SOP Sample for MS in Cyber Security in GB - Mid-Career Profile

Even though the Cloud-based information technology industry is at its peak and is being sold for its efficiency and cost redundancy, it is also facing threats more than ever! And with every passing day, privacy on the internet is being threatened. Reading about cyber-attacks happening apparently every 30 secs in the US currently and I'm sure in other parts of the world too, has given me a sense of direction. My industry experience has made me understand of how much loss an organization can face with only a single technical breach. And ever since, I have only gotten more curious about security aspects. I don't miss an article on the internet that has cyber-attack in the title which sure did help me lay a fundamental layer of knowledge on cyber-security. But I want to acquire a deeper understanding of how crimes like data mining, cyber-attacks, information breaches etcetera take place and how these crimes then get 'handled'. I want to be a part of the community that will make the internet a much better place than it is right now and for this, I apply to the Master's in Cyber Security program of [UNIVERSITY NAME].

Coming from a family where girls are considered a liability and are married at an early age, coming this far has been a testament of undying resolve to prove my worth and the unstinted support of my parents and immediate family. My interest in computer science dates back to my school days when I would try to solve the Rubik's cube. Solving Rubik's cube was my earliest tryst with algorithmic thinking. It was the beginning of my journey towards algorithms and computer science and my fascination grew further with each new algorithm I came across. As I grew up, I would invariably find myself being drawn to different concepts of computers being discussed in class. On completion of my senior year of school, I enrolled myself in an undergraduate program in Computer Science and loved studying subjects such as …….. And ……….

Right after completing my undergraduate program, my technical proficiency helped me get a campus placement offer from [COMPANY NAME] - an Indian multinational information technology company - and I began my professional stint in the field of computer science. After a 3-month rigorous training program (on a stream selected by [COMPANY NAME]), I was assessed in both technical and communication aspects and was assigned to IT Operations. Soon after, I was called for a Support project and I started working as a Service Desk Analyst for an international client – [CLIENT NAME]. I enjoyed the challenge of handling a huge number of tickets and digging through each one of them to provide promising solutions to issues and finding out the right team that could help. My innovative approach here helped me get positive feedbacks from clients and my managers and I even received the 2nd highest appraisal grade – 'Commendable' during my first evaluation cycle. Looking for more growth, I switched to the role of a System administrator and started working for the client [CLIENT NAME]. In this role, I am currently handling major incidents of high priority that can directly have an impact on production with even tighter SLAs. I am also a part of the patching team, where we remediate and patch servers with the latest security patches of Asia and Europe Regions on monthly basis achieving no less than 98% compliance every single month. I have won quite a few internal [COMPANY NAME] badges - such as the [COMPANY NAME] RISE Insta Award, Power Team Star, Learning Champ, - and certificates for my performance and deliverables.

While I was trying to make a transition from full time Service Desk Analyst to full-time System Administrator, I had enrolled into quite a few technical courses to gain more knowledge required to fit in administration roles. I am [CERTIFICATION PROVIDER] certified in Windows O365 Administration, Active Directory Administration, and Information Security. I have recently done a Microsoft Certification in Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900).

Having worked with [COMPANY NAME] for the last 4 years, I have gained reasonable professional success and have proven my technical and professional abilities. However, of late, I felt that my learning curve in the organization, at my level, was converging towards a flat curve. Also while executing my responsibilities, I started believing that a more comprehensive knowledge of computers would help me perform even better in my role. Given my recently developed interest in Cyber Security, I now wish to pursue a Master's in Cyber Security and humbly apply to [UNIVERSITY NAME].

I want to work as Penetration Tester/Forensic Expert/Security Administrator/Cryptographer for Companies like [COMPANY NAME], [COMPANY NAME], [COMPANY NAME], [COMPANY NAME], etc. that are not just at their top game in the cyber-security industry but also promote research in machine learning. Alongside, I would want to continue learning more of the Information security industry and carry on a research on the ways attacks happens, and develop a system that will help in identifying different types of attacks/breaches as soon as they take place.

I want to study for my Master's in the UK because the country is at the hub of leading on-going research in the field of cyber security. Studying at one of the top-ranked universities in the globe, from faculty who are stalwarts in the field makes me yearn to be a part of this culture. I also see the post-study student visa as an important chance to build up on my cyber security experience before returning to India.

With due research and diligence, I have decided to pursue my master's from your esteemed University. I have perused your course structure and am especially interested in subjects like …………………………. that align with my interests and will help me learn both theoretical as well as the practical application of the subject. I have also read about the ongoing research work in your labs and would like to be a part of groups like…………………. I believe that learning under the auspices of distinguished faculty members like………………….will be a matter of great pride and accomplishment for me. I sincerely look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship with [UNIVERSITY NAME] and not only realize my dreams but also be an inspiration for the younger generation of girls in my extended family.