Statement of Purpose

A statement of purpose is required for all applicants. This is your opportunity to address your academic, personal, and professional goals and aspirations. It should reference relevant examples from your background and highlight your character and accomplishments.

Criteria:

  • In 750 words or less, address the factors that have encouraged you to seek an education from Penn GSE. You may also wish to address your background, significant personal and professional experiences related to your program of study, important aspects of your academic record and your professional goals upon completion of your desired program. See exceptions below.
  • If you are applying to multiple programs, tailor each statement of purpose to the individual program.

Please note the following programs have specialized requirements for their statement of purpose.  

Education Entrepreneurship, M.S.Ed.

Within your statement of purpose, please make sure to address the following two questions below.

Part I
Please describe the education venture that you would like to work on in the program and specify if this is a new idea or existing venture. (Suggested 125 words or less)

Part II
Explain how this innovation adds value to the education ecosystem. (Suggested 125 words or less)

Professional Counseling, M.Phil.Ed.

What clinical strengths have you developed as a professional and what areas for further development would you like to address during your enrollment in the program?

Executive Doctorate in Higher Education Management, Ed.D.

Part I
Describe what attributes of the program have led you to apply to the Executive Doctorate in Higher Education Management. Please address how your previous professional and educational experiences have prepared you to succeed in an accelerated doctoral program, how these experiences will contribute to learning in a cohort-based instructional model, and how the program will further your career aspiration. (Less than five pages.)
 
Part II
Considering the most significant issues and opportunities in your institutional sector or functional area of higher education, what do we not know about this issue and why do we need to know it? Please be specific, rather than referencing broad, general problems. (Less than five pages.)

Mid-Career Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership, Ed.D.

Part I
Identify a critical incident in your leadership experiences, an incident occurring at least a year ago but no more than 5 years ago. Describe the incident, the critical issues it presented and how you acted. Reflect on lessons you’ve learned from that incident, and describe any ways in which you might analyze or act differently now if a similar incident presented itself. (750-1000 words)
 
Part II
How do you see this program furthering your aspirations? (250-500 words)

Penn Chief Learning Officer (CLO), Ed.D.

Part I
In approximately 500 words describe what has led you to apply to the PennCLO Executive Doctoral Program. Please address how your previous personal, professional and educational experiences have prepared you to succeed in an accelerated doctoral program and what you can bring from these experiences to the learning community. 
 
Part II
In approximately 500 words describe your most significant leadership challenge to date. (This experience should be no more than five years ago.) Describe the incident, the critical issues it presented and how you reacted. Reflect on lessons you've learned from that incident, and describe ways in which you might analyze the situation or act differently.

Résumé

A current résumé/CV is required for all applications.