The Personal Statements that got me into Grad School in the UK
Key points to hit: 1. Intro 2. Relevant Knowledge/ Skills 3. Career Goals
Application sent to:
University of York, MSc Archaeological Information Systems
accepted
University of Edinburgh, MSc Geographical Information Science & Archaeology
accepted
University of Birmingham, MSc Landscape Archaeology
accepted
Throughout my undergraduate career, I have developed a strong passion for the cultural heritage of the world and connecting to the past through archaeology. My interests lie heavily in the rising technologies now being implicated into archaeological practices. These techniques play a very important role in not only preserving the past for future generations, but also in helping to discover new ways of inquiring about past civilizations. I believe that the University of Edinburgh and its opportunities for research and access digital resources, would be perfect for advancing my interests in Digital Archaeology. My suitability for the MSc in Geographic Information Science and Archaeology comes from my previous and current experience in GIS and Remote Sensing applications in archaeology. I have conducted research using technologies such as ArcGIS, QGIS, ERDAS Imagine, and Photoscan, and feel as though the University of Edinburgh could assist me in building a foundation of expertise in archaeological computing to help further my academic and professional careers.
Since discovering my love for cultural heritage, I have taken advantage of as many archaeological opportunities as I could. I have done fieldwork in Teotihuacan, Mexico and in the states of Washington and California, specializing in the digitization and illustration of artifacts, as well as the conducting of archaeological surveys. I was also a part of the Syrian Heritage Initiative and CORONA Atlas Projects from 2016-2017. These projects focused on the orthorectification of CORONA satellite imagery for archaeological applications, implementing remote sensing models into ArcGIS, and using the imagery to monitor and record the looting activity in the Middle East over time. Throughout these projects, I was exposed to the power and importance of GIS and Remote Sensing technologies in archaeology, and as a result I modified my undergraduate major to accompany GIS and Remote Sensing coursework.
My current extracurricular activities and hobbies reflect my interests in research and education. I chose to be a substitute teacher for the Lake Elsinore School District during my intermediate period between Undergraduate and Graduate programs in order to give back to the community that fostered my interests in history, and encouraged me to achieve my academic goals. I am also the softball coach for American River College, where I work to inspire young women to continue their education through the development of athletic and academic rigor. With my free time, I enjoy practicing illustration in a variety of mediums. I have been drawing since a young age, and this hobby has helped me to excel in illustrating opportunities that arise in archaeological research.
My career plans are to establish myself in the world of archaeology and cultural heritage preservation. I would like to specialize in archaeological fieldwork and research in prehistoric archaeology, and work for an institution that seeks to discover new ways of recording archaeological data. After attaining a masters degree, I would like to further my education at the doctoral level. In addition to this, I would like to become a professor of anthropology and digital archaeology in order to inspire and educate people about the importance of our past civilizations.
