Statement of Purpose: Public Economics Graduate School

Statement of Purpose
As an undergraduate student considering various degree options, I met a university professor who suggested that I explore coursework steeped in questioning, analysis, and research of a different type. He encouraged me to explore an academic area that enabled me to ask difficult questions and to explore various solutions and theories associated with business and human scenarios. He believed that this particular academic program might challenge me to reach further, with more excitement and enthusiasm than what I had previously experienced. His assumption was correct, and I have never regretted choosing to study in the field of Economics.
My undergraduate study has enabled me to explore various concentrations of economics; my favorite is the study of public economics. Although I have enjoyed all of my major classes, I have actively sought undergraduate research opportunities. During the spring semester of 2018, I began a project that analyzed various policy decisions and subsequent implications on the current state of immigration reform. As a student researcher, I was named a finalist at the Three Minute Thesis Competition sponsored by the University of _________. I was invited to discuss the project at a University research roundtable event, and I was also a presenter at the spring 2018 conference of the Society of Business and Economics. Immersed in the study, I determined to expand the research, partnering with my faculty advisor in an effort to produce a more complete analysis of the subject. We were accepted to become Transaction Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) research fellows. To attain my Economics degree, I have completed both Intermediate Microeconomics and Macroeconomics, a course in Public Finance, a Contemporary Economic and Financial Issues course, Business Calculus, and an independent study course to further an undergraduate research project. To support my intense interest in economic research, I will have completed four semesters of Quantitative Methods courses upon graduation.[The Three Minute Thesis Competition is open to all academic disciplines at the university.]
Major Courses Completed

Course

Grade

Int. Microeconomics

A

Int. Macroeconomics

B

Public Finance

B

Business Calculus

A

Contemporary Economics

A

Table 1: Major Courses Completed at the University
Through my undergraduate career, I have had the pleasure of encountering professors who taught their specific discipline with an infectious excitement. I understand how important it is to be led by professors who are not only experts in their field, but who also are driven to encourage and see students succeed. Similarly, I plan to pursue a teaching career after graduate work so that I, too, can encourage and excite students in the study of economics. The Thesis Track of the Master of Arts in Economics degree at the MERGEFIELD University University of Northern Colorado fits my academic and research goals through opportunities to interact with stellar faculty and exciting research projects. I am pursuing admission into this specific program because I truly believe that the MAEcon Thesis Track will prepare me for a seamless and success...