Help for Statement of Purpose Needed

Dear all,

I have written a draft for a statement of purpose for the application to an international masters program in Germany. This is the latest draft and I am sure that there are a lot to be improved on. I hope you could help me fix this letter.

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Statement of Purpose

My first introduction to computational study was when I took Numerical Methods course in my second year. The course was of my interest since it combines engineering, computation, and programming. One of the most beautiful aspect of the course is how it can be used to simplify and solve complicated problems. Instead of complicated exact solution, it solves the problems by making an approximation to the solutions. I found myself enjoying this course especially when I have the chance to implement my calculation by writing a programming code. The final assignment for that course was to find a real-world problem and solve it using what we have learned in the course. I decided to give my best and created a Gaussian Elimination algorithm in MATLAB. I still regard that final project as my best achievement in my university day behind graduating from my university.

The course piqued my interest in structural engineering. Later in my study, I decided to take various structural engineering courses. One of the course that I remembered the most is “Structural Analysis II” which deals with the structural analysis using displacement method. Through this course, I learned the concept behind the displacement method. It is interesting to learn about the method used by structural analysis program such as SAP2000 and MIDAS. Together with the Numerical Methods course, these courses assured me that structural studies and computational engineering would be an appropriate choice for my study programme.

As a graduate of Civil Engineering, I have a good knowledge of structural engineering and structural design. During my bachelor study, I have taken academic subjects that are related to structural engineering with many of them receiving good grades. I also received a satisfactory grade for my undergraduate thesis in analyzing the effect of fire on steel building’s structural integrity. With a good understanding of structural engineering, I am confident that I will be a suitable candidate for the programme.

After graduation, I had the opportunity to work at a construction consultation firm. I have had the fortunate chance to apply my knowledge of structural design by designing wharf and trestle structures for two small harbors. Working on those projects taught me not only about how to design structures, but also how to always be ready to learn new things, cooperating with another people, how to work effectively, and to be determined in solving problem. I also need to be ready to learn new things such as how to write a technical proposal, since my job is not limited to structural design. I am confident that these experiences will help me in navigating every challenge in the course of my study.

I first found out about XXX when I was researching about possible postgraduate courses that suit my interests. When I read about the programme, I knew that XXX would be a suitable choice for my master programme. I am interested in the programme due to its curriculum. The programme has a solid and flexible curriculum focused on structural studies, which is suitable for my future career goal as a structural engineer. The curriculum also provides opportunities to do practical projects and apply the knowledge learned in class to real life problems. As a university with a long tradition of research, I expect to learn a lot of valuable lessons from research conducted at your institution.

With my background in Civil Engineering complemented with my passion in learning and my experience in the construction industry, I am confident that I will be well-suited to your programme. Studying at your institution would be really beneficial to my development as an engineer and help me in reaching my goal in becoming a great structural engineer.