comparative literature personal statement

I've just started an access course in the humanities and want to apply for a degree in literature and creative writing or more preferably comparative literature, but since I've just started the course there isn't much to discuss in terms of the modules I've studied and I must complete at least a draft of 2000 words for my personal statement as part of my coursework. I don't have related work experience and haven't read many classics, are there any other ways to start it without including these?

Reply 1

flâneuse

Complit student here. Compared with English, CL is based on translated works and explores culture in depth. Write about your encounters with culture (and no, I'm not necessarily talking about a gap year...) and any authors that have intrigued you in the past with their takes on exploring culture through different types of literature such as letters, poetry, plays, fiction etc. Many CL courses also delve into other mediums of capturing culture including photography, art and film. As a musician I also mentioned about my encounters with culture in that, too. Mention a couple of books that stood out to you that fit this (or another medium if you're really not a reader) which can be brought up and talked about if you get an interview, and keep the rest up your sleeve in case. Have you visited any exhibitions or popups that opened your eyes to a new side of history or culture, perhaps?
In my opinion, classics are probably more required in English than they are in CL: you can take EL courses in some university CL programs, but they're not normally compulsory. That being said you could try to mention some non-Anglophone classics such as le Tre Corone Fiorentine, Dostoyevsky, Racine, Moliere, or some more 'obscure' ones (for British universities id class this as anything beyond western Europe, Ancient Greece and Russia).
As for your current modules, mention their impact on your decision to want to study literature. Was there a turning point where you realised that one of your seminars covered an idea or a way of thinking that you wanted to explore more? For creative writing, how have you expressed creativity in the past? Have you done any journalism (however informal it may be!) before, or attended any extracurricular workshops that allowed you to expand your horizons fro your current degree to your prospective one? Hopefully part of this can help you start writing it, and best of luck with whichever decision you choose to make :smile: