View cookie policy.

University of Essex homepage Research Areas
Research

Research groups and areas

Explore our research
A young black man holding an iPad and stylus, standing to the right of a large red Baxter robot that is playing Connect-4.

Excellence in Research

At the University of Essex, we pride ourselves on the breadth of research areas that we focus on. As a dual-intensive University, our research tackles a range of subjects and areas across multiple disciplines and breaks the boundaries of what we currently know. We impact globally the way people think and behave and pride ourselves on interdisciplinary study and activism.

Within our three faculties we have some of the most highly-rated research centres in the country with scholars asking critical questions and challenging conventions with their research. 


Our groups and areas of study

Arts and Humanities

Media student holding a microphone

At Essex we believe in research that allows people to take informed action. Our University was founded on interdisciplinarity and activism, and we draw on a broad range of perspectives to investigate what it means to be human.



Explore research in the faculty

Our areas, clusters, hubs and groups

Areas, clusters and hubs Department, Faculty or Institute
Digital Cultural and Creative Research Network (Area) Humanities lead alongside all Faculties

Digital Humanities (Area)

Humanities
Environmental Arts and Humanities (Area) Humanities
Health and Medical Humanities (Area) Humanities and Social Sciences
Private and Business Law (Cluster) Law
Human Rights (Cluster) Law
Public Law (Cluster) Law
Criminal Justice (Cluster) Law
Health Law (Cluster) Law
Law and Technology (Cluster) Law
Socio-Legal Studies (Cluster) Law
Law, Business and Technology Interdisciplinary Hub (Hub) Law
Psychoanalysis, Law and Social Phenomena Law/Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies
Ecocriticism, Green Writing, and Literary Geographies (Cluster) Literature, Film and Theatre Studies
American Literatures and Cultures (Cluster) Literature, Film and Theatre Studies
Comparative Literature and Translation (Cluster) Literature, Film and Theatre Studies
Creative Writing and Scriptwriting (Cluster) Literature, Film and Theatre Studies
Human Rights and the Humanities (Cluster) Literature, Film and Theatre Studies
Speculative Humanities (Cluster) Literature, Film and Theatre Studies
The Screen and Performance Research Network (Network) East 15 Acting School
Lived Experience and Creative Process (Cluster) East 15 Acting School
Embodiment and Perception (Cluster) East 15 Acting School
Global Perspectives and Intercultural Practice (Cluster) East 15 Acting School
Consultancy and Litigation (Hub) Human Rights Centre
Human Rights and the Environment (Group) Human Rights Centre
Health, Human Rights, and Social Justice (Cluster) Human Rights Centre
Race, Gender and Identity (Cluster)1 Philosophical, Historical, and Interdisciplinary Studies
Political Cultures, Class and Citizenship (Cluster) Philosophical, Historical and Interdisciplinary Studies
War, Conflict and Memory (Cluster)
 Philosophical, Historical, and Interdisciplinary Studies
Medical Humanities (Cluster) Philosophical, Historical, and Interdisciplinary Studies
Self-consciousness and self-knowledge (Cluster) Philosophical, Historical, and Interdisciplinary Studies
Feminism, Race and Gender (Cluster) Philosophical, Historical, and Interdisciplinary Studies
Classical German Philosophy (Cluster) Philosophical, Historical, and Interdisciplinary Studies
Phenomenology and Existentialism in Philosophy (Cluster) Philosophical, Historical, and Interdisciplinary Studies
Critical Theory in Philosophy (Cluster) Philosophical, Historical, and Interdisciplinary Studies
The politics of art and visual culture (Cluster) Philosophical, Historical, and Interdisciplinary Studies
Space and Place (Cluster) Philosophical, Historical, and Interdisciplinary Studies
Art produced beyond its historic institutions (Cluster) Philosophical, Historical, and Interdisciplinary Studies

 Philosophy and Art History (Art History)
 Philosophy and Art History (Art History)

Science and Health

student writing on whiteboard

Our departments host a range of research groups and areas of focus, in which our academics work together on their specialist interests. Postgraduate research students are encouraged to join a group related to their area of interest, so they can benefit from the support of multiple experts beyond their supervisor.



Find out more about the Faculty research

 

Our areas, groups and labs

Areas, groups and labs Department, Faculty or Institute
Ecology and Environmental Microbiology (Group) Life Sciences
Genomics and Computational Biology (Group) Life Sciences
Plant Productivity (Group) Life Sciences
Protein Structure and Mechanisms of Disease (Group) Life Sciences
Data Science (Group) Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science
Mathematics (Group) Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science
Thinking about the World (Area) Psychology
Interacting with the World (Area) Psychology
Experiencing the World (Area) Psychology
Babylab (Lab) Psychology
Centre for Brain Science Psychology
Psychological Research Unit for Behaviour, Health and Wellbeing (EEPRU) Psychology
Artificial Intelligence (Group) Computer Science and Electronic Engineering
Brain-computer interfaces and neural engineering (Group) Computer Science and Electronic Engineering
Communications and Networks (Group) Computer Science and Electronic Engineering
Robotics and Embedded Systems (Group) Computer Science and Electronic Engineering
Intelligent Connected Societies (Group)  Centre for Computational Intelligence
Smart Health Technologies (Group) Centre for Computational Intelligence
Mental health and psychological wellbeing (Area) Health and Social Care
Research for public and patient benefit (Area) Health and Social Care
Social policy and social care (Area) Health and Social Care
Health professions education (HPE) and workforce development research (Area) Health and Social Care
Health Exercise and Active Lifestyle (Cluster) Sport Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences
Human Performance (Cluster) Sport Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences
Clinical Exercise and Rehabilitation (Cluster) Sport Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences
Professional Practice (Cluster) Sport Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences

Social Sciences

Lecturer speaking to a room of students

Our Faculty is home to some of the most highly-rated research centres in the country. We have a powerful group of scholars, asking critical questions and challenging convention through their world-leading social science research (REF 2021). From how best to govern ourselves, to understanding society and how we acquire language, to how we conduct business and interact with each other, we answer profound questions.


Read more about Social Science research

Our clusters, groups, labs and networks

Clusters, groups, labs and networks Department, Faculty or Institute
Applied Economics (Cluster) Economics
Econometrics (Cluster) Economics
Macroeconomics (Cluster) Economics
Microeconomics (Cluster) Economics
Behavioural, Experimental, and Development Economics (Cluster)
 Economics
Accounting (Group) Essex Business School
Finance (Group) Essex Business School
Management and Marketing (Group) Essex Business School
Strategy, Operations and Entrepreneurship (Group) Essex Business School
Organisation Studies and Human Resource Management (Group) Essex Business School
BAFA Accounting and Finance in Emerging Economies (Group) Essex Business School
Latin American Network at Essex (LANX) (Network) Essex Business School
Bilingualism Matters (Network) Part of Language Development throughout the Lifespan (LaDeLi)
Research in Primary Languages (Network) Part of Language Development throughout the Lifespan (LaDeLi)
African Language Research (Cluster) Language and Linguistics
Early Language Development (Cluster) Language and Linguistics
English Language Teaching Research (Cluster) Language and Linguistics
Experimental Linguistics (Cluster) Language and Linguistics
Language Decline: Attrition, Ageing and Impairments (Cluster) Language and Linguistics
Language, Policy and Multilingualism  (Cluster) Language and Linguistics
Language Variation, Identity and Interaction (Cluster) Language and Linguistics
Linguistic Diversity and Theoretical Linguistics (Cluster)
 Language and Linguistics
Second Language Learning and Teaching (Cluster)
 Language and Linguistics
Research in Primary Languages (RiPL) (Network)
 Language and Linguistics
Bilingualism Matters @EastofEngland (Network)
 Language and Linguistics
Social divisions and economic life (Cluster) Sociology and Criminology
Culture, identity and subjectivity (Cluster) Sociology and Criminology
Criminal justice and public policy (Cluster) Sociology and Criminology
Transnationalism, nation and rights (Cluster) Sociology and Criminology
Sociological foundations - theory and method (Cluster) Sociology and Criminology
Comparative Psychoanalysis (Group) Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies
History of Psychoanalysis (Group) Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies
Psychoanalysis, Law and Social Phenomena (Group)
 Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies / Law
Synchronicity (Group)
 Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies
Gender and Sexuality (Area)
 Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies
Group and Institutional Dynamics (Area)
 Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies
Jungian Theory (Area)
 Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies
Philosophical Issues in Psychoanalysis (Area)
 Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies
Political and Social Issues (Area)
 Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies
Psychoanalysis and Counselling (Area)
 Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies
Psychoanalytic Theory (Area)
 Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies
Research Methodologies (Area)
 Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies
Trauma and Violence (Area)
 Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies
Groups having discussions at tables
Our research centres and institutes

Our centres and institutes are a meeting place for ideas. A focus for our world-leading academics to share their expertise, to break through disciplinary boundaries and provoke new debates.

Find out more
Also see
Our departments and schools
Research at Essex
Life at Essex
What it's like to live at Essex
Accommodation
Find your new home
Open Days
Come see for yourself
WE ARE
ESSEX ARE YOU?
Sign up for a prospectus Get to know Essex
STUDY
Find a course
LIFE
RESEARCH
EXPLORE
CONTACT US
Contact


  • +44 (0) 1206 873333
  • University of Essex
  • Wivenhoe Park
  • Colchester CO4 3SQ

 

 

University of Essex - Where change happens

CONNECT WITH US
© 2025 University of Essex. All rights reserved