Statement of Purpose Guidelines

The statement of purpose is a central element of your application and you should put considerable effort into preparing it. Your statement of purpose is your explanation of what you want to do as your individualized major; why you want to do it; why it has academic merit; and how you propose to follow the major at UConn.

Your statement of purpose should be 2-3 pages long, double-spaced, and typed in 12 font type size. It should be well-organized and clearly written. It should be free of misspelled words, grammatical mistakes, and typographical errors.

Your statement of purpose should address the following four questions:

1. What is the academic focus of your proposed major?

What themes, issues, questions or problems does your major focus on?

Be sure your title accurately describes the academic focus of your major. You should avoid the inclusion of names of traditional majors within the title of your major, where possible. For example “Communication Sciences and Sport” would not be an acceptable title because it risks confusion with the existing “Communication Sciences” major. “Sport Promotion” or “Sport, Communication, and Society” might be acceptable IMJR titles. Likewise “History and Economics” would not be acceptable but “Historical and Economic Studies of South Asia” would be.

2. What departments and courses will be included and how will they allow you to develop an understanding of the key themes of your major?

You must present an argument detailing how the particular departments and classes are essential to your major. You should not simply list the different departments and classes. Rather you should carefully examine the courses you intend to take. What themes emerge from your list? Anchor your discussion around these themes and show how the courses will allow you to learn about these themes. Explain how an internship, a field experience, or a period of study abroad will enhance your major.

Remember, you need to make a case for the coherence and academic merit of your major. You also need to show why the IMJR Program permits you to pursue this focus better than other, existing majors.