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Sample Personal Statement for International Studies
From 2000-2002, I participated in a major academic research
project—xx—jointly launched by the School of International Studies and
the History Department of xx University. During this project, I was
the person-in-charge coordinating the student researchers on the
sub-project “xx”. In November 2001, at the invitation of the xx-China
Cultural Association, I paid a visit to the xx National University,
and as a delegate representing Chinese students, I made a keynote
speech at the China-Japan-xx Conference on Environmental Diplomacy.
Then in December 2003, as a representative of outstanding students, I
took part in the xx jointly held by the United Nations and xx
University. Finally, from June to July 2004, I went on a exchange
program under the sponsorship of the xx Foundation and participated in
seminars and workshops on international relations at University of xx
and University of xx.
The foregoing activities are just some of the highlights, not the
totality, of my seven-year academic career at the School of
International Studies of xx University, the most prestigious teaching
and research institution of international relations in China. Some of
those opportunities are extremely rare and selective, eligible only to
a very limited number of top students. As a student of international
studies, I have veritably acquired quite considerable international
experiences and developed international perspectives, especially in
Southeast Asian studies that I would like to study through a Ph.D.
program. This is what distinguishes me from the rest of my classmates
and from other Chinese applicants to your program.
Majoring in International Relations in my undergraduate and graduate
program, I have received both intensive and extensive academic
trainings in this field and have undertaken advanced research in them.
My academic transcripts would indicate the full spectrum of
foundational and core courses I have taken as an undergraduate and as
a graduate student. They encompass both the highly theoretical classic
courses of international relations such as Theory of International
Relations and History of Western Political Thought and the
specialized, in-depth, regional studies such as Southeast Asia Studies
and American Studies. In the due course, my study of international
relations have undergone an important transformation, proceeding from
simple analysis of political and economic relations between major
countries onto the construction of theoretical frameworks under which
to perform analysis and interpretation, and to further make rational
and justified predictions.
In terms of academic achievements, I am also quite prominent among my
fellow students. Apart from being involved in the major research
projects and academic activities mentioned in the first paragraph, I
have excelled in two other important aspects. On one hand, during my
undergraduate and graduate programs, I have achieved an average
overall GPA of 3.8, with an even higher GPA in specialized courses,
which has brought me the highest-level scholarships of the School and
the University. Since 2002, I have been recruited as teaching
assistant by the University’s Center of American Studies on the course
American Culture and Society. On the other hand, I have pored over a
quantity of classic works on international relations to be acquainted
with the scholarly perspectives and views of the leading authors in
the field. For example, The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of
World Order by Samuel Huntington triggered my serious thinking on the
distinctive features of Asian civilization and on the relationship
among major powers in East Asia. I am also impressed by the idea of
“soft power” proposed by Joseph Nye, which inspired me to carry out
research on the role of Asian values in Lee Kuan Yew’s Reign over
Singapore in my undergraduate thesis, which was scored 90 points. In
addition, based on group discussions and research findings, I have
published several papers—xx, xx, and xx.
One thing special about my Master’s program is that the program is
jointly run by the School of International Studies of xx University
and the xx Foundation. The courses have all been taught by eminent
scholars from the United States, Japan and China and the languages
used include English, Japanese and Chinese. Naturally, such a joint
program lays emphasis on China-U.S.-Japan relations and I have been
systematically trained in standard scholarly research. Seminars,
presentations, case analysis and group discussions dominate our
program.
Under such a background, Asian studies have naturally become my focus.
Having done much detailed preparations, I am writing my dissertation
on the influence of Japan’s non-government organizations on Sino-Japan
relations. With the xx Foundation, the largest NGO in xx, as a basis
for case study and incorporating my investigations in xx, I will
examine the role played by xx’s NGOs in facilitating Sino-Japan
relations when the two governments fail to active effectively in
promoting the bilateral relations.
An important part of my extracurricular activities are also related to
international relations. While acting as vice chairperson of our
School’s student union, I launched an inter-collegiate (xx University,
xx University of China, and xx University) student seminar on
international relations. I also interned at the Department of xx, xx,
fulfilling such responsibilities as contacting the officials of the xx
and xx. Development and Planning Commission, accompanying foreign
delegations on inspection tours to China’s poverty-stricken areas. In
addition, I have been an editor of several student publications and a
volunteer at conferences and major public events. In performing those
public duties, I have demonstrated my readiness to contribute to the
student community and the social community.
As China prepares to play an increasingly important role on a global
basis, it first of all has to deal with its relations with Asian
countries, one of the most challenging issues in China’s foreign
policy. As International Relations is a fairly new academic discipline
in China, the research performed by Chinese scholars has yet to become
more systematic and in-depth. In order to study the subject in an
international context, not simply in an East Asian context, I would
like to apply a Ph.D. program in international relations from the xx
University. xx is the acknowledged top institution in international
studies, particularly in Asian studies, with a well-developed
framework of systematic and productive theories and methodologies. A
number of eminent scholars from the United States, Japan and China are
performing pioneering and the most updated research in the fields I am
interested in. In entering your program, I will meet students from the
United States and East Asian countries and can share their views on a
number of complicated issues so that my perspectives will be balanced
and well-informed. Under your program, I would like to concentrate on
the relations between East Asian countries and on the U.S.’s strategy
in East Asia, with the help of quantitative and qualitative economic
and mathematical models.
My career objective is two-folded—to become a scholar of international
relations at Peking University engaged in teaching, research and
academic exchanges. I am also interested in facilitating
non-governmental exchanges, on the academic, economic and cultural
levels, among East Asian countries. I have been part of such academic
exchanges as a student and there is no reason why such exchanges
should not be promoted beyond the academic level.
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