History Personal Statement Example 19

My decision to read for a degree in History is a result of my intense enjoyment of the subject. I am extremely interested in past events and how the modern world came to be. My interest in History probably began in primary school when we visited Richmond on a school camp. Whilst we were there, we visited the ruins of Richmond Monastery and I remember being fas-cinated by the background to the ruins.

During high school, a core topic in History was Nazi Germany, and a survivor of the holocaust visited us and talked about his experiences as a prisoner in a concentration camp. Having the opportunity to speak to someone who lived through that experience really brought the topic of Nazi Germany alive for me. I got another chance to listen to a concentration camp survivor as part of my AS Modern History course and now I would really love to visit the Auschwitz I and II Camps.

To be able to visit these camps would help to bring home to me the horrors of the Holocaust and also further my knowledge of Nazi Germany. One part of Modern History that I am particularly looking for-ward to is the coursework module when I will be given the chance to focus even more inten-sively on Nazi Germany. Whilst studying History I have gained a number of skills including the ability to communicate my ideas clearly. In addition, I have acquired the ability to create an argument, to analyse texts and to evaluate sources.

English Language has also fuelled my passion for History. One of the topics we will be study-ing soon concerns the historical development of the English language and how it has evolved over the years. I touched on this section of the course at the end of the AS year when we stud-ied the period from the Anglo Saxons to the introduction of the printing press. Next term we will focus on the period from 1500 to the present day. English Language has also helped me with my studies in History by helping to enhance my analytical and communication skills.

I recognise the importance of being involved in college life and I recently helped at a college open evening when prospective students from local high schools visited the various depart-ments in the college to talk to tutors and current students to find out about college life and what each department has to offer. I was asked to help the English Department and my role was to speak to the visiting students and inform them of what English Language has to offer and what the course entails. I enjoyed this experience and I felt quite confident when speaking to the visitors and their parents.

After my GCSE's I took a BTEC Computing course at The Blackpool and The Fylde College. I found that the computing course was not what I wanted to do and I wanted to pursue A Levels at Blackpool Sixth Form and my time here has shown I made the right decision.

Outside of college I have a part time job. For over a year now I have worked at Marks and Spencer and prior to this I spent two years at British Home Stores. This experience of em-ployment has given me skills that will help me at university. The need to be punctual for work has helped to develop my time keeping and organisational skills and working with the general public has enhanced my communication skills.

To conclude, I know that I will thoroughly enjoy reading History and developing a more detailed knowledge and understanding of the past. On completion of my degree, I hope to take a PGCE course and become an enthusiastic teacher of History.