Application Essays for Masters and Doctoral Degree Programs

Criteria for Admission in Graduate Application Essays

You must write and submit the required essays. The application review committee weighs the quality of your essays very heavily in their decision about whether you will be admitted to the program. The criteria considered in their review include:

  1. whether the program is appropriate, given your interests, needs and background;
  2. whether your basic writing skills (grammar, spelling, sentence structure, etc.) are sufficient for graduate-level study;
  3. whether you are able to write a coherent, well organized essay in a style appropriate for graduate-level work in your academic field.

The assigned essays must be original to this application and responsive to the specific questions (they are not intended to be writing samples drawn from previous undergraduate or professional writing assignments). The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the creation or substantial editing of admissions essays is prohibited. If you use any material from other sources/authors, you must include appropriate academic documentation and citation.

Business, Management, and Leadership

Personal Statement

In an essay of approximately 600 words, describe your interest in Empire State University’s MBA program. Include your short-term and long-term post-MBA professional goals and how the MBA program will help you to achieve those goals.

Personal Statement

In an essay of approximately 600 words, integrate a self-assessment of your readiness to meet the rigors of the graduate-level healthcare courses with your short-term and long-term goals. Explain how the M.B.A. in healthcare leadership will help you achieve these goals. In addition, indicate how your experience and skills would help you be successful in this program.

Personal Statement

In an essay of approximately 600 words, describe your motivation for applying to the Master of Science in Finance at Empire State University. Include your short-term and long-term professional goals and how the MS in Finance will help you to achieve those goals. In addition, indicate how your experience and skills would help you be successful in this program.

Personal Statement

In an essay of approximately 600 words, describe your motivation for applying to the Master of Science in Applied Analytics (APAN) at Empire State University. Include your short-term and long-term professional goals and how the APAN will help you to achieve those goals. In addition, indicate how your experience and skills would help you be successful in this program.

Personal Statement

In an essay of approximately 600 words, describe your motivation for applying to the Master of Science in Marketing Analytics (MKAN) at Empire State University. Include your short-term and long-term professional goals and how the MKAN will help you to achieve those goals. In addition, indicate how your experience and skills would help you be successful in this program.

Personal Statement

In an essay of approximately 600 words, describe your motivation for applying to the Master of Science in Healthcare Analytics (HCAN) at Empire State University. Include your short-term and long-term professional goals and how the HCAN will help you to achieve those goals. In addition, indicate how your experience and skills would help you be successful in this program.

Education

Two Essays Required

Personal Statement

In an essay of approximately 600 words, describe your interest in SUNY Empire State University’s Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Change. Include your short-term and long-term professional goals and how the Ed.D. will help you to achieve those goals.

Research Proposal/ Application Essay

The purpose of this essay is mainly for us to learn about your research background and the topics you may be interested in researching. We do not expect you to be experts in research, or lock in yourselves into a specific topic for your dissertation at this stage.

There are many different ways to write a research essay, and you are free to submit the research essay in any format you like. The following guidelines provide one way of structuring your research essay, and indicate the content we would normally expect to see. There is no fixed word limit, but we would usually expect around 1500-2000 words.

Title

  • A proper working title for your essay.

Rationale

  • Why do you want to research this topic? What are the research questions you are considering? Why is this topic important? What is the context of your proposed study? How will you be able to contribute to the development of policy/practice through researching this topic?

Literature review

  • You need to show that you are familiar with relevant literature (academic books/journal articles) in this area. How will your research relate to existing research in this area?

List of references

  • References of the work you cited in your research essay.

Personal Statement

The M.A. in Adult Education is specifically designed for those already working, or aspire to work in the full range of settings in which learning in adulthood takes place: the private or public sector workplace, organizational and community life, formal education, higher education, social justice, literacy, human resource development, health care, etc. In an essay of approximately 600-800 words, explain: First, what is your current or aspirational area of work, and what is the basis of your commitments to the field in general and your own work in particular? Second, what is your general area of interest? This is your chance for you to describe how the MA in Adult Education can help you meet your goals. If you have ideas about a capstone project for your program, what might be the general area?

To close your essay, choose a quote that resonates with you related to adult education. This can be from any setting where adult education, training and development take place. Discuss how the quote resonates with your goals and the purpose of adult education.

Personal Statement

In a coherent and well-organized essay of approximately 400-600 words (typed, double-spaced), provide a statement of why you want to pursue this degree, indicating your specific goals for the program, academic and/or professional preparation, and your preliminary ideas for a capstone project.  In this essay also discuss an example of how you have used technology and or digital tools for teaching or learning in your work or personal life. If it is accessible, include a link to a small sample of work using a technology or digital tool.  If it is not accessible you can use screenshots or just describe it in a couple of paragraphs.  Describe the intended purpose of the example and include thoughts on what you would change or do differently to improve it. The faculty are interested in seeing an applicant’s capability and potential, and they understand the possible range of experiences and proficiencies that individuals may bring to the program from interested novice to more expert. 

Examples of possible digital examples to describe include, but are not limited to: illustrations of teaching/training aids such as PowerPoints; training manuals or other aids; videos; google classroom;  blogs; websites; portfolios; podcasts; networking pages; photo pages;  customized form/template/brochure;  flowchart/mind map/wireframe; 3D objects; digital games applications or any example you would like to share to indicate your interest in learning more about educational technology and learning design. 

Two Essays Required

Please answer the following questions being sure to address all the prompts within the question. Each essay should be 500 words or fewer (typed, double-spaced).

Personal Statement

Why do you want to become a teacher in the content area for which you are applying?  Today's classrooms are characterized by a diverse student population (race, ethnicity, religion, ability status, etc.).  How do you see yourself teaching and supporting the learning of diverse students?

Application Essay

Please describe a specific time when you responded to constructive feedback or criticism. How did you respond and what adjustments did you make in your work going forward? Please describe a situation when you needed to collaborate with colleagues to solve a problem at work.

Application Essay

In a 600-800 word essay (typed and double-spaced), respond to the following: Discuss your position on the inclusion of special needs students in general education classrooms and how you would respond to a situation in which parents of some of your students are complaining that a student with a disability is holding back the learning and progress of the rest of the class?

Two essays required

Please respond to the Personal Statement and choose 1 of the Application Essays. The essays should be 600-800 words per question (in one document), double-spaced and appropriate use of APA 6th edition formatting.

Personal Statement

What teaching experiences led you to decide to seek specific training and expertise in special education?


Application Essay (Choose 1)

  1. As a general education teacher, in what ways have you collaborated with special education teachers and/or other service providers to address the learning needs of exceptional students in your classroom?

    OR

  2. Describe your experience working with English Language Learners, gifted, or special needs students in your classroom and the types of instructional strategies you employ to support their learning.

Personal Statement

In a 600-800 word essay (typed, double-spaced), explain why you are interested in the M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction, and how you will contribute to the learning among your peers in the program. What do you hope to achieve as a result of earning this degree?

Personal Statement

In a 1000-1200-word essay (typed, double-spaced), please address the following:

  1. Why are you interested in the field of applied behavior analysis? 
  2. Why are you interested in the M.S. in Applied Behavior Analysis program at Empire State University?
  3. Why are you interested in attending a program that emphasizes compassionate, affirming practices for those we support?
  4. What are your professional goals upon completing this degree?

Personal Statement

In essay form of 500-700 words, tell us why you chose to pursue a master's degree in higher education. Choose one or two of the themes below to illustrate your interest.

  • Describe aspects of your journey, passions, and areas of interest within the field, and how they have developed. Share your goals and aspirations for yourself and supporting students in higher education.
  • Describe an educator or writer you admire and how they inspire you.
  • Indicate aspects of higher education that you believe need to be improved.
  • If you have considered a culminating project interest area, what area would they be in?

Graduate Liberal Arts and Science

Personal Statement

In an essay of approximately 600 words, describe your motivation for applying to the Master of Science in Cybersecurity at SUNY Empire. Include your short-term and long-term professional goals and how the M.S. in Cybersecurity will help you to achieve those goals. In addition, indicate how your experience and skills would help you be successful in this program.

Personal Statement

In an essay of approximately 600 words, describe your motivation for applying to the Master of Science in Information Technology (MSIT) at SUNY Empire. Include your short-term and long-term professional goals and how the MSIT will help you to achieve those goals. In addition, indicate how your experience and skills would help you be successful in this program.

Personal Statement

There is a subtle restructuring of knowledge...New divisions of intellectual labor, collaborative research, team teaching, hybrid fields, comparative studies, increased borrowing across disciplines, and a variety of "unified," "holistic" perspectives have created pressures upon traditional divisions of knowledge.........To echo Clifford Geertz, there is indeed something happening "to the way we think about the way we think." These pressures have many origins and serve many purposes. However, they share one important commonality. At one time or another, they have all been labeled "interdisciplinary." --- Julie Klein 

In 700-1000 words, reflect on the modern nature and importance of interdisciplinarity. Describe what you are interested in exploring within the M.A. in Liberal Studies program, and comment on how this reflects interdisciplinary study.

Two essays required

Personal Statement

In an essay of approximately 600 words; describe your motivation for applying to the Master of Arts in Public History (MAPH). Include your background in public history and your goals for your work in the program.

Application Essay

In an essay of approximately 600 words, please respond to this prompt.

In recent years, monuments and memorials to the past have come under increased scrutiny.  Increasingly people are calling for the removal of memorials that they find offensive from Theodore Roosevelt's statue in front of the New York Natural History Museum to the statue of Edward Colston in Bristol England to the statue of General Lee in Richmond Virginia. As a public historian, how would you approach the issue of representation and commemoration in our public spaces?  What would you propose for these controversies and why?  How and what should we commemorate in the future?

Personal Statement

Explain how the graduate program – with specific reference to its policy emphasis and your chosen area of study – will help you achieve your purposes for pursuing a master's degree. Please include any other information about your needs and goals that might give us insight as to why our program will serve you well. The essay should be approximately 600 words, typed, double-spaced.

Personal Statement

Explain how the graduate program-with specific reference to its policy emphasis and your chosen area of study will help you achieve your purposes for pursuing a master's degree. Please include any other information about your needs and goals that might give us insight as to why our program will serve you well. The essay should be approximately 600 words, typed, and double-spaced.

Personal Statement

In a double-spaced typewritten essay of approximately 600 words, please explain how the SUNY Empire MPA Degree will serve your personal and professional goals and objectives. In what ways will achieving an advanced degree contribute to your ability to serve the public good? Be sure to discuss briefly whether you are primarily interested in public administration or not-for-profit administration.

Graduate Nursing

M.S. in Nursing (Education and Administration) Personal Statement - The MS in Nursing degree prepares graduates to advance nursing practice and education in a complex and evolving healthcare environment. Please address your personal and professional goals. In addition, provide examples of how you have exemplified professionalism as a registered nurse in at least four of the following domains, delineated by the AACN Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education(2021):

  • Knowledge for Nursing Practice
  • Person-Centered Care
  • Population Health
  • Scholarship for Nursing Discipline
  • Quality and Safety
  • Interprofessional; Partnerhips
  • Systems-Based Practice
  • Informatics and Health Care Technologies
  • Professionalism
  • Personal, Professional, and Leadership Development

American Association of Colleges of Nursing (2021). The essentials: Core competencies for professional nursing education.

Your essay should be a minimum of 500 words. Feel free in this essay to write in a personal, informal voice.

 

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