Personal statement advice for Cambridge ( History Degree or History With Politics)

Billyb_2007

I am currently in year 12 on my summer holidays and I am thinking about what to study in university. I'm not really sure where the next steps in life lie for me, as I've completed work experience at law firms, but my academic interest is thoroughly routed in history. I am going to apply to a history course at university, but I'm really not sure between a straight history BA or a joint hons with politics, which also fascinates me, for future prospects. Can someone please help with what to include for a joint honours personal statement for History and Politics, and what to include in it, or any books to read, and how to structure etc.. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

Reply 1

Stiffy Byng

Works on historiography, such as the books by E H Carr and Richard Evans. In Defence of Politics by Bernard Crick. Maybe look at Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes, the Second Treatise of Civil Government by John Locke, and Niccolo Machiavelli's Discourses on Titus Livy. Try the Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Napoleon by Karl Marx.

Reply 2

Billyb_2007

Original post by Stiffy Byng

Than k you for your advice, I completed my epq on the factors causing the collapse of roman history, where I read historiographical content such as comparing the arguments of Plutarch, Holland and Syme. I've also read Marx's Revenge by Desai, Persian Fire by Tom Holland, E.P Thompsons the making of the working class, The Jakarta method, Thomas More's Utopia and Nicolo Machiavelli's The Prince. So should I work on the historiography surrounding these, or are they too generic (if that matters). Thank you for the response though and I will certainly look into it.