Hi I just formulated a SOP for a Masters Course in Petroleum Engineering from UK Universities. Please have a look and suggest any corrections :
The enormous numbers of challenges thrown out by rapid developments in science and technology have made me choose engineering as a profession. I would like to take this opportunity to describe my educational background and career objectives which have motivated me to pursue a career in petroleum industry.
I completed my higher secondary education with an above average in basic sciences. The interdisciplinary nature of my undergraduate education in Industrial Engineering, gave me the strong foundation I required both in academic knowledge and practical experience for further studies. Apart from the technical courses which included fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, physical and analytical chemistry, etc. I was also exposed to hands - on experimentations.
I am currently employed at XXX, one of the largest service providing companies to the Oil and Gas Industry, as a Wireline Cased Hole Field Specialist. It has given me the opportunity to work in diverse environments, with different cultures and lead teams in challenging conditions effectively by developing a result-oriented approach, making the best use of available resources and thereby enhancing my interpersonal and leadership skills.
Time management, multi-tasking, visual as well as instrumental inspection, interpretation of the data, and problem solving are an integral part of my responsibilities and have helped sharpen my technical and analytical skills. I was also involved in planning of tenders and mobilization of newly attained contracts. All this has taught me the importance of team work, as well as planning and financial feasibility. My varied experience, during projects across different segments of the organization, will give a diverse opinion to any discussion. After almost three years at my work, I am more confident and mature with respect to my professional life, and I have decided to pursue my graduate studies in the field of petroleum engineering.
At XXX, I learnt to visualize abstract concepts, to apply concepts to industrial projects in real time and to work under strict time constraints. Having this experience of work in the field, has given me a better understanding of the application of academic engineering in a real business environment.
Apart from professional life, I believe that extracurricular activities are as important as studies in estimating a person's overall capacity. As a scrabble player and soccer player representing the university, I am in a position that many athletes would covet. I feel that I have evolved into a dynamic person due to my commitment to many extra-curricular activities at the highest level.
After a successful undergraduate education and three years working experience in the Oil and Gas industry, I would like to take my achievements to the next level. I thought carefully of my career options and realized that during these challenging periods of unrelenting research worldwide for extraction technologies to bring out the maximum remaining petroleum, this would be the perfect time to contribute. For that I need a unique advantage which I believe would be truly delivered by your esteemed university.
Recently, there has been a great deal of focus on the subject of world energy conservation and adverse effects of environmental pollution caused by oil and gas exploration. These trends intrigue me and I want to be part of a team that explores ways to reduce pollution and also devise more economical ways of exploring for oil and gas. I have been reading books and exploring the internet to find research topics that deal with energy and environmental conservation. This has broadened my knowledge and equipped me with the tools to pursue a Master's degree in petroleum engineering. After completing my Master's degree I would like to go into the field of extensive research to find ways to minimize environmental pollution. In the long term, I am interested in the possibilities of using my understanding of petroleum engineering to positively impact the environment.
Since graduate study is an important step in my professional life, I don't want to compromise the quality of my education, but when it comes to a quality education, your university is one of the few places I can think of. I also view your university as an ideal place where I could get the chance to work on real time projects.
I am confident that I have the preparations and potential to prove I will be an asset to your graduate program as a graduate student and as an assistant with research or teaching duties. Thank you for your consideration; I look forward to an intellectually inspiring and fruitful association with your university.
The essay should be structured such that it has a beginning, middle and conclusion. You chose to start by recapping your undergrad education, then you slip in some work experience which is not clear (i.e. what and when and why. ) It would help the flow if you structured this for the reader i.e. sequence of work experience. I would guess that the Admissions Officer would be more interested in this as s/he can learn what undergrad courses you took from your transcript. The final section on why you want to pursue graduate work is fine.
The enormous numbers of challenges thrown out (posed or presented) by...
Apart from the technical courses which included fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, physical and analytical chemistry, etc I was also exposed to hands - on experimentations. --------------- add one more sentence to this para so that the para ends with a thesis sentence that captures the main idea of the whole essay. It should be a sentence about your purpose.
I think those last 2 paragraphs should be combined as one. This is impressive! I think you will be well-received because of your seriousness.
