Hi all, my name is Nneka, i just started drafting my SOP for an MA in public policy and management. I was asked specific questions, and this is the first of four : HOW WILL THIS QUALIFICATION ASSIST YOU IN YOUR PLANNED CAREER? GIVING DETAILS OF SKILLS THAT YOU EXPECT TO GAIN FROM THIS QUALIFICATION.
My response so far.
The impact of effective pulic policy on human development can not be over emphasized. As an individaul seeking to pursue a career in public administration, gaining an MA in public policy and management will equip me with the relavant analytical and communication skills needed for formulating,implementing and evaluating policies that promotes human development.
Please does this even come close to anwsering the first question? i need construtive replies thank you all.
...policies that promotes promote human development.
Very good, but now you need examples. It is very general to just say "promote human development." You should explain what you mean by that. You also should get prepared for this writing task by reading some excellent articles about public policy issues. If you put the necessary time into reading, you will write an SOP that reflects current, fresh knowledge about real-world issues and current events, etc.
Think of the advantage you will have if other applicants write in a vague way about abstract concepts but you write all about the real issues that are expounded in great, recent articles.
Make sure the essay haxs one big theme, one big message the reader will remember. :-)
Please help me criticise the final draft of my SOP before i submit it .
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE FOR MA SCHOLARSHIP IN PUBLIC POLICY AND MANAGEMENT.
State clearly your idea of how the proposed qualification will assist you in your planned career. Please give brief details of the skills that you expect to gain from this award and details of your professional plans after completing the award.
a. Objectives during the award
Response:
The actions or decisions taken by the government of a country shapes the lives of its citizens. Therefore, it is important for the decision making process to be very rigorous characterized by relevant evidence through proper research and inclusive participation of all stakeholders involved in order to foster development.
This has inspired me to pursue a career in public policy with special interest in international development. To reach the highest level in the public sphere and to influence lives of people around me, I need to have a firm grounding in the various factors that cause social change. An MA in public policy and management with special interest in international development from the University of York will afford me the platform to gain analytical, quantitative and qualitative data analysis, research and communication skills needed for formulating inclusive strategy policy.
During my studies, I intend to learn the contemporary issues in policy making and implementation and to fully understand the mandate of those charged with policy making.
b. Career plans in the next 5years
Response:
After my MA award, I look forward to working in a national or international organization dedicated to research and education in order to promote sustainable development. Like the National Think Thank Project in Nigeria
c . Long term career plans.
Response:
In the future, having honed my research, analytical and communication skills, I hope to work as program director on one of Nigeria's national program aimed at improving lives of people in poor communities and promoting development like poverty alleviation program
Please supply a personal statement of no more than 500 ways that summarizes the following:
a. Ways in which the scholarship will be enable you to make a fuller contribution to development in your country.
"Give someone a fish and they will eat for a day, teach someone to fish and they can feed themselves for life". This statement is generally welcome and it suggests that knowledge is in the hands of someone, but can be transferred to another who no knowledge on a particular area.
But what if the river dries up or there are no fish? This predicament calls for thinking outside the norm and finding ways for individuals to own their own knowledge, develop their own skills in order to achieve sustainable development
Example would be a case were external expertise are invited to teach women in a community how to make costume jewelry as a way of improving living standards, this process fails to be sustainable because raw material needed to create these jewelry had to be sourced from outside the community.
This would have not being the case if people had looked inward to access the assets and needs inherent in that community. For example there is abundance of clay mud in my community and women are already making clay pots locally, but if ideas could come up to facilitate better standards of clay pot production which can be exported out, I think it would generate income for the local women and they can be able to feed and send their children to school and this in turn enhances human development in Nigeria.
My keen interest in sustainable development started in my final when I became a member of National Association for women societies- an organization that promotes programs designed to promote health and reproductive right of women. And in my final thesis I wrote on the impact of the Paris club debt relief for the Nigerian economy. Through research, I got insight into to how the freed up funds will be used to achieve the millennium development goals.
With this scholarship award, I will be able to carry out rigorous research and formulate policy and strategy that is geared towards promoting capacity development. Apply gained knowledge on new and modernized ways of capacity development that are applicable to Nigeria and use gained knowledge to mobilize grassroots capacity for greater development.