Hi guys, I am applying to graduate programs in International affairs for next Fall semester . I've wrote first draft of SOP.
Essentially, I want to express my interest and motivation in the field of international affairs by connecting it with
my personal and academic experience. So please help me out !
My personal experiences, as a life-long international student, perhaps, have been the single-most influential part of my academic and professional development. Still only 23, I have already spent half of my education in five different countries. In South Africa, unlike South Korea, schools were not accessible without fetching by parents as a public safety measure, and in India, many lives were designated by their born-caste as much as their personal initiatives. There I realized that being in a different country is more than a simple change in geographical location but a fundamental shift in the way people think and live. To date, my interest to pursue career in international affairs and diplomacy has been informed and sharpened by these experiences with political, social and historical differences in the world.
It was this fascination with my own education and history that led me to major in Global Studies at University of Illinois. The unique interdisciplinary approach to Global Studies not only gave me a foundation for international affairs, but also opened up the door to prepare myself with a comprehensive understanding of the causes and complexities in international affairs. For that reason, I have constructed an integration of courses in Global Studies, Political Science, Geography, and Energy Security as part of my major plan of study. While I continued to engage in developmental and diplomatic studies with emphasis in Latin America, I decided to take a semester-long exchange program in Costa Rica. By being fully immersed in the culture, I reasoned, would provide much-needed perspectives on my area of study. In keeping with my international consciousness, I presented and received views about political and economic issues on developmental policies, use of natural resources and immigration with the local students and host family. Experiencing political and other perspectives of Costa Rica not only as an international student, but also as a student of International Studies was tremendously enlightening.
Over the course of my experiences as an undergraduate student both in US and Costa Rica, I came to understand the importance of interdisciplinary approach to international affairs that, while nothing new, helped me establish a micro plan for my professional career. As of now, there exists a dire issue of international security over natural resources and energy. This ever-growing need to secure energy source with persistent growth in energy consumption has forced East Asian countries to consider diplomatic measures to open energy market in Latin America. That's also nothing new. However, it seems that the lack of understanding in culture and society between two regions has stagnated their integration. This is, obviously, an opportunity. As governments of both regions continue to try open the Latin American market, there will be an ever-increasing demand for a catalyst to bridge the interest and culture of two regions. My objective is to capitalize on this opportunity.
My years at University of Illinois in global studies and political science has given me enough exposure to adequately address the fundamental aspects in the field of international affairs. Continuing along these avenues of interdisciplinary learning and global experience, I would like to develop and improve my understanding of international affairs both in theoretical and practical aspects. Thus, I view graduate training in the International Affairs as a natural progression of my personal, professional and academic experiences. It is those experiences in my life that has given me a strong foundation in the diplomatic sector and more specifically interested in bridging the movement of people, culture and idea between Latin America and East Asia.
XXXX University's International Affairs program comes first in my mind because of its outstanding faculty and interdisciplinary approach to international affairs. In my search for a suitable Master's program, I was excited to learn that [ strength of each graduate program ] + [ How it would affect my learning ] Hence I seek admission to XXXX University, so as to further the knowledge I have obtained and to obtain an opportunity to interact with like-minded peers, thereby actively contributing to the sector, the nation and the global society.
I already possess a burning interest and desire to further my education in these areas. Coursework and professional training dealing with international affairs and diplomacy, I believe, would provide me the necessary tools for careers in professional organizations and IGOs dedicated to interregional trade and diplomacy as well as bridging the world even closer.
This SOP is fine except for a few points. You do not really talk about what it is you really want to do. Are you applying straight out of undergrad or did you work a little? If so, talk about any job experience you may have had and how that helped steer your desire to study international relations on the graduate level. Also, you need to really detail WHY? WHY? WHY? Did you participate in any governmental programs? Any type of poverty relief program? Are you the child of diplomats? What exactly is driving this passion? Fully flush out projects that you have actually been involved in to show a true vested and demonstrated interest. -AAO
Hope this helps
