Environmental challenges, such as climate change, deforestation and biodiversity loss, are the defining crises of this time. The University of Essex is committed to helping students build the vital skills and knowledge they need to think critically about environmental issues and to respond to them sensitively. Essex is interested in studying how diverse cultures and societies interact with the environment locally and globally. From the use of technology, to consumer habits and political conflicts, they examine the influence human activities have on the environment past, present and future.

Throughout the course they cover topics including but not limited to: sustainability, cultural diversity and human rights, environmental policy and activism, psychogeography, nature writing and the arts.