Personal Statement - European Studies

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

I am interested in postgraduate study at the University of Lancaster for three reasons: the interdisciplinary nature of the MA by research in European Studies, especially the option to take units in linguistics; heavy emphasis on independent research; and the reputation of the departments in the faculty of Arts and Social Sciences – my programme leader completed her PhD in the department in 2005, and has advised me about postgraduate study at the university.

I wish to take the course because I believe that I am suited to independent study, and the course will not only complement my existing knowledge, but also give me the environment and resources to pursue my own interests in European culture at the same time, which I see as the major benefit.

These interests include: the stylistic potential of erotic motifs in literature; the novella and short story as literary genres; travel writing; and in particular the works of East European (Joseph Conrad, Franz Kafka and Ryszard Kapuściński), French (Guy de Maupassant and Anaïs Nin), Italian (Giovanni Boccaccio and Giacomo Casanova) and Russian (Anton Chekhov, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Nikolai Gogol, Vladimir Nabokov and Ivan Turgenev, and also the theoretical works of Mikhail Bakhtin and Tzvetan Todorov) writers.

How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?

My extended essay is the first piece of substantial academic work that has allowed me to pursue my interest in European culture, and deals with Dostoevsky's Notes from the Underground (1864), investigating the construction of the underground-man's identity in relation to a number of literary motifs in the novella (notes, prostitute, underground and wet-snow).

I also recently submitted short stories for the Suzanne Furstner Foundation (TEFL scholarship) and the High Sheriff's Cheshire Prize for Literature competitions, using the knowledge I gained from my second year Romanticism and Writing Contexts 2: Philosophy, Society & Culture units with the extra reading I had done on Boccaccio, Casanova, Kafka and Virgil. The latter was particularly inspired by Maupassant's short story Clair De Lune, and dealt explicitly with gender theory; a reversal of Eve's fall using sexual motifs.

What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

I have, however, developed other interdisciplinary interests outside my degree too. For example, the colonial travel writings of Kapuściński and Mary Kingsley in Africa, and Conrad's short story An Outpost of Progress heavily influenced my entry ('A long walk to the internet') for this years Guardian International Development Journalism competition. I wrote about the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs's ADEN project, which aimed to increase internet access in eleven sub-Saharan countries. I was long-listed for the award and published on the Guardian's website.

I have worked part-time with Aimhigher as a student mentor, using my subject knowledge to prepare GCSE students for their English language and literature exams. This involved researching fiction and non-fiction texts, creating revision material for students of different abilities, which was then checked by a senior lecturer in my department, and attempting to instil appropriate exam technique. This experience developed my communication and team work skills as I worked with other mentors on the scheme and coordinated with staff in the school. I often had to deal with large groups of students on my own too. But I felt the way I learned to prepare for sessions and talk to students in an appropriate manner was far more valuable in terms of experience. Building upon this experience I was invited to participate in Aimhigher's new Associates Scheme, which launched in November. I am scheduled to work at Macclesfield College from the New Year onwards.

I have also been accepted onto the Liverpool Student Associates Scheme for secondary English. Manchester Metropolitan University does not offer English placements so I contacted other regional providers and was given a placement less than a day after an interview, which not only proves my suitability for a career in education but also my dedication too. And I would actively look to build upon this experience while studying at Lancaster.

Universities applied to:

• Lancaster University

Grades achieved:

• 2.1

How personal statements have changed?

The current personal statement format, with three 'scaffolding' questions, was introduced by Ucas in September 2025. This personal statement was submitted before then, using the old essay-style format. It has been carefully edited into the three-question format, with all of the original wording kept.

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