SOP Sample for MS in Civil Engineering | India Fresh Graduate

Statement of Purpose

Engineering is not just about making blueprints, instead, it is a culmination of decisions regarding estimation, the pros and cons of constructing a particular project, the cost estimation, selecting the best ways of execution and much more. It is a field that has depth, meaning and purpose. It was a professor I met during my undergraduate years who introduced me to the intricacies of engineering and the relevance of decision science. His guidance gave me a firm foundation to build on, one that was consolidated with mindfulness and a wealth of knowledge. I understood that when taking a deep dive, the options are unlimited and vast. This was the starting point of finding out the right course in engineering that best suited my interests.

I obtained my bachelor's in Civil Engineering from [UNIVERSITY]. A subject called Planning and Management of Construction Pieces in my eighth semester was what helped me to learn about the practical aspects of handling a project. For me, I find that the subject Project Management allows me to gain theoretical knowledge with field experience regarding the management of a project. And every aspect I find to be inevitable and extremely important when handling a project is easily covered and taken care of in this subject.

The learnings I have gathered from my undergraduate years immensely stemmed from the assignments and projects that we were required to do. There are two important assignments that can be mentioned in this regard, one being the Seismic Safety of Existing Buildings by Way of Retrofitting. Here the important objective was to collect and analyze data from the study area for suggesting retrofitting for a selected location and to suggest retrofitting measures in accordance with the IS code. This project was in progress at the onset of the pandemic and this in itself imposed several challenges. The pandemic made it difficult to survey the residential building with the whole team members and digitize the plan of the structure by using AutoCAD software which was necessary to make the process of analyzing a whole lot easier. A second important project was the Analysis of the Cantilever Retaining Wall With and Without Pressure Relief Shelf Using STAAD Pro Software. In this case, the objective was to analyze the cantilever retaining wall with and without pressure relief shelf, to observe the effect of the relief shelf on the cantilever retaining wall and to find the optimum height of the relief shelf. It was challenging to find a relief shelf and then we compared the result to identify the most effective and optimum height of the relief shelf.

A whole lot of the character traits that have helped me to shape my knowledge in an application form was the number of extracurriculars I took the initiative to participate in. A few of the notable ones that have had a considerable impact include a certificate course of STAAD PRO which focused on analyzing the design structures. In the year 2018, I won a gold medal in under seventy-two male Kyorugi [COMPETITION_NAME] in [VENUE]. I also cleared Taekwondo Black Belt DAN-1 exam from [ORGANIZATION], World Taekwondo Headquarters. I also secured another gold medal in [COMPETITION_NAME] in the year 2017. I also managed a team of 11 players in the [COMPETITION_NAME] in [CITY].

Another aspect keeping aside everything that my university and all activities provided that taught me about practical aspects of engineering were the internships I was actively involved in during my college days. I have done an internship at [COMPANY] for three months under the designation of an engineering intern. For this role, my responsibilities included monitoring documents related to projects which were assigned to me by my seniors and, at the same time, designing floor plans according to the instructions given.

My work experience commenced with a job in an importers and exporters company named '[COMPANY]' as an export documentation executive, which I performed through the pandemic. This job requires me to prepare the pre and post documents as needed, including export invoices, packing list and so on. Maintaining documents was another very crucial responsibility that I had to look into.

After the completion of this course, I want to see myself as someone who is fit to secure a job as a project manager. I am also looking into applying for the position of project manager at a company where my father worked. Further, with the technical knowledge and the management assets I possess, I envision myself as a senior project manager in a well-reputed construction company.

A career that is fueled by passion and aimed at attaining fulfilment is what I wish to achieve. I believe I am consistent and persistent in my efforts and initiatives. Taking mindful and conscious decisions is what sets my contributions apart from the rest and I always put in effort into ensuring that all my actions will lead me to the fruition of my dreams and ambitions. An opportunity to pursue this course would only be the biggest leverage I could ask for in terms of bringing my vision for the future to reality.