One woman's path to academic empowerment: Studying in the UK Question - Scholarship Essay

I'm an applicant of the Chevening Scholarship. Kindly review my response to the following question and provide feedback on whether I answered the question appropriately. Thanks in advance.

STUDYING IN THE UK QUESTION: Outline why you have selected your chosen three university courses, and explain how this relates to your previous academic or professional experience and your plans for the future. *Please do not duplicate the information you have entered on the work experience and education section of this form (minimum word count: 100 words, maximum word count: 500 words)

(Note: there is an option to select the same course at 3 different universities)

Chevening Scholarship application

My professional experiences over the last five years have been focused on designing and implementing interventions to influence developmental and social change through communication. During this period, I've worked as a Communication Specialist on two international development projects, and across eight Caribbean countries, with objectives of achieving food, water and energy security for our people. This experience has cemented for me the importance of communication in development and have shown how impactful it can be to lives and livelihoods, and the overall economic growth of our region.

For instance in Jamaica, climate change has posed a fundamental threat to the production of domestic food crops and to the livelihoods of Jamaican farmers and their families. With strategic and collective action we can lessen the impact and educate stakeholders on how to adapt. Applying development communication can assist greatly towards this end and my role on the climate change project in Jamaica involved doing just this. Here, I used various communication techniques to influence the behaviour of targeted groups, primarily farmers and youth - the downstream approach. This involved the formation of farmer-field-schools and included sharing information in a manner that influenced the farmers' agricultural methods and boosted the adoption of Climate-Smart-Agriculture.

While downstream interventions are important for development, I've learnt that effecting sustainable behaviour change often requires action from decision-makers to create the enabling environment. My current work experience in the clean energy sector has helped me to realize the significance of this. On this project I've had more opportunities to design interventions for upstream audiences. This includes the successful launch of an electric vehicle campaign to help governments and other upstream players understand their role in inducing change in the macro-environment to boost deployment in Jamaica.

For my future plans, I see myself as part of the process of sustainable development in Belize and our wider Caribbean Region. Firstly however, I must broaden my academic skill sets and develop an in-depth understanding of how communication can help to guide social and behaviour change to be able to address more upstream and downstream factors. Being able to apply various approaches will help to deliver the desired development outcomes and support our region's growth.

For these reasons, I want to pursue a postgraduate communication programme with emphasis on development, especially in the United Kingdom, given its strong development policies and aid programmes. As such, I've carefully chosen these three universities in England that offer a Master's Degree in Communication for Development that will complement my undergraduate degree in Integrated Marketing Communication. Their track record, and the expertise being offered by these institutions will not only help with exceptional career progression but will be incredibly beneficial towards strengthening my skills in this area so as to foster more meaningful dialogue and action around development issues to effect the change the Caribbean needs.

(Note: The application already has a section that requests the names of the chosen universities and courses)

Denise, while I understand that you have a strong professional background in this line and you are very proud of your accomplishments, you need to understand that each university has specific professional and educational requirements that you have to fulfill. These are also the different reasons that you were attracted to the universities in the first place. Therefore, you will still need to mention each university name and discuss the varying reasons that set them apart from one another so that the reviewer can better understand why you chose these universities. These differences exist either in class form, training, or course syllabus. You will have to find those differences then discuss them. Sure the general objectives and outcome are the same for all the universities. How they achieve this type of training for their students is what creates the differences between their graduates and that is what you have to present in your essay. With 500 words, it will be a bit difficult to do. However, if you simply provide a professional ability discussion along with the reason you chose a specific university, then you will have more than an adequate number of words with which to discuss the essay. Remember, if all the universities offered the same learning experience, there would not be a need for you to pick 3 universities. So think about what advantage each university offers and highlight that in your essay.

Please make this thread urgent for a new review from the contributor.

Hi Mary,

Thanks very much for you feedback. I'd love further advice from you as we may have different interpretations of what the question is asking and I really want to make sure I respond correctly.

I interpreted the question to focus on the course(s) and not the universities themselves. The the instruction says "select three different master's courses, these can be three different courses at the same institution or the same titled course but at three different universities. ... choose your field of study carefully and select courses which reflect your current or future career goals."

I opted for selecting one course at three different universities. However, had I chosen one university with 3 different courses, then the comparison of universities would not be applicable. Do you agree? Or am I too literal in my interpretation?

Also the question said outline why the selection was made; not explain. It says explain how past experience/future plan relate. Based on this, I'm thinking it is more important to justify how the chosen field of study will help towards development in my country. My response aimed at justifying this through the explanation of my past experiences and future plans. In my mind, I did outline why I made the selection and the relevance to past experience/future plans.

But please let me know if you still believe this approach to answering the question is incorrect. I welcome the advice to improve/restructure the essay. And I certainly don't want to appear boastful of my achievements. If that's how it reads then I'd like to alter.

Thanks in advance.

Denize, while you did successfully outline your general responses to the prompts, it doesn't erase the fact that you still chose 3 different universities, as per your own words, to apply for admission to. There are varying reasons as to why you chose each university that ties in directly with specific plans that you have for your career and country. As well as your profession specific skills. That is why you still have to discuss each university and course separately in the context of the prompt.

If you will take the time to review the other Chevening Study in the UK essays here, you will see a clear examples as to why your format will not work. The reviewer will base the university choice for your scholarship on individual considerations even if you have already indicated acceptance into a specific university. It is a matter of them accurately matching you with a university as opposed to you choosing one university or three, thinking you successfully matched yourself with one. There is a big difference.

As to the explanation regarding one university and 3 courses. You would still need to justify the differences in the courses in relation to their applicability in your line of work and your professional skills and background. They need to know that you are not a car mechanic wanting to treat human patients as a doctor, so to speak. Don't be so literal in interpretation. Always seek out example essays as provided here before you draft your own essay.

As per the successful Chevening applicants, of which there are many that I have assisted here over time, the individual university considerations came up and were used to match certain scholarship interests with the student and university choices. Hence my suggestion that you discuss each separately. We are not talking general skills here but rather specialized interests and skills that are relevant to your scholarship program. This essay needs to be precise because it leads directly into the post study plan prompt which, if you mess this essay up, will be difficult for you to accomplish. Your idea about future development plans is misplaced as the indepth discussion of that is presented in the post study plan essay.

Indeed we have 2 different interpretations of the prompt. My interpretation has led to successful scholarship grantees and final interview candidates at the very least. Evidence of that can be found in their thanks to me in this forum. However, I am not here to convince you of my way and i will not to force my suggestions upon you. In the end, this is your application so you should follow what feels right for you. In other words, you can go with your gut feeling and see what happens then. Good luck with your application.

Hi, as I do not have much experience of this kind of essay, I cannot give any professional comments. However, I have a threat in need of your comments, please help me, which can help you to enhance your writng skill. Thanks a lot.

@Holt

Thanks Mary. I'll make the changes based on your suggestions and revert with a revised draft.