SOP Sample for MS in Cyber Security | Ireland Applicant

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

"I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do."

I read this quote somewhere when I was growing up. Since then, I have followed these cardinal words that have helped me understand the meaning of education and apply it in real life to follow my dreams and reach heights notable to humanity. I have always fostered an aspiration of being a part of a community whose sole purpose is to help society through the lens of cyber security professionals and to be part of the team that helps and defends cyber-attacks against the community that could make their lives more secure.

At the age of eleven, I was fortunate to be accepted into a state-funded residential school, where I learned to be independent, make my own decisions, socialize, and adapt to the surroundings by following the path of hard work. Being a residential scholar, I used to play a majority of games, but in Badminton and Cricket, I played professionally and represented my city at the state level six times combining both sports. These accomplishments helped me hone my leadership and team management skills which led me to become a sports captain three times in a row. On top of that, I actively participated in theatrical plays held at school each year. After passing my secondary school examination with 92% marks, my fondness for computer science and technology led me to change the school to take Informatics Practices with science, where I learned computer languages such as Java and SQL and eventually performed remarkably in the subject.

Watching crime news on television, reading about them in the newspapers, and seeing those offenders getting away with these heinous crimes often used to put me under a great deal of stress, and I am a person who always believes in making changes in society; so, I took a step forward and got myself enrolled in a course which allowed me to give my mind a workable approach. During my third semester of Undergraduate Degree (Bachelor's in Science Honours) with specialization in Forensic Science, I came across a Cyber Security and Digital Forensics subject. I found this subject very intriguing, and my keen curiosity prompted me to devote more time to the subject. After watching documentaries on cybercrimes and reading several research papers and articles on recent advancements in cybersecurity, I have learned that cybercrime is a progressive form of transnational crime. So, in my third semester itself, I gained strong admiration for the subject and decided I want to pursue my career in this field only.

But before jumping right into the professionalism of cybersecurity, one must learn some basic IT skills and rich hands-on experience in tech app, security incident handling, coding, network, system, analytics and intelligence, data management protection, and I was fortunate enough to gain experience in these skills in my internship period. After graduating from [UNIVERSITY_NAME] [CITY] I started working as an intern in the company named [COMPANY_NAME] [CITY] and after working relentlessly for three months the same company hired me in a permanent position as a system IT administrator. During my term of more than two years, I have gained extensive practical experience in maintaining, configuring, and reliably operating computer systems, network servers, and virtualization. Installation and upgrade of software and hardware, troubleshooting errors by running diagnostics, documentation of issues and resolutions, and implementing appropriate processes for data protection and security were on my daily deliverables. Working with several teams, I learned to work on different projects and acquired valuable knowledge. My hard work paid off when I received the employee of the quarter twice in my employment tenure. In addition to the core areas of responsibility, I have participated in numerous volunteer teams in different jobs for which I have received the Director's Appreciation Award. Being an individual with a self-driven attitude, I used to devote my spare time to learn some basics of Linux, HTML encryption, cryptography, and some security fundamentals on online platforms such as Udemy, Coursera, and YouTube. Having gained professional experience, I acquired sufficient knowledge of the field and now I wanted to focus on the next part of my career's trajectory. So, I gave my resignation and started my search for a world-class institution offering MSc cybersecurity programs.

After searching for some time, I came across [UNIVERSITY_NAME]'s masters program in cybersecurity and I was elated with the thought of studying in such a prestigious institution in a country that is popular across the globe for its higher education sector and the quality of education system is a major contributor to the rapid rate of economic growth of the country over recent decades. I cannot help but mention that the people of Ireland have a reputation for kindness and hospitality and their greatness makes it easier for foreign students to adapt to Irish student life and feel at home. And the reason I chose the [UNIVERSITY_NAME] is because of its practical course content and they are having partnerships with global educations leaders; a master's in cyber security at [UNIVERSITY_ABBREVIATION] is awarded by QQI at level 9 on National Framework Qualification. And in the end, having a good industrial connection is the icing on the cake.

Although I have gained exposure in the field of security in my bachelor and my work experience, I believe pursuing a master's degree in cybersecurity will allow me to explore the field in greater depth and utilize it effectively to address more real-world challenges, besides it will act as a platform that, fulfill my passion and dreams by developing solid expertise in the field by the time I return home after completing the course.