Personal statement for the a master's degree in International Relations
From childhood I have been motivated by the quest for knowledge, ranging from the governance, to understanding the economic and socio-cultural aspects of various nations in the world. Seeking to understand the interaction among nations in the world, and how this interaction tend to affect the global sphere with regards to topics of concern such as; wars, climate change, terrorism and nuclear proliferation. I come from Nigeria, a country where people's rights get violated every day, poverty rates are alarming and people have very low living standard. Growing up, I had such a strong desire to help people, stand up for them and do something significant in my own little way. But I realize that doing this requires a lot more than just raising my voice and offering a comforting word. I need to be able to educate myself, figure out ways in which I can have a stronger impact in the world as a whole. There is a strong need for change in my home country Nigeria and I am committed to being a part of it. I believe obtaining a Master's degree in International Policy will go a long way in helping me achieve my goals.
I strongly believe I am on the right track to achieving my goals. I prepared myself by taking relevant courses such as government, history, and economics in high school. I was lucky to have a history instructor called Miss Caro Taire, who was one of a kind and instrumental in my strong background. She educated me on the importance of history and how it could shape the future of our country. In high school, I joined the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) club, where I was assigned to the Human rights panel. This gave me some exposure as to how the UN and other international bodies such as EU (European Union, WHO (World Health Organization) and UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) tackle issues of poverty, child labor and health-related issues such as HIV/aids. I was also a member of the Junior Achiever's Club and was elected vice president. This gave me room to develop my leadership and basic research skills as we were taught how to develop and manage a business. This experience solidified my desire to want to be in a position where I could greatly impact lives. Working with an organization as such will be a dream come true.
At the Undergraduate level, I majored in Archaeology and History at the University of Nigeria. I was able to learn how the world evolved overtime through archaeological evidence and historical facts, how nations rose and fell and why the world is in its current state. This broadened my horizon and I could visualize a whole new world of possibilities. Topics like globalization, diplomacy, and international security were of paramount importance to me. I became concerned with issues affecting other nations, particularly in Africa and Middle East. I began to understand that external influence could shape the growth of a nation. This made me understand the foreign policies of different countries as well the effect of globalization and development in both developed and under-developed countries. I discovered that playing a part in the international arena creates more ripples in a country. Issues of science and technology, international security, peace and conflict management affects policies made by a nation as much as the advancement of its interest. During this time, I also discovered other career options which are applicable to my field of interest, like the Foreign Service, where I can work as a Diplomat. This enables me to have options in case my quest for working in an international organization does not pan out. So I decided to join the SHISSN (Students Historical and International Studies Society of Nigeria), which was responsible for organizing workshops and seminars to address issues around the globe and how they could be reconciled. I was also honored to be elected vice president of my department. This strengthened my leadership skills and gave me an opportunity to mentor other students in my department, and advise them on different career opportunities available to them in their field of studies.
I realize a career in the Foreign Service may require lots of travelling, and fortunately for me I love to travel, experience different cultures and learn languages. I believe a career in Diplomacy or in International Organizations would help me achieve these goals, considering I will be able to travel to different areas and learn local languages. I believe this all starts with obtaining a Master's degree in International Relations.
This is a very good start. You have a great story and it flows nicely. You make it personal, but still professional. I think it is very well written.
I would suggest that you spend more time talking about how the master's degree will be helpful to you. You tag it on at the very end, and it feels a little forced. Start to work in why it, and the institution you are applying for will be specifically helpful to you. EX, what programs are there? will it give you specialized knowledge? etc. It only needs to be a few more sentences.
Also, your conclusion is a little redundant
I realize a career in the Foreign Service may require lots of travelling, and fortunately for me I love to travel, experience different cultures and learn languages. I believe a career in Diplomacy or in International Organizations would help me achieve these goals, considering I will be able to travel to different areas and learn local languages. I believe this all starts with obtaining a Master's degree in International Relations.
Hope this helped
