Economics and International Relations Personal Statement Example

Being Bruneian at birth and state educated in that country to the age of 16, my recent experience of being educated in England has quickened my curiosity in the differing forms of government and economic policy that exist between the two cultures. Although I consider myself widely travelled, only after immersing myself in British culture have I began to understand the essence of democracy and its strengths and failings when compared to a more autocratic form of government. It is thus that I aspire to pursue a career in which I can perhaps influence the economic policies of Brunei. The desire to be more independent from the petroleum industry has given fresh impetus for diversification in Brunei and I hope to be able to make my mark in my country's development. This, combined, with my personal interests, makes my intention to pursue an undergraduate course in Economics and International Relations a firm choice for me.

Recent work experience has intensified my desire to follow this path: I have spent two weeks during the last two summers volunteering as a teaching assistant at my old school as well as an internship at the Brunei Investment Agency, Brunei's sovereign wealth fund, where I experienced the thrill of being in the midst of people having to manage a US$30 billion portfolio.

Yet my interests mainly lie in the effects of economics on people. I have been involved in volunteer work for charities in Brunei and was Brunei's representative in the International Children's Conference organised by the UNEP in 2002. During this conference, I and the other participants had to come up with policy recommendations, the best suggestions being delivered to the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg. A number of the issues that were discussed regarding environmentally friendly transport are also touched upon in the A-level module on Transport Economics, especially the impact of lower vehicle emissions on standards of living.

The subject choices that I made for my AS and A Levels were instrumental in my decision to pursue a degree in Economics and International relations as I feel that each subject hones specific skills which are critical for this course. Taking Economics has given me a platform on which I can get further acquainted to economic theory whilst Mathematics trains me to view problems from different angles as well as exploring the avenues of data analysis. Physics and AS English Literature has sharpened my analytical skills as well as increasing my depth of perception. As a result, I am very confident with my ability to hit the ground running when starting this course.

My lifestyle is an active one and living in the UK is a dream for me when it comes to indulging in my favourite sport: football. My enthusiasm for the game has led me to play in all the fixtures for the school inter house tournament this term as well as being the vice captain for my house's second team. I play basketball and squash with friends. I feel that participating in sports with others develops a sense of camaraderie, teamwork and respect which is beneficial as these are traits that will help to ensure success not only in university, but in life.