Admission Essay
My personal interest in the field of higher education has a foundation in a desire to participate in solving the challenges and issues that face the subsector. Over recent years, there have been debates about the effectiveness of higher education to provide competent and skilled leaders to address the problems of our society. Issues such as lack of adequate focus on practical skills, challenges in integrating technology effectively to promote learning, dishonesty among students in performance and coursework, lack of productive leadership, and inefficiencies in administration and resource use to promote quality education and modelling higher education programs according to society and global needs have been common focuses of debate on higher education. These problems are undermining the productivity, suitability, and capacity of higher education to produce graduates that can confront challenges in different spheres of the society and influence efficient solutions. I have established, through research and experience in the education sector, that the fundamental problem in these challenges is the lack of effective, innovative, and competent leadership in the sub-sector. I feel passionate about higher education’s role in the society in providing skills and knowledge that are necessary to promote the development and the welfare of members. I am determined to help by participating actively and more influentially in the education sector, generally, and higher education, specifically, to find positive and sustainable solutions to these and other issues in the operations of contemporary institutions of higher education.
My primary goal in the M.Ed in Higher and Post-secondary Education program is to acquire the expertise to design and enforce innovative and efficient solutions for the challenges that confront contemporary universities and colleges. I believe that the possession of high levels of knowledge and skills constitute a vital requirement for competent leadership, especially in the context of higher learning. Expertise on the design and enforcement of innovative solutions and expansive knowledge on a broad range of issues in higher education shall be vital in leadership. My aim in the program shall be to develop a broad variety of skill sets and content knowledge that shall provide a competent foundation for success in a future professional position. I shall focus on attaining the highest level and widest scope of knowledge on the various areas that the program covers to fulfill the threshold that I need for professional success in the future. To enable such success, I shall need to apply diligence, dedication, and expert utilization of resources in the program – reading and library materials, help from faculty members, and collaboration with my colleagues.
Once I earn the degree, my aspirations involve service in the administration of higher learning. In the short-term, I aim to serve in the administration of an institution of higher learning, preferably heading a department in administrative operations, handling projects, or leading a team. This would allow me to influence some aspects of the administration of higher learning while acquiring vital experience that I can utilize to enhance personal creativity, innovativeness, and administrative competence. In the long-term, my professional aim is to serve at the head of an institution of higher learning or in a government role overseeing or facilitating the operations of higher learning, as a sub-sector. Such a position would enable me to apply experience, personal innovativeness, creativity, and knowledge to influence the sub-sector positively and enforce changes aimed at enhancing quality and efficiency. I would have the opportunity to work in the sphere of my passion, designing and implementing policies and changes to address challenges that confront contemporary higher learning institutions.