The worth of a subject, among most people I know, is measured only in terms of its income-creating potential. My choice of History was met with disbelief among family and friends who could see no way of capitalizing on knowledge of the past. Bright people are expected to study business, medicine, or the law; they are not expected to learn something as useless as History. Consequently, my choice was made only after much thought and some obstruction and so demonstrate, I believe, a genuine passion for History grounded in my identity as a young woman from Hong Kong and Chinese.
My long-term goal is to become involved in the administration of Hong Kong at a senior level and perhaps teach International Relations in major universities as a visiting lecturer. I am especially intrigued with reunification processes, mainly Chinese, and I hope to have the honor of having Dr. XXXX as my academic advisor. One China has many challenges ahead, and I wish to prepare myself academically at Oxford because I see it as the world’s premier institution for studying international relations.
My love of history fired a deep interest in politics and international relations, especially China’s relationships with the rest of the world. Perhaps Hong Kong Chinese is more attuned to the nuances of the behavior of the Chinese government than many of those who, whether they know it or not, will become more and more affected by its policies and attitudes in the future. I also believe that Hong Kong’s people have a potentially vital role in helping the Chinese to understand other societies and vice versa and in seeking positions that will benignly influence China’s stance on its external relations. I want to be involved in those processes. Seeking a deeper understanding of China ought to be a primary occupation of any student of international relations. I would hope to be involved in research relating to contemporary Sino-US concerns, the changing nature of the relationship, and the implications for the direction of diplomatic policy.
I am familiar with the work of Professor XXXX. I have read her books ‘X’ and ‘X.’ I hope that it might be possible for her to supervise my work as my research interests coincide with her area of expertise.
I was educated in the medium of English throughout my academic career. I was a member of the Social Service Club organized by my secondary school, visiting the elderly and organizing activities for them. I also served as Head Librarian at my secondary school. I led a team of librarians in restructuring the previous system into one which could be more efficiently used. I learned the basics of librarianship. This has been of great value in using libraries more profitably when researching the many primary and secondary sources required in my history studies.
After entering university, I was invited to return to assist in the teaching of pupils at my old school. I helped Form 1 student with their homework and revision. I also helped in counseling students who had anxieties about personal or academic problems; I had so recently shared so many of the feelings expressed made me more empathetic than someone older might have been and gave the students more confidence in my guidance. These activities were both enriching and educative.
To prepare for this application, I voluntarily joined relevant courses provided for those taking Master’s degrees at XXXX. I took available studies in Sociology, Government, and Public Administration and was awarded ‘A’ grades in the top 5% of students. I feel that these successes demonstrate a facility for multi-disciplinary in multi-cultural contexts, and I hope to excel in your program.
I cannot claim to be widely traveled, but I am interested in non-Chinese cultures. I very much look forward to being exposed to British culture, studying and socializing with people from a wide variety of cultural and social backgrounds, and educating them about my own. In 2008, I participated in an exchange program run by the National Education Services Center of Hong Kong. I went to the Pearl River Delta to explore the economic interaction between Hong Kong and that part of China. The formal training was exciting, but I also learned something outside the program that was even more enlightening; I knew that anyone and everyone could be the source of compelling and valuable information. For instance, the waiter or taxi driver who boasts about his brother’s growing trucking business and provides details of the change in the kind of goods he transports for export can provide information that is more useful and current than a six-month-old official report on local economic conditions.
I am aware that there will be other very well-qualified applicants. However, I do consider myself to be an exceptional candidate. I have an excellent academic record; I have a good grounding in history, modern politics, sociology, government, and public administration, especially well-suited to the interdisciplinary study of International Relations with a particular focus on Chinese issues and the way that our globalizing economy continues to serve as a motor for increasing levels of collaboration between most of its major players, most notably, at least from my perspective, China and the United States.
I have clear goals as to how I wish to apply the knowledge and skills that I shall acquire in the program.
Thank you for considering my application.