SOP Sample for MSc Economics in the UK | Behavioural Economics

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

I was five years old when my family migrated from my hometown situated in Kashmir to Delhi, the capital of India, due to political turmoil in the state of Kashmir. My family had already lost my grandfather and my parents had to make a very hard decision to migrate to a new place where they were complete strangers and had absolutely no resources to survive. This was the starting of my journey and this journey led me to become a pupil at one of Delhi's most reputed and recognised schools - [SCHOOL_NAME]. [SCHOOL_NAME] not only taught me to be an academic achiever but also to believe and live the values of self-belief and social/community responsibility.

As a child, I used to constantly ask myself the reason we had to migrate from our state, why Kashmir lacked the resources, why so many children have to beg and sell things on the streets of Delhi when they should be in school studying. It was my firm belief that a good understanding of economics as a subject would help in rationalising and solving the unsolved. Hence, when my parents wanted my path to be more conventional like medical or engineering, I chose economics as a subject. Securing 95% in economics in higher secondary school confirmed my deep interest in the subject. A quick fast forward to present day, I am a scholar, pursuing a Bachelor in Economics from [UNIVERSITY_NAME] and in parallel working as an Intern in the Risk Advisory Team at [COMPANY_NAME]. I believe behavioural economics would not only help me with meeting and understanding people all over the globe but also allow me to work on innovative solutions to solve 'deep rooted' economic problems.

I remember at school when I was 13 years old, I used to save my lunch for a poor construction worker's four-year-old child. The child's smile brought immense satisfaction and happiness to me. Then the same year, I went to celebrate my birthday at [ORGANIZATION_NAME]. I knew in my heart that it would be my life's objective to return back to society as much as I can but without compromising on my academic performance as my parents had made huge sacrifices to get me and my sibling the best education. My interest in social/community activities was not only a source of personal satisfaction but also a lifelong learning.

At 14 years old, I was selected to be part of our school's first social help society program called National Service Scheme. The program was that each member of the society had to spend weekly some time teaching activities like dancing or singing to the underprivileged students in a school. Over a period of time, the school for underprivileged students reported a decline in absenteeism and more interest in upskilling.

My path also took me to become a core member of the Acid Attack Survivors Society of my school in 2016. Post receiving intensive training sessions, I along with other members visited schools all over India to spread awareness and train in prevention. I personally worked with some of the acid attack survivors and it was heart-wrenching to know their pain and trauma. To further support this cause, I created a fundraising team and we were able to raise a contribution of GBP 10,000 to financially help the survivors. Along with this, I have worked with a society for the LGBTQI community.

When I was 17, I conceptualised and implemented a project to build an awareness of equality among genders. This project involved me giving presentations in almost 10-15 schools in Delhi. Education for me is a right of all humans and when I contributed to providing free classes to economically weak children of our school after the school hours.

I am currently in the final year of my graduation. I have scored first division in all my semesters so far. My graduation subjects are Mathematical Methods for Economics, Introductory Microeconomics, Business Organization and Management, Introductory Macroeconomics, Entrepreneurship, Environmental Science, Statistical Methods for Economics, Data Analysis, Investing in Stock, Introductory Econometrics, Contemporary Economic Issues and Insurance and Risk Management, Public Economics, International Trade, Indian Economics and Developmental Economics.

In college I also took part in various extracurricular activities like being part of 'Finance and Investment Cell' and 'Economic Society' of the college. I was also awarded Ms Fresher of the college in 2019. I have actively taken part in organising some important events like Economics Department annual event, farewell and fresher events.

I was the lead on the social project [PROJECT_NAME], which works to provide quality education to underprivileged children for a period of two years. I participated in an acting competition organised by our dramatic society and won the third prize. Along with this, I am a national level squash player. I feel that these participations made me a much more confident and organised person along with inculcating a sense of leadership and responsibility.

In terms of my work experience, I have completed internships at five reputed companies since September 2019. I also tried my hands in various fields to be able to understand which job profession would suit my interest and long-term goals and ambitions. My internships include [COMPANY_NAME], India, as their social media brand ambassador, a Human Resource assistant with a start-up called [COMPANY_NAME]. I worked at [COMPANY_NAME] as a Risk Intern, then with a start-up, [COMPANY_NAME] and assisted with the launch of some online projects. I believe having had the experience of a variety of internships, I now have a better understanding and this in turn has helped me realize how much I enjoy economics as a subject. I was captivated to learn how people react in various situations and how risks affect individuals and organizations differently. This made me realize that I enjoy understanding the behaviour of people, and coming up with solutions.

I am also an active member of the Student Research team for our college magazine. My recent research article published was on analysing the social, mental and economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on higher education for both students and teachers. The survey was based on 859 students and 118 teachers of different socio-economic groups across India. Another article I submitted and the college published in the magazine was around the 2021 budget impact on the healthcare sector and infrastructural investment.

On completion of my Masters, my aim is to work for a top analytics company like [COMPANY_NAME] or [COMPANY_NAME]. My long-term goal is to be part of an advisory group or committee on government economic policies. I want to have a positive economic impact on society in general, which will empower the poorest sections of the society.

[UNIVERSITY_NAME] is renowned for its excellent faculty, friendly peers and high achieving students. I look forward to obtaining a better understanding and knowledge of subject issues in Psychological Science, Neuroeconomics, Nudging and Persuasion and study under the mentorships of professors like [PROFESSOR_NAME] whose work on predicting changes in subjective well-being or [PROFESSOR_NAME] whose research on the evolution of shamanism has inspired me a lot. Not to forget, the United Kingdom as a country is the best place for an economics student to grow into a potential economist and comprehend economic policies in a better way.

I believe that a degree in behavioural economics from your esteemed institution will be a stepping stone in my career and would open new doors of opportunities for me. I look forward to a positive response from your side so that I can experience the international milieu that has been inspiring me for ages.