SOP Sample for MS Economics in UK – Fresh Graduate Profile

Statement of Purpose

At the young age of 13, I had decided Economics would play a huge role in my future, come what may. This fascination turned into love for the subject by the age of 16 as I got to study consumer behaviour. The explanation for something just as simple as our choice to consume a particular thing intrigued me. My love for analyzing and understanding economics reached greater heights with each passing year, from loving how banking worked to being captivated by how excess taxes were actually a loss to enjoying game theory. All these years, I have realized that the more I know about economics, the more I want to know about it.

After securing 84 percent in 12th with 95 percent in economics, I decided to pursue bachelors in economics from [UNIVERSITY]. Academically, I have always tried to improve and have scored first division in all my semesters.

I took commerce with mathematics and economics in my eleventh standard. I have always been fond of mathematics and loved solving questions but to my surprise I was dumbfounded by economics. Initially we were taught statistics in 11th and then we had micro and macro economics throughout twelfth. I always enjoyed understanding how people reacted to different economic situations differently.

At college, my first year had subjects like mathematical methods for economics, introductory microeconomics, business organisation and management and English. In my second semester I had to study subjects like introductory macroeconomics, mathematical methods for economics-II, entrepreneurship and environmental science. For my third semester, I studied Intermediate Microeconomics-I, Intermediate Macroeconomics-I, Statistical Methods for Economics, Data Analysis and Investing in Stock Market. For my fourth semester I had studied Intermediate Microeconomics-II, Intermediate Macroeconomics-II, Introductory Econometrics, Contemporary Economic Issues and Insurance and Risk Management. I am in my fifth semester currently and my subjects include Public Economics, International Trade, Indian Economics and Developmental Economics.

In my second year, I was a part of the research article on the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on higher education. In that article we surveyed 859 students and 118 teachers of different socio-economic groups across India via an online questionnaire to understand how online education has affected them emotionally, physically and mentally. The research article for the year 2021 was published in the economics department magazine, "[PUBLICATION NAME]". I also wrote an article reviewing the increased expenditure on the healthcare sector in the budget of 2021, trying to analyse whether the increase was sufficient or not with respect to the pandemic and existing healthcare issue in India. My article was published in the economics department magazine. For my contemporary economics, I had to review the infrastructural investment suggested in the government budget of the financial year 2021. I not only had to analyse and write a budget review but also suggest solutions with a way forward.

I tried my hands in various fields to be able to understand which job profession would interest me the most. My first internship was with [COMPANY], India, as their brand ambassador. My work was to promote [COMPANY] on various social media handles and then generate orders ranging from Rs 1000 to Rs 4000. I was able to successfully complete the internship and was appreciated by the company for my work. Post this, I did a Human Resource internship with a startup called [COMPANY] which works towards providing cost effective solar energy to people by setting up solar panels. As a Human Resource Intern I was responsible for sourcing candidates online, screening resumes, shortlisting candidates to schedule job interviews, collection and verification of documents post-selection and proceeding offer release, creating and maintaining documentation of database and progress of each candidate.

My third internship was for [COMPANY] as a risk intern. My work was to analyse problems and give suitable solutions to help tackle them. I was primarily focused on policy formulation for identified risks. After this I worked with a startup, [COMPANY] for the same position. My most recent internship was with [COMPANY] in which I was again involved in the risk department and did the same work. The last three internships made me feel closer to my economics background and hence helped realise how much I enjoy economics as a subject. I was intrigued by how people react in various situations and risks affect individuals and organisations differently. This made me realise that I enjoyed understanding behaviours of people and coming up with solutions to tackle them.

I have a close understanding of belonging to an economically and socially weaker section of the society. My family migrated from the state of Jammu and Kashmir when I was 5 as the state went into a situation of turmoil because of political tensions. My parents always made sure my brother and I had the best education possible within their means hence I always believed that we have to return to this society everything it gives us. Since my childhood, I tried to help in any way I could. I was a part of the [ORGANIZATION] at school level and worked closely with and for the acid attack survivors. Along with this I was also heading a campaign for gender equality at school level and had worked with [ORGANIZATION]. I am really grateful to have had a similar opportunity at college level. I headed [PROJECT NAME] for our college, which worked towards providing quality education to the underprivileged children in my first and second year. I also worked with [PROJECT NAME], helping them organise a workshop on menstruation awareness in my first year and headed their project on equality in education in my second year. I also have been working with [ORGANIZATION] for the past six years. Along with that I am helping a kid of the fruit seller of our locality to complete his higher school education by trying to help with his fees, and tutoring so that he is able to crack his exams.

Doing a Masters in behavioural economics would help me understand the functioning of the economy better with regards to understanding the potential users and then help me bring some policy changing solutions or ideas which would help me give back to the society. I feel an international degree from your esteemed institution will be a stepping stone in my career and will help me comprehend my subject of choice better.

Doing a specialised course in behavioural economics would help me polish the analysis skills I developed in my undergraduate degree and give me a better ability to apply them in real life problems. Post my masters I want to work as a policy analyst in big firms like [COMPANY]. After gaining some experience I want to apply in policy making for the government of the United Kingdom.

[UNIVERSITY] is known for its excellent faculty, friendly peers and amazing environment. The faculty would help me get better knowledge of my subject, the friendly peers would help an international student like me understand the culture better along with helping me grow as a person and the benevolent environment would ensure I am focused and at peace so that I can make the best of my time at your esteemed institution. Not to forget, United Kingdom as a country is the best place for an economics student to grow and nurture into a potential economist who could bring some changes to the world as a whole.

I am also extremely excited to be a part of the societies of the university. I strongly believe that along with academics one should also partake in co-curricular activities which would help them enhance their skill sets. I was part of organising the Economics Department annual event in the first year, the Finance and Investment Department annual event in the first and second year, the Economics and Finance and Investment farewells in the first year and the freshers' in the second year. Apart from this I participated in my freshers' in the first year and was not only the Department Miss Fresher but also Miss Fresher [COLLEGE]. I participated in an acting competition organised by our dramatic society and won the third prize. I feel that these participations made me a much more confident and organised person along with inculcating a sense of leadership and being responsible. I am looking forward to joining the economics and finance society, the cake society, the role play and wargame society and the sign language society. As I have played squash at national level and basketball at college level I would love to join one of the teams for the university.