I am M Ali and from Bangladesh. I am writing this application with great joy to study the course MSc Planning and Development at the Queen’s University Belfast. This course is designed to provide a broad knowledge of planning and professional skills and to use statistical analysis. More importantly, this course will teach me how they solve problems, and create new solutions for the built environment and understand the complexity of environmental management. If I get the opportunity to pursue this course, it will also increase my skills of decision making into a shape and how they grow and prosper. As I want to do a career in this field, I am confident that this program will equip me with a lot of tools and skills required to do so.

I have reviewed the course specification of MSc Planning and Development at the Queen’s University Belfast and found some modules which are adjusted with the latest developments. The course provides to get the opportunity to be able to make decisions that shape the processes of growth and development. The modules include Introduction Planning Theory and Practice, Environmental Planning & Governance, Planning Skills & Ethics, Community Planning & Regeneration, Planning Law and Practice, Property Development and some other modules that will help me to broaden my knowledge range of disciplines for a career in planning and development.

I have completed my Master of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh in 2012. After then, I started my professional career as a First Executive Officer in Jamuna Bank. In the meantime, I felt that I need to gain more comprehensive knowledge to explore human rights in the environment and international crimes. Then I have completed another master’s degree; Master of Human Security in 2019 from the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Now I am working as District Commandant in Bangladesh Ansar & VDP. My core responsibility is to ensure personal security, community security & political security of mass people and conduct various training for the socio-economic benefits. I need to get this MSc degree for my promotion. With my academic and professional experience, I am confident that my aspects and professional goal make me a suitable candidate for the course.

Through my research, I have come to know that this MSc is professionally accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Therefore, the course modules are specially designed to the requirements of the planning sector. By completing this MSc I will gain knowledge in problem solving environments with confronting challenges and create a difference between sustainable environments. It will also give me the professional experience phase which will make me career-ready. My previously earned skills and conducting of further research programs, and detailed appreciation of my current knowledge and developments will help me to complete my prospective study. I hope my chosen course will make it better and further open doors for my profession.

The UK’s academic reputation is globally renowned, especially the study environment in my country follows traditional systems of education which quite different. Furthermore, due to political chaos, students often struggle to finish their degrees on time. Moreover, a UK degree prepares its graduates with great academic prowess and develops personal and professional skills fundamental for organizational success. Skills attained in and carried over from the UK are vital when aiming for organizational growth and a competitive edge. Moreover, there are almost 20k UK alumni working in my home country by using their knowledge and experience gained from the UK. This staggering number of post-graduation successes has strengthened my ambition to get a degree from the UK. And also the degrees awarded by UK universities are recognized all over the world by recruiters and academics alike and most universities have a graduate employability rate of almost 90%. These are the reasons why I choose the UK over other countries to pursue my higher education.

Queen’s University Belfast is my choice as it is a public research university and also incredibly welcoming to international students. This university is associated with two Nobel laureates and one Turing Award laureate. The information that catches my mind was that the university was one of only eight United Kingdom universities to hold a parliamentary seat. Moreover, to support students the University have invested heavily in their facilities to shape the physical and intellectual environment of learning. With over 24,915 students, the University provides outstanding higher education to people from various levels, with approximately 300-degree programmes, a significant proportion of mature students, and a growing international postgraduate community. Tutors are highly-qualified academics and focus on education and research for their respective subject areas. By research, I have come to know that, currently the university holds three Departmental Athena SWAN Gold Awards. If I got the chance to study at this university I will have the opportunity to gain real-world knowledge and transferable skills that will allow me to become an accredited planner. It would be a great achievement for me if I get the opportunity to study at Queen’s University Belfast.