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Geospatial Sciences (Geographic Information Science and Computing) MSc

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.

Covid-19 programme updates

Due to COVID-19, there may have been updates to this programme for the 2020 academic year. Where there has been an update, these are indicated with a red alert and a link which will provide further information.

Key information

Programme starts

September 2020

Modes and duration

Full time: 1 year
Part time: 2 years

Application dates

All applicants
Open: 1 November 2019
Close: 11 August 2020
Notification
Due to the large number of applications received, this programme is no longer accepting applications for 2020/21 entry. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. Applications for 2021/22 entry will open later in the year.

Tuition fees (2020/21)

UK/EU:
£13,640 (FT)
£6,810 (PT)
Overseas:
£28,530 (FT)
£14,320 (PT)


Note on fees: The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website.

Optional qualifications: This degree is also available as a PG Diploma with fees set accordingly.
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.

Location: London, Bloomsbury

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.

English language requirements

If your education has not been conducted in the English language, you will be expected to demonstrate evidence of an adequate level of English proficiency.

The English language level for this programme is: Standard

Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English

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

International students

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.

Select your country:

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 and app development. Our graduates become GIS professionals rather than simply GIS users.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

The programme consists of six compulsory modules (90 credits) and two optional modules (30 credits). All students carry out a dissertation (60 credits).

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

Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded a 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).

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 is subject to change.

Compulsory modules

Students will take the following compulsory modules:

  • Geospatial Programming
  • Geospatial Science
  • Spatial Analysis and Geocomputation
  • Spatial Databases and Data Management
  • Spatio-Temporal Analysis and Data Mining
  • Web and Mobile GIS - Apps and Programming

Please visit the Geospatial Sciences MSc routes programme page for further compulsory module details, selecting Geospatial Sciences (Geographic Information Science and Computing) MSc in the Programme information section. 

Optional modules

Students must choose at least one of the following optional modules in Term 2:

  • Applied Building Information Modelling
  • Sensors and Location

One of the optional modules may be exchanged for an elective (any UCL Master's level module) at the programme director's discretion. Visit the Geospatial Sciences MSc routes programme page for further optional module details.

Covid-19 module updates
Due to COVID-19, there may be updates to the modules for your chosen programme of study this year. Some modules may not be available or may need to be moved to a later term or year of study. These updates are relevant for 2020-21 academic year only.  The full list of modules will be available in the module catalogue from late August.  From the first week of September, you will be invited to complete module selection from Portico, our student record system. There may need to be additional updates or changes to modules during the academic year to allow for new guidance from the UK Government and Public Health England. Your department shall keep you updated of these changes as they become available.

Dissertation/report

All students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of 10,000–12,000 words and a poster presentation (60 credits).

Fieldwork

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


Covid-19 field trip updates
Due to COVID-19 updates, there may need to be changes to planned field trips for this programme. This will depend on travel restrictions, social distancing measures, and the availability of the relevant venues. Your department will keep you updated if field trips are able to occur and/or any alternative options available.

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.

Covid-19 contact hours on campus
In Term One, while campus will be open, all the learning activity for the core content of your modules will take place online – including lectures, tutorials, seminars and assessments. By “core content” we mean everything you need to learn to complete the module successfully. In addition to these online contact hours, we will be offering some face-to-face educational activities for students on campus, and we will provide alternative online activities for those students unable to join us on campus. These activities, which will include contact with academic staff, will be relevant to your programme of study may include seminars, academic and employability skills workshops, small-group or individual tutorials, lab and practice-based teaching. UK Government safety guidelines will limit the amount of ‘in person’ activity we can offer and while it will vary from programme to programme, is likely to be no more than 1-2 hours per week. This will vary across departments, particularly if your programme includes laboratory/practical/studio/workshop sessions. You will be updated with more specific details as they are available and your timetable will indicate which sessions will be on campus and which will be available online.
Covid-19 practical component updates
Due to COVID-19, there may be changes to the availability of the practical components for your chosen programme. Any updates relate only to the 20/21 academic year and may not apply to all students across the programme depending on your year of study.  Your department will keep you updated if the practical component of your programme is able to occur and/or any alternative options available.   There may need to be additional updates or changes to the practical component during the academic year to allow for new guidance from the UK Government and/or Public Health England. Your department shall keep you updated of these changes as they become available. 
Covid-19 assessment updates
There may be changes to the format of assessments for modules in this programme due to COVID-19. These will be summarised for each module on the module catalogue from 17 August 2020.   If any changes to assessments need to be made during the academic year due to updates in government guidance, these will be communicated to you as soon as possible from your department.    
Communicating further Covid-19 mitigation plans
We are continuing to follow UK Government guidance, as well as the expertise of our researchers, including specialists in health, education, human behaviour and infection prevention, to make sure UCL is as safe as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic. If it becomes necessary to make further changes to your programme as a result of new guidance/regulations, UCL and your department will communicate these as soon as this becomes clear. We will keep you up-to-date with our plans throughout term one, so you have the information you need to be able to take decisions that are right for your circumstances. Please ensure that you keep in touch with your department by regularly checking your UCL emails, Moodle courses, the Coronavirus FAQs for Students page and any UCL online groups or social media you follow.

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.

Accessibility

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

Funding

Scholarships relevant to this department are displayed below.

Brown Family Bursary

Note:
This scheme is now closed for 2020/21
Value:
£15,000 (1 year)
Eligibility:
UK
Criteria:
Based on both academic merit and financial need

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

Careers

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.

Employability

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, web and software development (Python, R, Java, Javascript, HTML/CSS, PHP); geospatial data acquisition, processing and management; geospatial data visualisation and analysis.

Why study this degree at UCL?

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.

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.

Department: Civil, Environmental & Geomatic Engineering

Application and next steps

Applications

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 £80 for online applications and £105 for paper applications. Further information can be found at: www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/taught/application.

Who can apply?

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.

Application deadlines

All applicants
11 August 2020

For more information see our Applications page.

Apply now

What are we looking for?

When we assess your application we would 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 the chosen programme
  • how your academic and professional background meets the demands of this challenging programme
  • where you would like to go professionally with your degree

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.

UCL is regulated by the Office for Students.

Page last modified on 13 August 2020


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