Here is the guideline: Goal of study, title or subject of research, and detailed study plan, Future plan in Korea or another country after study in Korea
Here is my essay:
There is a problem in my country I would like to help fix and I believe studying media and communications in South Korea will give me the expertise I need to solve it. The problem is our mindset. Everything we do is generally for ourselves and our families. We complain that things in our country are not going well, but nobody actually does anything to help, not even when we are in positions of power. We think "let me sort out my family and I first, then I will help others", but that never happens. There is never a time when you finish sorting out yourself and your family.
In the last decade or so South Korea has gotten worldwide attention which is evidenced by the inflow of tourists, students and foreigners every year. When I was a child, every time I heard about South Korea it was in relation to the DMZ and the ceasefire agreement, but around 2011, that began to change. Suddenly, South Korea became a country of technological advances,rich culture and the fastest internet in the world. It became a country where people want to study, vacation and live in. People have experienced a perception shift about Korea. Using myself as a case study and from reports/research, the media had a huge role to play in this perception shift.
My goal in studying Media and communications in South Korea is to figure out how South Korea was able to use the media to positively shift the world's perception of it and how the strategies can be fine tuned to help shift the mindset of (my country) such that there is a togetherness and will to make our country better. My research is more of a behavioral type therefore, I will use the qualitative method of research. I intend to 1st figure out how South Korea was able to influence perception using media (i.e. South Korea's Media and its influence on perception). Basically, I will find the strategies that has worked for South Korea in the influencing of perception and then look for ways this strategies can be adapted to Nigeria.
I intend to use focus groups for my research. The focus group will consist of foreigners that have entered Korea in the last decade, young Koreans between 20-40 years, older koreans between 40-50 and lastly, industry insiders. With the responses given by these groups, I hope to understand the state Korea was in before and after the perception shift and the reason/basis for the perception shift. I believe that this will be a good foundation for my research. In Order, to discover the strategies used, I believe that I would need to work in the industry and become an insider myself, thus this will make up a huge chunk of my 2nd school year in Korea. I will split my time between doing my necessary course work and working in the industry to gain insight and reviewing available research that has been done on the topic relating to mine.
My first school year will be entirely focused on learning the basics of media and communications. As I do not have a background in this course, I believe that this year will form the foundation of my research and determine the success of the research. I intend to take extra classes and do some personal study in addition to the necessary coursework I will have.
My 3rd year will focus on concluding my research and necessary course work. I will take care to complete all my graduation requirements as at when due.
After my studies are done, I intend to work in Korea for a period of 3-5 years. The knowledge I have gotten from my studies will create an opportunity for me to build practical skills and gain practical knowledge within the media industry. It will also give me the opportunity to network extensively and work with industry insiders who have the knowledge I need to further build the strategies that can help achieve my goal of shifting/changing the mindsets of Nigerians. Since media industries around the world are interconnected, the networks I build here and the skills I learn will be invaluable to me when I get back home. As a person of African descent, I believe that during my 3-5 years in Koreans, I'll be in a position to give valuable insight about the African market if/when Korea decides to expand their activities to Africa.
After my learning and working period is over, I will come back to Nigeria where I'll also seek employment and begin to implement the plan developed in areas under my jurisdiction while pitching it to the top level government officials.
Here is my essay:
The Right Mindset
There is a problem in my country I would like to help fix and I believe studying media and communications in South Korea will give me the expertise I need to solve it. The problem is our mindset. Everything we do is generally for ourselves and our families. We complain that things in our country are not going well, but nobody actually does anything to help, not even when we are in positions of power. We think "let me sort out my family and I first, then I will help others", but that never happens. There is never a time when you finish sorting out yourself and your family.
In the last decade or so South Korea has gotten worldwide attention which is evidenced by the inflow of tourists, students and foreigners every year. When I was a child, every time I heard about South Korea it was in relation to the DMZ and the ceasefire agreement, but around 2011, that began to change. Suddenly, South Korea became a country of technological advances,rich culture and the fastest internet in the world. It became a country where people want to study, vacation and live in. People have experienced a perception shift about Korea. Using myself as a case study and from reports/research, the media had a huge role to play in this perception shift.
My goal in studying Media and communications in South Korea is to figure out how South Korea was able to use the media to positively shift the world's perception of it and how the strategies can be fine tuned to help shift the mindset of (my country) such that there is a togetherness and will to make our country better. My research is more of a behavioral type therefore, I will use the qualitative method of research. I intend to 1st figure out how South Korea was able to influence perception using media (i.e. South Korea's Media and its influence on perception). Basically, I will find the strategies that has worked for South Korea in the influencing of perception and then look for ways this strategies can be adapted to Nigeria.
I intend to use focus groups for my research. The focus group will consist of foreigners that have entered Korea in the last decade, young Koreans between 20-40 years, older koreans between 40-50 and lastly, industry insiders. With the responses given by these groups, I hope to understand the state Korea was in before and after the perception shift and the reason/basis for the perception shift. I believe that this will be a good foundation for my research. In Order, to discover the strategies used, I believe that I would need to work in the industry and become an insider myself, thus this will make up a huge chunk of my 2nd school year in Korea. I will split my time between doing my necessary course work and working in the industry to gain insight and reviewing available research that has been done on the topic relating to mine.
My first school year will be entirely focused on learning the basics of media and communications. As I do not have a background in this course, I believe that this year will form the foundation of my research and determine the success of the research. I intend to take extra classes and do some personal study in addition to the necessary coursework I will have.
My 3rd year will focus on concluding my research and necessary course work. I will take care to complete all my graduation requirements as at when due.
After my studies are done, I intend to work in Korea for a period of 3-5 years. The knowledge I have gotten from my studies will create an opportunity for me to build practical skills and gain practical knowledge within the media industry. It will also give me the opportunity to network extensively and work with industry insiders who have the knowledge I need to further build the strategies that can help achieve my goal of shifting/changing the mindsets of Nigerians. Since media industries around the world are interconnected, the networks I build here and the skills I learn will be invaluable to me when I get back home. As a person of African descent, I believe that during my 3-5 years in Koreans, I'll be in a position to give valuable insight about the African market if/when Korea decides to expand their activities to Africa.
After my learning and working period is over, I will come back to Nigeria where I'll also seek employment and begin to implement the plan developed in areas under my jurisdiction while pitching it to the top level government officials.