Statement of Interest Essay Sample: Ryerson's Public Policy and Administration Ph.D. Program

The Egyptian revolution on January 25th, 2011 against a corrupt and coercive regime was a turning point in my life. Mainly, my participation in the revolution shaped my interest in politics and public work from the incidence. I realized that my true passion was to help others and be able to make a real change in the society. Being actively involved in advocacy, roundtable discussions, and workshops on political and public issues in Egypt post the revolution, my interest in public policy and desire to play a lively role in it never diminished. I voiced the need for major policy reforms in several areas such as political and labor rights, transitional justice, and in the energy sector to overcome the current energy crisis in Egypt. Notably, I found that pushing for policy reforms in the legislative and administrative processes was an integral role, and it turned out to be the most valuable and worthwhile experience I have had in my career to date.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

Moving to Canada, I became a witness to the model public system and policies in place. This was a sharp contrast to the lack and poor public services in Egypt, which I believe were caused by misappropriation of funds and the absence of individual sound public policies rather than limited resources. This fuelled my interest in law and order even more and reinforced the significant relationship between sound public policies and the quality of life that a state provides for its citizens.

With that frame of mind, I wish to cement my understanding and interest in public work with a degree in public policy to be more competent and capable of making an impact in public life. Although my earlier professional career was business focused, I am now intent on pursuing an academic career in the public policy and administration field. I seek to work with non-governmental organizations concerned with public issues while continuing to be actively involved in public initiatives in Canada and Egypt. Lobbying for policy change and reforms that improve peoples lives, I need to learn how legal, social and economic forces interplay in the making of public policy and its implementation. I am interested in studying best practices in public policy and administration in Canada and contrast them with the Egyptian case.

My research will be based on a comparative study between public health care provided in Egypt and Canada. It will seek to document the apparent gap between the qualities of public health care in both countries through academic research. This will be established by contrasting indicators in public health care service delivery from both qualitative and quantitative aspects. The proposed indicators are the pattern of government spending in public health care, staff and practitioners development, accessibility of services, and the organizational and administrative structure of this sector. Given the differences in the political, social, and administrative systems in both countries, my research will need to acknowledge the political and socioeconomic perspectives of public health care in Egypt, while focusing on the regulatory policy challenges and failures. It will use the model of the Canadian public health care to evaluate and propose how the Egyptian public health care policy needs to be reformed to meet the challenges and the growing requirements of the majority poor and vulnerable population.

My hypothesis would be that significant improvement of the quality of public health care is possible through a change in the organizational factors with the current level of budget allocation for this sector. The research would seek to establish that reform of Egypts public healthcare is dependent on organizational challenges and public policies adopted by the government and that the inefficiencies within the system will always underscore any further government expenditure in this sector. It would pursue to demonstrate that any additional budgetary allocation for public health care would yield insignificant results if reforms in the organizational and administrative components are not addressed. Wherever possible, measurable improvements resulting from increased organizational efficiency will be quantified. The research would document the deterioration of public health care in spite of the expansion of facilities and the provision of increased subsidies in this field. Following my admission to the Ph.D. program, I will re-examine and refine my comparative approach, after having acquired a better understanding of different methodological approaches, to address the challenges of public health care in Egypt.

The objective of the research is to come up with recommendations for the reform of public health care system in Egypt, focusing on the organizational and policy factors through drawing on the Canadian model. The research would develop a plan to implement a course of action for organizational reform, taking into account relevant evidence, legislation, and policies to address the investigated public health care issues in Egypt.

Due to lack of transparency and restricted access to information in Egypt, my research will provide a useful analysis based on academic research methods. It would be useful on an academic level as it would provide a comparative research between a developed country and an underdeveloped one where sources of academic literature on specific public services are limited and reliable data is not sufficient. Hence, it would be a contribution to the literature in that area that other research and scholars in the field can build on. On a practical level, it would offer insights and recommendations for policy makers and practitioners in Egypt to study and consider for a much-needed policy reform in its ailing health care sector.

I am keen on conducting my study and research at Ryerson Universitys Yeates School of Graduate Studies, as I find its interdisciplinary Ph.D. program ideal for my research for several reasons. Its program stands out because of its interdisciplinary approach which combines the study of public policy and administration, immigration settlement and diaspora policies and social policy. I believe this is very beneficial because the three areas are interconnected and their study is vital in shaping my understanding of the interplay that underpins policy formulation and government services provided to society. The programs course requirements would also provide me with an intense preparation for conducting my research through the courses offered on a broad range of qualitative and quantitative research methods used in public policy research and policy analysis. This would provide me with a solid theoretical foundation for my research and a strong knowledge base, in addition to a diversified perspective through the programs interdisciplinary approaches to public policy research. It ensures that my research would be a comprehensive one that does not overlook the different areas affecting public policy issues and analysis. Additionally, the programs focus on public sector reform and governance models in Canada and the global context is very significant and useful. My choice of the Public Policy and Administration field of study is also relevant to my proposed research topic, as this area focuses on issues of public policy processes, its implementation, and administration. Those are the areas of investigation in my research which will seek to analyze the processes, implementation, and delivery of the public health care policies in Canada and Egypt.

I am interested in having my research supervised by one of the following faculty members: Dr. Bryan Evans, Dr. Carolyn Johns, Dr. Janet Lum or Dr. Tariq Amin-Khan, whom I have discussed my research topic with. I would also welcome the decision of the program on the assignment of a faculty member to supervise my research according to their research interest and availability.

From my research into Ryerson's Public Policy and Administration Ph.D. program, my keen interest in public work, and my intent to pursue an academic career in public policy and administration, I am convinced that this program is right for me. Additionally, I consider the diversity of my experience in the private sector a big asset in shaping my understanding of the markets and economy and their interplay with public policies. It also provided me with practical hands-on experience in organizations management, structures, and administrative processes. I am excited about the possibility of combining the Public Policy and Administration Ph.D. program with my economics and business studies, along with my professional experience and my active interest in politics and practical involvement in public work.