Asking for advise on letter of intent for a PhD program

Question

I would be endlessly thankful for any advise on the following letter of intent. Thank you in advance for your readiness to help!I am applying to your Doctoral degree program starting on Fall 2012. My career objective is to become a scholar investigating political communication and democratization in Eastern Europe and to work as a professor at a university or as a researcher at a think-tank organization.My passion for journalism started as soon as I had learnt how to write and started editing and spreading among my friends my own hand-written magazine for children. My first articles appeared in national newspapers when I was still in high school, and after being admitted to the best university in my home country I decided to devote my career to improvement of political situation and triggering integration with Western countries.Thus I spent my spare time working as a freelance-reporter in media which promote democratization and Europeanization of Belarus. However, I have come to see that to attain this goal, efforts of journalists are not sufficient. There is a great need of professional researches analyzing media environment from the perspective of political communication, preferably built on a comparative analysis with neighboring countries. Thus my decision to enter graduate school was made.I first came across studies from the Western school of journalism on agenda-setting and framing while working on a conference paper based on the comparative analysis of Iraq war coverage in several American newspapers. At the same time I noticed scarcity of English-language books on journalism available even at the Belarusian National library. I tried to buy some literature while travelling abroad, and the more I read, the more I understood that Belarusian journalistic theory was detached from research work done in Europe or in the US.Hence, the Master program at MS University has been an intellectual life-line for me. In addition to the literature I could only have dreamed of, I also met prolific professors who inspired me to reflect on my own research interests. Their studies based on comparative media analysis made me to think about the possibility of applying theories from the Western school of communication to the processes of democratization in several Eastern European countries in 1990s.I want to explore whether Western media theories are applicable or require corrections with regard to historical and cultural distinctions. I wish to study how agenda of integration with the EU and NATO was present in media and how this issue was framed, how Soviet era values and practices were overcome or are still cultivated in mass media, and how media coverage should be changed to enhance integration processes with the West. My fluency in several Slavic languages and resulting familiarity with media and political environment in Eastern Europe put me in a unique position to implement this research.I am fortunate to join a team of a newly created BCES after my graduation. In addition to my direct duties, I am also taking part in numerous seminars and round tables, organized by the Center and its partners. Besides, I have also started my teaching assistantship at the EE University. All these activities are an excellent preparation for your doctorate program because I am getting better understanding of political and social processes within and outside Belarus as well as make friends with native and foreign scholars whose expertise and studies will benefit to my future research work.I wish to continue studying at the University of TA because of profound research traditions and outstanding faculty members working at your Department of Communication, features that were highly praised by my former professors in Sweden. I am glad that unlike at European universities, in your program I can spend two more years on studying media theories and research methodologies as well as taking courses from related disciplines as political science or sociology before writing a dissertation. With many distinguished scholars working at your Department I know that I will gain expert knowledge in political communication, media theories and media effects, as well as pursue my ambition to become a scholar.Thank you for considering my application, and I look forward to your acceptance.

SanDiego · Accepted Answer

Doroshishka, you are an excellent writer. I have added a few things but over all, I am very impressed!

I am applying for your Doctoral degree program which starts in the Fall of 2012. My career objective is to become a scholar who investigates political communication and democratization in Eastern Europe. I would also like to work as a professor at a university or as a researcher at a think-tank organization.

My passion for journalism started as soon as I had learned how to write and edit/spread among my friends, my own hand-written magazine for children. My first articles appeared in national newspapers when I was still in high school, and after being admitted to the best university in my home country I decided to devote my career to the improvement of political situations and the triggering and integration of Western countries.

Therefore, I spent my spare time working as a freelance-reporter in media which promoted democratization and Europeanization of Belarus. However, I have come to see that to attain this goal, common efforts of journalists are not sufficient. There is a great need of professional research which involves analyzing media environments from the perspective of political communication, preferably built upon a comparative analysis with neighboring countries. Thus, my decision to enter graduate school was made.

I first came across studies from the Western school of journalism on agenda-setting and framing while working on a conference paper based upon the comparative analysis of the Iraq war coverage in several American newspapers. At the same time I noticed a scarcity of English-language books on journalism available, even at the Belarusian National library. I tried to buy some literature while travelling abroad,but the more I read, the more I understood that Belarusian journalistic theory was detached from research work done in Europe or in the US.

Hence, the Master program at MS University has been an intellectual life-line for me. In addition to the literature of which I can only dream, I also met prolific professors who inspired me to reflect on my own research interests. Their studies based on comparative media analysis made me think about the possibility of applying theories from the Western school of communication to the processes of democratization in several Eastern European countries in 1990s.

I want to explore whether Western media theories are applicable or require corrections with regard to historical and cultural distinctions. I wish to study how agenda of integration with the EU and NATO was present in media and how this issue was framed, how Soviet era values and practices were overcome or are still cultivated in mass media, and how media coverage should be changed to enhance integration processes with the West. My fluency in several Slavic languages and resulting familiarity with media and political environment in Eastern Europe put me in a unique position to implement this research.

I am fortunate to join a team of a newly created BCES after my graduation. In addition to my direct duties, I am also taking part in numerous seminars and round tables, organized by the Center and its partners. Besides, I have also started my teaching assistantship at the EE University. All these activities are an excellent preparation for your doctorate program because I am achieving a better understanding of political and social processes within and outside Belarus as well as make friends with native and foreign scholars whose expertise and studies will benefit my future research work.

I wish to continue studying at the University of TA because of profound research traditions and outstanding faculty members working at your Department of Communication - features that were highly praised by my former professors in Sweden. I am glad that, unlike at European universities, in your program I can spend two more years studying media theories and research methodologies as well as taking courses from related disciplines such as political science or sociology before writing a dissertation. With many distinguished scholars working at your department, I know that I will gain expert knowledge in political communication, media theories and media effects, as well as pursue my ambition to become a scholar.

Doroshishka · Answer

Thank you, SanDiego! Both for proof-reading and for encouragement! <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' alt='Emotion: smile'/>

Doroshishka · Answer

I've been constantly working on my letter for a about three weeks to improve it with a help of MountainHiker. Of course, it is not ideal, but I believe it became much better than it was originally. I truly hope it could help somebody else in an endeavor to write a statement of purpose! Keep my fingers crossed!

I am applying to the Doctoral Program at the Department of Communication at the University W starting in the
fall 2012. I have decided to pursue academic career in communication to contribute to democratization of Belarus. While a sophomore at the University B, I became a freelance reporter, dedicated to promoting the democratic initiatives of the European Union and the United States for Belarus. Even though I was busy working and attending extracurricular seminars on journalism and on civic societal developments, I managed to finish among the top ten students out of nearly two hundred.

Being an inquisitive and astute journalist with an interest in political affairs and communication science, I am fortunate to have a strong aptitude for languages. By reading extracurricular books in English and Polish written from the perspective of Western School of Journalism, I noticed that Belarus lacks such studies. I have come to appreciate that in order to change an existing political situation, political communication scholars must strategically supplement the efforts of journalists and analysts. Although there are non-governmental media organizations in Belarus that promote democratic changes, there are very few, if any, researchers analyzing how effective these organizations are in shaping public opinion and political discourse. There are no studies on how media influences political participation, civic engagement, and building of civic society, and what should be done to increase media consolidation and mobilizing capacity. Moreover, Belarusian journalists do not systematically learn from the experiences of our neighbors who moved further along the continuum toward democratic development. Thus, I have decided to help fill this niche by becoming a university professor or a researcher at a think-tank organization who will scrutinize political communication in Eastern Europe.

The International Master Program at University M was an intellectual lifeline. In recognition of my academic and professional achievements, the Institute S awarded a scholarship that covered my expenses of studying abroad. This financial assistance along with advanced academic literature and encouraging professors motivated me to become one of the best students in the class. Despite some personal challenges, I managed to be among a select few students who finished master thesis within the allotted two-months and to graduate with the highest GPA.

Upon graduation I joined a team of experts and analysts at the BCfES and started an assistantship at the University H. In addition to my direct responsibilities, I am strengthening my knowledge concerning political and media environments in Eastern Europe and am developing contacts with local and foreign scholars, politicians, and artists. Their studies and analyses will benefit my future research work. Moreover, I am preparing my first paper at the BCfES and am assisting guest lecturers with teaching in Russian. Although I had to briefly interrupt my graduate studies, I am still progressing toward my academic goal by obtaining professional expertise, research materials, and knowledge about the region.

I still lack a full understanding, however, of media theories and thorough knowledge of research methods. That is why I wish to continue my education at the Department of communication at the University W. During my Master program I read books and articles by LB, NR, and PM, all of which focused my attention on media effects on political participation and civic engagement, on factors shaping media content, and on intercultural research. For future studies, I would like to apply these methods and theories toward several Eastern European countries. Moreover, I have contacted Professor PM who has expressed her interest in my research framework and its appropriateness for the program.

In my future cross-country comparative analysis, I would like to study the following: how the agenda of integration with the EU and NATO was present in Eastern European mass media; how this issue was framed; how Soviet time values and practices were overcome or are still highlighted in mass media; and how media coverage contributes or should contribute to civic engagement and to the integration with the West. I am also particularly interested in democratic potential of new forms of mass communication such as the on-line news and social media. With fluency in five Slavic languages and familiarity with political and media environments, I am uniquely qualified to conduct this study. My recent visit to Brussels accompanied by discussions with politicians and experts confirmed that the conclusions of such research work would be of great interest not only to scholars, but also to think-tanks, political institutions, and politicians who are concerned with Eastern Europe in general and with Belarus in particular.

Before writing my dissertation at your university, I plan to spend two more years scrutinizing media theories and research methodologies as well as taking courses on related disciplines such as political science or sociology. I am sure that courses in political communication, especially those covering the role of media in autocratic political regimes, will enable me to apply experience of other countries toward Eastern Europe. I am confident that my future research work will contribute toward the building and enriching of media theories. Given the research interests of faculty members as well as my international background, journalistic and teaching experience, fluency in foreign languages, passion for knowledge, I am an excellent fit for this Graduate program.

Asking for advise on letter of intent for a PhD program

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