Some graduate programs have specific instructions and guidelines for what should be included in the statement of purpose. As such, please follow the guidelines recommended by the program to which you are applying for admission. If specific guidelines are not listed on a program website, the Graduate School recommends you describe your reasons for applying to the proposed program, your preparation for this field of study, future career plans, and other aspects of your background and interests which may aid the admissions committee in evaluating your motivation for graduate study.
We recommend that you write your statement of purpose in MS Word before applying. When you apply online, you will be asked to upload your statement of purpose. Note that many people upload the statement of purpose as a pdf, which works very well.