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Students with a background in business, human resource, healthcare, and other professional fields aspire to go for MSc/MA in International Business abroad. Here, an SOP for international business management plays a crucial role in application to some of the top business schools like Edinburgh, University of Bath, California State University, etc.
This is because these schools assess capabilities like critical thinking and creativity through writing samples along with business skills evident from your resume. Similarly, other key capabilities can be highlighted and substantiated through your international business management SOP.
Planning to write an effective statement of purpose for international business management program? Let’s discuss the steps at length and understand the intricate facets of a good business sample SOP for international business management.
Decoding Your SOP for International Business ManagementWhat is the accepted word count for an MA/MSc international business management SOP? Ans. Keep the length of the statement of purpose for international business management within 800-1000 words. However, universities abroad have word counts defined as part of the online applications.
What can lead an SOP for international business management to be rejected right away? Ans. Plagiarism and poor syntax can get your statement of purpose for international business management rejected immediately. What is the best writing style for a SOP for masters in international business? Ans. Conversational writing keeps the narrative engaging. So, write your SOP effectively maintaining a positive tone.
How many SOPs to write for International Business? Ans. Each university requires a separate and original SOP. Hence, you need to write a different SOP for every university you’re applying to. Along with SOP, Universities require program-specific writing samples as part of applications. How to save and submit your international business management SOP sample? Ans. SOPs have to be uploaded in PDF as part of the applications. This makes your SOP look professional and eliminates the possibility of any formatting inconsistencies. Universities may also provide forms to paste contents of SOP as part of applications with or without the option to upload it. |
How to Draft SOP for Masters in International Business?
To start writing your international business management statement of purpose, brainstorm, free-write, and collect your thoughts. Your SOP should be a dive into relevant life experiences, academic and professional background (if applicable), career goals, co-curricular activities, volunteering/community involvement, and more.
Refer to the effective guidelines given below to draft a stellar sample SOP for masters in international business programs.
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Introduction
What motivated you to choose international business management as your interest? What is the strongest experience that led you to choose this field? For example, how during a work project on the lead’s execution and planning for achieving assigned goals, you understood the necessity to develop different competencies in the contemporary business, including strategy, marketing, data management, and innovation. And how this formative experience eventually translated into your passion for gaining an in-depth understanding of International Business.
- Begin your introduction with an attention-grabbing experience that is evocative of your journey into the field.
- Alternatively, you can also begin with a problem statement that you consider exploring in your Masters in International Business program.
- This is because some programs directly seek an sop for masters in international business that is an amalgamation of your problem-solving ability, technical skills, and managerial capabilities.
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For example, The ESSEC Business School clearly instructs applicants to devise a one-page motivation letter for their Master’s in Strategy and Management of International Business (SMIB) program. The letter has to cover your reasons for choosing the course, and also your goals. So, self-reflection is the key ingredient in the recipe of your SMIB letter! |
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Second Paragraph
Building on the onset of interest in International Business, discuss relevant academic and life experiences that have augmented this interest. How has each of these experiences pivoted your curiosity, streamlined, or transformed it?
- Here, you can discuss relevant undergraduate experiences or courses in which you developed a particular interest. For example, you must have developed an interest in Global Business or Eco-Innovation to pursue maters in international business.
- Touch upon a few course specifics and how these led you to develop your portfolio and inspired you to work on projects relevant to this interest.
- You can discuss interesting projects you have worked on or relevant co-curricular experiences worth sharing. Make sure that your experiences align with your interest in the International Business program you’re applying for.
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For instance, if you are applying for an MSc in International Business, your project involves the role of a multinational enterprise, interaction with international investors, corporate strategy, or even demonstrating innovation and entrepreneurship will be a relevant experience to illustrate. |
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Third Paragraph
Have you faced any setbacks in your academics? If you just made the cut or have lesser scores, you can mention that here.
- Have you faced any other unique challenges or setbacks that have redefined your perspectives or interests?
- How did you overcome these challenges and what is/are the positive outcomes of these experiences?
- It’s essential to reflect on the lessons from these experiences to underscore your resilience.
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Fourth Paragraph
You can discuss extracurriculars in this paragraph. Remember that Universities are interested to know more than just academics. So, go ahead and speak about your hobbies, social work, volunteering, etc, here. You can also discuss workshops or certifications which you have taken to upgrade your skills.
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However, it’s very important to not make the international business management SOP sample an embellished version of your resume. |
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Fifth Paragraph
If you have work experience, add it here. But if you do not have work experience, you can discuss your internship experiences, reflecting on your specific learnings and take-aways. Identify a knowledge gap and the need for you to go for MSc/MA in International Business.
- How has the work experience/s influenced your career goals? Why do you wish to go for MSc/MA now?
- Define your short-term and long-term goals.
- How will the MSc/MA program from a specific business school help you achieve these goals?
- How does the program align with your areas of interest?
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Business schools like to assess your conviction in applying to their programs. Justify your reasons for the choice of the school and the program. Make an effort to understand the values of the school and devise this paragraph accordingly. |
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Conclusion
Your conclusion needs to be equally engaging as your introduction.
- What capabilities equip you to contribute to the University?
- How can you be an asset to the University?
- What activities, clubs, sports, student associations, groups, etc, piqued your interests?
- What diverse experiences do you bring to your future graduate community?
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Sign off with your expectations from the program and how you look forward to receiving, assimilating, and contributing to new knowledge at the University. |
Do’s and Don'ts of an SOP for International Business Management
Your SOP for international business management should be truthful, concise, engaging, and well-written. Remember that every experience that you present should be coherent and well connected. This leaves no space for grey areas. Follow these Dos and Don’ts in your international business management SOP sample.
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Maintain a positive tone throughout the SOP? |
✅ |
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Should you include your name in your International Business Management SOP? |
❌ |
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Can you write your SOP at the last minute? |
❌ |
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Is it imperative to stick to the word limit? |
✅ |
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Can you opt for a friendly tone while writing the SOP for MSc/MA in International Business? |
❌ |
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Should you strictly adhere to the given SOP format? |
✅ |
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Should you include your work experience in your SOP? |
✅ |
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Should you be honest about your strengths and weaknesses? |
✅ |
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Can you be extremely direct or casual? |
❌ |
Common mistakes in Writing SOPs and Application Essay
Skills to Include in Your International Business Management SOP
Your SOP for MSc/ MA in International Business should be in-depth and research-intensive. International Business is a creative and fascinating field of study which prepares aspirants to face political, social, and even cultural challenges in the context of global business.
This course helps professionals develop for roles like project managers, client analysts, risk advisory associates, economics researchers, entrepreneurs, and even co-founders—the opportunities are diverse in all fields, including consultancy, project management, and business operations.
Therefore, your SOP should portray these skills to become unique and appealing than other students.
- Creativity
- Leadership
- Management Skills
- Emotional Intelligence
- Knowledge of Business Specialisation (applying for)
- Interpersonal Skills
- Experiential Mindset
- Adaptive Thinking
- Collaboration
- Problem-solving
Along with including these skills in your sample sop for international business management, follow the guidelines specified by top Universities. Let’s check them one by one!
SOP Requirments of Top Universities for International Business
Most universities have similar SOP requirements as part of their respective applications. We’ve shortlisted a few top universities for MSc in International Business and their requirements are below:
1. Cranfield School of Management
If you are applying for MSc in Management (recognized in International Business rankings) at Cranfield School of Management, follow these guidelines. Note that the instructions will be same for other UK universities offering International Business Management courses.
- What are your reasons for applying to the course?
- How will you contribute to your class at the Cranfield School of Management and beyond?
- A succinct narrative of your background with emphasis on clearly defined academic and career goals.
- The SOP should focus on ideas rather than extensive background/personal information and should be forward-thinking in vision.
- Depict the evidence of motivation for the proposed area of study.
- Applications to specialisations within International Business Management have specific prompts which need to be addressed in the SOP.
2. Warwick Business School
The Warwick Business School requires a personal statement as part of the MSc in International Business Applications.
- The personal statement should be 500 words and has to be used to elaborate on your achievements and ambitions.
- Elucidate your reasons for applying to the program and the motivating factors.
- How do you visualise this course impacting your career goals? What will you contribute to the University cohort? How do you align with the CORE values at Warwick?
- What is your proudest achievement?
3. The University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh requires a personal statement of 500 words. This statement should demonstrate the following aspects.
- Why you are interested in studying at the University of Edinburgh?
- Why have you chosen MA in International Business?
- What are the expected outcomes of the program and how do these align with or help achieve your career aspirations?
Apart from these general instructions, every program specialisation in International Business has unique requirements for SOP. Additionally, the program-specific SOPs have different word limits. You can check the official University websites for knowing the updates.
5 SOP Questions that Must be Answered
We understand writing an SOP can be daunting and exhausting. But worry not, Yocket is here to help you understand the nuances and draft a succinct SOP for international business management in terms of the format and guidelines. The SOP writing style for most countries remains the same. However, in the case of program-specific requirements, you can re-engineer the original draft to suit the given above requirements/instructions.