Classical and Archaeological Studies Personal Statement

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

Ancient civilisations have always had an impact in developing the world we live in and I have a deep desire to learn about their culture through Classical Studies and Archaeology. I am particularly passionate about the Ancient Greek and have a strong yearning to develop my knowledge of their culture and societies of the Greek world; especially their religion - how faith impacted their daily lives and how this comes through in their literature and art. I feel that through learning about their religion it enables me to come closer and gain a better understanding of the majority of the civilisation as well as the subsequent culture, as it supports a better understanding of their wants, hopes and fears and would like to be able to further progress my knowledge of this. I enjoy the analysis of how the classical world relates to present day societies and cultures in the Mediterranean and being able to see how they have impacted other cultures, for instance, the Victorians who were among the first to take a large interest in Classical civilisations and so consequently took a lot of inspiration from them for their architecture and literature. I feel that the culture can be best seen through the eyes of the people through the literature and arts they produced and so give a much better insight to what they were actually thinking and being told and so would like to be able to study more, especially having the opportunity to develop to reading their works in the language in which it was originally written.

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

I have developed this interest through work experience at The Ancient Technology centre where I explored experimental archaeology, based on the Vikings and their activities in Britain. I also have an interest for amateur drama, taking part in the chorus of our school theatre production and have further developed this interest to gain a LAMDA qualification. Moreover, I am Chaplaincy Prefect at St. Peter’s School which has allowed me to build my confidence as I have undertaken publically speaking in assemblies and led groups at school, including mediation sessions and prayer groups. I really enjoy supporting the school community in this way and have also assisted at multiple Open Evenings throughout the year.

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

As well as researching the literature they produced, I am also greatly intrigued by the more physical artefacts they left behind through the study of archaeology. I would like to gain the knowledge to be able to identify artefacts and would like to gain the skills to be able to work on archaeological digs which then are able to support my reading. I have been a member of the Bournemouth Catholic Youth Council which supports youth in the Catholic Church. This has allowed me to help organise youth events in addition to gaining social and leadership skills. My work has been fuelled by my faith and my desire to help my church community. I am a black belt in Sama Karate and while attending lessons I have helped teach lower grades, which has allowed me to gain skills encompassing a range of age groups, from 5yr olds to adults. I have a genuine passion to learn about the classical world and all it includes and would relish the opportunity to study this fascinating world at your university.