This sample SOP was used by a non-native English speaker to apply to a master’s program in Product Design in the UK.
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Statement of Purpose – Product Design / Industrial Design
I first found my interest in product design while in high school, and ever since I have been devoting my education and work to this field. I have always been a creative person, and I am fascinated by the many opportunities for designing products that can improve people’s lives. However, in my career in recent years I have been yearning to return to school and continue onto more advanced courses related to product and industrial design. This is what leads me to your master’s program. By studying in the UK, I hope to broaden my artistic vision while honing my design skills, learning in a multicultural environment and soaking up the inspiration from the diverse people in your school. With my previous training and work experience, I believe that I will be a good fit for your program.
In 2011, I earned my bachelor’s degree in Creative Product Design from Goodwell University. As a student, I received a broad education in product design, and I found myself especially interested in courses concerning design thinking, such as mind maps, SWOT analysis, and cross-coordinate analysis. Through the courses I took, I learned to observe problems and analyze them carefully before working to solve them in the process of creating new products. Outside of class, I joined the English club, where I worked to improve my English skills, and I had a minor in the Create Leadership Program, where I enhanced my leadership abilities.
After graduating from university, I joined the graphic design company Krell Design, where I worked to improve my visual and graphic design skills. I was involved with commercial packaging as well as corporate image planning, and I enjoyed thinking outside the box and working with my colleagues there on several design projects. After one year, I decided to return to the industrial design field, and I began working at Anglawn Garden Products as an Industrial Designer. There, I needed to come up with a comprehensive plan taking into account everything including the overall design, the features, and the structure. I also regularly helped the clients and the factory to reach a consensus. We needed to discuss every detail of the designs to assess their feasibility and solve production problems, and this was a very instructive experience for me, as I learned about the practical challenges involved in developing and producing a product.
In my future work, I expect to attach more importance to the problems and challenges of mass production and production cost. In order to fully prepare for this career, I am committed to earning a master’s degree, acquiring more advanced knowledge and specialized skills in product design. I believe that your master’s program will give me a new outlook as well as a better understanding of different design methods, which will help me to re-examine my designs through the eyes of people from different cultures. After earning my master’s degree, I hope to remain in the UK for a period and work in industrial design, taking advantage of the opportunity to learn in a foreign working environment. Eventually, I plan to return to my native country and resume my career, albeit with greatly enhanced skills and prospects.
