The Statement of Purpose that accompanies your application for Columbia Southern University’s postgraduate or doctoral programs is used, along with a review of your graduate transcript and resume, to assess both your academic and professional experience. For doctoral applicants, the Statement of Purpose also provides insight into your proposed research. The Statement of Purpose must contain the following three elements:
- Introduction
- Summary of Academic and Professional Experience
- Conclusion (postgraduate only)
- Academic Interest (doctoral only)
The Introduction section is a concise description of what inspired you to pursue an advanced degree in your field. Applicants must specify the name of the program they wish to pursue. This section should not be an autobiography. The Summary of Academic and Professional Experience section is a discussion of relevant graduate-level academic work and professional experience, if any, that has prepared you for the program. The Conclusion section (postgraduate only) is for you to describe how you plan to make a positive impact in the field upon program completion. The Academic Interest section (doctoral only) is your elaboration on your research interest, linking contemporary research on the topic and demonstrating how the interests are applicable to your doctoral studies.
Your statement of purpose should be an original, between 500-1000 words, single-spaced in 12 point font, and be free of spelling and grammatical errors.