Hi everyone,
I'm currently applying to a master program at University of Birmingham and the essay below is my first draft of the statement of purpose to be included in the application. I'm not a native English speaker and I need to improve my writing skills as well, so I would appreciate any suggestions, corrections, insights from you guys. Thanks a lot!
Why are you interested in applying for this programme of study? 5000 characters
As a passionate for great constructions, geotechnics was the topic responsible for the sparkle in my eyes along my civil engineering student life. This subject is literally the foundation of all structures and its peculiarities have made me continuously inquisitive and challenged along academic and professional experiences. This essay will firstly state, through my background, the roots that led me to the chosen master degree; secondly, point the impact of the interchange experience on the career path defined; followed by an exposition of plans, sense of purpose and results to society, coming, finally, to a reasonable conclusion.
Throughout student life, the geotechnical engineering came up to be a strong field of interest and it was constantly nurtured afterwards through professional performance. As an academic, the mixed method between theory and practice, added to the fact that soils have countless behavioural profiles, kept me, at the same time, intrigued and connected to the real world applications of this science. As a civil engineer, the experience of participating of the "Construction Consortium Line 4 South" of the Rio de Janeiro's Underground Metro provided me an intense practical learning and enabled me visualising the necessity of developing specific technical skills to work within this area. I've worked with subterranean activities which allowed me witnessing severe geotechnical accidents, as well as permitted me taking part of implementation of engineering solutions. As a result, I became strongly aware of the required mindfulness and the great risks involved in such enterprises. Likewise, I have felt challenged, thrilled to continue exploring the singularities of this field. Brazil, a giant of the BRICS, still lack specialized personnel and all around the world, the geotechnical engineer is one of the most needed professionals - reasons that intensify further the motivation towards my choice.
After some outstanding experiences, I've opted for pursuing the master degree and therefore, prior to the next step, I invested in the improvement of English language. Through a six-month interchange in Malta, beyond the development of language skills, I could experience the European infrastructures and study/live with people from diverse countries. This opportunity, besides enabling the development of diplomatic behaviour and the expansion of horizons, propitiated me to access high standard underground metro system, such as the ones existent in London and Paris. Consequently, I've fallen in love with such efficient structures and added to the previous professional experience, I became particularly interested in studies related to tunnels, subterranean works and public transportation. From thereon, it was started the quest for entering in this select field; projects such as the huge infrastructure development plan on going in the UK made me yet more excited.
The tunnelling career path gives me purposefulness and I see myself contributing to civil engineering society and to community through projects capable of generating better standard of life. In huge urban centres, subterranean space is the most suitable path to the development of infrastructure - congestion avoidance and preservation of green areas are some of the consequent benefits; also, when it comes to public transportation, it's known that metros are one of the most efficient means and its effectiveness generates economic growth, offering quality of living to community and increasing income to government. For instance, it can be cited 2 impactful projects in London: Thames Tideway Tunnel - a tunnel responsible for collecting overflowed sewage to reduce the contamination of the Thames River; and the Crossrail 2 - a metro line aiming to connect people's home to their jobs in the city. I deeply desire to be able to influence the civil engineering society in an important manner through projects as the ones previously mentioned, as well as through committees such as the International Tunnelling Association. I intend to contribute to development of Brazil and other countries and stimulate the utilization of the underground.
In summary, the MSc in Geotechnical Engineering and Management has been chosen due to the experiences displayed, the passion aroused as a consequence of those experiences and the meaning of the mission generated by contribution to society. The University of Birmingham's programme, through its excellence and tradition among industry, will provide me with the technical skills needed and yet enable me developing managerial traits to apply to actual geotechnical problems, positioning me several steps towards the desired career.
I'm currently applying to a master program at University of Birmingham and the essay below is my first draft of the statement of purpose to be included in the application. I'm not a native English speaker and I need to improve my writing skills as well, so I would appreciate any suggestions, corrections, insights from you guys. Thanks a lot!
Why are you interested in applying for this programme of study? 5000 characters
As a passionate for great constructions, geotechnics was the topic responsible for the sparkle in my eyes along my civil engineering student life. This subject is literally the foundation of all structures and its peculiarities have made me continuously inquisitive and challenged along academic and professional experiences. This essay will firstly state, through my background, the roots that led me to the chosen master degree; secondly, point the impact of the interchange experience on the career path defined; followed by an exposition of plans, sense of purpose and results to society, coming, finally, to a reasonable conclusion.
Throughout student life, the geotechnical engineering came up to be a strong field of interest and it was constantly nurtured afterwards through professional performance. As an academic, the mixed method between theory and practice, added to the fact that soils have countless behavioural profiles, kept me, at the same time, intrigued and connected to the real world applications of this science. As a civil engineer, the experience of participating of the "Construction Consortium Line 4 South" of the Rio de Janeiro's Underground Metro provided me an intense practical learning and enabled me visualising the necessity of developing specific technical skills to work within this area. I've worked with subterranean activities which allowed me witnessing severe geotechnical accidents, as well as permitted me taking part of implementation of engineering solutions. As a result, I became strongly aware of the required mindfulness and the great risks involved in such enterprises. Likewise, I have felt challenged, thrilled to continue exploring the singularities of this field. Brazil, a giant of the BRICS, still lack specialized personnel and all around the world, the geotechnical engineer is one of the most needed professionals - reasons that intensify further the motivation towards my choice.
After some outstanding experiences, I've opted for pursuing the master degree and therefore, prior to the next step, I invested in the improvement of English language. Through a six-month interchange in Malta, beyond the development of language skills, I could experience the European infrastructures and study/live with people from diverse countries. This opportunity, besides enabling the development of diplomatic behaviour and the expansion of horizons, propitiated me to access high standard underground metro system, such as the ones existent in London and Paris. Consequently, I've fallen in love with such efficient structures and added to the previous professional experience, I became particularly interested in studies related to tunnels, subterranean works and public transportation. From thereon, it was started the quest for entering in this select field; projects such as the huge infrastructure development plan on going in the UK made me yet more excited.
The tunnelling career path gives me purposefulness and I see myself contributing to civil engineering society and to community through projects capable of generating better standard of life. In huge urban centres, subterranean space is the most suitable path to the development of infrastructure - congestion avoidance and preservation of green areas are some of the consequent benefits; also, when it comes to public transportation, it's known that metros are one of the most efficient means and its effectiveness generates economic growth, offering quality of living to community and increasing income to government. For instance, it can be cited 2 impactful projects in London: Thames Tideway Tunnel - a tunnel responsible for collecting overflowed sewage to reduce the contamination of the Thames River; and the Crossrail 2 - a metro line aiming to connect people's home to their jobs in the city. I deeply desire to be able to influence the civil engineering society in an important manner through projects as the ones previously mentioned, as well as through committees such as the International Tunnelling Association. I intend to contribute to development of Brazil and other countries and stimulate the utilization of the underground.
In summary, the MSc in Geotechnical Engineering and Management has been chosen due to the experiences displayed, the passion aroused as a consequence of those experiences and the meaning of the mission generated by contribution to society. The University of Birmingham's programme, through its excellence and tradition among industry, will provide me with the technical skills needed and yet enable me developing managerial traits to apply to actual geotechnical problems, positioning me several steps towards the desired career.
