Graduate / Study Plan for my Canadian study permit application for MSc in Civil Engineering [4]

Hi guys, I want your assistance in reviewing my study plan. Kindly let me know if it is good enough to convince the visa officer. Your input and suggestions are most welcome. Thanks in advance.

fire safety engineering at Carleton University

After completing my undergraduate study in Civil Engineering, I became completely content with choosing engineering as my career path as it provides the most practical and humble approach to solving problems. My zeal to gain knowledge as well as the vast opportunities and innovations in the field of Civil Engineering has inspired me to further my education and contribute to the field through research.

My decision to study in Canada comes from She being one of the top destinations with quality education in the world. Canada is known for its cosmopolitan nature and I am excited to experience this new country and its multicultural society. Also, obtaining this degree will help me provide a better life for my family back home.

I wish to pursue a master's degree in civil engineering specifically in fire safety engineering at Carleton University. Canada's education system being highly recognized all over the world coupled with Carleton's distinguished faculty, excellent laboratory facilities, high reputation and the on-going researches by eminent faculty. I am convinced that my academic career will receive the much-required exposure and enhancement enabling me to pursue extensive research and excel at it. Unfortunately, this program is not offered by universities in Ghana as there are no fire safety engineering courses being offered by any university in Ghana. This makes it difficult for me to pursue this course in Ghana.

During my final year undergraduate studies, I became very interested in scientific research. This made me join the research group of Professor Mark Adom-Asamoah and Mr. Jack Osei Banahene. It was this keen interest in research that propelled me to apply for a research/teaching assistant position at my university. As a research assistant, I assisted my professors in publishing two research papers available on Google Scholar. However, I realized that Ghana is in a region of low earthquake occurrences. This shifted my attention to a more prominent problem facing the country.

For the past years, Ghana has faced numerous fire disasters all over the country. These fire disasters resulted in loss of life and property. According to information released by Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), the year 2017 recorded a total of 4,759 fires causing property damages of Gh¢31.2 million. This ignited my interest in the field of fire safety engineering. It became evident to me that we lack the tech-know-how and the necessary skills that can help prevent fire disasters in the future. Most buildings that are constructed do not include any design considerations for fire loads and are therefore very susceptible to damage from fires. Also, fire prevention and control methods such as provision of emergency exist, fire extinguishers and warning signs are barely followed. Studying fire safety engineering will provide me with the necessary skills that will enable me to contribute to solving the fire safety crisis in Ghana.

I come from a large family of nine and I am the second eldest son. I have four siblings under the age of eighteen. My dad is the only source of income to the family. The death of my mother five years ago made things really difficult not only because her income was used to support us but also because my father had to perform both his role as a father and her role as a mother. My dad is close to the age of retirement and the only source of income will be his pension. My family situation gave me a lot of motivation to work harder so that I can provide a better living for them. This opportunity will make it possible for me to do that.

Wherever I find myself, be it at home, school, or work, I strive hard to obey the rules and regulations set aside to guide us. I am a law-abiding citizen who is well aware of his rights and responsibilities as well as the rights of others. I have never committed a crime nor have I been arrested, and this is supported by the police report I have attached to my application. I am fully aware and I understand that The Immigration Laws of Canada will require me to leave Canada after the duration of my studies. I also want to state that during my stay in Canada, I will obey its rules and regulations, and respect everyone's rights.

Upon completion of my studies, I am coming back to Ghana to introduce fire safety engineering program in my university by becoming a lecturer. I also plan to work as a consultant for the Ghana Nation Fire Service and the National Disaster Management Organization as a fire safety engineer. Developing new building codes and upgrading already existing ones to meet international standards and ensuring these codes are followed through enforcing rules and regulations and educating the general public are among the things I aim at achieving.

My long-term professional goal is to become a university professor where I hope to contribute to the development of my country through extensive research and leave a long-lasting mark in the field of civil engineering. I strongly believe that with this opportunity, I will be able to achieve my career goals and help develop a better Ghana.