Personal Statement
Applicant: XX    Program: Media & Communication, XX

If an allegory can be used to describe the internship I undertook

recently, I would choose that of the metamorphosis of a chrysalis into

a butterfly—the achievement of maturity through a difficult process of

hard struggles. Since July this year, as a graduating student from the

School of Journalism and Communication, University of XX，I arrived in

XX and worked as a practicing journalist with three media organizations

including XX. For the first time in my life, I was confronted with the

rich and vibrant social and economic realities of China and my

professional training required me to capture the very pulses of this

rapidly changing society, together with its live issues and underlying

forces, with perceptiveness and precision and to apply in-depth

analysis through macro perspectives.

At the very outset, I had difficulty in developing a focus amid a wide

range of possible subjects. On the other hand, the break-neck

efficiency and tremendous rigorousness required by the media industry

were almost beyond me. It was a real challenge when I saw how some of

my first reports were rejected. After initial disorientation, I

gradually adapted to my exciting journalistic role and my broad ken of

knowledge played an important role. XX is the sole dominant media in

China’s industrial world, featuring general economic information and

in-depth coverage of specific issues. There I published a total of five

substantial reports and in-depth commentaries including XX

Subsequently, I shifted my internship to XX and to XX where I published

yet another dozen articles likeXX, and XX. The editors-in-chief duly

recognized my professional standards and potential while  some of my

publications provided importance reference for local decision-makers in

the related fields. My hard efforts paid off when I was awarded the

honor Outstanding Practicing Journalist of 2004 for my reportorial

achievements by XX.

The internship proved a defining experience. It served as a bridge

linking my academic training with the larger world where this training

is to be applied. It improved my ability to deal with complicated

realities and to put theoretical knowledge to practical use. It allowed

me to see my strength as well as limitations. Above all, it reinforced

my determination to seek more advanced academic training so that I can

become a truly high-achieving media worker that I have always wanted to

be.

University of XX is a first-rate comprehensive university of the

country and the School of Journalism and Communication is ranked among

top national level in a recent overall assessment. Its broad-based

curriculum has given me all the important knowledge requisite of a

journalism and communication major. I have excelled especially in

History of Communication Science and Technology, Journalistic

Reporting, Newspaper Editing, Mass Communication, and New Webpage

Design, with highest scores of the class in most of them. Those courses

not only permitted me to gain important insights into journalism as an

academic discipline but also heightened my journalistic sensitivity. I

had a slow start in my first year, nevertheless, my extra efforts since

then put me in steady ascendancy in my academic performance, ending up

in a top 5 ranking.

My parents are both senior engineers and their wide-ranged knowledge

made me aware very early in my life of the importance of comprehensive

personal development. During my undergraduate program, my interest in

journalism has transcended mere curiosity to become a potential career

pursuit. Therefore I paid special attention to be well-read in order to

broaden my horizon. Apart from academic work, I became a correspondent

for the university newspaper when I was a sophomore and have since been

reporting on major campus events. I have kept improving my writing

skills, the problem-solving skills as well as teamwork skills. Finally,

I have been a member of the class committee in charge of publicity, and

a social worker for HOPE Project, a nationwide voluntary support

program to bring the dropouts in impoverished rural areas back to

school. For my academic and extracurricular achievements, I have been

awarded first-class scholarship for years and was the Outstanding

Student of the University.

Under the guidance of my advisor Prof. XX, I am currently preparing my

bachelor’s thesis—XX. The issues to be discussed included the

specific measures of media reform, the underlying reasons behind the

reform (the country’s modernization process, social progress and the

changing needs of the audience), how to implement brand strategy for

media organizations. The conclusions to be drawn will be useful in that

the thesis stresses effective communication, the need to improve the

professional standards of the media practitioners, and the market-

oriented operations of the media industry to supplant government

ideology.

What is exciting about China’s media and communication industry for

the next decade is that, like the radical social and economic changes,

changes in the existing media framework will also be inevitable. The

low public credibility of media, the ideological rigidity, the

ineffectiveness of media as a means of opinion supervision, the un-

rationalized resource allocation, and the lack of market awareness, all

those inadequacies must be altered before a new era of media

development can be expected. To achieve those desired changes, the

development well-trained media workers is indispensable. My present

application for a Master’s program in media and communication at XX is

precisely motivated by the recognition that, having received a standard

undergraduate education, I must acquire international perspectives by

studying in a country with developed media industry. With this

international background and education, I may be well equipped to face

the challenges in China’s future media profession, which is

increasingly penetrated by international media organizations.

The UK is acknowledged for its cutting-edge teaching and research in

media and communications in the world. I am delighted to find that the

Department of Media and Communications of XX is interdisciplinary in

nature, bringing together teaching and research across social sciences,

focusing strongly on media and technology change and their implications

for social, economic and political life, and for policy making.

Students are trained to study, to think, and to solve problems

independently and creatively. Like the multifaceted metropolis of

London, the scholarly work there is also pluralistic, allowing students

to listen to different voices concerning the social, political and

economic issues of the world. I believe that an exposure to diverse

concepts and ideas in this vigorous academic climate is beneficial to

my development of independent opinions and decisions.

Whenever I envision that I could be so close to British media giants

like BBC, I cannot help feeling excited. My prospective program at XX

will definitely become a turning point in my life. By studying how

British and international television, broadcasting, printing and

electronic media operate, I will acquire knowledge highly relevant to

China’s media profession. The relevance will be two-folded. First, my

increased professional standards will made me an accomplished

journalist and as such I will contribute to the role of supervision of

the public opinion. Secondly, I am also interested in learning media

management and the capital operations of the media market. This will

enable me to work my way into the management of a media organization as

I become a senior media worker. Whatever my career path will be, I will

have to depend on your program for the requisite professional

qualifications.