Application Essay: Why I Want To Study History

The concept of how we got to where we are has always fascinated me. That is why I want to further purse the study of History. My fascination for History began when I moved from a Saudi school, where History was not a priority to a British International school where my love for the subject began. My passion was further accelerated when I visited the Acropolis when I was only ten years old. I remember being fascinated by the ability of the Greeks to transport certain statues from Persia. Attending my schools to Italy to study the classical and renaissance periods further developed my intrigue for history.

After Studying History at IGCSE and A levels I developed an Interest for Imperial History. ‘The fate of empires’ by sir john Glubb has encouraged me to undertake further research into the subject. However, I am also enthusiastic about Middle Eastern history. My interest in Middle Eastern History was sparked by a lecture on the fall of the Arab spring by Noah Fledman. Conflicts in the Middle East have been going on for centuries. It is in the Middle East were the study of History is needed the most. There

History unlike most social sciences has a critical and speculative philosophical aspects in which the degree of objectivity as well as the significance of an event are taken into consideration. Through studying geography at A levels it has allowed me to study Human patterns such as settlement movement and population growth, this has helped me to better recognise patterns in History. A level economics has helped to develop my essay writing skills as well as helping me develop my analytical skills which is important for analysing sources. Moreover through studying economics and reading books such as ‘Profits over people’ , I have discovered that a solid historic background is needed in understanding the