Pursuing Historical Research

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Pursuing a dual J.D./M.A. in History is the program best suited for my academic interests and career goals and is the ideal way to continue my education at the next level. In addition to my passion for the law, I possess an enthusiasm for historical research and have gained significant experience in the historical field as an undergraduate student. My first academic passion was for historical study, and as I developed my interest in the law as an undergraduate, the complementarity of these two fields became apparent to me, not only because of the importance of precedent in the American legal system, but also because one cannot fully understand the law and past court cases without proper historical context. Being that the study of the law …show more content…

The research process was instrumental in the development of my historical research and writing skills, as I gained experience with in-depth archival and other primary source analysis over the period of several months, as well as collaborative writing on a historical research paper of significant length. The process of researching and writing an original academic paper was both challenging and enriching, which greatly contributed to my academic growth as a history student. The following semester, I developed and submitted the paper attached as the writing sample for my capstone historical writing course, which was uniquely challenging due to the dearth of primary and secondary source material related to this largely unknown topic. These two historical research experiences, in addition to other historical research and writing experience as an undergraduate, have given me experience in the field of history, and at the same time strengthening my interest in the field and my desire to continue my education in the …show more content…

The two motivators for my professional career are a passion for social justice causes and a desire to teach, which I believe are complementary. I clarified my interest in pursuing a career oriented towards social justice causes as an undergraduate student at Le Moyne College, where the College’s Jesuit mission emphasizes educating ‘the whole person’ to be one create positive social change in the world and be advocates for social justice causes. This philosophy resonated with me in a profound way and has motivated me to pursue social justice in my

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