This sample SOP was used by a non-native English speaker to apply to a master’s program in Art Education in the USA
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Statement of Purpose – Art Education
As I prepare to earn my bachelor’s degree in Visual Art, I am eager to continue my education in the most inspiring and challenging setting possible, which leads me to apply to your graduate program in Art Education. Through postgraduate studies I hope to improve my creative abilities, broaden my point of view, and cultivate the ability to be both an innovative artist and an influential teacher. In my native country, the arts are often viewed as a diversion or a hobby rather than a serious field of study, which is why I feel compelled to go to the US, where the arts are much more respected and developed. Your graduate program, with its abundant resources and diverse student body, can give me inspiration and training beyond what would be possible if I remained in my native country, and I am thus very much looking forward to commencing my graduate studies.
As an undergraduate, I have cultivated the independent abilities that a creator must have. I view artistic creation as a behavioral process of self-discovery and satisfaction, and it is therefore vital for artists to observe the world around them. My professors have taught me how to complete an art creation on my own, transforming the objects around me into my own creative language. I have developed a particular interest in fine art and an aspiration to work as an arts educator in the future, and I believe that the abilities that I have developed will help support my further research and creative productions as a graduate student.
In addition to the courses I have taken, I have also been active in department activities and events. For example, I the Exhibition Leader of the Department’s Student Union, and I planned two exhibitions during this time, including the Department Exhibition and the Faculty-Student Joint Exhibitions. In addition, I served as the leader of the graduation exhibition tour, in charge of distributing tasks to crew members and managing various details. I was also invited by a professor to volunteer in the department’s academic seminar, where my main role was to give guided tours of the exhibition and distribute tasks to volunteers. These combined experiences made me a much more well-rounded person, confident in my leadership and communication abilities.
With the above experiences, I consider myself thoroughly prepared for the challenge of further studies in your graduate school. I am eager to learn from the talented professors and inspired students there, while at the same time adapting to a new culture, which will help open my mind and give me new perspectives. After completing my studies, I would ideally hope to work for a period in the USA to acquire practical experience in an international setting. In the long-term, I plan to return to my native country and pursue work as an arts educator, using what I learn to inspire the next generation of artists. I believe that a true artist can have a deep and long-lasting impact on society, and after receiving the training you offer, I hope to begin working towards changing the conception of the arts in my home country and the surrounding region.
