Personal Statement:Theology ps

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

Raised in a religious household, I was taught about religion from an early age. The more I was taught, the more questions I had, most along the lines of "If God is so loving, then why..?" As I began to learn more about faith, I thought the idea of atheism increasingly interesting. This has led me to read atheist literature, including 'Why I am not a Christian' by Bertrand Russell. I thought the idea that Russell based his essay upon, that one should not believe in God if there are no good arguments for believing in Him, was fascinating because of the number of arguments that have been put forward for the existence of God.

Having learnt about several such arguments such as The Cosmological Argument and The Ontological Argument, I believe that their level of impact depends on the perception of the learner. A believer may call them excellent whilst a non-believer may render them awful. Richard Dawkins questioned whether Theology "is a subject at all" and said it was comparable with "the study of leprechauns" but Theology has many concepts which are fundamental to humanity, and I believe the search for a higher being is an inherent one.

The debate about whether or not God exists, and the way in which God is perceived in different faiths and denominations makes the prospect of studying Theology at university perfect for me.

Upon completing my degree, I would like to continue studying and pursue a career in academia. I believe education should never end, and this is true especially for a subject such as Theology where there are no definite answers, as God is "precisely that which is non-empirical", making the prospect of studying Theology, ideal.

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

I believe that the A Levels I am currently undertaking will be helpful in studying Theology at degree level. Religious Studies has helped me to begin looking at key philosophical questions, as well as looking at ethical theories and debates, and whether or not we owe a duty to anyone other than ourselves.

English Literature has allowed me to deconstruct texts and analyse them, which will be helpful when studying religious literature. It has also helped me develop my critical thinking.

Psychology, as the study of the psyche, will be helpful as I will have a foresight into the effect a belief in God has on the mind-set of a person. Having studied the Psychology of Religion, I understand that Freud believed religion to be a manifestation of repressed guilt, an interesting concept which I would be interested in studying further.

Studying French at AS Level will help me learn other languages, enabling me to understand religious texts relative to their original languages, such as The Bible relative to Greek and Hebrew and its possible interpretations.

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

I am an individual with a keen willingness to learn and self-motivation. This was evidenced by taking part in the Model United Nations (MUNGA), representing Russia in February 2014 which required independent research from my team and me. It allowed me to develop my teamwork skills, as well as my presentation skills. Furthermore, because of events in Russia at the time, I was able to apply my skills of analysis and debate to the modern world. This is an attribute which I think would serve me well because I am interested in how religion influences us today.

I was a classroom assistant for a Year 8 Religious Studies class, which allowed me to develop my communication skills, since the role required me to find inventive ways to communicate information to the students as well as communicating effectively with the teacher.

I was also elected into the role of Deputy Head Girl at my school, allowing me to develop my sense of responsibility, foregrounding the importance of supporting and helping others. It also allowed me to hone my leadership skills.

In my leisure time I read, go to the theatre and am an avid runner, which will enable me to be active in societies and student life, as I would like to join the running society, and the debating society.

Universities applied to:

• University of Birmingham (Theology and Religion)
• University of Nottingham (Theology and Religious Studies)
• University of Aberdeen (MA Theology)
• University of Exeter (Philosophy and Theology with Study Abroad)
• University of Edinburgh (Theology)

Grades achieved:

• Religious Studies (AS) - A
• Psychology (AS) - B
• English Literature (AS) - C
• French (AS) - D

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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