personal statement for 2 different courses?

I’d like to either study law, or possibly history (or history&english). I want to apply to UCL, and would like to apply for both Law and History, or Law and English. How would I go about writing a singular personal statement that could cover enough ground for both subjects? (more so history & law as i’m unlikely to do English)

Reply 1

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

The simple answer is you can't (and shouldn't). You will just dilute your personal statement too much to be suitable for either subject and quite possibly end up with no offers from either side, assuming there is no joint honours course in the subject (which there is not in the case of law and either history or English).

I'd note that you don't need to do a law degree to become a solicitor, and you can perfectly well become a barrister with a non-law degree and conversion course (there is no preference for those with a law degree as their first degree). About half of qualified lawyers in the UK did non-law degrees.

So unless you have specific academic interests in studying black letter law, you would in almost all circumstances be best off doing a degree in another subject of interest and just going into the field with that degree.

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 2

Chester Student

Official Rep

Original post by paloma.xx

Hello, @paloma.xx

Personally, I would not apply for two courses. However, if this is really what you wish to do. I wouldnt do a generic personal statement that covers both courses. I would tailor each personal statement to each course. You could use the following tips for information on how to do this:

- How I heard about the course
- why I liked the sound of the course
- why the course would help me
- mention any known facts about the course that boosts your knowledge of their reputation
- mention any previous experience you have had within this field of work
- anything i particularly like about the university and the course (IE: do they have labs etc?)

Might also be worth talking about any outside experience you may have too like work experience, volunteer work, extra courses you’ve attended or societies or groups your apart of etc.

Perhaps talk about what your goal is in the future too for instance I want to be an experimental psychologist so I explained that learning about how meditation leads to neuroplasticity in the brain inspired me to become a researcher and then explained how this course would help me to do that.

It might be good to look on their course website and check out the modules for each of the courses you want to apply for - you could then include some in your personal statement as to why they would help.

They are just a few things that I personally did with mine. 😃.

I hope this helps!

- Laura