Student Workshop II: Writing Statements of Purpose
On August 7, 2025, the Department of English and Humanities (DEH) at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) hosted a student workshop titled “Writing Statements of Purpose” for the students of ENG 4208, ENG 4298, ENG 4299 as well as MA students. The session was facilitated by DEH alumna Ms. Amreeta Lethe Chowdhury, Writer, Translator, and Sub-Editor at The Daily Star Books & Literature.
Ms. Chowdhury started the workshop by addressing the important documents students may require when applying for graduate programs. She then explained the role of a Statement of Purpose (SoP) and how different elements contribute to its overall characteristics. According to Ms. Chowdhury, it is important to avoid simple, generic, and non-specific reasons when writing an SoP for applying to graduate programs. She stated that universities look for academic objectives within a student’s SoP which determines acceptance or rejection.
Ms. Chowdhury then instructed students on how an SoP should be written and what details it should or should not include. She highlighted the importance of including the following points: clarification about why one wishes to apply to a specific university; how one would fit with the program being offered; which faculty to work with and how there is a relation in research topics or areas of interest along with what academic or career path one wishes to follow. Ms. Chowdhury also emphasized that it is not viable to use the same SoP for applying to multiple universities without altering it according to specific requirements.
Finally, Ms. Chowdhury provided detailed information on writing and formatting an SoP. She mentioned that including extra academia-related professions, skills, or participation such as attending or presenting in seminars or conferences, being a teaching assistant or an instructor can all positively benefit the overall quality of the SoP.
The workshop ended with a Q/A segment where Ms. Chowdhury addressed the queries of some students. Ms. Nadia Rahman concluded the workshop with a vote of thanks to Ms. Chowdhury.
Report by Mirza Ahmad Nuhash (251055008)
