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Sample Statement of Purpose for Sociology
Undertaking internship at the XX Center of XX Commission in the
first half of 2003 sensitized me to the major developments both inside
China and around the world. I had special opportunities to be exposed
to the economic, political, and cultural events around the globe. This
knowledge about the outside world has given me a unique and balanced
perspective to examine the reality of Chinese society. In this
historical epoch in which China is becoming closely integrated into
the international community and playing an influence role in the world
arena, my personal perspectives and aspirations are also undergoing
important changes. I wish to gain insights into our society in its
socioeconomic aspects and to study how China can respond to the
globalization process. Toward this objective, a Ph. D. program in
Sociology concentrating on economic sociology seems imperative and
completing this program will equip me to contribute positively and
directly to the country’s social progress and globalization processes.
My motivation toward undertaking such a program is related to another
vital factor. While working at the Ministry of XX, I have been
concomitantly pursuing a part-time second Bachelor’s degree in law
(focusing on Economic Law) at the Law School of the prestigious XX
University, recognized as the best law school in China. Building on my
undergraduate program I completed in the School of Information
Management of XX University, I have further broaden my horizon of
knowledge. Studying economic law has inevitably triggered my concern
for China’s economy and its economic performance in the global
context. This explains my increasing interest in economic
globalization, international development and comparative development.
My second degree cross-connects with my archives management at the
Ministry of XX. In managing the agreements signed by China with other
countries, I have paid special attention to the changing conditions
and consequences as reflected in the international economic treaties
China signed during different historical periods. By piecing
individual cases together, I have developed an overall picture of
China’s own economic development over the past 50 years and its
economic cooperation with other countries. As a matter of fact,
China’s economic development is the most important indication of
China’s social and international development.
The broad knowledge base endowed by my education across China’s two
leading universities has allowed me to play a research role at my
workplace. By applying theoretical knowledge, I presented a research
report XX，in which I probed into the basic principles in the
collection and sharing of the economic information and in the
management of global international agreements within the framework of
international law. This award-winning report provides important
reference value for an important portion of foreign affairs. At
present, I am co-editing the book XX (in the “XX” series) by writing a
chapter on XX. The book is to be published by XX Education Press early
next year. In addition, I have submitted a host of papers like XX.
Although my research is not strictly in the field of sociology, it
nevertheless has permitted me to delve deep into important aspects of
China’s rapidly developing society—IT industry and its complicated and
far-reaching implications for the country’s social development.
As a matter of fact, I was qualified for the highly competitive
employment at the Ministry of XX primarily because of the important
research achievements I made as an undergraduate at XX University.
Based on my research on the Strategies of Long-term Preservation and
Retrieval of Digital Information sponsored by XX, I published nearly a
dozen research papers, far beyond average graduate students. Among
those papers, XX, and XX aroused the attention of the academia for
their pioneering perspectives.
One thing special about my undergraduate program at the School of
Information Management is its equal emphasis on science and humanities
subjects. Apart from advanced courses in mathematics and information
technology, I also studied Economic Information Retrieval and
Utilization, Contemporary World Political Economics, Information
Consultation and Decision, Personnel System and Human Resources
Management that are highly relevant to the program I am applying for.
My extensive extracurricular reading covered In Search of Prosperity:
Analytic Narratives on Economic Growth by Prof. Dani Rodrik, director
of the Center for International Development at Harvard’s The John F.
Kennedy School of Government. Beyond my academic study and research
activities, I did internships at the XX of XX Province. I gained
knowledge both about the country’s macro policy-making processes and
about micro economic operations.
By far, my most important input in the field of globalization and
international development derives from my diplomatic experiences at
the Ministry of XX. I served as conference assistant at the second
round of XX on the XX Issue in the XX. I went on a cultural exchange
tour to XX and contributed to the successful holding of the Exhibition
on XX. I attended the International Conference of XX, the XX of China
. Most importantly, I worked for a month as assistant secretary at the
Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in XX at the end
of Oct. 2004 and for the succeeding two months at the
Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in XX, XX. All
those experiences have given me international and comparative
perspectives regarding the regional development around the globe.
With a strong commitment to social development, I am searching for a
best university to deepen my knowledge and understanding of sociology.
The excellence of your faculty and your research standards represented
by the faculty are most impressive among leading American
universities. Your highly respected program provides students with
opportunities to explore the most cutting-edge theories and to apply
them to reality. I am most excited over your well-developed and
comprehensive curriculum, with lots of interdisciplinary subjects,
taught by knowledgeable professors. Such educational advantages are
nowhere to be sought in China. Your Ph.D. program in Economic
Sociology permits students to perform comprehensive research through
all kinds of methodologies. Under your program I would like to focus
on International Development, Comparative Development and my
prospective Ph. D. dissertation will be on one of the following
areas—Comparative Development of Asia and the West, Global Cities,
Business Networks (Asia, Social Capital and Social Networks，Financial
Changes (Asia) .
There are two things that I can contribute to your program—my unique
and in-depth knowledge about China’s social conditions and social
development, its inherent problems and possible solutions, and my
special ability of research cultivated through the writing of dozens
of papers and essays and as co-author of two books. Through your
program, I hope to develop into a scholar well-educated and
well-trained in sociological theories and methodologies. My
professional objective is to return to China and be a researcher at
the International Studies Center under the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs. By that time, I will be able to contribute to China’s social
development by influence the administrative organs involved in
formulating China’s macro social development policies. In doing so, I
may integrate my self-actualization with the values of the larger
society.
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