Computer science degree personal statement example (2q) Masters

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

I have always been interested in computers as a hobby, stemming from my fascination with information technology. I regularly read local and overseas-based technology or IT-related websites, weblogs and online forums to follow or discuss developments in the IT industry and computer technology. I found that computers and information technology are closely related and computer software and hardware technologies are constantly evolving at a rapid rate of creative innovation.

Looking back at these experiences, I now want to learn about information technology in further detail and to pursue a career in the IT industry. By taking an MSc in Information Technology conversion course, my goal is to gain the proper academic grounding required for an IT job. I also want to expand on my IT knowledge, particularly for web and software development, with an aim to complement it with the knowledge from my undergraduate degree.

An aspect I am keen to explore further is the application of computers and the Internet as a mass media and marketing tool with the recent growth in popularity of web applications.

How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?

During my degree course, I usually proposed technology-related topics for my mass communication module projects to build on my own self interest and knowledge. The projects included a write-up on computer virus threats and the Y2K bug for the news feature writing module and for the social research module, my proposed group project was on university students’ perceptions on the use of P2P file-sharing programs and their impact on music CD sales. From these projects, I learnt about the importance of running secure computer networks and intellectual property rights concerns now that technology has enabled the digitisation of media and global connectivity via the Internet.

What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

Outside of studies, I held positions as the webmaster for an online computer gaming clan I was part of and my university campus’ International Students’ Association as I had developed an interest in web design, having first learnt HTML through self study and later through a web design course where I learnt to use Dreamweaver and Flash. I got to learn of the Internet’s potential as a form of new media for mass communication and entertainment.

In my current job, I have been assigned duties outside of my actual job scope which require some degree of knowledge about computers. One such responsibility is as a system monitor, ensuring proper usage of the hotel’s sales and catering database management system. Additionally, I design queries to generate sales production reports required by the management. As an event manager, I excel at handling technology events as I am able to understand and work with the conference organisers’ requirements. I have successfully handled events like the 5th annual State of Play Conference and the 2007 IEEE International Conference on Ultra-Wideband. I learnt about the importance of teamwork and time management, good interpersonal communication skills and managing with tight deadlines all of which I am sure are applicable to academic life too.

Outside of work, I like to travel as it is an opportunity to see new places and learn about other countries’ culture, history and people. To de-stress, I play video games, read books and draw. I also sometimes undertake a personal project during my free time and one was to build my own desktop computer. I enjoyed the entire process, especially researching how to go about it and the hardware compatibility for the configuration I wanted, as well as troubleshooting.

Universities applied to:

• Bristol - MSc in Computer Science: Conversion Course
• York - MSc in Information Technology
• Surrey - MSc in Information Systems

How personal statements have changed?

The current personal statement format, with three 'scaffolding' questions, was introduced by Ucas in September 2025. This personal statement was submitted before then, using the old essay-style format. It has been carefully edited into the three-question format, with all of the original wording kept.

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