When you apply for a program like English literature, the best way to impress the selection panel is to show how articulate you can be in your writing.
Your English literature personal statement comes to your rescue at this point.
The admission panels of universities give a lot of weight to the personal statement’s writing tone and grammatical range and accuracy.
In this blog, you will learn everything about personal statement for English Literature such as:
- How to write it?
- What to specifically focus on?
- English literature personal statement examples to validate your write-up against
What is English Literature?
English literature is a broad branch of academics that consists of all texts written in the English language from around the world.
In the academic program of English literature, one studies about the history and development of the English language and literature over various periods such as Victorian, Modern and Postmodern. Geoffrey Chaucer, the English poet who lived in the 14th century is regarded as the father of English literature.
What is an English Literature Personal Statement? How Will It Benefit You?
English literature personal statement is a one-to-two-page personal essay you would be asked to write by a college or university if you want to apply for their undergraduate, postgraduate or Ph.D. program in English literature.
Your personal statement will not only be assessed for what it says but also for how it presents the points to the reader.
Your personal statement literature will help you in the following ways:
- It will help you prove that you have a good grasp of the English language and literature
- It will enable you to express when and how you got attracted to English literature
- Through your personal statement, you can establish that your motivation for pursuing a career in literature is genuine.
- The personal statement is a great tool to highlight your uniqueness as an aspirant of English literature
How Long Does Your Literature Personal Statement Have to Be?
Word count: | 500 |
Character limit: | 2500 |
No of pages: | 1 or 2 |
Margin: | 1” at either side, top and bottom |
Font size: | 12 points |
Font style: | Georgia, Arial, Helvetica or Times New Roman |
What Do the Admission Committee Look For In Your English Literature Personal Statement?
As you kick off your personal statement writing, it is good to know how the selection committee of your English literature program would assess your write-up.
They would grade your document based on a few things such as
- Standard of English used in your writing. Remember that you are applying for English literature.
- Which aspect of English literature attracts you?
- What type of English literature do you enjoy reading most?
- How do you want to settle your career in English literature?
How to Structure an English Literature Masters Personal Statement?
Like any other type of academic writing, you need to structure your personal statement both logically and chronologically.
Generally speaking, your document will have three different parts
Introductory paragraph
Main body
Final paragraph
Introductory Paragraph
Start the introduction by sharing a personal story that delves into how you developed an interest in English literature and how that interest grew to encourage you to take part in a full-time English literature program.
As you progress, make your motivation more specific and say why you think studying literature is really worthwhile for you.
Main Body
Motivation:
Talk about your strong motivation for choosing to undertake further education and training in English literature. Show how much worth you attribute to the program.
Particular periods of interest:
Talking about one or two particular periods of literature that interest you will show that you have evaluated literature of different eras. For instance, your fascination for postcolonial literary works.
Show your interest in different genres:
Showing your interest in multiple genres of literature is good. List different genres such as plays, novels, and literary criticism. Cite examples of some popular works from these categories to show your in-depth knowledge.
Talk about your achievements and interests:
It is important to prove your interest in English literature by citing examples of some activities you have taken part in. For instance, an essay writing competition. If you have made any achievements, mention them too.
Career aspirations in literature:
Tell what you want to do in the field of literature once you have completed your graduation. Try to come up with a roadmap for your future endeavours and present them in your personal statement.
Final paragraph:
Write a reminiscing conclusion that tells precisely what to take away from the entire essay. You must boil it down to one or two sentences. Conclude by showing your enthusiasm to study at this particular university and optimism to secure your place.
English Literature Personal Statement Examples
Take a look at this English literature personal statement examples.
See how it is started and what points the writer has tried to include.
Analyze how each paragraph strictly remains focused on specific points.
I have always been intrigued by the amazing essence of literature to evoke emotions. I can relate with characters, when I am deeply absorbed into novels. Dickens and Twain, among others, have appealed to my intellect with their beautiful storytelling approaches. I feel like remaining engrossed among these storylines, with the characters surrounding me. No wonder, I pursued my interest in literature to complete my graduation in India. The ingenuity of writers has habitually engrossed me, which compels me to opt for this Master’s program to streamline my profile.
Telling stories, participating in debates and participating in dramas are some of the activities I love doing. Since my early years, I have loved storytelling, while building my small personal library of 2,000 odd books. Besides, my passion for English Literature encouraged me to explore different extra-curricular activities. I have been a part of a theatre for the last five years. It gives me an amazing time to engage myself with scripted and improvised drama. Besides, I love activities like signed singing, stage make-up and stage management. It was in the seventh grade that I started learning the Tabla, and at the eleventh grade, I picked up the violin.
Well, I have capitalized on the opportunity to diversify my portfolio over the last few years, as I worked with this organization. I have been working with one of the kids’ groups, where I teach them art, drama and music. Meanwhile, I also mastered sign language. Balancing my non-academic pursuits with the academic ones, I decided to embrace my Bachelor’s degree in English Literature. In the meantime, I also studied history and psychology, which helped me master several skills.
In times of self-reflection, I often realize that I have been able to leverage my argumentative skills through writing. In particular, psychology helped me to gain relevant skills of learning complex factual information and interpreting the same. This strategically complemented my academic course in English, helping me understand contemporary and ethical issues. On the other hand, studying history enabled me to investigate the past. It gives me immense pleasure to retrace the footsteps of great litterateurs, who had refined the language over the years. Besides, I get the opportunity to put forward my own explanations. Eventually, it inculcates the values of open-mindedness in me.
Now, that I have completed my BA in English Literature from one of the top university in India, I am bracing up to acquire further knowledge in the area of my interest. I find the subject extremely absorbing, particularly when I can explore the linguistics of the language we speak. I would like to develop a career as a teacher revolving around the language I love the most. The previous academic endeavours also complement my efforts to pursue this Master’s program in English Literature. Particularly, I would like to mention that as a part of our academic course, I got the opportunity to write an original fiction piece. This is the element that I always cherish when I set my hands on literature. Besides, I love spending my leisure hours performing monologues.
Outside the confines of college, I engage myself in a wide range of theatre art exhibitions and theatre productions. Besides, lectures related to my subject appeal to me the most. I also love musical performances and concerts, all of which constitute certain elements of literature. Analyzing powerful lyrics and contextualizing the same, I find intense gratification as a literature student. I also love attending psychology conferences, which help me analyze the depth of literature.
I would acknowledge that literature has significantly helped me broaden my insight. Presently, I can critically analyze personalities, ideas and characters. As I aspire to establish myself as an English teacher in India, I believe that a globally recognized degree will significantly complement my efforts to take me to my career goals. I have nurtured my affection for English Literature through my academic and non-academic activities all these years. My unwavering zeal and goal-oriented approach would propel me ahead in the coming years. Channelizing my diligence and aptitude, I would like to be a part of the progressive academic ambiance at your institute. I promise to deliver my best in terms of academic performance and peer learning.
Download your copy of English literature personal statement sample PDF by clicking on the button below and read it at your convenience.
Mistakes to Keep Away
The below-listed mistakes are known to create a bad impression on your English language and literature personal statement.
Keep them out of your way while composing your document.
Writing without a plan:
When you write your personal statement without a proper plan, it will end up with a lot of irrelevant detailing and not being straight to the point. Plan it out before you start writing.
Blindly following samples:
While it is good to refer to English literature personal statement examples before you start writing to help you with some of its patterns, it is not a good idea to blindly follow them or modify them to suit your purpose.
Using flowery language:
Show your proficiency in the English language using a variety of grammar structures, synonyms etc. But do not use complex words just to impress selectors. Choose words that perfectly fit in a context.
Using cliches:
Many of the English literature personal statements found online are laden with cliches. You must avoid letting them pop into your document. Listen to your thoughts and write from a personal point of view.
Plagiarism:
Most universities test personal statements against plagiarism. If your writeup is caught in plagiarism testing, application rejection happens for sure. Make sure everything you write is unique and personal.
Use These Tips to Make Your Personal Statement Stand Out
It is the dream of every student to write a personal statement that stands out in every sense.
How to do that?
Here are some expert tips shared by professional personal statement writers.
Start early:
Even if you feel confident to write a perfect personal statement, don’t wait until the last minute to draft your literature personal statement. Write it early so that you can review it a few times and perfect it before submission.Refer to the university website:
Sometimes, your preferred university may have a few prompts to share with you to help you write a personal statement as they expect. You can find all such special directions by referring to the university website.Read a lot about literature:
Literature is a vast subject. Once you focus your career on literature, read as much as you can about various genres and writings in literature to keep yourself up to date.Comply with all requirements:
There are certain rules and criteria to follow when you compose a personal statement such as the writing tone, format, structure, points, etc. Meet all requirements.Reflect on your personality:
The selection panel expects a personal statement that represents you. If it doesn’t, there is no point in writing it. Make it yours in all sense by keeping the focus only on you.Top 10 Globally Reputed Universities for English Literature Program
- University of Cambridge
- University of California
- Stanford University
- The University of Edinburgh
- University of Oxford
- Harvard University
- Yale University
- Princeton University
- Cornell University
- University of Michigan
As We Conclude…
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However, we don’t want to claim so without regarding what you have got to say about this blog.
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