 20
For taught courses:
T +44 (0)1206 872704
E maths@essex.ac.uk
For research study:
T +44 (0)1206 872704
E maths@essex.ac.uk
• available part-time and by modular study
Location:
c Colchester Campus
For related and joint programmes which may be of interest, please see:
Biological Sciences (page 66)
Computational Finance (page 75)
Computer Science (page 80)
Electronics and Telecommunications (page 94)
Essex Business School (page 100)
164 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/maths | Mathematical Sciences
Why study mathematical
sciences at Essex?
n
n
n
n
n
Strengths in several areas
of Mathematics, including
semigroups, combinatorics,
applied probability, operational
research, numerical methods,
bioinformatics and mathematical
modelling of biological and
ecological systems
Small and friendly department
which gives you the opportunity to
build good relationships with staff
Maintains a long running tradition
in teaching and research at the
highest level
Research students allocated their
own office space and computing
facilities
International teaching and learning
environment, with staff and
students from countries outside
the UK
Career prospects
Our programmes are tailored to
meet the needs of you and your
potential employers. An essential
mathematical core in each of our
taught courses is supplemented by
a range of our own modules and
those offered by other departments
and schools.
Our graduates are highly sought
after by a range of employers and
find employment in financial
services, scientific computation,
decision making support and
government, risk assessment,
statistics, education and other
sectors.
About our Department
We have an international reputation in
many areas such as semi-group theory,
optimisation, probability, applied statistics,
bioinformatics and mathematical biology.
Our staff are strongly committed to
research and to the promotion of graduate
activities. Many are world leaders in
their individual specialisms and their
papers appear in learned journals like
Communications in Algebra, Studia
Logica, SIAM Journal in Optimization, IEEE
Evolutionary Computation, Ecology, Journal
of Mathematical Biology, and Journal of
Statistical Applications in Genetics and
Molecular Biology. Our staff have also
written several well-regarded text books.
We have our own computing laboratories,
and our research students are provided
with their own desktop PCs. We have a
seminar series that runs throughout the
year. Our graduate students are
encouraged to attend these seminars
and to contribute when they are at an
advanced stage in their own research.
In addition, our PhD students are
encouraged to go to external conferences
and, recently, some won a “Best Paper of
the Conference” award.
Being a small department has always been
used to our advantage, as our students
and staff get to know each other better.
We link well with other departments at
Essex in order to create innovative courses,
co-supervise students on projects with
a high mathematical content and undertake
teaching for other departments. Recent
activities in our Department include one
PhD student, Fajriyah Rohmatul, visiting
universities in Indonesia with two academic
members of our staff. This trip was part of
our University’s policy to build partnerships
with overseas universities.
The mathematical and technical knowledge,
coupled with career and employability skills
that you acquire through studying with us,
means you become a well-rounded
graduate, ready for a work environment that
matches your studies, whatever that may be.
Taught courses
Our MSc courses provide a thorough
and up-to-date training in your specified
area of study. We have strong links with
Essex Business School, our Departments
of Economics and Biological Sciences and
School of Computer Science and Electronic
Engineering, which enables us to offer
courses not readily available elsewhere, like
MSc Mathematics and Finance and MSc
Financial Decision Making with Applications.
In addition, we offer many popular taught
courses with a high statistics content, such
as MSc Statistics and Operational Research
and MSc Statistics and Econometrics. Each
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 165

Mathematical Sciences | www.essex.ac.uk/maths
Taught course modules
MSc Discrete Mathematics
and its Applications
Research Methods
Mathematical Research
Techniques Using MATLAB
Combinatorial Optimisation
Graph Theory
Cryptography and Codes
Stochastic Processes
Dissertation
Two optional modules
MSc Financial Decision
Making with Applications
Research Methods
Financial Decision Making
Judgement and Decision
Making
Dissertation
Four optional modules
MSc Mathematics
and Finance
Mathematics of Portfolios
Financial Modelling
Research Methods in Finance:
Empirical Methods in Finance
Research Methods in Finance:
Foundations in Finance
Research Methods
Dissertation
Two optional modules
MSc Operational Research
and Computer Science
Nonlinear Programming
Mathematical Research
Techniques Using MATLAB
Research Methods
Combinatorial Optimisation
Dissertation
Four optional modules
166 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012
MSc Statistics and
Computer Science
Linear Models
Mathematical Research
Techniques Using MATLAB
Experimental Design
Research Methods
Dissertation
Four optional modules
MSc Statistics and Data
Analysis
Research Methods
Econometric Methods and
Applications
Linear Models
Experimental Design
Mathematics of Portfolios
Dissertation
Three optional modules
MSc Statistics and
Econometrics
Research Methods
Econometric Methods and
Applications
Empirical Methods of
Economics and Finance
Linear Models
Experimental Design
Economics of Financial
Markets
Economics Dissertation
Two optional modules
MSc Statistics and
Operational Research
Research Methods
Nonlinear Programming
Combinatorial Optimisation
Linear Models
Experimental Design
Dissertation
Three optional modules
This information is a guide to course
content and is subject to change on an
annual basis.
of our taught courses has a set of
compulsory modules that can be combined
with optional modules to enable you to gain
either in-depth specialisation or a breadth
of understanding across several topics.
It goes without saying that our taught
courses and research degrees are high in
numeracy and problem solving skills. All
MSc courses include our core module,
Research Methods, which teaches essential
skills for employment like working
independently on research essays and
report writing, and use of a package,
LATEX, to produce a document as
close as possible to what professional
mathematicians produce in terms of
organisation, layout and type-setting.
We have University of Essex Scholarships
available to assist outstanding students
who would otherwise be unable to study
with us. Once you have received an offer,
these can be applied for via your myEssex
applicant portal.
Our graduates have achieved success in a
variety of professions. Many pursue careers
in finance, statistics, scientific computing
and weather forecasting.
MSc Discrete Mathematics and
its Applications•
Discrete mathematics underlies several vital
situations in practical life: the frequency
assignment problem for communication
networks (what keeps your mobile
telephone working) is a special case of
the ‘theoretical’ graph colouring problem;
the RSA cryptosystem, used on computers
all over the world, depends at bottom on
classical results of number theory; game
theory, with roots in mathematics, statistics
and economics, is routinely applied to
understanding and predicting human
behaviour; and problems of protection of
digital information against piracy are closely
related to aspects of set systems.
Our MSc Discrete Mathematics and its
Applications covers many aspects of
discrete mathematics and their potential
use in practice. The importance of this area
was emphasised in the recent International
Review of Mathematics in the UK but our

www.essex.ac.uk/maths | Mathematical Sciences
course also provides you with options in
optimisation, machine learning/data mining
and statistics. Key employment skills you
gain include analytic reasoning, problem
solving, techniques of discrete mathematics
and an understanding of application areas
of these techniques, algorithm design and
implementation, and data analysis.
MSc Financial Decision Making
with Applications•
This course complements our MSc
Mathematics and Finance and was
introduced to fill the gap between
traditional financial analysts and new
traders who are taking on board cognitive
psychology, as well as mathematical
methods, to manage risk attached to
financial decision making. We include
modules in mathematics, accounting,
management and finance, and psychology,
which provide you with the opportunity to
learn about portfolio management, the
application of stochastic calculus to the
pricing of derivative securities, and the
analysis of financial statements and
financial reporting. Further concentration
on a specific application is possible when
you choose your dissertation subject.
Graduates gain many essential employment
skills required by the business and finance
world which include the analysis of financial
statements, financial reporting and analytic
reasoning, as well as other key skills like
presentation, essay writing and computing.
MSc Mathematics and Finance•
One of our most popular courses, MSc
Mathematics and Finance allows those
with a background in mathematics to study
finance. Since finance routinely involves
modelling and evaluating risk, asset pricing
and price forecasting, mathematics has
become an indispensable tool for this study.
In recent years, it has been one of the
areas where high-calibre mathematicians
have been in great demand. With the
advent of powerful, and yet economically
accessible computing, individuals now
have access to financial markets and online
trading has become a common activity but
many have realised that a certain amount of
mathematics is necessary to be successful
in such fields. There is undoubtedly a
shortage of mathematicians in general,
and an even greater one of those with
knowledge of finance.
Our course produces graduates with a
sound background in mathematics and
finance. Key employability skills include
computing, use of algorithms, data analysis,
mathematical modelling and understanding
financial statements.
MSc Operational Research and
Computer Science•
Operational research is the application
of scientific method to problems of
control and optimisation, involving the
control of organised (man-machine)
systems, in order to provide solutions
which best serve the purposes of the
organisation as a whole. It relies heavily
on computing in its deployment. Our
MSc Operational Research and Computer
Science covers many techniques of
operational research and is also available
if you have no experience of Java.
Our graduates have achieved success
in many professions, including banking
and finance, government, and academic
research. This is due to the many
employment and career skills they have
obtained with us, like algorithm design and
implementation, decision making, problem
solving and mathematical modelling.
MSc Statistics and Computer Science•
This course is suitable if you are a
mathematically-trained graduate wishing
to develop expertise in aspects of computer
science. You gain experience in various
aspects of advanced statistics and in
the use of Matlab in mathematical research,
while our optional modules include
up-to-date techniques in machine learning,
evolutionary computation and panel data
methods. (If you have no experience of
programming in Java, you take our double
module Programming with Java).
Key employability skills of data analysis,
mathematical modelling and problem
solving, as well as independent work,
presentation and writing skills, mean our
graduates are sought by employers in the
pharmaceuticals industry, medical research,
banking, investment and forecasting,
gaming, weather science, and other fields.
MSc Statistics and Data Analysis•
Our MSc Statistics and Data Analysis
benefits from Essex’s outstanding
recognition for research in the social
sciences (our Departments of Government
and Sociology were both ranked first in
the UK, in the last Research Assessment
Exercise, and our Department of
Economics third). Fundamental to
quantitative social science is the ability
to analyse data and this is the emphasis
of our course, in which two of your eight
modules are given by specialists from our
Institute of Social and Economic Research.
Our graduates are particularly sought
by employers in local government and
obtain key employability skills like data
analysis, mathematical modelling and
problem solving, plus independent work,
presentation and writing skills. This means
our graduates are also attractive to many
industries where large sets of data are
routinely generated and analysed.
MSc Statistics and Econometrics•
Econometrics can be described as the
application of statistics in an economic
context, so this course will interest you if
your first degree included some training in
both statistics and economics. Specialised
statistical methods are required to deal with
economic data and these are reflected in
our modules, many of which are given by
staff from our Department of Economics
(ranked third in the UK in the last Research
Assessment Exercise). For instance, Time
Series Econometrics provides methods for
analysing the dynamic processes in
macroeconomics, while Empirical Methods
of Economics and Finance introduces
techniques for analysing stock market and
other financial data.
Graduates are sought after by employers
in banking, investment and forecasting,
local government and other fields.
MSc Statistics and Operational Research•
This course will appeal if your first degree
included mathematics as its major subject
and we expect you to have prior knowledge
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 167

Mathematical Sciences | www.essex.ac.uk/maths
Staff and their research interests
Dan Brawn, BSc Nottingham, PhD
Witwatersrand, PhD Essex (Lecturer)
Mathematical and statistical models
(recently, for raindrop size distributions
in atmospheric science but formerly for
small earthquakes)
Edward Codling, BSc PhD Leeds
(Lecturer) (Joint appointment with the
Department of Biological Sciences)
Modelling the movement and dispersal of
animals, micro-organisms and cells using
random walk theory; mathematical
analysis and simulation using stochastic
models that provide insights into the
population dynamics and optimal
management of fisheries and marine
eco-systems
John Ford, BSc London, DPhil Sussex
(Senior Lecturer)
Mathematical programming (especially
unconstrained optimization); numerical
analysis; constraint satisfaction; chaos
in numerical computation.
Andrew Harrison, BSc Manchester,
PhD Edinburgh (Senior Lecturer) (Joint
appointment with the Department of
Biological Sciences)
Bioinformatics
Peter Higgins, BA ANU, BSc Tasmania,
PhD Monash (Professor)
Algebra and combinatorics, in particular
algebraic semigroups, automata and
formal language theory
Berthold Lausen, Dipl-Stat Dr rer nat
Dortmund, PD Erlangen-Nuremberg
(Senior Lecturer)
Biostatistics; classification; clinical
research; data analysis; epidemiology;
public health and systems biology
David Penman, MA Cert Cambridge,
MSc PhD Sheffield (Senior Lecturer)
Various aspects of the interaction between
probability and combinatorics, including
random graphs, pseudo-random graphs,
such as Paley graphs, and extremal
Ramsey graphs
Abdellah Salhi, BSc MSc Constantine,
PhD Aston (Senior Lecturer and Head of
Department)
Optimisation including evolutionary
approaches applied to data mining;
combinatorics; algorithm design and
parallel implementation; numerical analysis
Chris Saker, BSc PhD Essex (Lecturer
and Area Coordinator for the Further
Mathematics Support Programme)
Combinatorics on words, particularly on
the study of unavoidable factor sets and
related topics
Graham Upton, BSc Leicester, MSc PhD
Birmingham (Professor)
Analysis of data arising in bioinformatics
and remote sensing; statistics of species
abundance, spatial and directional data
Gerald Williams, MSci St Andrews, MSc
Warwick, PhD Heriot Watt (Lecturer)
Combinatorial, computational, geometric,
cohomological and number theoretic
aspects of infinite group theory
Alexei Vernitski, BSc MSc Ural State,
PhD Essex (Lecturer) (Joint appointment
with the School of Computer Science and
Electronic Engineering)
Discrete mathematics and algebra
(including semigroups, groups, graphs and
partially ordered sets); computability and
algorithmic complexity; applications to
computer science and biology
Qingfu Zhang, BSc Shanxi, MSc PhD
Xidian (Professor) (Joint appointment with
the School of Computer Science and
Electronic Engineering)
Neural networks; evolutionary
computation; mathematical programming;
telecommunication networks
of statistics (eg significance testing or basic
statistical distributions) and operational
research (eg linear programming). You
specialise in various aspects of optimisation
(both continuous and discrete) and in
the advanced study in statistics (including
experimental design and linear models). We
offer optional modules in machine learning,
heuristic computation and time series
econometrics.
MSc Statistics and Operational Research
will equip you with employability skills like
problem solving, analytical reasoning, data
analysis, and mathematical modelling, as
well as training you in independent work,
presentation and writing skills. Your
exposure to current active research areas
prepares you for further study at doctoral
level. Graduates of this course now hold
key positions in government, business
and academia.
Graduate Diploma in Mathematics•
Our Graduate Diploma in Mathematics
gives you training in basic mathematics
techniques if your first degree contained
only a modest amount of mathematics.
Research study
Our PhD students study in an environment
of active research. Recently, Dr Alexei
Vernitski, working with colleagues from
our Department of Sociology and School
of Computer Science and Electronic
Engineering, was awarded over £30,000
from BT to explore the value of novel
mathematical network analysis methods
in deriving emergent clusters of ‘social
similarity’.
We host weekly seminars during term-time,
with external speakers. Our current PhD
students can also present their findings at
in-house seminars or present papers at
conferences further afield.
168 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/maths | Mathematical Sciences
About our research degrees
We offer MSc by dissertation•, MPhil•
and PhD• degrees in the areas of pure
mathematics, applied mathematics,
statistics and operational research.
Particular opportunities occur in
bioinformatics, computational operational
research, probability, combinatorics
and numerical analysis. These research
degrees take a minimum of one, two
and three years, respectively, to complete
on a full-time basis.
It is possible to pursue your PhD via a
Doctoral Programme in a variety of areas.
You spend your first year studying modules
similar to those on one of our taught MSc
courses, then work towards your PhD.
Please note that joint supervision
across Essex departments and schools
(particularly with Biological Sciences,
and with Computer Science and Electronic
Engineering) is possible.
We employ some PhD students as
graduate teaching assistants on a part-time
basis. By helping to teach small groups of
undergraduates for up to four hours per
week, you gain valuable experience in
communicating mathematical ideas.
Many of our graduates have gone on to
work as academics in prominent institutions
across the world such as ITAM in Mexico,
the University of Lagos (Nigeria), the
University of Nottingham and the University
of Cambridge.
Muhammad Farooq,
Swabi, Pakistan – PhD
Mathematics ’11
Graduate
profile
I decided to do my PhD at the
University of Essex after looking
into possible postgraduate
study opportunities around the
world. I was already teaching
mathematics at this time, so knew what
I wanted to focus my research on and, at
Essex, I found a suitable supervisor for
this area of specialisation and research.
I really appreciated the outstanding
research culture that I was exposed to at
Essex. The University has a great library
with excellent facilities, while the positive
research environment and friendly people
within the Department of Mathematical
Sciences ensured I enjoyed my stay
as a postgraduate at Essex and
graduated with very good feelings
towards the University.
Since leaving Essex, I have joined
the University of Peshawar in Khyber
Pakhtoon Khwa, Pakistan, as an
assistant professor. My studies at
Essex have truly helped me in this role,
particularly as my PhD is in the same
area in which I teach, so I can now
supervise other students
who are undertaking their
own research in this field.
Other graduates have joined organisations n
like the Met Office, the Ministry of Defence, n
and companies based in the City of London.
There is a high demand for those with a n
numerate background in all sectors of the n
economy, so our graduates are sought by n
employers in the UK and abroad.
n
n
Research areas
n
Research supervision is available in the n
following fields:
n
n Algebraic semigroups
n Behavioural ecology
n Bioinformatics
n Biostatistics
n
n
n
n
Classification
Cohomological aspects of infinite
group theory
Combinatorial optimisation
Computability and complexity
Computational statistics
Computer security
Constraint programming
Data mining
Digital signal processing.
Endomorphisms of graphs and
endomorphisms of partially ordered sets
Epidemiology
Extremal Ramsey graphs
Filters
Fixed point polynomials of finite
permutation groups
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
Formal language theory, combinatorics
and graph theory
Models of computation
Neural networks
Numerical computation
Optimisation: mathematical
programming and heuristics
(evolutionary computing)
Paley graphs and other pseudo-random
graphs
Population ecology
Probabilistic combinatorics
Statistical data analysis
Systems biology
Telecommunication networks
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 169

Philosophy | www.essex.ac.uk/philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is a part of our School of Philosophy and Art History. We are committed
to fostering a wide variety of philosophical approaches and to developing links
between philosophy and other disciplines.
Taught courses
MA Continental Philosophy•
MA Ethics, Politics and Public Policy•
MA Philosophy and Health Care Ethics•
MA Philosophy and Health Care Law•
MA Philosophy and Psychoanalysis•
MA Philosophy, Law and Human Rights•
MA Philosophy, Politics and
Environmental Issues•
A good first degree (first class or upper
second class honours) or equivalent, in
philosophy, or in a relevant discipline in the
humanities or social sciences, or evidence
of academic ability and suitable
professional practice in a related field.
Research degrees
Philosophy• MAD, MPhil, PhD
A good first degree (upper second class
honours or higher, or equivalent) and a
good performance in a taught Masters
course. A well-developed research
proposal in an area where we are able
to provide supervision, and evidence of
research capability, is also essential.
Fact file
RESEARCH
University of Essex ranked ninth
in the UK for its research.
Philosophy
Department of Philosophy ranked tenth in
the UK.
Quality level 4* 3* 2* 1* u/c
% of research activity 20 55 20 5 0
For an explanation, see page 5.
FURTHER INFORMATION
English language requirements:
For all study: IELTS 7.0 or equivalent
(for details, see page 25).
Academic staff: 9
Taught postgraduates: 13
Research postgraduates: 29
For taught courses:
T +44 (0)1206 872705
E pgadmit@essex.ac.uk
For research study:
T +44 (0)1206 872705
E philo@essex.ac.uk
• available part-time
Location:
c Colchester Campus
For related programmes which may be of interest, please see:
Human Rights (page 129)
Law (page 142)
Politics (page 176)
Psychoanalytic Studies (page 183)
Sociology (page 195)
170 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/philosophy | Philosophy
Why study philosophy
at Essex?
n
n
n
n
n
A diverse, international
postgraduate community, with
a strong sense of identity – in
2010 we achieved 100 per cent
in the National Student Survey
for student satisfaction
Unique orientation, combining the
best of continental and analytic
philosophy into a European profile
Strong UK centre for Kantian
philosophy, German idealism,
and Critical Theory, and offering
excellence in Nietzsche, Heidegger,
Foucault and recent French thought
Particular research strengths in
moral and political philosophy,
Kierkegaard, and philosophy
and medicine
Seminars, conferences, and
mini-courses with distinguished
visiting lecturers to keep you in
touch with the latest developments
in philosophical thinking
Career prospects
Many of our MA students go
on to doctoral research, and
a good proportion of these have
then pursued academic careers.
Philosophers with a PhD from
Essex now teach at many UK
universities, including Bolton,
Manchester Metropolitan, Keele,
Reading, Sussex and Oxford,
and also at numerous institutions
abroad.
Our other philosophy graduates
have gone into careers in law, the
media, local administration, HM
Revenue and Customs, and top
jobs in the Civil Service.
About our School
Philosophy is a part of our School
of Philosophy and Art History. We are
committed to fostering a wide variety
of philosophical approaches and to
developing links between philosophy
and other disciplines. We pride ourselves
on our intensive teaching and supervision;
in the most recent Research Assessment
Exercise (RAE, December 2008), we were
ranked in the top ten for philosophy in the
UK, and first for continental philosophy.
Our acknowledged research strengths
mean we are home to the journal Inquiry,
and also to the Essex Autonomy Project,
a major interdisciplinary project funded by
the Arts and Humanities Research Council
(AHRC), which aims to investigate the role
of autonomous judgment in many aspects
of human life.
We welcome students whose
intellectual outlook and interests cut
across conventional academic boundaries.
Our aim is to provide a supportive and
stimulating intellectual environment for
our postgraduates, which helps you to
meet the various challenges involved in
philosophical studies.
We also have opportunities for you to
spend time abroad on the ERASMUS
programme at our partner institutions in
Germany (Tübingen) and France (Catholic
University of Paris).
Taught courses
Our Masters courses can be taken
either full-time for one year, part-time
over two years or on a modular basis
(three to six years). Assessment is normally
on the basis of coursework and your
supervised dissertation.
MA Continental Philosophy•
This course provides you with a thorough
grounding in the continental philosophical
tradition, from Kant and Hegel to the
present. You choose from modules
on thinkers and topics such as Kant,
Hegel, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Freud and
psychoanalysis, aesthetics and art theory.
The central recommended module is our
Seminar in Continental Philosophy, which
offers the chance to explore major works
of the continental tradition in detail, and
to study a range of approaches such
as phenomenology, hermeneutics,
deconstruction and Critical Theory. You
must take four out of six modules in
philosophy and your dissertation must
be on an area of continental philosophy.
MA Continental Philosophy will develop
your capacities for independent thought
and critical reflection. You will also build
research skills appropriate to the advanced
study of continental philosophy, thus
providing you with the basis for further
progression on to a PhD.
MA Ethics, Politics and Public Policy•
This course covers the ethical dimensions
of public policy and corporate action in
fields such as health policy, the
environment, international relations,
business investment and planning,
employment relations and the financing
of public policy. If your background is in
politics, law, sociology or related disciplines,
you can extend your interests in a moral
and philosophical direction. Equally, if
you have a philosophical background,
you can apply your understanding to
issues of public policy.
Given the increasing sensitivity
of governments, public bodies, and
corporations to the moral dimension of
what they do, our MA Ethics, Politics and
Public Policy can naturally lead to work in
a variety of fields like government, the civil
service, think tanks, the health service,
corporations and non-governmental
organisations.
MA Philosophy and Health Care Ethics•
This course provides you with the theoretical
tools to understand the existential meaning
of illness and care in a philosophically
grounded way. Drawing from health and
human sciences, and from the writings of
various philosophers (in particular,
twentieth-century phenomenologists such
as Heidegger and Lévinas), our modules
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 171

Philosophy | www.essex.ac.uk/philosophy
clarify many of the concepts which are
central to health care, such as illness,
anxiety, death and solicitude, and bring out
their ethical implications.
MA Philosophy and Health Care Ethics
will ensure you have a better understanding
of the lived meaning and consequences
of illness, so is particularly useful if you
are a health care professional wishing
to transform your practices.
MA Philosophy and Health Care Law•
This course will interest you if you have a
diverse background (in particular law, health
care or philosophy) and wish to acquire the
theoretical tools to help you understand the
existential meaning of illness and care in a
philosophically grounded way. Drawing from
both legal writings and the work of various
philosophers (in particular, twentieth-century
phenomenologists such as Heidegger
or Lévinas), our various modules clarify
many of the concepts which are central
to health care, such as illness, anxiety,
death, solicitude. We also give you an
introduction to health care law and bring
out the legal and ethical implications of
health care practices.
Our MA Philosophy and Health Care Law
fosters a better understanding of the lived
meaning and consequences of illness, so
develops your awareness of and ability to
reflect critically on the legal issues
surrounding health care.
MA Philosophy and Psychoanalysis•
Offered with our Centre for Psychoanalytic
Studies, MA Philosophy and Psychoanalysis
brings together psychoanalytic and
philosophical perspectives, and uses this
to illuminate cultural, moral and existential
questions. You will study how the thinking
of Freud and later psychoanalysts has
played a major role in European philosophy
in the twentieth century. Conversely, you will
also cover how psychoanalysts have drawn
on philosophical sources in deepening their
theory and practice.
172 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/philosophy | Philosophy
Taught course modules
MA Continental
Philosophy
MA Philosophy and Health
Care Ethics
MA Philosophy and
Psychoanalysis
MA Philosophy, Politics
and Environmental Issues
MA Writing Workshop*
MA Seminar in Continental
Philosophy
Kant’s Revolution in
Philosophy
Hegel
Nietzsche
Heidegger
MA Ethics, Politics and
Public Policy
MA Writing Workshop*
MA Seminar in Ethics, Politics
and Public Policy
Two optional modules from
those offered by School of
Philosophy and Art History,
Departments of Government
and Sociology, or the School
of Law
MA Writing Workshop*
Phenomenology and Medicine
Illness and Existence
Legal and Ethical Issues
Human Responses in
Health and Illness
One Philosophy option
One Health and Human
Sciences option
MA Philosophy and Health
Care Law
MA Writing Workshop*
Legal Skills*
Phenomenology and Medicine
Illness and Existence
Health Care Law
One Philosophy option
One Law option
MA Writing Workshop*
Psychoanalytic Theory
Nietzsche
Heidegger
Philosophy and Psychoanalysis
Psychoanalysis, Symbolism
and Unconscious
Freud and Object Relations or
Psychoanalytic Methodology
MA Philosophy, Law and
Human Rights
Legal, Moral and Political
Philosophy
International Human Rights
Law
Human Rights Colloquium
Philosophy and Rights
Ethics
Joint Seminar in Philosophy
and Law
Environmental Ethics
Philosophies of Nature
Philosophy and Rights
Environmental Politics
International Security Studies
Contemporary Theories
of Justice
* These modules are optional, but strongly
recommended.
All taught courses include a dissertation
(15,000 – 16,000 words).
This information is a guide to course
content and is subject to change on an
annual basis.
For full listings of all optional modules
available, please visit:
www.essex.ac.uk/philosophy.
Staff and their research interests
Will Cartwright, BA LLM London, BPhil
Oxford (Lecturer)
Philosophy of mind; philosophy of action;
theory of responsibility; philosophy of law;
ethics; medical ethics
Peter Dews, BA Cambridge, MA Essex,
PhD Southampton (Professor)
History of German idealism; the Frankfurt
School (Adorno, Horkheimer, Habermas,
Honneth); post-structuralism and
postmodernism; philosophical issues in
psychoanalysis (especially Lacan)
Fabian Freyenhagen, BA Oxford, PhD
Sheffield (Lecturer)
Political philosophy and its history; ethics
(particularly Kant’s and Kantian ethics);
modern European philosophy (especially
the Frankfurt School)
Béatrice Han-Pile, Ecole Normale
Supérieure d’Ulm Agrégation PhD Paris XII
(Professor)
Foucault and modern continental
philosophy, especially French; German
philosophy (Kant, Schopenhauer,
Nietzsche, Husserl); past and
contemporary theories of art (Heidegger,
Merleau-Ponty, Maldiney)
Fiona Hughes, MA Edinburgh, DPhil
Oxford (Lecturer)
Kant; Nietzsche; eighteenth- and
nineteenth-century German philosophy;
aesthetics and epistemology; political
philosophy; philosophy of history
Patrice Maniglier, École Normale
Supérieure d’Ulm, Agrégation de
Philosophie Thèse de Doctorat Paris X
(Lecturer)
History of structuralism and
post-structuralism in social sciences
(especially linguistics, anthropology and
psychoanalysis) and philosophy;
twentieth-century French philosophy
(from Sartre to Deleuze); conceptual and
post-conceptual arts; film studies; sexual
politics and philosophy of law
Wayne Martin, BA Cambridge, PhD
Berkeley (Professor)
Post-Kantian idealism and
twentieth-century phenomenology, with
emphasis on issues about consciousness,
intentionality and meaning
David McNeill, BA Annapolis, MA PhD
Chicago (Lecturer)
Ancient philosophy (Plato, Aristotle);
German philosophy of the
nineteenth- and twentieth-century
(Nietzsche, Hegel, Heidegger); moral
philosophy and the relation between
ethics and metaphysics
Daniel Watts, BA PhD Sheffield (Lecturer)
Kierkegaard; Wittgenstein;
phenomenology; existentialism; moral
philosophy; aesthetics and the philosophy
of religion
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 173

Philosophy | www.essex.ac.uk/philosophy
chart the new and quickly developing field
of environmental ethics, while introducing
you to the main theories in this area. We
expound the basics of the natural science
behind environmental problems (such as
global warming and ozone depletion) and
develop your knowledge of the most
important theories and concepts in
environmental politics.
Graduates will be well prepared for
employment in various areas such as
academia and non-governmental
organisations, as well as entering
government itself.
Research study
We have an established international
reputation and a strong tradition of
postgraduate education, particularly in the
specialist area of continental philosophy
and – more recently – in the emerging
middle-ground between continental and
analytic philosophy. Moral and political
philosophy is another area of research
concentration that is set to develop further.
As well as developing key employability
skills like independent thought and critical
reflection, our graduates have the
knowledge, understanding and skills to
proceed to research study in continental
European philosophy, psychoanalytic
studies, or an area of intersection between
the two.
MA Philosophy, Law and Human Rights•
We offer this interdisciplinary course
jointly with our School of Law and our
Human Rights Centre. If you have a
background in human rights practice,
then our MA Philosophy, Law and Human
Rights gives you the chance to explore the
theoretical foundations of your work and
develop a grasp of the relevant law. If you
are coming directly from undergraduate
studies in philosophy, law or politics, then
our course allows you to expand your
theoretical interests while linking to
practical and career-oriented matters
in the expanding field of human rights.
Given the increasing sensitivity of
governments, public bodies and
corporations to the moral and legal
dimension of what they do, MA Philosophy,
Law and Human Rights can lead to work
in a variety of fields, for example: politics,
the civil service, think tanks, the health
service, corporations and non-governmental
organisations. It will also enhance your
career prospects if you are already in
employment in these fields or want to
undertake further study and become
familiar with key theoretical models to
tackle public policy issues.
MA Philosophy, Politics and
Environmental Issues•
We teach this new interdisciplinary course
jointly with out Department of Government.
It provides you with advanced, critical
knowledge of past and present
philosophical reflections about nature, both
within continental and analytic philosophy.
Our other modules enable you to study the
political and social issues concerning nature
and the environment. This allows you to
Our postgraduates, particularly those
working in continental philosophy,
are encouraged to acquire a reading
knowledge of French or German, as
an essential tool for extending access to
the relevant philosophical literature. We
normally provide a special weekly module
on German for philosophical purposes
but modules can also be provided by our
Department of Language and Linguistics.
About our research degrees
The following is a representative sample
of the areas in which our research students
are currently working:
n Adorno
n Animal experimentation
n Critical Theory
n Derrida and deconstruction
n Hegel
n Heidegger
n Humanitarian intervention
n Kant
n Kierkegaard
n Nietzsche
174 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/philosophy | Philosophy
Matthew Bennett, Sunderland
– MA Continental Philosophy ’09,
PhD Philosophy
Student
profile
While doing my undergraduate
degree at Durham University,
colleagues recommended Essex
to me, as it is one of the only
places in the country to
specialise in Continental philosophy, a
subset of the discipline that I was keen
to study at postgraduate level. Alongside
this specialisation, Essex appealed to me
as it is also fully versed in more ‘traditional’
philosophical areas. It offers, for example,
MA Continental Philosophy, while
bridging the (somewhat outdated) divide
being analytic and continental philosophy.
My time at Essex has given me the
opportunity to study the particulars of
some of the philosophical questions I
was introduced to as an undergraduate.
I also appreciate the vibrant academic
community here at Essex; since I arrived
there have been regular extra-curricular
seminars, workshops, conferences
and reading groups, which I have
attended and enjoyed. There is an
abundance of opportunities to discuss
our work in a variety of environments
– from more formal seminars to less
formal pub-philosophy discussions.
This has all been very rewarding.
Upon completion of my PhD, I want to
undertake research and teaching in a
philosophy department, so my studies
at Essex are really the only way to help
me get such a job. My best memories
of the University will be my long evenings
in the Students’ Union bar, talking
about all kinds of smart things,
with all kinds of smart people,
and learning all kinds of
new ideas.
n Philosophy and literature
n Philosophy of language
n Philosophy of medicine
n Philosophy of religion
n Wittgenstein
Titles of recent theses written by our
students include:
n Deliberation, Deconstruction and
the Democratic Venture
n Phenomenal Consciousness and
Higher-Order Thought
n Self and World: A Critique and
Jamesian Reconstruction of the
Phenomenology of Selfhood
n Making Sense of Global Social
Justice: The Sufficiency Threshold
n Deceiving Reason: Radical Evil in
Kant's Philosophy
n Humanitarian Intervention: The
Dilemma of Imposing Conditions
We aim to provide opportunities for our
research students to acquire valuable
teaching experience. This usually takes
the form of support teaching for first-year
undergraduate modules or providing
back-up for our staff on modules for
more advanced undergraduate students.
We also house the editorial offices of
Inquiry (An Interdisciplinary Journal of
Philosophy), where editorial positions
are offered.
Research areas
Research supervision is available in the
following fields:
n Ancient philosophy
n Applied ethics
n Contemporary French philosophy
n Continental philosophy
n Ethics and practical reasoning
n Frankfurt School and Critical Theory
n History of philosophy
n Kant and German idealism
n Nietzsche
n Phenomenology
n Philosophy and psychoanalysis
n Philosophy and religion, emphasising
Kierkegaard
n Philosophy, art and literature
n Philosophy of mind, theory of
knowledge and cognitive science
n Political philosophy
n Self-consciousness
n Social and political philosophy
n Structuralism and post-structuralism
n Wittgenstein
Mini-courses and seminars
We host annual mini-courses, given by
visiting speakers of international reputation,
which are specifically designed for our
postgraduates. In addition, we run regular
seminars, co-ordinated with those arranged
by our Centre for Theoretical Studies.
We also have a ten-week Doctoral
Research Seminar and a termly
Departmental Research Colloquium,
where there is the opportunity for our
research students to present their work
in progress to an audience of their peers
and academic staff.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 175

Politics | www.essex.ac.uk/government
Politics
We have steadily consolidated our reputation as the best politics department
in the UK and in Europe, with an outstanding record of teaching, research
and publication.
Taught courses
MA/MSc Politics•†
MA/MSc Conflict Resolution
MA/MSc European Integration and
European Politics•
MA/MSc Global and Comparative
Politics•
MA Ideology and Discourse Analysis•†
MA/MSc International Relations•†
MA International Relations and the
Media•
MA/MSc Political Behaviour•
MA/MSc Political Economy•†
MA Political Theory•
MA/MSc Public Opinion and Polling•
MRes International Relations†
MRes Political Economy†
MRes Politics†
Graduate Diploma in Politics
A strong Honours degree, at least
upper second class (or equivalent), in a
relevant social science such as politics,
international relations, economics, political
economy or sociology. Degrees from other
disciplines may be considered where there
is evidence of some mathematical training,
statistical background and relevant work
experience, although applicants will be
required to submit a personal statement
with their application form.
Research degrees
Government• PhD, PhP (Doctoral
Programme)
A strong Honours degree, at least upper
second (or equivalent), and a Masters
degree, normally with an overall mark of
65 (or equivalent), in a relevant social
science. A well-developed research
proposal is also essential.
Fact file
RESEARCH
University of Essex ranked ninth in
the UK for its research.
Politics and International Studies
Department of Government ranked
first in the UK.
Quality level 4* 3* 2* 1* u/c
% of research activity 45 30 20 5 0
For an explanation, see page 5.
FURTHER INFORMATION
English language requirements:
For all study: IELTS 6.5 or equivalent (for
details, see page 25).
Academic staff: 35
Taught postgraduates: 43
Research postgraduates: 90
For taught courses:
T +44 (0)1206 872741
E govpgtq@essex.ac.uk
For research study:
T +44 (0)1206 872741
E pgadmit@essex.ac.uk
• available part-time
† ESRC accreditation
Location:
c Colchester Campus
For related programmes which may be of interest, please see:
Biological Sciences (page 66)
Economics (page 87)
Human Rights (page 129)
Philosophy (page 170)
Sociology (page 195)
176 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/government | Politics
Why study politics
at Essex?
n
n
n
n
n
UK’s number one department
for the study of politics and
international studies
Part of the University’s accredited
Doctoral Training Centre of the
Economic and Social Research
Council (ESRC), with a number
of ESRC studentships available
for new postgraduates
A thriving, dynamic and active
department, which hosts the Essex
Summer School in Social Science
Data Analysis, welcomes
specialists to weekly seminars and
supports student-led focus groups
Significant grant awards
received for major projects such
as Disaggregating Civil Wars and
the British Election Study
Strong commitment to a study
of politics that is broad in scope,
rigorous in approach and open
to new ideas
Career prospects
Our graduates go on to enjoy
influential careers in British,
European and international politics.
This includes working as an MP,
being the Speaker of the House
of Commons and employment as
political lobbyists or staff assistants
to MPs and MEPs.
Our graduates also work in the Civil
Service and in local government,
hold posts with the World Bank, the
United Nations, NATO, YouGov and
YouGov America, work for the
armed forces or in finance and
business, or undertake further
research and teaching.
About our Department
We have steadily consolidated our
reputation as the best politics department
in the UK and in Europe, with an
outstanding record of teaching, research
and publication. We gained the highest
possible rating in all five UK Research
Assessment Exercises (RAE) and, in the
latest RAE in December 2008, were
judged to be the UK’s best politics
department. Our teachers and supervisors
are specialists in their fields, sharing a
cosmopolitan background and outlook
while publishing research that is
internationally recognised.
Current projects include the prestigious
British Election Study, funded by the ESRC,
which has been conducted at every General
Election since 1964. Lead researcher and
Head of our Department, Professor Paul
Whiteley, recently presented the latest
findings to MPs, Essex alumni and
government officials at Portcullis House
in London, demonstrating how televised
debates in the last UK election resulted
in changes to voting opinion.
We offer a full range of taught courses
and research degrees, all informed by
our world-class research excellence and
our commitment to rigorous, high-quality
political science analysis with a focus
on contemporary political problems.
Our postgraduates have access to
our outstanding academic staff and to
distinguished visiting scholars from abroad.
We form part of Essex’s interdisciplinary
Doctoral Training Centre, recently
designated by the UK’s Economic and
Social Research Council (ESRC) and one
of only 21 in the UK. This means some of
our courses have ESRC Doctoral Training
Centre accreditation, and a number of
ESRC studentships are available for new
students to begin an MSc or MA, followed
by a PhD, with us (1+3). We also award a
number of University of Essex Scholarships
to exceptional Masters and PhD students.
We participate in the work of various
centres and institutes within our University,
including the Centre of Theoretical Studies
in the Humanities, the Human Rights
Centre, and the newly established Institute
for Democracy and Conflict Resolution.
Our graduates acquire a wide range of
methodological, analytical and statistical
skills that make them highly adaptable and
attractive to employers. Our academic
reputation is illustrated by the fact that
many of our graduates now teach or
research at universities, colleges of higher
education and schools. For example, recent
graduates are now research fellows and
academic staff at Mannheim, Germany;
ETH Zurich, Switzerland; Duke University,
USA; NATO/SHAPE, Belgium; and
University of Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Taught courses
Our taught courses provide you with an
advanced understanding of contemporary
theory, research and methods, plus a
knowledge of either the politics of a
geographical area or an aspect of the
discipline. We offer MA, MSc and MRes
courses covering an array of research
fields, approaches and methodologies.
You undertake rigorous training in
analytical skills: qualitative and quantitative,
theoretical and empirical, and global, local
and comparative.
Our MA/MSc courses include a core
module in your course area and (for most
courses) a compulsory module in political
theory and in methods, plus up to two
optional modules in a relevant field.
Most of our taught modules comprise of
coursework and exams, although some are
100 per cent coursework. Your coursework
comes in the form of essays, simulations,
presentations and in-class tests, with a
dissertation required for all taught courses.
Our MSc is targeted at those who already
have a solid background in approaches and
methods employed in the different areas of
political science, and want to deepen skills
and knowledge in positive political
methodology, such as quantitative data
analysis and econometrics. This stronger
emphasis on political methodology will
enable you to understand political science
research published in highly prestigious
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 177

Politics | www.essex.ac.uk/government
Taught course modules
All our taught courses include
a dissertation.
MA/MSc Politics
Political Explanation or
Advanced Research Methods
Theory and Explanation in
Political Science
Two optional modules
MA/MSc Conflict
Resolution
Political Explanation or
Advanced Research Methods
Conflict Resolution
Two optional modules
MA/MSc European
Integration and European
Politics
European Integration and
European Politics
Political Explanation or
Advanced Research Methods
Theory and Explanation in
Political Science
One optional module
MA/MSc Global and
Comparative Politics
MA/MSc International
Relations
Theories of International
Relations
Political Explanation or
Advanced Research Methods
Theory and Explanation in
Political Science or one
optional module
One optional module
MA International
Relations and the Media
Theories of International
Relations
International Relations and
the Media
Theory and Explanation in
Political Science or one
optional module
One optional module
MA/MSc Political
Behaviour
Political Behaviour
Political Explanation or
Advanced Research Methods
Theory and Explanation in
Political Science
One optional module
Political Explanation or
Advanced Research Methods
or one optional module
One optional module
MA/MSc Public Opinion
and Polling
The Analysis of Public Opinion
Political Explanation or
Advanced Research Methods
Political Behaviour
One optional module
MRes International
Relations
Year one
Political Explanation or
Advanced Research Methods
Theories of International
Relations
Theory and Explanation in
Political Science
One optional module
Two Essex Summer School
modules
Year two
Political Explanation or
Advanced Research Methods
Research Design
Applied Research Design
MRes Politics
Year one
Political Explanation or
Advanced Research Methods
Theory and Explanation in
Political Science
Two optional modules
Two Essex Summer School
modules
Year two
Political Explanation or
Advanced Research Methods
Research Design
Applied Research Design
Graduate Diploma
in Politics
Political Analysis
Introduction to Political Theory
Two third-year undergraduate
modules
This information is a guide to course
content and is subject to change on an
annual basis.
Global and Comparative
Politics
Political Explanation or
Advanced Research Methods
Theory and Explanation in
Political Science
One optional module
MA Ideology and
Discourse Analysis
Ideology and Political
Discourse
Research Seminar in Political
Theory and Methods
Theory and Explanation in
Political Science
Political Explanation or
Advanced Research Methods
or one optional module
MA/MSc Political
Economy
Rational Choice Theories
of Politics
Political Explanation or
Advanced Research Methods
Theory and Explanation in
Political Science or one
optional module
One optional module or two
Economics half modules
MA Political Theory
Political Theory
Theory and Explanation in
Political Science
Research Seminar in Political
Theory Methods
MRes Political Economy
Year one
Rational Choice Theories
of Politics
Advanced Research Methods
Theory and Explanation
in Political Science
Mathematical Models
Microeconomics
Two Essex Summer School
modules
Year two
Research Design
Applied Research Design
Macroeconomics
One Economics module
178 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/government | Politics
Staff and their research interests
John Bartle, BA York, MA PhD Essex
(Senior Lecturer)
British and American voting behaviour;
British political parties; political
methodology; public opinion; British
judiciary
Sandhya Bhattacharya, BA Madras,
MA Denver, PhD Pennsylvania (Lecturer)
Political economy; transnational and
comparative media; reporting during
conflict; identity construction; comparative
mediated representations of the war
on terror
Sarah Birch, BA Dartmouth, MPhil DPhil
Oxford, MA PhD Essex (Reader)
Electoral systems and behaviour;
electoral integrity and corruption;
semi-authoritarianism; electoral
malpractice
Paul Bou-Habib, BSc MSc LSE, PhD
Princeton (Lecturer)
Contemporary theories of distributive
justice; the just distribution of resources
between age groups; the role of
the concept of dignity in normative
political theory
Xun Cao, BA Beijing, MA PhD
Washington (Lecturer)
Environmental politics; networks, network
analysis and political science; international
and comparative political economy; inter
and intra-state conflicts; political
geography
Marian De Vooght, MA Nijmegen, PhD
Texas (Lecturer)
Political aspects of literary values and
aesthetic judgement; political discourse
in literature; the use of literature and
translation for imperialistic purposes
Han Dorussen, BA MA Nijmegen, PhD
Texas (Professor)
International relations; inter and intra-state
conflicts; international and comparative
political economy; applied game theory;
trade and conflict peacekeeping
Lawrence Ezrow, BA UNC-Chapel Hill,
MA PhD Santa Barbara (Reader)
Comparative political representation;
Western European politics; elections;
political parties; voting; party strategies;
political strategies; political institutions;
quantitative methodologies
Natasha Ezrow, BA California Irvine,
MA PhD Santa Barbara (Lecturer)
Development studies; Middle East politics;
Latin American studies
Ismene Gizelis, BA La Verne, CA, MA
PhD Claremont, CA (Lecturer and
Graduate Director (PGT))
International conflict and cooperation;
peacekeeping and post-conflict
reconstruction; conflict management
institutions; political and economic
development; welfare and social policy;
gender and development
Kristian Gleditsch, Cand Mag Oslo,
PhD Colorado (Professor and Director
of Research)
Conflict and co-operation;
democratisation; spatial dimensions
of social and political processes;
mathematical models in the social
sciences
Jason Glynos, BA Cambridge, LLB LLM
British Columbia, PhD Essex (Senior
Lecturer)
Lacanian psychoanalysis and
post-Marxism; discourse analytic and
psychoanalytic approaches to social and
political theory and analysis, focusing on
issues relating to ideology, democracy and
freedom; philosophy and methodology of
social and political science
David Howarth, MA Natal, MA PhD
Essex (Reader)
Post-structuralist political theory; South
African politics; social movements; the
politics of identity/difference
continued
journals of the profession and to undertake
your own projects that involve testing the
empirical implications of theoretical
arguments, as well as positive political
analysis. In addition, our focus on
methodology provides a better preparation
for you if you wish to enrol in a PhD
programme at leading political science
departments in the US and throughout
Europe, which focus on model building
and empirical testing or behavioural
political science.
Our MRes is a two-year programme which
adds additional training in research design
and research methods to our MA/MSc
courses. The first year follows our MA/MSc
structure in your chosen discipline.
Between the first and second years, you
attend our Essex Summer School and
take two, two-week intensive modules in
advanced research methods. In the second
year, you take three further optional
full-year modules and a compulsory
module in research design, as well as
write a dissertation.
MA/MSc Politics•†
How do political scientists explain political
outcomes? How do political science
approaches differ from historical accounts
of political phenomenon? How can political
science be used to analyse the real world?
This course gives a general overview of
such topics but you have a wider choice of
modules than for our other MA courses.
Graduates go on to work in market
research, the media, central or local
government, or use our course as a
foundation for further research.
MA/MSc Conflict Resolution•
How do you put an end to war? What
are the benefits and consequences of
intervention? What roles do international
and non-government organisations play in
the prevention and resolution of conflict?
Our MA/MSc Conflict Resolution provides
an overview of the evolving field of
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 179

Politics | www.essex.ac.uk/government
Rob Johns, BA Oxford, MA PhD Essex
(Lecturer)
Political (specifically electoral) behaviour;
public opinion and political psychology,
especially the nature, structure and impact
of attitudes; research methods and survey
methodology
Rob Kemp, BA MA PhD Essex (Lecturer)
British politics and democracy
Anthony King, BA Queens, Canada,
MA DPhil Oxford (Professor)
The British prime ministership; the British
Constitution; American politics and
government; history of democracy
Emil Kirchner, BA MA PhD Cape
Western Reserve (Professor)
European security policy; European
integration; German politics
Todd Landman, BA Pennsylvania, MA
Georgetown, MA Colorado, PhD Essex
(Professor)
Development, democracy and human
rights; comparative politics; quantitative
and qualitative political methodology
René Lindstädt, MA PhD St Louis
(Senior Lecturer)
Political economy; political institutions;
formal theory; political methodology;
policy diffusion; social learning; political
accountability; strategic communication
and cooperation; legislative, bureaucratic
and judicial politics
Aletta Norval, MA Johannesburg,
MA PhD Essex (Reader)
Political ideology; the relation between
post-structuralism and contemporary
political theory; feminist political thought;
democratic theory
Avia Pasternak, BA MA Jerusalem,
PhD Oxford (Lecturer)
Analytical political theory; collective
responsibility and the distribution of
collective responsibility in democracies;
collective sanctions and punishment;
the global justice duties of liberal
democracies; the relation between
accounts of global justice and
democratic theory
Thomas Plümper, Dr rer pol FU Berlin
(Professor)
Comparative and international political
economy; international relations; research
methods; international economic policy
spillovers; international unions; panel data
analysis; multiparty competition
Tom Quinn, MSc PhD LSE (Lecturer)
British politics and political institutions;
rational choice; electoral systems
David Sanders, BSc Loughborough,
MA PhD Essex (Professor)
Electoral behaviour and election
forecasting; experimental methods in
political research; non-electoral political
participation; measuring and assessing
European citizenship
Thomas J Scotto, BA SUNY at
Binghamton, MA PhD Duke (Lecturer)
American and Canadian electoral
behaviour and public opinion
Hugh Ward, BA PhD Essex (Professor)
Political and social impacts of technology;
interface between Marxian and
neo-classical political economy; game
theory; environmental politics
Paul Whiteley, BA Sheffield, MA PhD
Essex (Professor and Head of Department)
Modern political economy; public policy
making; comparative politics; US politics;
British politics; comparative analysis
of citizenship
Kevin Wright, BA MA PhD Essex
(Lecturer)
Evolution of EU defence forces; Cold
War intelligence gathering; air power
operations; peace-keeping doctrine; arms
control, confidence and security building
measures (CSBMs) in Europe
international conflict resolution, exploring
methods like mediation, negotiation,
arbitration, collaborative problem solving,
peacekeeping operations, and other
applications. Our approach is
interdisciplinary, combining traditional
approaches in conflict management
with contemporary theory and practices
of non-violent methods.
We developed this stimulating course
following the launch of our flagship Institute
for Democracy and Conflict Resolution
(IDCR). An exciting element of our
MA/MSc Conflict Resolution is the
possibility for you to undertake an
180 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012
internship with our new IDCR and work
alongside our academics, who are world
leaders in this field. Our course will open
the door for internationally oriented careers
in the public and private sector, as well
as preparing you for a PhD.
MA/MSc European Integration and
European Politics•
Do different models of Europe, as
supranational, intergovernmental,
transnational, or multileveled, suggest
different forms of democratic governance?
Are states, as the most important
proliferators of modern liberal,
representative democracy, the sole
actors in the international sphere?
MA/MSc European Integration and
European Politics gives you the opportunity
to deepen your understanding of the study
of European politics and social scientific
research. It is designed for good graduates
in politics, economics, law, sociology,
European studies or related disciplines.
MA/MSc Global and Comparative
Politics•
To what extent is human behaviour
conditioned by political, social, or economic
context? What are the consequences of
political institutions for regime stability,
economic development, political
representation, and the dynamics
of electoral politics?

www.essex.ac.uk/government | Politics
Our course allows you to focus on these
and other questions of interest to those
studying politics in the developed and
developing worlds. It provides you with
an overview of classic topics, as well
as contemporary debates in this area.
MA Ideology and Discourse Analysis•†
How do ideologies form and sustain
political identities? What are the main
theories of ideology and discourse in
contemporary political analysis? How can
these theories help us to explain and
evaluate key political processes?
Here, questions concerning the impact of
ideological and symbolic processes on the
formation of political discourses, identities
and communities are of crucial importance.
We introduce and evaluate a range of
poststructuralist, post-Marxist, and
psychoanalytical theories of ideology
and discourse. Through a close reading
of selected texts and a discussion of
concrete political examples, we clarify the
key concepts of this approach, and show
how they can be used for political analysis.
MA/MSc International Relations•†
We live in an increasingly interconnected
and globalised world where events that
unfold on the other continents can affect
our lives very quickly. Sometimes politicians
are able to work together in a search for
solutions but disagreement, and even the
possibility of conflict, never seems far away.
We focus on general theoretical
perspectives of the discipline, providing the
tools for you to understand historical and
contemporary events by placing these
within an analytical framework. Although
we cover a wide variety of theoretical
perspectives, the emphasis is on
understanding international events, rather
than simply the intellectual history of
international relations as a field. You
graduate prepared for internationally
oriented careers in the public and private
sector, or for undertaking your PhD.
MA International Relations and the Media•
This course gives you an insight into
questions such as: why are some parts of
the world in constant turmoil while others
remain largely peaceful? Can journalists
help people to understand crucial issues
of war and political unrest? How do the
media gather information and what is the
quality of their reporting? Is objective,
unbiased reporting on international events
possible, or do we have to accept that all
news is political?
MA International Relations and the
Media provides you with an understanding
of developments in international politics and
the study of international relations, with a
focus on the media in the modern world.
It should particularly appeal if you have
worked in the media or have an interest in
the subject from another background.
MA/MSc Political Behaviour•
Why do some people participate in politics
while others do not? Why do people vote
the way they do? Can we predict behaviour
from social characteristics or psychological
variables such as values, attitudes, political
preferences and evaluations of political and
economic outcomes? How do we establish
whether these psychological influences
really cause behaviour?
This course explores the interaction
between the political elites and the mass
public in advanced industrial democracies.
We focus primarily on Great Britain and the
United States but also draw on other
countries. Our graduates find jobs in market
research, the media and central or local
government, or undertake further research
in political behaviour.
MA/MSc Political Economy•
Over the last three decades, political
economy has been one of the fastest
growing approaches in the social sciences.
It is broadly understood as the analysis
of policies and institutions based on
a solid understanding of the motives of
governments, voters, lobbies, corporations
and so on.
Our course covers all aspects of modern
political economy, including market failure,
the political logic of policy choices, and the
trade-off between different political goals. If
you are interested in how institutions shape
the behaviour of political actors and how
political decisions influence markets and
vice versa, then you will profit from our
course. It is also a good choice if you wish
to maintain the flexibility of pursuing a
career in an international organisation,
a government organisation, a private
enterprise or as a political consultant.
MA Political Theory•
How are we to understand political life
– as the expression of violence, tradition,
domination, the search for freedom, the
struggle for equality? How should we think
about democracy – as the participation of
citizens, the contest of representatives or
the search for a common good through
deliberation?
These questions have exercised minds
since ancient Athens and, in recent years,
received new interpretations in political
theory, one of the most intellectually fertile
sub-disciplines of politics. MA Political
Theory examines texts of political theory
in the modern period, dealing with major
writers and themes in democracy and
justice, so our graduates gain key skills
of interpretative analysis.
MA/MSc Public Opinion and Polling•
Politicians care about public opinion!
Surveys provide political headlines and are
increasingly used in political strategising
and campaigning; but how do they work
and what are their limitations?
MA/MSc Public Opinion and Polling
introduces you to the latest theoretical
debates about the nature, significance and
measurement of public opinion. We provide
you with the knowledge and practical skills
to undertake surveys of public opinion and
give you the skills required by anyone
seeking employment in the polling and
market research industry.
MRes International Relations•†, MRes
Political Economy•† and MRes Politics•†
Our MRes courses offer an excellent
preparation for PhD research in their
respective fields. We combine modules
covering all aspects of your relevant subject
with additional training in research design
and research methods. You learn how to
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 181

Politics | www.essex.ac.uk/government
develop theories, conduct research, and
explore the empirical implications of
theoretical models using the most
appropriate empirical methods. From
the very beginning, we invite you to work
on your own research, which prepares
you for further study at PhD level.
Graduate Diploma in Politics
Our Graduate Diploma provides a bridge
between undergraduate and postgraduate
study, as we aim it at those who have
completed three years of higher education
but need further academic study before
beginning their Masters. Our modules
develop your knowledge of the major
theoretical and conceptual foundations of
political science, and of quantitative
methods of studying politics. With our
International Academy, we also offer a
full-time, nine-month Graduate Diploma in
Politics with English for Academic Purposes.
Research study
We provide an outstanding environment
for research study. In recent years, many of
our students have won Political Association
prizes for best PhD thesis in political
science in the UK. In 2010-11, our recently
finished PhD student, Dr Nils Metternich,
was awarded the 2010 Stuart A Bremer
Award for the best graduate student paper,
while Dr Akin Unver was awarded the
prestigious Middle East Studies Association
(MESA) 2010 Malcolm H Kerr Dissertation
Award in social sciences for his thesis.
Research degrees
We offer two routes to a PhD: our Doctoral
Programme and our straight PhD.
All our PhD students are allocated a
supervisor who is an internationally
recognised specialist in their field. As
well as this crucial support, we run a
compulsory high quality professional
development seminar for all our first-year
students and encourage you to participate
in graduate-level modules to compliment
your research, where appropriate. You are
also encouraged to attend our Essex
Summer School and other University-led
development courses.
Our PhDs are three years long, plus a
completion year for the write-up of your
thesis. We expect you to complete your
thesis within four years of starting.
To support you with your research, and
as a requirement of PhD study within
our Department, you will be expected to
present at least one paper to our PhD
Colloquium. Our PhD Colloquium is a
student-led forum that provides you with
the opportunity to receive feedback on
your work and engage in stimulating and
thought-provoking discussions within
a friendly environment of your peers
and academics.
We also employ some of our PhD students
to be graduate teaching assistants on a
part-time basis. You will usually teach
undergraduate modules and, by doing so,
gain valuable experience in communicating
political ideas in the learning environment.
We also offer a number of studentships
and scholarships, and reserve 75 per cent
of our scholarship budget for PhD students.
This includes ESRC studentships and
University of Essex Scholarships. All are
highly competitive so we strongly advise
that you contact us in advance, so we can
link you with your supervisor at the earliest
opportunity to give you time to work on
your scholarship application.
Research areas
Research supervision is available in the
following fields:
n Government
n Ideology and discourse analysis
n International relations
n Political behaviour
n Politics
Nazli Sila Cesur, Turkey
– MA Political Theory ’08,
PhD Political Theory
I wanted undertake my
postgraduate study at Essex
as I knew the Department of
Government was one of the
best in the UK. I was really
pleased with my MA Political Theory,
so decided to stay here for my PhD.
I am really enjoying being a research
student at the University. By that, I mean
I have been given the opportunity to
choose my own topic for my PhD and
am able to lead my own research; I’ve
found the experience of taking a huge
responsibility for my own self and my
success very exciting. I also like
attending the research seminars offered
by my Department, as I find it a great
way to meet others and exchange ideas.
The Colchester Campus is quite
compact, which I think is advantageous
for students as you have everything you
need like a post office, library and banks
on site, and can easily meet up with
your friends. The University is also close
to London, which makes day trips to the
capital possible.
After completing my PhD, I would like
to have a career in academia and am
particularly keen to stay in the UK.
Having studied at the UK’s top
department for politics will
certainly help my future plans.
Student
profile
182 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/centres/psycho | Psychoanalytic Studies
Psychoanalytic Studies
We are internationally recognised as one of the leading centres for work that focuses
on the role of the unconscious mind in mental health, as well as in culture and
society generally.
Taught courses
MA Psychoanalytic Studies•†
MA Jungian and Post-Jungian Studies•
MA Refugee Care•‡
MA Foundations of Psychoanalytic
Psychotherapy•‡
MA Management and Organisational
Dynamics•
MA Myth, Literature, and the
Unconscious•
MA Philosophy and Psychoanalysis•
MA Psychoanalytic Social Observation•
MA Psychosocial Studies•
Good first degree (first or upper second
class) or an equivalent professional
qualification, plus a sample of written work
demonstrating academic ability. Applicants
without such qualifications, but who can
otherwise demonstrate relevant
experience and academic ability, will also
be considered.
Research degrees
Psychoanalytic Studies• MAD, MPhil,
PhD, Integrated PhD
Refugee Care•‡ MPhil, PhD
Professional Doctorate in Analytical
Psychology•
Professional Doctorate in Psychoanalytic
Psychotherapy•
Professional Doctorate in Psychodynamic
Psychotherapy•
Masters degree or equivalent (a good
clinical training could be a suitable
alternative).
Fact file
RESEARCH
University of Essex ranked ninth
in the UK for its research.
Research submitted in Sociology subject
area, see Sociology for details.
For an explanation, see page 5.
FURTHER INFORMATION
English language requirements:
Taught courses: IELTS 6.5
Research degrees: IELTS 7.0
(for details of equivalent qualifications
accepted, see page 25).
Academic staff: 13
Affiliated teaching staff: 18
Taught postgraduates: 26
Research postgraduates: 50
For taught courses:
T +44 (0)1206 873745
E pgadmit@essex.ac.uk
For research study:
T +44 (0)1206 874554
E cps-research@essex.ac.uk
• available part-time
† ESRC accreditation
‡ partly or fully delivered at the Tavistock
Clinic, London
* subject to approval
Location:
c Colchester Campus
For related and joint programmes which may be of interest, please see:
Essex Business School (page 100)
Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies (page 158)
Philosophy (page 170)
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 183

Psychoanalytic Studies | www.essex.ac.uk/centres/psycho
Why study
psychoanalytic studies
at Essex?
n
n
n
n
n
Research (submitted with
Department of Sociology) ranked
top in the UK in the last Research
Assessment Exercise (RAE, 2008)
Part of the University’s accredited
Doctoral Training Centre of the
Economic and Social Research
Council (ESRC), with a number of
ESRC studentships available for
new postgraduates
Full programme in both
psychoanalytic (British Object
Relations) and Jungian thought,
as well as interdisciplinary
opportunities
Professional applications, including
work in refugee care and
management studies, available
Strong links with our academic
departments, with the National
Health Service, and with clinical
training organisations
Career prospects
Our graduates go on to a number
of different destinations, including
further study and training in
psychoanalysis, Jungian analysis,
or psychoanalytic psychotherapy.
Many of our students are already
professionals, clinical and
non-clinical, so return to their
existing fields, either in jobs or
further training, and use our
courses to deepen their
understanding of their work.
About our Centre
We are internationally recognised as
one of the leading centres for work that
focuses on the role of the unconscious
mind in mental health, as well as in culture
and society generally.
Our research and teaching is deeply
grounded in knowledge deriving from
clinical practice, to which we then aim to
apply our highest standards of academic
thinking. We enjoy an outstanding
reputation for research and have
consistently achieved the highest rating in
the UK's Research Assessment Exercise
(RAE), most recently in December 2008.
We are located within the UK’s leading
university for the study of social sciences,
so our students are surrounded by strong
departments that fully support and enhance
our work. This means you gain the
opportunity to work with, and be taught by,
senior clinicians and world-class scholars
in their fields.
In addition, we are distinctive in our
provision of a pluralistic and non-sectarian
environment in which various depth
psychological models of the unconscious
(especially Freudian, Jungian, and
British Object Relations) are critically
examined. Our taught courses make
use of experiential components and
clinically-oriented teaching, as many
members of our staff are clinicians as
well as scholars. We maintain strong links
with the local NHS and other services,
institutions, and centres of excellence.
We form part of Essex’s interdisciplinary
Doctoral Training Centre, recently
designated by the UK’s Economic and
Social Research Council (ESRC) and
one of only 21 in the UK. This means
some of our courses have ESRC Doctoral
Training Centre accreditation and, through
the psychoanalytic studies pathway, a
number of ESRC studentships are available
for new students to begin an MA, followed
by a PhD, with us (1+3).
Taught courses
We have a good reputation for the quality
of our MA courses, which typically comprise
a number of taught modules and a
dissertation. Assessment is by your
written work, based on both reading and
projects, normally totalling about 5,000
words per module, plus your dissertation
of 12,000 words.
MA Psychoanalytic Studies•†
Open to clinicians and non-clinicians alike,
who have an interest in psychoanalysis,
our course allows you to deepen your
understanding of psychoanalytic theory and
its application to both the clinical setting,
and to culture and society. Starting with the
cultural milieu from which psychoanalysis
emerged, you begin with Freud and follow
on through the development of object
relations, focusing on the ‘British School’,
including theorists such as Klein, Winnicott,
Bion and others. By encouraging your
critical attitude, we foster an engagement
with psychoanalysis – both historically and
comparatively – always keeping in mind
its methodological link to the clinical
experiences from which psychoanalysis
itself was developed. Applications of
psychoanalysis are considered in both
clinical, group, and wider settings.
MA Psychoanalytic Studies can serve
as your pre-requisite for a PhD, as a
stand-alone MA if you have an interest
in this area, or as a theoretical foundation
for your clinical training.
MA Jungian and Post-Jungian Studies
The unique and internationally acclaimed
course is suitable if you are coming from
a clinical or a non-clinical background.
We take an informative, critical and
reflective stance in relation to the key
texts of Jung, the diverse contexts from
which analytical psychology emerged,
and the core concepts developed by
Jung, post-Jungians and scholars.
Our course provides a deep academic
grounding if you are a psychotherapist or
researcher, or if you wish to enrich your
work, training or study with insights from
this important body of thought.
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www.essex.ac.uk/centres/psycho | Psychoanalytic Studies
Taught course modules
MA Psychoanalytic
Studies
Freud in Contexts
Psychoanalytic Theory
Psychoanalytic Methodology
Freud and Object Relations
Psychoanalysis of Groups and
Organisations
Thinking Psychoanalytically
MA Refugee Care
Therapeutic Care for Refugees
Contexts of the Refugee
Experience
Psychoanalysis of Groups
and Organizations
Placements
Psychosocial Perspectives
on Human Rights
MA Management and
Organisational Dynamics
Management in Organisations
Management Psychology
Psychoanalytic Theory
Psychodynamics of Groups
and Organisations
Joint Seminar in
Organisational Dynamics
MA Psychoanalytic Social
Observation
Psychoanalytic Theory
Psychoanalysis of Groups and
Organizations
Psychoanalytic Methodology
MA Psychosocial Studies
MA Jungian and
Post-Jungian Studies
Key Texts of C G Jung
Jung in Contexts
Key Concepts in Jungian and
Post-Jungian Psychology
Selected Applications of
Analytical Psychology
MA Foundations of
Psychoanalytic
Psychotherapy
Please contact the Tavistock
Clinic for further information:
www.tavi-port.org
MA Myth, Literature, and
the Unconscious
For a full module list, see
Literature, Film, and Theatre
Studies page
MA Philosophy and
Psychoanalysis
Debates in Psychosocial
Theory
Psychoanalytic Theory
Biography and Psychosocial
Research
Psychoanalytic Methodology
Two modules from Centre
for Psychoanalytic Studies,
Department of Sociology or
Department of Government
For a full module list, see
Philosophy page
All taught courses include a dissertation.
This information is a guide to course
content and is subject to change on an
annual basis.
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Psychoanalytic Studies | www.essex.ac.uk/centres/psycho
MA Refugee Care•‡
We offer this innovative course jointly
with the Tavistock Clinic. MA Refugee
Care introduces you to a therapeutic
dimension and psychosocial perspective
for work with asylum seekers/refugees.
We equip you to be reflective and
pro-active, thus making you more effective
therapeutically in whatever role you have in
this field (eg management, education, law,
social work, psychology, psychotherapy or
community work).
We encourage suitably qualified candidates
to study our PhD Refugee Care, which
requires you to successfully complete
modules for our MA (without the
dissertation) and submit an acceptable
research proposal, then proceed to thesis
research with the aim of completing in the
normal minimum period of PhD study (in
this case, normally an additional two years
full-time or four years part-time).
MA Foundations of Psychoanalytic
Psychotherapy•‡
This course is offered by and taught
fully at the Tavistock Clinic, London and
validated by us. It is a part-time course
that offers an important opportunity if you
are a health service, statutory service or
voluntary service worker wishing to gain a
substantial introduction to psychodynamic
psychotherapy. For further information,
please contact the Tavistock Clinic at:
www.tavi-port.org.
MA Management and Organisational
Dynamics•
We offer this course jointly with Essex
Business School and equip you with
powerful tools to support your creative
work in organisations. Uniquely we draw
upon both critical management theory
and current thinking on underlying group
dynamics. This ensures our approach is
both robust and reflexive, with seminars
drawing on contributions from leading
thinkers in the field.
MA Management and Organisational
Dynamics will interest you if you are
employed as a leader, a consultant or
a researcher, or if you wish to get to
grips with the complex human processes
that impact on change in organisations.
MA Myth, Literature, and the Unconscious•
This interdisciplinary course draws on
complementary expertise in our Centre
and in our Department of Literature, Film,
and Theatre Studies. You critically explore
a variety of theories of myth, both ancient
and modern, but focus on the depth
psychological theories of Freud and Jung,
which postulate that the real subject matter
of myth is the unconscious mind. With
these theoretical foci, we examine the role
of myth in literature, with special emphasis
on mythic representations of the city in
western culture and the uses of myth in
some of the key texts of literary modernism,
whose authors worked in an intellectual
milieu informed by the new depth
psychologies.
Graduates will develop key skills in oral
and written communication, and will be
able to work in an interdisciplinary way
with literary and psychoanalytic texts, which
will enhance your career prospects. Our
course will also prepare you for possible
progression to doctoral research.
MA Philosophy and Psychoanalysis•
Offered with our School of Philosophy
and Art History, MA Philosophy and
Psychoanalysis brings together
psychoanalytic and philosophical
perspectives, and uses this to illuminate
cultural, moral and existential questions.
You will study how the thinking of Freud
and later psychoanalysts has played a
major role in European philosophy in the
twentieth century. Conversely, you will also
cover how psychoanalysts have drawn on
philosophical sources in deepening their
theory and practice.
As well as developing key employability
skills, like independent thought and critical
reflection, our graduates have the
knowledge, understanding and skills to
proceed to research study in continental
European philosophy, psychoanalytic
studies, or an area of intersection between
the two.
MA Psychoanalytic Social Observation•
This course will suit you if you are a
psychoanalytic psychotherapist or trainee.
We give you an opportunity to explore
psychoanalytic social and cultural
environments, and situations relevant
to your clinical practice.
MA Psychosocial Studies•*
We run this new course with our
Department of Sociology. Psychosocial
studies allows you to explore the relation
between individual and social experience,
emotional life, and wider cultural and
political identities. Building on the insights
and research methods of both sociology
and psychoanalysis, psychosocial studies
probes the boundaries of these disciplines
with a view to adding depth and complexity
to the representation of human subjects in
their social and historical contexts.
MA Psychosocial Studies will be of interest
to you if you wish to set your psychoanalytic
knowledge inside a wider sociological
frame, want to include emotional and
unconscious factors in your social
research, or wish to explore ways in which
psychoanalysis and sociology constitutes
your theories of the self.
Diploma
If your first degree is in a subject other
than psychoanalytic studies, or your
background in psychoanalytic studies
does not provide sufficient experience
for direct entry on our taught courses, we
offer a full-time, nine-month Diploma in
Psychoanalytic Studies with English
for Academic Purposes.
If you obtain a Diploma with Merit or
Distinction, it may be possible for you to
automatically register for one of our taught
courses, so over the two years you gain a
thorough training in psychoanalytic studies.
Research study
We submitted with our Department of
Sociology in the last Research Assessment
Exercise (RAE, December 2008), which
was ranked first in the UK. We offer
interdisciplinary PhD programmes which
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www.essex.ac.uk/centres/psycho | Psychoanalytic Studies
Staff and their research interests
Aaron Balick, MA London, MSc Derby,
PhD Essex (Lecturer)
Integration of different psychoanalytic
disciplines in both theory and practice;
relational psychoanalysis and
psychotherapy; gender and sexual
identities; developments in contemporary
psychotherapy (clinically, socially and
politically); psychotherapy, psychoanalysis
and the media
Marie Bridge, MA Oxford (Fellow,
Institute of Psychoanalysis; Training
Analyst, Institute of Psychoanalysis)
(Honorary Senior Lecturer)
Psychoanalysis and literature; language
and psychoanalysis; French psychoanalysis
Hannah Curtis, MA Essex
(Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist;
Advanced Member of the Lincoln Centre
for Psychotherapy, London; Member of the
British Psychoanalytic Council) (Lecturer)
Dissemination of psychoanalytic thinking
into the workplace; impact upon the
worker of the work with disturbed and
disturbing people; psychotic processes in
everyday life
Matt Ffytche, MA PhD London (Lecturer)
The history of psychoanalysis and
analytical psychology; nineteenth-century
theories of the unconscious; German
romantic psychology and philosophy;
psychoanalysis and critical theory;
modernist poetry and poetics
Karl Figlio, BSc PhD Chicago (Member,
LCP) (Professor)
Psychoanalytic understanding of inquiry,
including historical and scientific inquiry;
masculinity; psychoanalytic theory;
psychoanalysis and society, including
absolutism (fundamentalism) in individuals
and society
Robert Hinshelwood, BSc MB BS
London, FRCPsych (Full Member, British
Psycho-Analytic Society) (Professor)
Application of psychoanalysis to social
sciences; psychoanalysis and philosophy;
therapeutic communities; group dynamics;
history of psychoanalysis
Sue Kegerreis, MA Oxford, PGCE
Roehampton (Member, Association of
Child Psychotherapists; Member, British
Psychoanalytic Council) (Senior Lecturer)
Psychotherapy in children and
adolescents; psychodynamic counselling
with children and adolescents; applications
of psychodynamic thinking in non-clinical
work; organisational dynamics; eating
disorders; training issues with counsellors
and psychotherapists
Narendra Keval, BSc MClin Tavistock
(Adult and Adolescent Psychotherapist;
Chartered Clinical Psychologist) (Senior
Lecturer)
Clinical and applied psychoanalysis;
psychoanalytic psychotherapy;
psychodynamics of racism
Kevin Lu, MA London, PhD Essex
(Lecturer)
Psychohistory, especially the application
of analytical psychology to history; cultural
complexes; psychology of religion
Roderick Main, MA Oxford, PhD
Lancaster (Senior Lecturer and Director
of the Centre)
Historical, philosophical, religious and
cultural contexts of analytical psychology;
depth psychology, religion and modernity;
synchronicity; myth
Nick Midgley, BA Oxford, MSc PsychD
University College London (Member,
Association of Child Psychotherapists)
(Visiting Lecturer)
Child psychoanalysis and psychotherapy;
qualitative and clinical research methods;
children’s film and literature
David Millar, BA CertEd Manitoba, MA
Essex, TQAP Tavistock Clinic (Member,
Association of Child Psychotherapists)
(Honorary Senior Lecturer)
Perinatal psychology; psychotherapy
with victims and perpetrators; institutional
dynamics; psycho-social aspects of child
abuse; self-harm and suicidal behaviour
Chris Nicholson, BA Kent, PhD
Northampton (Fellow, International Institute
of Child and Adolescent Mental Health and
Trustee, Charterhouse Group of
Therapeutic Communities) (Lecturer)
Therapeutic communities; literature and
psychodynamic theory
Renos Papadopoulos, DipClinEdPsych
Belgrade, PhD Cape Town (Member,
IGAP) (Professor)
Analytical psychology and epistemology;
the interface between analytical
psychology and systems, family therapy
and cultures; working with survivors of
violence and disasters; forced migration
and refugees
Joan Raphael-Leff, BA Tel Aviv, MSc
LSE, PhD Essex (Full Member, British
Psycho-Analytic Society) (Visiting
Professor)
Intrapsychic and interpersonal processes
in childbearing and parenting;
psychoanalytic concepts applied to
primary care; cross-cultural aspects of
gender, fertility and childbearing;
psychosocial and ethical issues in
reproductive technology; perinatal
emotional disturbances and
psychotherapy; developmental processes;
comparative psychoanalysis
Frank Röhricht, MD Berlin, MBBS
Germany (Fellow, Royal College of
Psychiatry/FRCPsych; Consultant
Psychiatrist and Clinical Director; EABPaccredited
Body Psychotherapist)
(Honorary Professor)
Evaluation and application of body
oriented psychodynamic psychotherapy
in mental health care services; theory
and history of neo-reichian body
psychotherapy and development of
disorder; specific manualised intervention
strategies for somatoform disorder,
psychosis and depression; body image
phenomenology and ego-psychology,
transcultural variety of ego-pathology;
prodromal psychosis; mental health care
service evaluation; the body and trauma,
implications for the treatment of PTSD;
group psychotherapy and therapeutic
relationship
Andrew Samuels, DipSocAdmin
PGDipSocWStud LSE, DHumLet Pacifica
(Graduate Institute Training Analyst,
Society of Analytical Psychology and
Honorary Fellow, United Kingdom Council
for Psychotherapy) (Professor)
Application of psychoanalytic thinking to
politics; comparative theoretical research
in depth psychology; political, social and
cultural aspects of transference and
countertransference; the father; the
construction of masculinity; the history
of Jungian psychology
Michael Scott, MA Hertfordshire
(Member, IGA) (Honorary Senior Lecturer)
Psychoanalysis of groups and
organizations; clinical supervision;
psychosocial practice in care settings;
management; authority and leadership;
popular culture; psychosis
continued
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Psychoanalytic Studies | www.essex.ac.uk/centres/psycho
Marija Stojkovic, MD Belgrade
(Consultant Child and Adolescent
Psychotherapist) (Honorary Senior Lecturer)
Psychotherapy with children and
adolescents with ASD; psychotherapy
with children and adolescents with
learning disabilities; infant mental health;
early years interventions
Chris Tanner, BSc Durham, PGCE
London, Adv Dip Spec Ed Open, MA
Essex, PG Dip Tavistock Clinic (Lecturer)
Attachment and development issues for
looked after children; creating effective
learning environments; psychoanalytic
perspectives on organisational dynamics
John Walshe, LRCPI LRCSI (Fellow,
Royal College of Psychiatrists and
Member, IGA) (Honorary Senior Lecturer)
The creation of psychological space in
group settings; the application of
linguistic theory to the practice of
psychotherapy
Fellows of our Centre include: Davina
Brown, Graham Clarke, Shiho Main,
Zahari Ngah, Susan Rowland, Nikolai
Sakharor, Andrew Thomas, Morag Turner,
Dimitris Vonfakos and Christina Wieland.
Stephen Farah,
Johannesburg, South
Africa – MA Jungian and
Post-Jungian Studies
Student
profile
I came to the UK to study
MA Jungian and Post-Jungian
Studies at the University of
Essex because the course is
unique, one of the only ones of
its kind in the world. I also knew that the
academic staff in the Centre for
Psychoanalytic Studies were very highly
regarded in their fields, which was very
important to me. I have been a Jungian
scholar for some time, so wanted to
undertake this course to ensure that
I am up-to-date with the latest in
Jungian thinking.
I most enjoy the classes that I take,
which are run in a very stimulating and
engaging manner.
All of the other students on my course
are excellent and my whole experience
of living in the UK for the first time has
been brilliant.
After I have completed my studies at
Essex, I plan to return to Johannesburg
where I run a Jungian school. I intend
to bring the Jungian teaching
from my time at the University
of Essex to South Africa.
form part of our accredited Doctoral
Training Centre of the ESRC at Essex.
About our research degrees
We offer a number of research
degrees, including PhD by research•,
PhD by research (distance learning)•,
professional doctorates•, integrated PhD
in Psychoanalytic Studies•, taught PhD
(Refugee Care)• and MA by dissertation•.
Most of our graduates are already
professionals, clinical and non-clinical, so
return to their existing fields, either in jobs
or further training, after studying with us.
You can also use our degrees to deepen
your understanding of your own work.
Our professional doctorates are offered
on a part-time basis in Analytical
Psychology, Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy
and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy. These
are currently available to psychotherapists
who are members of the British
Psychoanalytic Council or the Council
for Psychoanalysis and Jungian Analysis
(a section of the United Kingdom Council
for Psychotherapy).
Research areas
Research supervision is available in the
following fields:
n Child development
n Conceptual analysis
n Creativity
n Gender
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
Group and institutional dynamics
History of psychoanalysis
Jungian thought
Philosophical issues in psychoanalysis
Psychoanalysis and the arts
Psychoanalysis and education
Psychoanalysis and religion
Psychoanalytic methodology in clinical
and non-clinical fields, especially politics
and sociology
Psychoanalytic theory (eg Freudian,
Kleinian, Jungian, object-relations and
group theory)
Psychosis
Refugee studies
Trauma and violence
188 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/psychology | Psychology
Psychology
We offer a stimulating and vibrant environment that allows both our academic
staff, as well as our students, to successfully shape the future of our ever-growing
research-intensive department.
Taught courses
MSc Cognitive Neuropsychology
MSc Cognitive Neuroscience
A good first degree, or equivalent, in
psychology, linguistics or a related
discipline.
MSc Research Methods in Psychology
A good first degree, or equivalent, in
psychology or a related discipline.
MSc Psychology
A good first degree which includes the
equivalent of six months full-time study
in psychology.
Research degrees
Psychology MPhil, PhD
Upper second class honours degree, or
equivalent, in psychology or a related
discipline.
Fact file
RESEARCH
University of Essex ranked ninth in
the UK for its research.
Psychology
Department of Psychology ranked in the
top 20 in the UK.
Quality level 4* 3* 2* 1* u/c
% of research activity 10 45 40 5 0
For an explanation, see page 5.
FURTHER INFORMATION
English language requirements:
For all study: IELTS 7.0 or equivalent
(for details, see page 25).
Academic staff: 31
Taught postgraduates: 35
Research postgraduates: 22
For taught courses:
T +44 (0)1206 873848
E pgadmit@essex.ac.uk
For research study:
T +44 (0)1206 873822
E psych-research@essex.ac.uk
Location:
c Colchester Campus
For related programmes which may be of interest, please see:
Health and Human Sciences (page 114)
Sociology (page 195)
Sports Science (page 202)
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 189

Psychology | www.essex.ac.uk/psychology
Why study psychology
at Essex?
n
n
n
n
n
Research-orientated environment
with over half our research rated
either ‘world-leading’ or
‘internationally excellent’ in the last
Research Assessment Exercise
(RAE, December 2008)
Extensive well-equipped
laboratories and state-of-the-art
computer equipment
New Cognitive Neuroscience
Laboratory with purpose-built
laboratories for neuroscientific
studies
International excellence in applied
and experimental social
psychology, cognitive psychology,
neuropsychology, cognitive
neuroscience, visual and auditory
perception
Excellent supervision of research
degrees, with an exemplary
completion rate for our PhD
students
Career prospects
With the skills and knowledge
you acquire from studying within
our Department, you will find
yourself in demand from a wide
range of employers. Our graduates
have been employed in clinical
psychology, educational
psychology, criminal and
forensic psychology.
We also have excellent links
with the research community
and our PhD students have
taken up post-doctoral positions
in other top UK universities and
internationally (including in the
US, Italy and Australia), as well as
being appointed to lectureships.
About our Department
We offer a stimulating and vibrant
environment that allows both our academic
staff, as well as our students, to successfully
shape the future of our ever-growing
research-intensive department. Our
research activity is diverse and broad-based,
with a variety of interests that fall into three
major research groupings: cognitive
psychology, sensory and cognitive
neuroscience, and social psychology.
Our interdisciplinary research includes
fundamental as well as applied research,
and our findings have had an impact on
society in general, and health and wellbeing
in particular. We have a long-standing
reputation for research excellence, which is
visible in the funding that we have received.
Our academic success is also mirrored in
the last RAE, with over half of our research
defined as either ‘world-leading’ or
‘internationally excellent’.
We provide state-of-the-art facilities for
study, with extensive laboratory space for
experimental psychology and special
facilities for visual and auditory perception,
developmental psychology and social
psychology, with our Hearing Research
Laboratory and our Visual Perception Unit.
We also have our Cognitive Neuroscience
Laboratory (CNL), a state-of-the-art
research facility dedicated to the study
of brain activity in relation to psychological
processes. This provides a dynamic
resource for psychology and neuroscience,
with specialised laboratories for
investigating brain activity and behaviour
including: four electroencephalography
(EEG) labs for recording cortical oscillatory
activity, event-related potentials (ERP) and
functional connectivity; two near-infrared
spectroscopy (NIRS) labs for measuring
changes in blood oxygenation levels; and
four neuromodulation labs including
transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS),
repetitive TMS (rTMS), transcranial
direct current stimulation (tDCS) and
neuronavigation facilities.
We are home to over 30 nationally and
internationally recognised academic
staff and several research staff. Our staff
enjoy excellent collaborative relationships
both within our Department and also with
renowned scholars across the world. Our
research findings are published in high
ranking academic journals and are often
reported about in the mass media.
Taught courses
Our Masters courses draw on our research
strengths and include a dissertation
individually supervised by an expert in
your chosen field.
Two of our taught courses are in
human neuropsychology, one of our
internationally recognised strengths,
so we have excellent links with local
neurological and neuropsychological
institutions and practitioners. Our new
MSc Cognitive Neuroscience reflects
our expanding expertise in this exciting
growth area and introduces you to a
range of new techniques to observe the
human brain in action.
Our MSc Psychology is a conversion
course leading to membership of the British
Psychological Society (BPS) by enabling
you to take a our one-year intensive
programme of psychology study.
MSc Cognitive Neuropsychology
Cognitive neuropsychology is a branch
of cognitive psychology that aims to
understand how the structure and function
of the brain relates to specific psychological
processes. It places a particular emphasis
on studying the cognitive effects of brain
injury or neurological illness with a view
to inferring models of normal cognitive
functioning. Evidence is based on case
studies of individual brain damaged patients
who show deficits in brain areas and from
patients who exhibit double dissociations.
From this, researchers infer that different
areas of the brain are highly specialised.
Our MSc Cognitive Neuropsychology
provides an advanced education in
the core subjects of cognitive
neuropsychological theories, plus
knowledge of appropriate statistical
methodology and neuropsychological
190 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/psychology | Psychology
research methods. It is a good foundation if
you wish to proceed to further postgraduate
study, like a PhD, but also provides training
in transferable skills that meet the
requirements of many graduate employers.
MSc Cognitive Neuroscience
Cognitive neuroscience is concerned
with the scientific study of biological
substrates underlying cognition, with a
specific focus on the neural substrates
of mental processes, and addresses
questions of how psychological functions
are produced by the brain. It is a branch
of both psychology and neuroscience,
overlapping with physiological psychology,
cognitive psychology and neuropsychology.
Cognitive neuroscience relies upon
theories in cognitive science coupled
with evidence from neuropsychology
and computational modelling.
Our MSc Cognitive Neuroscience gives
you a thorough grounding in the scientific
investigation of the neural mechanisms
underlying human behaviour, with a
particular reference to cognitive processes.
You are taught the theoretical and biological
foundations of cognitive science, and
undertake advanced statistical training.
A central feature is our extensive instruction
covering the physiological bases and
practical applications of cognitive
neuroscience techniques. This is integrated
with related areas: experimental psychology,
cognitive neuropsychology and
connectionist modelling.
MSc Research Methods in Psychology
If you intend to pursue a career as a
research psychologist, or wish to take a
research degree, then our MSc Research
Methods in Psychology will give you
advanced research training. It is an excellent
preparation for a PhD and greatly enhances
your chances of obtaining PhD funding.
Our aims are threefold: firstly, to provide
an opportunity for advanced study in
psychology that will extend your theoretical
knowledge; secondly, to develop your critical
awareness of psychological science in
relation to its philosophical and biological
contexts, and in relation to research in
the natural and social sciences; and, finally,
to provide you with knowledge and skills
that prepare you for an academic career,
as well as a wide range of alternative
careers, and ensure you are widely
sought by employers.
MSc Psychology
Our MSc Psychology is an advanced
fast-track conversion course that combines
the award of a Masters with eligibility for the
Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership
(GBC) with the British Psychological
Society. The GBC is the minimum academic
qualification required to work as a
professional psychologist, so passing our
course demonstrates that you have studied
and acquired an advanced understanding in
Masters-level study in psychology.
You gain an understanding of the core areas
of psychology, plus some specialisation, and
learn research methods which will enable
you to devise, analyse and carry out an
empirical research project. Our course is
also suitable if you have obtained a previous
degree in psychology (to the required
standard) that is not recognised by the
British Psychological Society, so wish to
gain an internationally recognised
qualification in psychology.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 191

Psychology | www.essex.ac.uk/psychology
Taught course modules
MSc Cognitive
Neuropsychology
Fundamentals of
Neuroscience and
Neuropsychology
Research Methods and
Statistics in Cognitive
Neuropsychology
Six optional modules
MSc Cognitive
Neuroscience
Fundamentals of
Neuroscience and
Neuropsychology
Methods in Cognitive
Neuroscience
Numerical Methods for
Cognitive Neuroscience
Five optional modules
MSc Research Methods
in Psychology
Quantitative Data Analysis
Research Management
Interviewing and Qualitative
Data Analysis
Connectionist Modelling
Fundamentals of
Neuroscience and
Neuropsychology
Two optional modules
MSc Psychology
Research Methods and
Statistics in Psychology
Advanced Developmental
Psychology
Advanced Cognitive
Psychology I
Advanced Cognitive
Psychology II
Advanced Social Psychology
Brain and Behaviour
Personality and Individual
Differences
One optional module
All courses include a dissertation.
This information is a guide to course
content and is subject to change on an
annual basis.
Diploma
If your first degree is in a subject other
than psychology, or your psychology training
does not provide sufficient experience
for direct entry on our taught courses, we
offer a full-time, nine-month Diploma in
Psychology with English for Academic
Purposes.
If you obtain your Diploma with Merit
or Distinction, it may be possible to
automatically register for one of our taught
courses, so over two years you gain a
thorough training in psychology principles
and practice.
Research study
Our PhD students study in a stimulating
and vibrant research environment, and
we provide excellent research facilities.
In general, our PhD students enjoy the
same access to neuroscience and other
research equipment as our academic staff,
plus access to our research participant
pool, which is essential for your
experimental research.
Our PhD students also benefit from the
supportive supervision given by our staff,
and the friendly and collegiate atmosphere
provided by fellow students.
About our research degrees
Our PhD requires three years of full-time
study (six years part-time), after which
a dissertation of up to 80,000 words is
submitted. The award of a PhD signifies
an original and substantial contribution
to knowledge that means you can be
considered an expert in your field. In
our Department, all PhDs are based on
empirical data collected by you in a series
of experiments.
We take pride in our completion record with
PhD students. We achieve this, in part, by
ensuring from the outset that you follow a
clear path to ensure completion within three
years – with specific appropriate milestones
at the end of your first and second years.
Nowadays a PhD is often a requirement if
you want to become a university lecturer
and embark on an academic career.
However, as a research graduate of our
Department, you can find employment in
many walks of life, such as business,
management and the civil service. Having
a research degree indicates that you are
a person with high ability and motivation,
and capable of working independently.
Research areas
Research supervision is available in the
fields of cognitive psychology, sensory
and cognitive neuroscience, and social
psychology.
Within cognitive psychology, topics include:
n Artefact knowledge development
n Categorisation
n Emotional development and autism
n Executive function and its developmental
neuropsychology
n Lexical processes, reading and dyslexia
n Judgment
n Memory, including serial position effects
n Visual cognition and attention
Within sensory and cognitive neuroscience,
topics include:
n Emotion science
n Hearing, hearing loss and improving
hearing aids
n Language processing
n Mirror neuron system
n Modulating cortical activity
n Multisensory perception, touch and
body processing
n Visual stress and migraine
Within social psychology, topics include:
n Cultural difference and the interaction
of cultures
n Decision making and behavioural
economics
n Evolution of cooperative behaviour
n Human motivation in relationships
n Psychological experience of justice,
liberty and mortality
n Self regulation in relation to health
192 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/psychology | Psychology
Staff and their research interests
Chris Barry, BSc London, PhD
St Andrews, C Psychol AFBPsS
(Professor)
Cognitive neuropsychology; the cognitive
psychology of language processing;
age-of-acquisition effects in lexical
processing; recognition memory and false
memory; face and person recognition
Mitch Callan, BA MSc PhD Calgary
(Lecturer)
Justice motivation/belief in a just world;
responses to victimization; relative
deprivation; social psychology of gambling;
temporal discounting; psychology of law
Geoff Cole, BSc Bolton, PhD Keele
(Lecturer)
Cognitive neuropsychology; visual
cognition; attention; comparative;
colour vision
Nick Cooper, BSc Westminster,
PhD Imperial (Lecturer)
EEG; transcranial magnetic stimulation
(TMS); near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS);
attention; consciousness; mirror neurons
Philip Cozzolino, PhD Minnesota
(Lecturer)
Motivated social cognition; the psychology
of liberty; perceptions of, and reactions to,
(in)equality and (un)fairness; ‘worldview
defence’ (terror management theory);
‘worldview capitulation’ (transcendence
management theory); the formation
and maintenance of trust and helping
in society
Deborah Fantini, BSc Pennsylvania,
MA PhD New York (Lecturer)
Processing of complex sounds by
normal-hearing listeners; loudness
perception; the processing of
dynamically modulating sounds;
perceptual organisation
Tom Foulsham, BSc PhD Nottingham
(Lecturer)
Visual cognition; attention; perception
of pictures and video; eye movements;
cognitive neuropsychology
Elaine Fox, BA PhD Dublin (Professor)
Affective neuroscience, especially
interactions among emotions, moods and
cognitive processes; selective processing
biases in emotional disorders; gene x
environment interactions in emotion
processing
Nicolas Geeraert, BSc MA Ghent,
PhD Louvain-la-Neuve (Lecturer)
Social cognition; mental control and
procedural rebound; social perception
of self, others (attributions), and groups
(stereotypes); cross-cultural differences
in social cognition; intercultural contact
and acculturation
Helge Gillmeister, BSc UCL, PhD
Birkbeck (Lecturer)
Perception, action and attention;
somatosensory processes, body
representations and integration of external
objects/tools; multisensory processes
involving somatosensation and neural
plasticity; spatial frames of reference
and movement preparation; links between
perception and action, sensorimotor
learning and social cognition; the role
of attention in these processes and the
sense of self
Rick Hanley, MA Dundee, PGCE
Glasgow, PhD Lancaster (Professor)
Disorders of reading, writing, memory,
and face processing; learning to read
in different writing systems; speech
production; tip-of-the-tongue states;
effects of irrelevant speech on memory
Catherine Jones, BSc PhD UCL
(Lecturer)
Neuropsychology and functional anatomy
of motor and perceptual timings; cognition
and perception processing in autism
spectrum disorders, particularly relating to
emotion processing, time perception and
everyday memory
Steffan Kennett, BA Cambridge,
PhD Birkbeck (Lecturer)
Multisensory attention and perception;
tactile effects on visual spatial attention;
viewing the skin changing tactile
judgments; changes in body posture
modifying spatial attention; method: ERPs;
EOG; TMS; reaction time
William Matthews, BA PhD Cambridge
(Lecturer)
Human judgement; perceptual
judgements; financial judgements;
psychophysics; time perception
Ray Meddis, BSc PhD London
(Emeritus Professor)
Hearing; auditory selective attention;
hearing impairment and the development
of computer models of hearing
Rick O’Gorman, BSc UCC, Cork, PGCE
Sheffield Hallam, MA UCD, Dublin, PhD
Binghamton, New York (Lecturer)
Evolutionary psychology; morality;
pro-social behaviour; altruism; social
norms; leadership and group functioning;
intergroup conflict; computer modelling
of social phenomenon; applications of
social cognition techniques to
evolutionary questions
Sheina Orbell, BSc Birmingham, PhD
Queen’s Belfast (Professor and Head of
Department)
Attitudes; intention-behaviour relation;
self-regulation; social psychology of
volition and volitional strategies;
self-regulation and volitional strategies
in behaviour change; habit; motivational
models of health-related behaviour;
social psychology of sexual health;
social-cognitive accounts of motivation
and health-related behaviour; cervical
screening; colorectal cancer screening;
informal care; social psychology of care
of the elderly
Silke Paulmann, MA Paderborn, PhD
Max Planck Institute Leipzig/Potsdam
(Lecturer)
Emotional language (prosody and
semantics) processing in normal and
special populations (eg bilinguals or
brain damaged)
Tim Rakow, BSc Durham, PGCE
Greenwich, MSc PhD London (Senior
Lecturer)
Judgement and decision making;
pre-decisional information acquisition;
risky choice, including decisions from
experience; strategies/heuristics for
choice; intuitive versus rules-based
judgement; risk communication and
risk perception
Debi Roberson, BSc Essex, PhD London
(Professor)
The relationship between language
and thought; the development of
categorisation in children; categorisation
colours and faces; categorical perception
Max Roberts, BSc PhD Nottingham
(Lecturer)
Inductive and deductive reasoning;
individual differences in reasoning
strategies; the cognitive psychology of
intelligence; spatial reasoning and
imagery; the development of expertise
continued
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 193

Psychology | www.essex.ac.uk/psychology
Rachel Grenfell-Essam,
Clacton-on-Sea, Essex
– BSc Psychology ’08,
MSc Psychology ’09,
PhD Psychology
I decided to study at Essex
after attending an open day
as I felt at home and was
impressed by the excellent
research ratings. I have always
been interested in psychology and my
interest continued to grow throughout
my undergraduate and postgraduate
studies. This made the decision to
continue with my PhD at Essex easy.
I really enjoy the freedom I have in my
PhD. I particularly like designing my own
experiments, running them and analysing
the results in my own work space. I also
have an extremely supportive supervisor
which is great. The Department is
fantastic and the staff are always friendly
and helpful. I also enjoy helping out as
a teaching assistant in several classes
and lectures.
I really like the compact layout of the
campus, everything you need is within
five minutes walk, from the offices to
the library and the SU Bar. There is
also a great atmosphere and student
vibe here; I have always felt safe when
walking through campus at any time
of day or night.
My best memory so far was when I was
told my first paper was accepted into a
journal, it was such an achievement.
Once I have completed my PhD, I would
love to become a lecturer. Essex is one
of the leading universities for research,
so completing a research
degree here will stand me in
very good stead.
Student
profile
Riccardo Russo, BA Milan, MSc Sussex,
PhD Pavia (Professor)
The neuropsychology of memory; the
organisation of long-term memory; the
effect of anxiety on memory and attention
Andrew Simpson, BSc Sheffield, PhD
Cambridge, BSc Birkbeck, PhD
Birmingham (Lecturer)
Executive functions in young children;
development of artefact knowledge and
action learning
Christine Temple, BSc St Andrews,
MA California, DPhil Oxford, C Psychol
AFBPsS (Professor)
Developmental neuropsychology including
disorders of language, memory,
perception, reading, arithmetic and
executive functions; genetic disorders:
Turner’s syndrome, Klinefelter’s
syndromes, Williams syndrome
Ayse Uskul, BA Bogazici, MA Vrije, PhD
York, Canada (Senior Lecturer)
Cultural differences in social cognition and
the self, and motivation; health behaviour
change; self-regulatory mechanisms in
social cognition, social interaction and
well-being; cultural conceptions of honour
Geoff Ward, BA Cambridge, DPhil Oxford
(Professor)
Similarities and differences between
different memory tasks, especially
immediate serial recall and free recall;
general properties of episodic memory:
prevalence of recency in serial position
functions, the similarity between retrieval
and rehearsal, the forwards ordered
nature of recall, the self-limiting nature of
recall through output interference, and
scale-invariance in memory
Arnold Wilkins, BSc Exeter, DPhil Sussex
C Psychol FBPsS (Professor)
Visual perception, including colour vision
and the design of ophthalmic tints; use
of ophthalmic tints in autism and multiple
sclerosis; the response of the brain to
visual stimuli measured using near infrared
spectroscopy; lighting and its biological
effects; visual dysfunction in migraine;
photosensitive epilepsy and migraine;
reading disorders and the design of text
for children; spectral and chromatic
analysis of uncomfortable images
194 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/sociology | Sociology
Sociology
We are a large, friendly, international and diverse department, and have long been
recognised as one of the most outstanding departments of sociology both nationally
and internationally.
Taught courses
MA Sociology• with streams in:
Citizenship and Rights
Contemporary Social Theory
Criminology
Culture, Media and Identities
Global Challenges
Intimacy and Gender
Open stream
MSc Criminology and Socio-Legal
Research•†
MSc Human Rights and Research
Methods•†
MA Longitudinal Social Research•†
MSc Organised Crime, Terrorism
and Security•
MA Sociological Research•†
MA Sociology and Management•
MSc Survey Methods for Social
Research•
Upper second class honours degree,
or equivalent, in sociology or a related
discipline.
Graduate Certificate in Sociology
Upper second class honours degree, or
equivalent, in any discipline, or second
class honours degree in sociology.
Research degrees
Sociology• MAD
Upper second class honours degree, or
equivalent, in any discipline.
Criminology• MPhil, PhD
Criminology and Socio-Legal Research•†
MPhil, PhD
Sociological Research•† MPhil, PhD
Sociology• MPhil, PhD
Masters in sociology.
Fact file
RESEARCH
University of Essex ranked ninth
in the UK for its research.
Sociology
Department of Sociology ranked first
in the UK.
Quality level 4* 3* 2* 1* u/c
% of research activity 35 25 30 10 0
For an explanation, see page 5.
FURTHER INFORMATION
English language requirements:
For all study: IELTS 6.5 or equivalent
(for details, see page 25).
Academic staff: 30
Taught postgraduates: 50
Research postgraduates: 110
For taught courses:
T +44 (0)1206 873051
E pgadmit@essex.ac.uk
For research study:
T +44 (0)1206 873051
E pgadmit@essex.ac.uk
• available part-time
† ESRC accreditation
Location:
c Colchester Campus
For related and joint programmes which may be of interest, please see:
Applied Social and Economic Research (page 55)
Economics (page 87)
History (page 123)
Human Rights (page 129)
Philosophy (page 170)
Politics (page 176)
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 195

Sociology | www.essex.ac.uk/sociology
Why study sociology
at Essex?
n
n
n
n
n
Achieved the joint first position
nationally in the last Research
Assessment Exercise (RAE,
December 2008)
Renowned for our research
excellence – the only Department
of Sociology in the UK (of a total
of 60) to have been awarded the
highest rating in all six national
RAEs
Part of the University’s accredited
Doctoral Training Centre of the
Economic and Social Research
Council (ESRC), with a number of
ESRC studentships available for
new postgraduates
Teaching and supervision by staff
who are world leaders in their field
Offers an informal and supportive
environment with a large
international postgraduate intake
Career prospects
Many of our postgraduates go
on to successful academic careers,
both in the UK and overseas.
Others have established careers
in non-governmental organisations,
local authorities, specialist think
tanks, government departments,
charities, media production, and
market research.
About our Department
We are a large, friendly, international and
diverse department, and have long been
recognised as one of the most outstanding
departments of sociology both nationally
and internationally. We build upon the
traditions of sociological analysis whilst
exploring the contributions of cultural
history, criminology, social psychology,
social anthropology, social philosophy,
feminism and cultural studies.
As a student with us, you are part of
a large community of international
postgraduates pursuing taught MA/MSc
courses and research degrees, benefitting
from dedicated postgraduate support
facilities and our unique Sociology Student
Resource Centre.
All members of our academic staff are
active researchers, so you will be taught,
supervised and able to attend seminars
by experts in their fields. Our renowned
off-campus Graduate Conference takes
place every February and sees
presentations by our academic staff
and students in full panel or poster
sessions, as well as being a major
social event.
Current research being undertaken in
our Department includes Professor Dick
Hobbs, who has been given funding by
the ESRC to explore the darker side of
the 2012 Olympics, and Dr Nick Allum,
whose research showing poverty and gross
inequality are more likely to cause British
people to be suspicious of their neighbours
than ethnic divide, flies in the face of
research undertaken by a Harvard
academic in 2007.
We form part of Essex’s interdisciplinary
Doctoral Training Centre, recently
designated by the UK’s ESRC and one
of only 21 in the UK. This means some of
our courses have ESRC Doctoral Training
Centre accreditation, and a number of
ESRC studentships are available for new
students to begin an MSC or MA, followed
by a PhD, with us (1+3).
Our University is strong across the social
sciences so, by studying with us, you gain
the opportunity to work with and be taught
by world-class scholars. We have strong
interdisciplinary links which mean your
studies can be informed by a variety of
perspectives.
Taught courses
We have a global reputation for our
research and teaching, which means
that our students on our taught courses
are placed at the cutting edge of sociology
and criminology. You will benefit by learning
about the latest research findings from our
staff who are amongst world leaders in
their fields.
Our taught courses can be taken full-time
for one year or part-time over two years. All
require you to complete six taught modules
(each lasting ten weeks) and a research
dissertation on a topic of interest to you.
MA Sociology•
Our flagship course offers you an intensive
grounding in contemporary sociological
theory and analysis. You have the option
of following one of our designated thematic
streams or one of your own choosing,
taking available modules that reflect your
own interests.
The streams we offer reflect our areas
of expertise and provide you with the
opportunity to study issues of contemporary
concern. You will be taught by leading
figures in these fields, who will bring their
own experiences and knowledge to your
course. The following streams are available:
n Citizenship and Rights
n Contemporary Social Theory
n Criminology
n Culture, Media and Identities
n Global Challenges
n Intimacy and Gender
n Open stream
MSc Criminology and Socio-Legal
Research•†
This new course forms part of our ESRC
Doctoral Training Centre accreditation
and combines training in current debates
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Taught course modules
MA Sociology
Citizenship and Rights
Sociological Research Design
Either Nation and Citizenship:
Inclusions and Exclusions or
Sociology of Human Rights 1
Four optional modules (may
include the alternative choice
of core module)
Contemporary Social Theory
Contemporary Debates in
Sociology
Sociological Research Design
Four optional modules
Criminology
Sociological Research Design
Formative Debates in
Criminology
Four optional modules
Culture, Media and Identities
Sociological Research Design
Cultural Studies: Theory
and History
Four optional modules
Intimacy and Gender
Sociological Research Design
Gender Divisions and Feminist
Theory
Four optional modules
Open stream
Sociological Research Design
Contemporary Debates in
Sociology
Four optional modules
MSc Criminology and
Socio-Legal Research
Sociological Research Design
Current Controversies in
Criminology and Criminal
Justice Policy
Researching with Legal
Materials and Approaches
to Legal Theory
Two optional modules
MA Longitudinal Social
Research
MSc Organised Crime,
Terrorism and Security
Organised Crime: Global
and Local
Critical Perspectives on
Terrorism and
Counter-Terrorism
Formative Debates in
Criminology
Sociological Research Design
Two optional modules
MA Sociological Research
Contemporary Debates in
Sociology
Sociological Research Design
Quantitative Analysis from
Univariate to Multivariate
Methods
Interviewing and Quantitative
Data Analysis
Texts and Documents
Ethnography
One optional module
MSc Survey Methods
for Social Research
Quantitative Analysis from
Univariate to Multivariate
Methods
Survey Methods I
Panel Data Methods
Survey Methods II
Practicum
One optional module
Graduate Certificate in
Sociology
Researching Social Life
Continuity and Controversy:
Sociological Analysis II
All taught courses include a dissertation.
This information is a guide to course
content and is subject to change on an
annual basis.
Global Challenges
Sociological Research Design
The Dynamics of Globalisation
Four optional modules
Contemporary Debates in
Sociology
Quantitative Methods
Sociological Research Design
Panel Data Methods
Applications of Panel Data
Analysis
Two optional modules
MA Sociology and
Management
Sociological Research Design
Dynamics of Home and Work
Management in Organisation
Three optional modules
from Sociology or Essex
Business School
Optional modules
Colonialism, Culture and Human Rights
Consumer Culture
Critical Perspectives on Terrorism and
Counter Terrorism
Cultural Studies: Theory and History
Culture and Intimacy: Gender, Sexuality
and Citizenship
Culture and Intimacy: Queer History
and Visual Culture
Current Controversies in Criminology
and Criminal Justice Policy
Dynamics of Home and Work
Ethnography
Gender Divisions and Feminist Theory
Globalisation, International Migration
and Ethnicity
Media Theory
Nation and Citizenship: Inclusions
and Exclusions
Organised Crime: Global and Local
Society and the Environment:
The Global Challenge
Sociology of Human Rights I
Sociology of Human Rights II
Texts and Documents
The Contemporary Nation State
and Citizenship
The Use of Culture: Knowledge,
Power and Difference
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in criminology with a foundation in
sociological research design, plus an
introduction to legal theory and legal
methods. It will provide a good basis for
you if you wish to conduct criminological
research with a socio-legal dimension.
Our MSc Criminology and Socio-Legal
Research should also interest you if you
are without a background in law, as we
make good use of legal materials in
addressing our sociological and
criminological research questions.
MSc Human Rights and Research
Methods•†
For more information and course
modules for our MSc Human Rights
and Research Methods, please see our
Human Rights entry.
MA Longitudinal Social Research•†
We offer this course jointly with our Institute
for Social and Economic Research (ISER).
MA Longitudinal Social Research gives you
advanced training in contemporary theory,
in current issues in applied sociology, and
in the techniques of analysis of longitudinal
and panel data. We provide you with the
skills necessary for a successful career
as a professional sociologist in a university,
government, commerce or industry.
Graduates will be equipped with the
skills to analyse sociological issues using
appropriate data. Many important aspects
of sociological phenomena cannot be
properly investigated empirically without
the use of panel data, for example class
and occupational mobility, movements into
and out of poverty, gender issues and the
impact of gender on lifetime trajectories,
health, the evolution of asset and wealth
holdings, or the division of domestic labour
and allocation of resources in households.
MSc Organised Crime, Terrorism
and Security•
In recent years, issues of terrorism
and organised crime have gained an
unprecedented profile, provoked significant
social concern, and dominated both law
and order and many wider social policy
agendas. We address key critical issues
surrounding organised criminality and
terrorism in contemporary society. We
involve multi-level analyses of organised
crime as a concept, alongside the impacts
of urbanisation, migration and globalisation
upon both the practice of crime and the
ways in which we understand them. In
addition, you address cutting-edge critical,
conceptual and theoretical analyses of
terrorism and counter-terrorism.
MSc Organised Crime, Terrorism and
Security provides you with a strong
grounding in the key theories and issues
within the wider discipline of criminology.
You also receive advanced training in
the skills and techniques needed to
undertake high quality research in this
and other criminological areas of inquiry.
Our conceptual and skills-based tuition
will provide a substantial foundation for
careers within related academic, public,
and private sector realms.
MA Sociological Research•†
This course provides a strong foundation
in empirical research, encompassing both
qualitative and quantitative methodologies.
We offer you advanced study of research
design, specific research techniques, and
their evaluation. You also study a variety of
data collection and analysis techniques, and
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Staff and their research interests
Nick Allum, BA East London, MA PhD
LSE (Senior Lecturer)
Public understanding of science; the
social psychology of risk; social and
political trust; survey measurement
of social and political attitudes;
quantitative sociology
Ben Anderson, BSc Southampton,
PhD Loughborough (Lecturer)
Spatial microsimulation; social capital;
longitudinal analysis; consumption; digital
inclusion; ICT
Michael Bailey, BA PhD Sheffield
Hallam, MA Nottingham (Lecturer)
Critical theory; historical sociology;
industrial heritage; sociology of culture;
history of ethical socialism and cultural
criticism; sociology of religion; cultural
policy studies
Ted Benton, Cert Ed BA Leicester,
BPhil Oxford, PhD Essex (Professor)
Environmental issues and modern social
theory; links between socialist and green
perspectives; philosophy of social science
Robin Blackburn, BSc (Econ) London
(Professor)
Historical sociology; globalisation; slavery
and abolition; revolutions and modernity;
pension regimes; Marxism
Joan Busfield, MA St Andrews, MA PhD
Essex (Professor)
Health and the health services; medical
sociology; mental health and gender
Andrew Canessa, BSc PhD London
(Senior Lecturer)
Social anthropology; development; Latin
America; gender; nation and identity
Eamonn Carrabine, BA Hull, MSc PhD
Salford (Professor)
Criminology and cultural studies;
imprisonment; theoretical criminology;
urban youth cultures
Pamela Cox, BA PhD Cambridge (Senior
Lecturer and Dean of the Graduate School)
Criminology; histories of crime; juvenile
justice; public policy; governance; gender;
cultural and social history
Diane Elson, BA Oxford, PhD Manchester
(Professor)
Sociology of economic development;
gender; human rights; structural
adjustment; cultural change; globalisation
Pete Fussey, BA Northumbria, MA
Leicester, PhD Brunel (Senior Lecturer)
Security and major sporting events;
terrorism and public spaces; surveillance
and society; migration
Miriam Glucksmann, BA PhD London
(Research Professor)
Gender, work and employment; social
divisions and stratification; feminist theory;
ethnicity and racism; migration
Ayse Guveli, BA Istanbul, MA PhD
Nijmegen (Fellow)
Post-industrial class structures; inter- and
intra-generational class mobility; migration
and work-life mobility
Michael Halewood, BA Birmingham,
MA PhD London (Senior Lecturer)
Philosophy of social science; social theory;
subjectivity, materiality and the body; the
work of AN Whitehead and Gilles Deleuze
Mark Harvey, BA Oxford, PhD LSE
(Professor and Director of Centre for
Research in Economic Sociology and
Innovation)
New economic sociology; food
consumption and provisioning;
bio-economy, biotechnology and
genomics; ‘rights over resources’
within welfare states
Dick Hobbs, MEd Preston, MSc LSE,
PhD Surrey (Professor)
Deviance; ethnography; professional
and organised crime; working class
entrepreneurship; the sociology of
east London
continued
acquire a critical appreciation of empirical
research methodology.
Graduates will understand the connection
between theory and empirical methodology,
and be able to produce, evaluate and
effectively communicate research findings.
You gain a broad-based research training
which will be indispensable if you wish to
proceed to a PhD, and is invaluable training
if you seek future employment in a wide
range of social research occupations.
MA Sociology and Management•
This innovative course provides you
with a unique opportunity to gain a critical
appreciation of the social dynamics of
work in the twenty-first century. As the
occupation of management grows and
changes, to demand a more specialised
understanding of the modern organisation
and the world it operates in, potential
managers need an up-to-date and
in-depth understanding of their occupation
and its context.
Combining theoretical perspectives
from the disciplines of sociology and
management, you explore the importance
of debates surrounding power, culture,
class, gender, sexuality and new forms of
labour as a means of understanding the
complexities of today's contemporary
workplace. MA Sociology and Management
will particularly interest you if you wish to
advance your knowledge of the social
sciences in general, and will provide a
platform if you wish to work in management
roles or carry out further social research.
MSc Survey Methods for Social Research•
This course gives you advanced training in
survey research methodology. If you would
like to develop a career as social or market
researcher, or are already working in this
field and wish to undertake further
professional development or a research
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Sociology | www.essex.ac.uk/sociology
Ewa Morawska, MA Warsaw, PhD
Boston (Professor)
Comparative-historical sociology; social
theory; philosophy of social science;
sociology of culture; international
migration; ethnicity and citizenship
Lydia Morris, BA Keele, PhD London
(Professor)
Human rights; migration and asylum;
social citizenship; social exclusion
Sean Nixon, BSc Plymouth, PhD Open
(Senior Lecturer)
Cultural sociology; cultural theory; cultural
industries; global consumer cultures and
the media
Lynne Pettinger, BA Oxford, MA PhD
Essex (Senior Lecturer)
Economic sociology; cultural sociology;
gender; work; employment; consumption;
sex work; photography
Ken Plummer, BSc PhD London
(Professor)
Sociology of sexualities; sexual citizenship;
embodiment; humanistic research
methods such as narrative and life story
Mike Roper, BA Melbourne, MA Monash,
PhD Essex (Professor)
History of subjectivity; emotional
experience of war; cultural and social
history; psychoanalysis and sociology;
biographical methods; masculinity
Róisin Ryan Flood, BA Cork, MPhil
Dublin, PhD LSE (Lecturer)
Sexuality; kinship; gender; reproductive
technologies; comparative welfare states
Colin Samson, BA Arizona, MSc London,
PhD California (Senior Lecturer)
Indigenous people of North America;
human rights; cultural histories of (post)
colonialism; medicine and psychiatry;
visual sociology
Nigel South, BA MA Essex, PhD CNAA
(Professor)
Comparative and theoretical criminology;
green criminology; drugs; health and
community safety; comparative penology
and policing
Yasemin Soysal, BA Bogazici, Istanbul,
PhD Stanford (Senior Lecturer)
Political sociology; nation state and
citizenship; human rights; globalisation;
international migration; European
integration
Rob Stones, BA Bristol, MA Leeds,
PhD Essex (Professor)
Structuation theory; social theory; moral
and political analysis and sociology; film,
narrative analysis and the public sphere;
relationships between social theory and
empirical studies
Hiroko Tanaka, BA Reed, MSc Chicago,
MA Ohio, PhD Oxford (Senior Lecturer)
Social interaction; conversation analysis;
ethnomethodology; contemporary
Japanese society; gender; cross-cultural
analysis
Darren Thiel, BSc MSc PhD LSE
(Lecturer)
Social class and stratification; economic
sociology; migration, globalisation and
crime; globalisation and policing;
policing terrorism
Jackie Turton, BA PhD Essex
(Senior Lecturer)
Criminology; child protection; maternal
child abuse; qualitative research for
policy contexts
degree, then our MSc Survey Methods
for Social Research should appeal to you.
MSc Survey Methods for Social Research
covers all of the key topics in survey
research, including sampling methods,
questionnaire design, the management
of the survey process and methods for
analysing survey data. You also choose an
optional topic from a range of modules in
our Department or another social science
discipline. Central to your studies is an
emphasis on practical learning and
experience, so you undertake a work
placement in one of a number of
professional research organisations,
and are taught by academics and leading
survey research practitioners.
Graduate Certificate in Sociology•
Our Graduate Certificate in Sociology is
a nine-month course designed as a
qualifying year if you need further study
before embarking on your MA. We offer
courses within sociology and criminology
which cover the intellectual breadth and
depth of our staff expertise and
enthusiasms.
Research study
We were ranked the top department in
the UK in the last RAE (December 2008).
Our research students are supervised and
supported by world leaders in their fields,
so you graduate with an outstanding
qualification that will help in all your
future endeavours.
Our research strength lies in our size,
in the range and diversity of our research
interests and our staff members who are
committed to research and publication.
Our research stretches out across Europe,
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www.essex.ac.uk/sociology | Sociology
Emma Weddell, Colchester,
Essex – MA Sociological
Research Methods ’07, PhD
Sociology ’11
Student
profile
I initially wanted to study at
Essex because my potential
supervisor was teaching there.
However I soon realised what
an exceptional reputation the
Department of Sociology has, which made
me even more determined to come here.
I completed my undergraduate degree
in sociology and wanted to pursue an
academic career, so I took the next step
which was research methods training
(through Essex’s MA Sociological
Research Methods), followed by my
PhD. The teaching in the Department
was excellent; lectures were always
really interesting and well-delivered.
It was also great be surrounded by
so many like-minded people; everyone
on my course worked hard but had a
sense of humour. I have made lifelong
friends at Essex and for that I will always
be thankful.
Since completing my PhD, I have been
working in the UK Data Archive, based
at the University, and am in the process
of applying for post-doctoral funding.
I’m also working on my journal articles
and conference papers in order to
disseminate my research findings.
Studying at Essex has provided me with
a thorough grounding in sociological
research methodology and
definitely prepared me for
an academic career.
North America, Latin America, and the
Asian sub-continent, with particular
strengths in: criminology and social justice;
culture and media; economic sociology;
ethnicity, migration and rights; intimacy and
gender; science in society; social theory
and methodology; and survey methodology.
Reflecting these strengths, we are home
to two major research centres: the Centre
for Research in Economic Sociology and
Innovation (CRESI) and the Centre for
Intimate and Sexual Citizenship (CISC).
We therefore offer two routes to a PhD:
PhD by research – if you have a
strong background in sociology, and
a well-formulated research proposal,
you may be admitted directly to
supervised research.
Integrated PhD – in your first year, you
follow one of our pathways which provides
Masters-level research training, then
undertake three years of PhD research.
Research supervision is available in the
following fields:
n Criminology and social justice
n Culture and media
n Economic sociology
n Ethnicity, migration and rights
n Intimacy and gender
n Science in society
n Social theory and methodology
n Survey methodology
Research degrees
Our PhD is a structured three-year
programme of advanced study and
research, and we also offer an MPhil, which
is a two-year programme. If you wish to
undertake a PhD but are not sufficiently
qualified, you may be offered our MA/MSc
and PhD (four-year programme), where
progression to your PhD is conditional on
successful completion of your MA/MSc.
Research areas
Our research supervision is extremely
wide ranging so, whether you are
looking to carry out research in survey
methodology, criminology or cultural
history, we can offer you appropriate
expertise and support.
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Sports Science | www.essex.ac.uk/bs
Sports Science
We have been consistently highly ranked for research, teaching and student satisfaction.
Our staff are involved in a wide range of research activities.
Taught course
MSc Cardiac Rehabilitation•
Second class honours degree, or
equivalent, preferably supported by
relevant work experience. Many subjects
will be considered but a life science, sports
and exercise science, or an allied health
care science, degree would be preferable.
Professional qualifications may also
be acceptable.
Research degrees
Sports and Exercise Science• MSD,
MPhil, PhD
Sports and Exercise Medicine• MSD,
MPhil, PhD
Sports and Exercise Psychology• MSD,
MPhil, PhD
Upper second class honours degree or
equivalent in a relevant discipline.
Fact file
RESEARCH
University of Essex ranked ninth
in the UK for its research.
Research submitted in Biological
Sciences subject areas, see Biological
Sciences for details.
For an explanation, see page 5.
FURTHER INFORMATION
English language requirements:
For all study: IELTS 6.5 or equivalent
(for details, see page 25).
Academic staff: 10
Taught postgraduates: 21
Research postgraduates: 12
For taught courses:
T +44 (0)1206 873473
E pgadmit@essex.ac.uk
For research study:
T +44 (0)1206 873473
E pgadmit@essex.ac.uk
• available part-time
Location:
c Colchester Campus
For related programmes which may be of interest, please see:
Biological Sciences (page 66)
Health and Human Sciences (page 114)
202 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk/bs | Sports Science
Why study sports
science at Essex?
n
n
n
n
n
Department of Biological Sciences
rated ‘internationally excellent’ for
research in the last Research
Assessment Exercise (RAE,
December 2008)
Excellent student satisfaction
ratings for the quality of our
teaching
Clinically trained and research
active teaching staff
Extensive lab facilities and
state-of-the-art exercise science
and biomedical research
equipment
Opportunities to work and
collaborate with our well
established Human Performance
Unit (HPU) and work in a Phase
IV cardiac rehabilitation clinic
Career prospects
Many of our students on our MSc
Cardiac Rehabilitation work in the
NHS after finishing their course,
with some of our international
students then returning home
to work in other rehabilitation
departments. Other graduates have
gained employment in the NHS
working as cardiac rehabilitation
practitioners, exercise scientists
or cardiac research scientists.
About our Centre
We have been consistently highly
ranked for research, teaching and student
satisfaction. Our staff are involved in a wide
range of research activities, from improving
athletic performance through pacing
strategies, to monitoring child health and
improving practice in cardiac rehabilitation.
Our successful Human Performance Unit
(HPU) provides educational and coaching
services, health-related exercise
programmes and athlete testing, as well
as unique opportunities for you to further
your studies and research in these areas.
Taught course
We offer you a dynamic environment in
which to study and give all our students
an opportunity to gain work experience
with cardiac patients in our Phase IV
cardiac rehabilitation centre, based at
our Colchester Campus.
MSc Cardiac Rehabilitation•
Our MSc Cardiac Rehabilitation focuses
on enabling you to provide evidence-based
physical activity advice and to manage
intervention programmes for patients
at risk of, or suffering from, a variety
of cardiovascular disorders. This is an
interdisciplinary course offering you an
academic qualification with a clear
vocational target.
You take six taught modules: five core and
one optional. We provisionally timetable
teaching for Tuesdays and Thursdays, if
you are studying on a full-time basis. You
alternate annually between these days if
studying part-time.
Research study
Sports and exercise science covers a
broad range of disciplines which span
the biological, behavioural, social sciences
and humanities. Our research has been
structured into two main research areas
of sport, performance and fatigue, and
health, exercise and active life.
Our research into sport, performance
and fatigue takes an integrative approach
on physiological, psychological and
Our research graduates have
gone on to careers in research
and teaching at other universities
in the UK and overseas. Others
have become teachers, high
performance coaches, fitness
consultants, club and/or HPU
managers, health promoters and
educators, and lobbyists in the UK
and abroad.
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Sports Science | www.essex.ac.uk/bs
Taught course modules
MSc Cardiac
Rehabilitation
Research Methods and
Statistics
Exercise in Prevention
and Rehabilitation of
Cardiovascular Disease
Psychology of Health, Disease
and Physical Activity
Cardiovascular Anatomy,
Physiology and
Pharmacology
Physiological Assessment
and Clinical Science
Literature Review
Research Project
Plus one optional module from:
Work Based Learning in
Cardiac Rehabilitation
Nutrition and Drugs in Sport
and Exercise
This information is a guide to course
content and is subject to change on
an annual basis.
Staff and their research interests
Paul Bromley, MSc City, PhD Greenwich,
USA, DipCardiol CBiol MIBiol FESC
FRSM (Consultant Clinical Scientist,
Cardiology) (Lecturer)
Clinical cardiorespiratory physiology
and exercise physiology, especially
autonomic control of cardiorespiratory
function in health and disease with
particular reference to heart failure,
hypertension and syncope; the clinical
utility of cardiopulmonary exercise
testing in diagnosis, prognostication
and rehabilitation of a variety of cardiac
and respiratory conditions
Chris Cooper, BSc Bristol, PhD Guelph
(Professor)
Exercise biochemistry; spectroscopic
measurement of brain and muscle
bloodflow and oxygenation during exercise;
free radicals and exercise-induced
oxidative stress; drugs in sport
Valerie Gladwell, BSc PhD Birmingham
(Lecturer)
Exercise physiology and sports medicine;
recovery from exercise; regulation of
cardiovascular function during and post
exercise; sports massage as a recovery
intervention
Murray Griffin, RMN BSc CNAA, PhD
London, CPsychol AFBPsS (Lecturer)
Sports psychology, especially mental
rehearsal; interaction between exercise
and self-esteem, exercise and
mental health
Tom Hall, BSc Nottingham, PhD London,
DIC (Lecturer)
Biomechanics; computer modelling
of biomechanical systems
Gareth Jones, BSc PhD Essex (Lecturer)
Exercise biochemistry; respiratory proteins;
oxygen delivery and aerobic metabolism;
ergogenic aids
Dominic Micklewright, BSc Open,
MSc PG Cert PhD Essex (Lecturer and
chartered sports and exercise psychologist)
Psychophysiological causes of fatigue
among athletes
Gavin Sandercock, BA MSc PhD Brunel
(Lecturer)
Cardiac autonomic function; cardiovascular
disease prevention and rehabilitation;
paediatric cardiovascular health
Martin Sellens, BSc Durham, PhD
Bristol (Senior Lecturer)
Exercise physiology; lactate clearance;
muscle damage; oxidative stress; influence
of exercise on the immune system;
nutritional ergonomic aids
Matthew Taylor, BSc South Bank, PhD
Roehampton/Surrey (Lecturer)
Biomechanics of gait; functional gait,
such as direction change; amputee gait;
paralympic and disabled sport; sport
biomechanics; biomechanics of jumping;
the effectiveness of the Wii-Fit in
rehabilitation; falls related research
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Grace Young, Wallington,
Surrey – MSc Cardiac
Rehabilitation ’09
Graduate
profile
I first learnt about cardiac
rehabilitation as an
undergraduate, as one of my
modules looked at clinical
exercise programming which
I found really interesting. I particularly
appreciated being able to use knowledge
on the benefits of healthy lifestyle/exercise
to help patients improve their quality of
life, so decided I wanted to further my
experience of, and education in, this area.
I then chose to study MSc Cardiac
Rehabilitation at Essex because it was
one of only two universities in the UK
offering a course in this subject, as well
as a commutable distance from London.
I had many good experiences at Essex.
There was a lot of variety in my course
and I was given opportunities to learn
new skills, which also helped my personal
development. Particular highlights
were my work-based learning placement,
the time I spent designing a website for
my coursework and the experience of
helping at Fit 4 Life day on campus.
All my lecturers were friendly and
approachable, and I had a really nice
group of fellow students studying
with me.
Since graduating from Essex, I have
begun work as a cardiac research
scientist at Northwick Park Hospital.
My experience of undertaking research,
and my cardiac knowledge from my
MSc Cardiac Rehabilitation, helped
me secure employment in an area
that I would otherwise have
had to have been a nurse to
apply for.
biomechanical mechanisms limiting
performance with special respect to pacing
and fatigue.
Our interest in this area also benefits from
our fruitful collaborations with the Molecular
Biophysics Group of our Department of
Biological Sciences and our Human
Performance Unit, as well as our work with
top athletes and professional clubs, UK
Sports and the British Olympic Association.
Our research on health, exercise and
active life focuses on the environmental
effects on volume and quality of physical
activity in various age groups, looking at
healthy subjects and patients suffering
from various forms of physical and/or
mental handicaps. We include close
collaborations with Essex’s interdisciplinary
Centre for Environment and Society.
We also facilitate successful projects
with primary care trusts, the NHS, local
schools and selected industrial partners,
as well as other health initiatives at our
Colchester Campus.
Research degrees
Our PhD• is a structured three-year
programme of advanced study and
research.
We also offer two other research degrees:
an MPhil•, which is a two year programme,
and an MSD (MSc by dissertation)•, which
is one year.
Research areas
Research supervision is available
in the following areas:
n Sport and Exercise Science
n Sports and Exercise Medicine
n Sport and Exercise Psychology
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 205

Partner institutions | www.colchester.ac.uk
Partner institutions
We enjoy collaborative partnerships
with a number of institutions across the
eastern region.
206 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.ucs.ac.uk | Colchester Institute
Colchester
Institute
We have a Technical Learning
Resources (TLR) Centre which includes
a multi-camera recording studio and
video editing suites. Students can borrow
professional video cameras, audio recorders
and a variety of presentation equipment.
Our library carries over 100,000 items
including books, DVDs, CDs, music scores
and online services. Our students have
reading rights and reference access to
the University of Essex library and can
use facilities at the University’s
Colchester Campus.
The Minories
Colchester Institute provides an
aspirational, high quality learning
experience for higher education students,
combining the demands and rigour of
postgraduate study with the support
and friendliness of a community college.
Our programmes are up-to-date and
challenging. We offer the following
postgraduate certificates, diplomas
and Masters:
Art and Design
n MA Art, Design and the Book
n MA Arts in a Social Context
n MA Contemporary Art and
Professional Practice
n MA Sculptural Practice
Business and Management
n Postgraduate Certificate in
Management
n Postgraduate Diploma in Management
n Master of Business Administration
(MBA)
Music
n MA Music
Our students say they are pleased with
the professional expertise and academic
knowledge of our tutors, many of whom
have PhD profiles in relevant curriculum
areas and most of whom continue to
practice in their vocational field.
We offer comprehensive facilities on our
own Colchester campus including three
refectories, Starbucks, two training
restaurants and training hair and beauty
salons, a nursery and IT suites offering over
1,500 workstations. We are developing a
three-floor HE Centre to include a one-stop
shop for all higher education enquiries,
study areas and an HE Common Room,
together with dedicated teaching space
and wireless access. In addition, all new
full-time degree-level students (from
September 2012) will receive an Apple
iPad to support flexible and mobile learning.
We have a town centre base exclusively for
our postgraduate art and design courses.
The Minories provides a learning facility
appropriate to, and in support of, these
innovative and unique courses that focus
on the use of the arts in celebrating,
enhancing and improving cultural,
commercial and business environments.
The first floor houses studio, seminar and
lecture spaces directly supporting academic
endeavour, complemented by a public art
gallery, shop and bistro on the ground floor.
Colchester Institute will be holding higher
education open events on 12 October
2011 and 29 February 2012. Programme
tutors will be available to talk to you about
your course and career opportunities.
Our general College Open Events will be
held on 12, 16 and 17 November 2011
and throughout 2012.
Please visit: www.colchester.ac.uk for
up-to-date details. You may also
want to follow our @CI_HE Twitter feed
for news and updates.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 207

University Campus Suffolk | www.writtle.ac.uk
University
Campus Suffolk
Postgraduate courses at UCS include:
UCS is a new kind of institution – one
that allows you to access the knowledge
and resources of a range of partners along
with our two validating universities, centres
throughout Suffolk and beyond, and the
wider community. We provide a hub where
staff and students, science and art,
business and education can interact
in new and exciting ways.
Our buildings have state-of-the-art
technology, modern facilities and flexible
teaching, learning and social spaces,
ensuring all services are easily accessible.
Our personable and supportive staff want
to ignite your imagination and create
opportunities for learning and for life.
We have five academic schools: Applied
Social Sciences; Arts and Humanities;
Business, Leadership and Enterprise;
Nursing and Midwifery; and Science,
Technology and Health. These are
supported academically by our Office of
Academic Development and Office of
Research and Enterprise.
208 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012
UCS Graduate School
The UCS Graduate School delivers taught
and research professional development
for all postgraduates. Our Graduate School
provides high-quality events that, alongside
current taught sessions, support the
development of transferable skills and
knowledge.
Our Graduate School is central to
the organisation and management of
postgraduate research students at UCS.
It establishes protocols and policy for
postgraduate research students and is
responsible for the initial recruitment and
induction (in conjunction with the relevant
UCS School). It monitors the progress of
students and provides relevant support.
UCS offers a range of postgraduate
opportunities including Masters,
Postgraduate Diplomas and Postgraduate
Certificates, along with Continuing
Professional Development (CPD) courses.
Employers play an important role in the
development of new and existing courses,
and we are committed to building lasting
and mutually beneficial relationships with
international, national and local
stakeholders.
Applied Social Sciences
n MA Childhood and Youth Studies*
n MA Learning and Teaching*
n PGCE Lifelong Learning Sector
n PGCE (North East Essex Coastal
Confederation)
n PGCE (Suffolk and Norfolk Primary
SCITT)
n PGCE (Suffolk and Norfolk Secondary
SCITT)
n MA Mental Health
Arts and Humanities
n MA/PgD/PgC Design Context and
Practice
Business, Leadership and Enterprise
n MBA (including pathways in Enterprise,
Leadership and Tourism)
n PgD Human Resource Management*
n MA Human Resource Strategy*
n MA Marketing*
Nursing and Midwifery
n MA Clinical Practice*
n MA/PgD/PgC Education for Health
and Social Care Professionals
n MA Leadership and Service Innovation*
Science, Technology and Health
n MA Health and Social Care Practice
n MSc Advanced Healthcare Practice
(Advanced Nurse Practitioner or
Allied Health Professionals)
n MSc Regenerative Medicine*
n MSc Science of Healthy Ageing*
Contact
T +44 (0)1473 33862
E graduateschool@ucs.ac.uk
www.ucs.ac.uk
*Subject to validation

www.essex.ac.uk | Writtle College
Writtle College
The University of Essex validates awards at
Writtle College, one of the country’s leading
specialist institutions for a variety of areas
including: agriculture, animal and equine
science, design, horticulture, conservation
and management.
Our College is set in its own 220 hectare
estate with conservation areas, landscaped
gardens, design studios, animal, equine and
stud units, a farm, a science centre and
sport facilities. We have a fitness and
recreation centre, library and computer
facilities, including CAD systems. There is
a lively community atmosphere with over
2,500 students from over 40 countries and
halls of residence for up to 400 students.
Our College is located in the Essex
countryside with Chelmsford just two miles
away. London Liverpool Street is 40
minutes away, with trains departing
regularly from Chelmsford.
Each of our postgraduate programmes
are set within one of three schools: Sport,
Equine and Animal Sciences; Sustainable
Environments; and Writtle School of Design.
Our schools ensure that all postgraduates
are given extensive support in their study
area, and that there are opportunities to
continue personal development, as well as
gain a formal qualification.
Our portfolio of postgraduate degrees,
certificates and diplomas, validated by the
University of Essex, include:
School of Sport, Equine and
Animal Sciences
n Animal and Conservation Welfare
n Animal Health Science
n Applied Equine Science
n Livestock Production Science
School of Sustainable Environments
n Business Administration MBA
n Business and Management Studies
(Chartered Institute of Purchasing
and Supply)
n Business and Management Studies
(Chartered Management Institute)
n Management Studies
n Arabic Crop Management
n Natural Environment and Society
n Environment Resource Management
n Horticulture (Crop Production)
n Postharvest Technology
n Conservation Management
Writtle School of Design
n Garden Design
n Landscape Architecture
n Fine Art and the Environment
n Landscape Management
n Historic Designed Landscapes
There is also the opportunity to undertake
awards by research, with a Master of
Science by Dissertation, Master of
Philosophy (MPhil) and Doctor of
Philosophy (PhD) available in most areas.
*Subject to validation
Please note, listing correct at time of going
to press.
For further information, please contact:
Admissions, Writtle College,
Chelmsford CM1 3RR
T +44 (0)1245 424200
F +44 (0)1245 420456
E admissions@writtle.ac.uk
www.writtle.ac.uk
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 209

Travel to our University | www.essex.ac.uk
Travel to our
University
We have three main campuses across the
east of England, with our students studying
in Colchester, Loughton and Southend. The
eastern region, with countryside, coastline,
picturesque towns and close proximity
to London, has a lot to offer and interest.
Each campus has excellent air, road, rail
and sea links. This enables cheap and
easy access around the region, into London
and further afield if you are wishing to
explore more of the UK and the EU.
The figures below are approximate and
the exact length of a journey will be
dependent on time of day travelled.
Colchester to:
n Central London: 70 miles (113km)
Approximately 55 minutes by train,
1 hour and 30 minutes by private
car or taxi
n
n
n
n
Stansted Airport: 33 miles (53km)
Approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes
by bus, 50 minutes by private car or taxi
Gatwick Airport: 83 miles (133km)
Approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes
by train, 1 hour and 42 minutes by
private car or taxi
Heathrow Airport: 90 miles (150km)
Approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes
by train, 1 hour and 55 minutes by
private car or taxi
Harwich Port: 20 miles (33km)
(for ferries to Holland, Denmark
and other European locations)
Approximately 25 minutes by train,
35 minutes by private car or taxi
Southend to:
n Central London: 36 miles (58km)
Approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour by
train, 1 hour and 20 minutes by private
car or taxi
n
n
n
n
Stansted Airport: 40 miles (64km)
Approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes
by bus, 1 hour by private car or taxi
Gatwick Airport: 62 miles (100km)
Approximately 2 hours by train, 1 hour
and 10 minutes by private car or taxi
Heathrow Airport: 76 miles (122km)
Approximately 2 hours by train, 1 hour
and 20 minutes by private car or taxi
Harwich Port: 61 miles (98km)
(for ferries to Holland, Denmark
and other European locations)
Approximately 2 hours by train, 1 hour
and 26 minutes by private car or taxi
210 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk | Colchester Campus
Travel to our
Colchester Campus
Car
If approaching our Colchester Campus
from London and the south via the A12,
take the exit marked Colchester (A133).
If approaching from Ipswich and the
north on the A12, take the exit marked
Colchester. From Colchester, our
University is off the A133 to Clacton.
Our visitors’ car park operates on a pay
and display basis.
Train
Trains run between London (Liverpool
Street) and Colchester North Station at
approximately half-hourly intervals; the
journey takes under an hour. Services
also connect with Colchester from
Norwich, Ipswich, Felixstowe, Harwich
and Clacton/Walton.
Coach
Regular coach services to Colchester
Bus Station operate from most parts of
the UK, either direct or via London. There
is a regular bus service from Stansted
Airport to our Colchester Campus.
Taxi
There are taxi ranks at Colchester
Station and in the town centre. The
journey to our University normally
takes about ten minutes.
Local buses
We are served by a number of different
buses which operate frequently
throughout the day and at weekends.
Further information can be found at:
www.firstgroup.com.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 211

Colchester Campus | www.essex.ac.uk
A133 Clacton
A133 Colchester
Tesco
Superstore
Day Nursery
13
North Towers
South
Courts
1
14
21
20
11
15
12
2
The Houses
3
4
5
6
9
10
7
Recommended route to
the University
19
P P
18
17
P
TAXI
16
Health Centre
P
8
West
Lodge
Boundary Road
University Quays
B&Q
Superstore
24
23
22
Foot bridge
to University
South Towers
Visitors’ Reception
Sports
Centre
Tennis
courts
P
Lakeside
House
TAXI P P
For Visitors
(pay and display)
Synthetic
pitch
P
Wivenhoe House Hotel
and Conference Centre
(closed until 2012)
N
Sports pavilion
and sports field
Constable
Building
East
Lodge
North Towers
Road
Railway
University
Quays
Entrance 4
B1028
Wivenhoe
Entrance 5
(Pedestrians only)
B1027
Brightlingsea
Park Road
No through road
Square 1
Main
Entrance
Valley Road
Boundary Road
Entrance 3
(Pre-arranged
disabled
parking only)
Square 2
Square 4
Square 3
Square 5
o
Central buildings
Student residences
Other buildings
Lakes/Estuary
Greenland
Main roads
Student Residences
South Towers
Bertrand Russell 9
Eddington 10
North Towers
Rayleigh 11
Keynes 12
Tawney 13
William Morris 14
Wolfson Court 15
The Houses
Anne Knight 16
Isaac Rebow 17
Swaynes 18
Richard Woods 19
Thomas Hopper 20
Josephine Butler 21
Entrance 2
(Emergency/service vehicles only)
Entrance 1
Boundary Road
South Courts
Harwich 1
Brightlingsea 2
Manningtree 3
Walton 4
Thaxted 5
Frinton 6
Rowhedge 7
Alresford 8
University Quays
Sainty Quay 22
Hawkins Quay 23
Mathews Quay 24
Information/
Security Centre
Taxi point
Traffic lights
Restaurants, cafés
and bars
Recycling centre
Bus stop
Car parking
Accessible parking
Cycle path
Disabled Visitors
For information on access and parking
arrangements, please contact Visitors’ Reception
+44 (0)1206 874321 in advance of your visit.
© University of Essex 2010 Designed by University of Essex Printing Services
e
Plan of our
Colchester Campus
TAXI
P
P
212 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk | Southend Campus
Travel to our
Southend Campus
Train
Southend is served by two major
railway lines: the c2c service from
Southend Central (adjacent to the
Southend Campus) to London
Fenchurch Street and the National
Express East Anglia service from
Southend Victoria to London Liverpool
Street. Both services reach London
in approximately 50 minutes.
Coach
National Express coach services to
Southend Bus Station operate from
all over the UK. Direct coaches to
Southend run every hour from Stansted
airport and on a regular basis from other
UK airports. For more details, please
visit: www.nationalexpress.co.uk.
Local buses
Our campus is located in the town
centre, most local buses stop nearby
throughout the day and at weekends.
Further information can be found at:
www.firstgroup.com and at:
www.arriva.co.uk.
Car
To reach our Southend Campus by
car, follow signs from the A13 or A127
for Town Centre. There is a pay and
display car park opposite our Southend
Campus in Elmer Avenue. There is also
a car park underneath the South Essex
College building, operated on a
pay-on-exit basis.
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 213

International students’ fee liability | www.essex.ac.uk
International students’ fee liability
The notes below are for the guidance of applicants in
determining whether they are likely to be regarded as
home or international students for fee purposes. They are
based on the Education (Fees and Awards) Regulations
2006, but are not intended to replace them. The
University’s decision on your fee status will be based
on the Regulations. The Regulations are available on
the Internet as follows: Education (Fees and Awards)
Regulations 1997: www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1997/
19971972.htm.
Education (Fees and Awards) Amendment Regulations
2006: www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2006/20060483.htm.
Under the Regulations students are liable for payment of
tuition fees at the higher overseas rate unless: either
(a) they meet the residence requirements (as set out
below) and
(b) they are settled in the United Kingdom within the
meaning of the Immigration Act 1971 or
(c) they are regarded as ‘excepted students’.
Residence Conditions
You must have been ordinarily resident in the United
Kingdom and Islands throughout the three-year period
before the first term of your course. This residence period
is calculated from 1 September, 1 January or 1 April,
whichever is the nearest preceding date to the start of the
academic year relevant to your course. You must not have
been resident for any part of that three-year period wholly
or mainly for the purpose of receiving full-time education.
Settled Status
A person is ‘settled’ for the purposes of the 1971
Immigration Act if they are ordinarily resident in the United
Kingdom and their immigration status is one of the
following:
(a)
Indefinite Leave to Remain may be granted to
people who are not British citizens and all restrictions
on their stay in the United Kingdom are removed. This
status is often given, for example, to someone who
has married a British citizen or to someone who has
been in the United Kingdom for a number of years
(b) Right of Abode means that the person is free of
United Kingdom immigration control and can enter
the United Kingdom freely at any time. The following
people have right of abode in the United Kingdom:
(i) British citizens (not British Dependant Territories
citizens nor British Overseas citizens) and
(ii) Certain Commonwealth citizens.
Refugees, and those not granted refugee status but who
are allowed to enter or remain in the United Kingdom will
normally qualify for home fee status under the provisions
in (a) above. Their family members who are also eligible
for home fees are spouse or civil partner and children,
including step-children and adopted children.
Excepted students
Excepted students fall into the following categories:
1. A person who is a national of a member of a State
of the European Union, or who is the spouse or civil
partner, child or other direct descendant (under 21 or
dependant) of such a national or their spouse or civil
partner, any dependent relative in the ascending line
(eg parent or grandparent) of an EU national or their
spouse or civil partner, who meets the residence
conditions referred to in paragraph 8 below.
2. A person who is an European Economic Area migrant
worker or Swiss employed person who meets the
residence conditions referred to in paragraph 8 below.
214 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012
3. A person who is the spouse of a European Economic
Area migrant worker or Swiss employed person
(who has taken up activity as an employed or self
employed person in the United Kingdom), who (a) is
installed in the United Kingdom with his/her spouse
and (b) meets the residence conditions referred to in
paragraph 8 below.
4. A person who is the child of a European Economic
Area migrant worker (falling into certain categories)
or of their spouse or civil partner or of a Swiss
employed person who meets the residence conditions
referred to in paragraph 8 below. (For this purpose
‘parent’ includes a guardian or any other person
having parental responsibility for a child). (Note: the
child of someone who is no longer an EEA migrant
worker in the UK may also qualify to pay Home/EU
fees if they themselves continue to be resident).
5. The child of a Swiss national who meets the
residence requirements referred to in paragraph 8
below. (Note: the Swiss national parent need not
themselves be resident in the UK).
6. A person who has been informed in writing that,
although not considered to qualify for recognition as
a refugee, has been allowed to enter or remain in the
United Kingdom and has been ordinarily resident in
the United Kingdom throughout the period since
being granted leave to enter or remain or who is the
spouse or child of such a person. (For this purpose
‘child’ includes someone adopted or a step-child).
7. A person who was admitted to a course under
arrangements with an institution outside the United
Kingdom for the exchange of students on a full
reciprocal basis.
8. The residence conditions referred to above are
that (a) the person has been ordinarily resident
throughout the three year period preceding the
relevant date, either in the United Kingdom or, in the
case of a person mentioned in paragraphs above,
in the European Economic Area and (b) his or her
residence in the United Kingdom or in the European
Economic Area has not during any part of the period
been wholly or mainly for the purpose of receiving
full-time education.
Definitions
A national of a member state of the European Union
means a person who is a national for the purposes of the
Community Treaties of any member state of the European
Union (including the United Kingdom) as constituted from
time to time. This covers, at present: Austria; Belgium;
Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark (including the Faroe
Islands and Greenland); Estonia; Germany (including
Heligoland); Finland; France (including the overseas
departments Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana,
Reunion, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic
Territories, Mayotte, St Pierre et Miquelon, the Territories of
New Caledonia and Dependencies, Wallis and Fortuna);
Greece; The Republic of Ireland; Italy; Hungary; Latvia;
Lithuania; Luxembourg; Malta; The Netherlands (including
Aruba, Netherlands Antilles of Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba,
Sint Eustatius and Sint Maarten); Poland; Portugal
(including the Azores and Madeira but excluding Macao);
Romania; Slovakia; Slovenia; Spain (including Ceuta,
Melilla, the Balearics and the Canaries); Sweden; and the
United Kingdom* and Gibraltar.
* Including Anguilla; Bermuda; British Antarctic Territory;
British Indian Ocean Territory; British Virgin Islands;
Cayman Islands; Falkland Islands; Montserrat; Pitcairn,
Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands; South Georgia and
the South Sandwich Islands; St Helena and Dependencies
(Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha); Turks and
Caicos Islands.
Last amended June 2007.
Policy statement on equal
opportunities
The University of Essex, in conformity with the intention of
its Charter, confirms its commitment to a comprehensive
policy of equal opportunities within the University. It aims
to create the conditions whereby students and staff are
treated solely on the basis of their merits, abilities and
potential regardless of gender, colour, ethnic or national
origin, age, socio-economic background, disability, religious
or political beliefs and affiliations, family circumstance,
sexual orientation or other irrelevant distinction. The
University is committed to a programme of action to
ensure that this policy be fully effective.
No smoking policy
The University of Essex is committed to a no smoking
policy, which means that smoking is not allowed in the
main teaching buildings.
Policy statement on the promotion
of racial equality
The University of Essex has a diverse, international,
and multicultural community and in conformity with the
intention of its Charter is committed to providing equality
of opportunity to all its staff and students, and potential
staff and students, regardless of race, ethnicity or
nationality. The University has a responsibility to promote
good race relations and to ensure that all members of
the University community, and visitors to the University,
are treated with dignity and respect. The University will
ensure, in the operation of all its functions, that racial
discrimination does not occur.
Complaints procedure
If you have any comments or concerns about the
recruitment or admissions process we operate, or about
an application decision, and which you do not wish to
discuss with the Head of Graduate Admissions, you can
write to the Director of Communications and External
Relations. Alternatively, you can follow the University’s
complaints procedure. Details of the procedure can be
found on our website at:
www2.essex.ac.uk/academic/students/complaint.html.

www.essex.ac.uk | Index
Index
Academic reputation 1, 5
Academic year 19, 21
Accommodation, residential 40
Accounting – see Essex
Business School
Acting 51
Agriculture 209
Applied Social and
Economic Research 55
Applying to Essex 24
Architecture – see Art History 24
Art History 60
Arts events 48
Biological Sciences 66
Bologna Declaration 19
Business – see Essex
Business School
Campus in Colchester,
Description of 8
Plan of 212
Campus in Southend,
Description of 10
Map of 213
Careers Centre 37
Cardiac Rehabilitation 202
Centres at the University 6
Certificate courses 18
Child care facilities 36
Clubs and societies 45
Colchester,
Description of 10
Plan of Colchester Campus 212
Colchester Institute 207
Computational Finance and
Economic Agents 75
Computer Science 80
Computing services 34
Contact information
2, inside
back cover
Data Archive (UK) 35
Dates of terms
Inside
back cover
Day Nursery 36
Departments 5
Diploma courses 18
Disabled students 27, 36
Doctor of Philosophy 20
Doctoral Programmes 20
Drama – see Literature, Film,
and Theatre Studies
East 15 Acting School 51
Economics 87
Electronics and Telecommunications 94
English – see Linguistics,
and Literature, Film, and
Theatre Studies
English language courses 34, 134, 149
English language competence 25
English Language Teaching
– see International Academy
and Linguistics
Entrepreneurship and Business
– see Essex Business School
Equal opportunities 214
Essex Business School 100
Essex,
County of 10, 14
Exhibitions 48
Fees 28
Film Studies – see Art History
and Literature, Film, and
Theatre Studies
Finance – see Essex
Business School
Financial liability 28, 214
Financial support,
Sources of 28
Foreign language courses 34
Further information 2
Government – see Politics
Graduate School 17
Health Centre 36
Health and Human Sciences 114
History 123
History of Art – see Art History 120
Human Rights 129
Information technology
Academic study – see Computer
Science and Electronics and
Telecommunications
University facilities for 34
Institutes at the University 6
Institute, Colchester – see
Colchester Institute
Institute for Social and
Economic Research 35, 55
Integrated Doctorates 20
International Academy 134
International students
English language courses 34
English language competence 25
Fee liability 28, 214
Financial support 30
Living expenses 29
Part-time study 27
Study skills courses 38
Tuition fees 29
Welfare 36
Language courses/study 34
Laser Communications – see
Electronics and Telecommunications
Latin American Art 48, 120, 139
Latin American Studies 139
Law 142
Library 33
Linguistics 149
Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies 158
Living expenses 29
Loans 30
Longitudinal data analysis 55
Management – see Essex
Business School
Maps,
Travel to the Colchester Campus 211
Colchester Campus plan 212
Travel to the Southend Campus 213
Southend Campus map 213
Travelling to the University 210
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 215

Index | www.essex.ac.uk
Masters courses 18
Master of Arts by Dissertation 20
Master of Philosophy 20
Master of Science by Dissertation 20
Mathematical Sciences 164
Modern language courses 34
Musical activities 48
Nursing 114
Overseas students– see
International students
Part-time study
Applying for 24
Fees for 26
International students 18
Philosophy 170
Physiotherapy 114
Politics 176
Postgraduate open days 2
Professional Doctorates 21
Psychoanalytic Studies 183
Psychology 189
Public Administration – see
Economics, Essex Business
School, Politics and Sociology
Quality assurance
Inside
back cover
Religious facilities 33
Research degrees 20
Code of practice 21
Support for 21
Writing your research proposal 26
Research quality assessments 1, 5
Residential accommodation 41
Resource and research centres 35
Scholarships,
University of Essex 30
Social and Economic Policy – see
Applied Social and Economic
Research
Social Policy – see Sociology
Sociology 195
Southend,
Description of 14
Map of Southend Campus 213
Sport 46
Sports Science 202
Statistics – see Mathematical Sciences
Student numbers 1
Student Support 36
Students’ Union 44
Suffolk – see University Campus
Suffolk
Taught courses 18
Telecommunications – see
Computer Science and
Electronics and
Telecommunications
Terms, Dates of
Inside
back cover
Theatre, University 48
Theatre Studies 158
Travel to our University 210, 211, 213
Tuition fees 28
University Campus Suffolk 208
University of Essex
History of 4
Visiting students 27
Visiting the University 2
Visual arts 48
Welfare 36
Worship, Facilities for 36
Writtle College 209
Acronyms and
abbreviations used
in this prospectus
Taught courses
MA Master of Arts
MFA Master of Fine Arts
LLM Master of Laws
MPEM Master of Public Enterprise
and Management
MPH Master of Public Health
MRes Master of Research
MSc Master of Science
Research degrees
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
MAD/ Master of Arts/Science
MSD by dissertation
MPhil Master of Philosophy
AHRC Arts and Humanities
Research Council
BBSRC Biotechnology and Biological
Sciences Research Council
ECASS European Centre for Analysis
in the Social Sciences
EPSRC Engineering and Physical
Sciences Research Council
ESRC Economic and Social
Research Council
EU European Union
IELTS International English
Language Testing System
NCDT National Council for
Drama Training
NHS National Health Service
QAA Quality Assurance Agency
RAE Research Assessment
Exercise
TOEFL Test of English as
a Foreign Language
TQA Teaching Quality Assessment
216 | Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

www.essex.ac.uk | Additional information
About our prospectus
Our prospectus has been prepared in 2011
and refers to taught courses and research
opportunities which will be available in
October 2012.
Although great care is taken in compiling
this prospectus, it is for the general
guidance of prospective students only.
The University cannot guarantee the
provision of all the programmes and
services advertised in the event of
circumstances beyond its control, and
therefore reserves the right to make
changes or cancel any programme of
study without notice should this become
necessary. The University cannot be held
responsible for failure/delay in performing
obligations caused by things beyond its
reasonable control, such as fire, flood or
industrial action. For the most up-to-date
information, please contact our Graduate
Admissions Office.
The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations
of the University are set out in the Charter,
Statutes and Ordinances and in the
University Regulations, Policy and
Procedures. This is available as an online
document at: www.essex.ac.uk/academic/
docs/regs/rpp.shtm. In accepting an offer
of a place at the University, you consent to
incorporation of this notice as a term of
contract between you and the University.
Quality assurance
The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher
Education (QAA) undertook an Institutional
Audit of the University of Essex in March
2008. This audit declared ‘Confidence’ (the
best judgement available) in relation to the
soundness of our present and likely future
management of the academic standards
of our awards and in the soundness of our
management of the quality of the learning
opportunities available to our students.
A copy of the full report is available on the
QAA website at: www.qaa.ac.uk/reviews.
Complaints procedure
If you have any comments or concerns
about the recruitment or admissions
process we operate, or about an application
decision, which you do not wish to discuss
with our Head of Graduate Admissions,
you can write to our Director of
Communications and External Relations.
Alternatively, you can follow our University
complaints procedure. Details of the
procedure can be found on our website at:
www2.essex.ac.uk/academic/students/
complaint.html.
Dates of term
2012-13
Autumn term
Thursday 4 October – Friday 14 December
2012
Spring term
Monday 14 January – Friday 22 March
2013
Summer term
Monday 22 April – Friday 28 June 2013
2013-14
Autumn term
Thursday 3 October – Friday 13 December
2013
Spring term
Monday 13 January – Friday 21 March
2014
Summer term
Monday 21 April – Friday 27 June 2014
2014-15
Autumn term
Thursday 2 October – Friday 12 December
2014
Spring term
Monday 12 January – Friday 20 March
2015
Summer term
Monday 12 April – Friday 26 June 2015
Please note that some programmes in our
School of Health and Human Sciences and
at East 15 Acting School may have slightly
earlier term dates; please see their
websites for further information.
Alternative formats
Our prospectus is available in large print,
audio and Braille formats. Please contact
our Graduate Admissions Office for details.
University of Essex
Wivenhoe Park
Colchester CO4 3SQ
United Kingdom
T +44 (0)1206 873333
Southend Campus
Elmer Approach
Southend-on-Sea SS1 1LW
United Kingdom
T +44 (0)1702 328200
E pgadmit@essex.ac.uk
www.essex.ac.uk
East 15 Acting School
This prospectus refers mainly to the
services, facilities and courses on offer
at our Colchester Campus and at our
Southend Campus. Our Loughton Campus
is the base for students on many of
East 15 Acting School’s courses and
includes state-of-the-art studios, technical
equipment and innovative theatre space.
Our Loughton Campus is just five minutes
from the nearest London Underground
station, Debden, on the east end of the
Central line. For more detailed information,
please see: www.east15.ac.uk.
Produced by University of Essex
Marketing and Student Recruitment
Office
Designed by Ingenious Design Ltd
Printed by Pureprint Group using their
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technology, a guaranteed, low carbon,
low waste, independently audited
process that reduces the environmental
impact of the printing process. Pureprint
Group is a CarbonNeutral® company
and is certified to Environmental
Management System, ISO 14001 and
registered to EMAS, the Eco
Management and Audit Scheme.
ISBN 1-904059-79-1
© University of Essex 2011

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