Program Overview

Our innovative History and Drama degree allows you to study both subjects in depth, focusing on the creative practice of the theatre and the uncovering of the past. The four-year course (including foundation year), will be suitable for you if your academic qualifications do not yet meet our entrance requirements for the three-year version of this course and you want a programme that increases your subject knowledge as well as improves your academic skills in order to support your academic performance.

As a student of history, you also discover both the early modern and modern periods, and explore challenging questions concerning the impact of political, social and cultural change on individuals, social groups, and regions. At Essex, we teach you to find your own critical voice, and to view history through the eyes of ordinary people, giving them the voice they often lacked at the time.

Studying theatre and drama at Essex enables you to examine some of the most influential play-texts ever written, and to be ready to take part in shaping the essential performances of tomorrow. This degree is a chance to unlock and explore your creativity. You will be performing and producing work in the professional context of our state-of-the-art Lakeside Theatre, and will be developing a wide range of creative, critical and practical skills that will open the door to a future in the theatre, cultural industries or a wide range of other graduate careers.

At Essex, we offer a rich combination of practical workshops, critical seminars and lectures, and employability opportunities delivered by an experienced team of playwrights, directors, and actors, as well as leading academic theatre specialists.

You will be able to choose from a wide range of modules, covering topics such as:

• modern British history
• gender studies
• Shakespeare
• filmmaking
• scriptwriting

We are ranked third for drama in the Guardian University Guide 2021 and top 20 for dance, drama and cinematics (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2021). Our history students love studying with us – 92% of our History students expressed overall satisfaction with their course (NSS 2020).