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Geospatial Sciences (Geographic Information Science and Computing) MSc

London, Bloomsbury

The Geospatial Sciences (GIS and Computing) MSc teaches students the theory, tools and techniques for working with geospatial data, from acquisition to processing to analysis. Students have the opportunity to engage and work with academics and industrial partners on cutting-edge research through seminars and a dissertation.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2023/24)
£18,000
£9,000
Overseas tuition fees (2023/24)
£35,000
£17,500
Duration
1 academic year
2 academic years
Programme starts
September 2023
Applications accepted
All applicants: 17 Oct 2022 – 31 Mar 2023

Applications closed

Find similar courses still open

Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second-class UK Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline (such as engineering, architecture, geography, urban planning, mathematics, surveying, marine and earth sciences, computer science) from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. Normally only candidates with either a first or upper second-class degree will be accepted, although applicants with a lower second-class degree supported by extensive work experience will also be considered.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 1

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level. International Preparation Courses

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

This specialist GIS and Computing programme educates students in the theoretical, scientific and practical aspects of geographic information science, with a strong focus on the technical and analytical aspects of the discipline. The pathway covers a range of topics from spatial analysis and geocomputation to programming, machine learning, data science and app development. Our graduates become GIS professionals rather than simply GIS users.

Who this course is for

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver. When we assess your application we would particularly like to learn: Why you want to study Geospatial Sciences (Geographic Information Science and Computing) at graduate level; why you want to study Geospatial Sciences (Geographic Information Science and Computing) at UCL; what particularly attracts you to this programme; how your personal, academic and professional background meets the demands of a challenging programme and where you would like to go professionally with your degree.
The typical applicant will have basic academic or professional experience with GIS and will want to enhance their technical skills and theoretical knowledge with this degree. Applicants should be numerate and have an enthusiasm for programming. We welcome applicants from a range of academic backgrounds including geography, engineering, environmental studies, mathematics/statistics, earth sciences, architecture, archaeology, physical and computational sciences. We also welcome applicants with relevant work experience in Geographic Information Science or related industries.
Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

UCL Civil, Environmental & Geomatic Engineering is an energetic and exciting multidisciplinary department with a tradition of excellence in teaching and research, situated in the heart of London. This dynamic MSc programme consolidates the department's expertise in the geospatial sciences, GIS and computing into a single degree, giving students the chance to specialise in their chosen area.

Students studying Geospatial Sciences (Geographic Information Science and Computing) MSc will benefit from the department's excellent research and industry links, including attending our Geospatial Seminar series, and carrying out a research project with one of our many industrial partners.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

Students will gain a range of technical skills in geospatial science that are highly valued by employers, including the use of specialist software for GIS (ArcMap, QGIS, FME, Revit, PostGIS); programming, machine learning, web and software development (Python, R, Java, Javascript, HTML/CSS, PHP); geospatial data acquisition, processing and management; geospatial data visualisation and analysis.

Employability

Students graduating with a degree in Geospatial Sciences (Geographic Information Science and Computing) will be equipped for a diverse range of roles, including GIS professional/officer, data scientist, geospatial software developer and consultant. Graduates go on to work for a variety of organisations including engineering consultancies, GIS software companies and national mapping agencies. Our students establish strong links with industry through the industrial seminar series and industrial research projects. Additionally, many graduates from our programmes go on to PhD research at UCL or elsewhere.

Accreditation

The Geospatial Sciences (GIS and Computing) MSc is accredited by RICS. RICS works in partnership with universities to ensure that their accredited degree courses are relevant to industry. This means that when you study on an accredited degree this will be recognised by employers as the benchmark of quality.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, computer sessions, seminars and field classes. Assessment is via coursework (individual and group), presentations, written examinations and the dissertation.

The workload for students is approximately 40 hours per week.

This is typically made up of formal learning and teaching events such as lectures, seminars and tutorials, as well as self-directed study.

A Postgraduate Diploma, consisting of six compulsory modules (90 credits) and two optional modules (30 credits), is also offered.

Modules

One year (FT) mode: the four modules of the first term give you a foundation in geospatial science and programming and in the computational and statistical processes that are appropriate to your chosen specialism. The four modules of the second term focus on the specialist application areas. Over the period from May to September you will carry out an individual project. Some routes may involve practical field work integrated within the modules. All modules involve a mixture of lectures, practical work, seminars and visits to government or private geospatial organisations.

Two year (PT) mode: you will study two modules per term over the two year period. The individual project may be started after the first year and is completed at the end of the second year.

Compulsory modules









Optional modules





Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in Geospatial Sciences (Geographic Information Science and Computing). Upon successful completion of 120 credits, you will be awarded a PG Dip in Geospatial Sciences (Geographic Information Science and Computing).

Fieldwork

Some modules may contain an element of fieldwork using specialist equipment in an applied setting.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support & Wellbeing team.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2023/24) £18,000 £9,000
Tuition fees (2023/24) £35,000 £17,500

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

There is no additional cost for fieldwork.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs.

Funding your studies

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Brown Family Bursary

Deadline: 8 June 2023
Value: £15,000 (1 year)
Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need
Eligibility: UK

Next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications and £115 for paper applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

Applications are accepted throughout the year but applicants are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. It takes approximately four weeks from submission of an application to receiving an offer letter. If you are an overseas student requiring a visa we recommend applying in sufficient time to obtain the CAS number required for your visa.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Got questions? Get in touch

Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering
Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering

cege-pg-admissions@ucl.ac.uk

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