Masters Degrees (Cartography)

This Masters in Geoinformation Technology & Cartography focuses on understanding and managing the locational data required to use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) together with visualisation and map production in a GIS environment. It is the only programme in the UK to have a significant emphasis on cartography; and our focus on the underpinning geomatics aspects and cartographic output is unique among GIS programmes.

Why this programme

◾The MSc in Geoinformation Technology & Cartography is the only programme in the UK that focuses on cartography. The programme has been running since 1963 and celebrated its 50th birthday in 2013.
◾You will benefit from access to our extensive computer laboratories and the latest software, including ArcGIS and MapInfo for GIS, graphic design packages and remote sensing processing software.
◾The School of Geographical and Earth Sciences is proud to announce that it is ranked 28th in the world (QS World Rankings 2016).
◾The School is consistently ranked amongst the top 10 in the UK and top 5 in Scotland, recently achieving 2nd in Scotland and 9th in the UK (Guardian University Guide 2017).
◾If you are seeking a career in geographic information management or cartography and have little or no academic background in this subject: or if you have a technical/practical background in the subject and are seeking an academic qualification; this programme is designed for you.
◾Textbooks for semester 1 courses are included in fees; and you will attend the three-day GIS Research UK conference as part of the programme (included in fees).

Programme structure

Semester 1 – 60 credits
◾Fundamentals of Geomatics GEOG5008 (20 credits)
◾Principles of Cartographic Design & Production GEOG5018 (10 credits)
◾Principles of GIS GEOG5019 (10 credits)
◾Principles of Land Surveying GEOG5020 (10 credits)
◾Topographic Mapping and Landscape Monitoring GEOG5025 (10 credits)

Semester 2 – 60 credits
◾Applied GIS GEOG5012 (10 credits)
◾Geospatial Data Infrastructures and Land Administration GEOG5013 (10 credits)
◾Geovisualisation & Map Use GEOG5026 (10 credits)
◾Internet & Mobile GIS GEOG5015 (10 credits)
◾Remote Sensing of the Environment GEOG5056 (10 credits)
◾Research & Professional Issues in Geomatics GEOG5021 (10 credits)

Summer – 60 credits
◾MSc Project GEOG5085P (60 credits)

Career prospects

Career opportunities exist in both the private and public sectors and there is currently high demand for GIS skills. Positions include cartographer with map publishing company, government agency, or private service agency; GIS specialist, ranging from support in large corporations (banking, insurance, retail), environmental consultancies, local authorities, utility companies; mapping specialist with software house or geoinformation data provider. GIS Officer, Dundee City Council, Dundee, UK.

Graduates of this programme have gone on to positions such as:
GIS Cartographer at Arcus Renewable Energy Consulting
GIS Operator at Scottish Water
GIS Analyst at Forth GIS
GIS Cartographer at L&M Surveys
Cartographer at Harper-Collins Cartographic
GIS Analyst at Arcus
GIS Analyst at Natural Power
Estates Technical Surveyor at North Ayrshire Council.

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About the course

The two-year full-time study programme (120 ECTS) addresses key social, economic and environmental challenges in geography and spatial planning with a strong emphasis on sustainable development strategies, cross-border issues, and the patterns of spatial development and spatial governance in Europe.
The programme is entirely taught in English and benefits from a proximity to European institutions and international research centres.
We provide a unique combination of academic courses and practical work. Students will learn to identify and explain conceptual and theoretical models and work with geographic information systems, computer-aided cartography, statistical tools as well as qualitative assessment and survey methods.

Aims

As a student, you will

• be trained in a wide range of approaches in geographical analysis and spatial planning
• be prepared to meet the demands for sustainable spatial planning strategies and improved urban and territorial governance processes
• be prepared to understand a wide range of European and transnational planning philosophies and processes
• acquire a set of soft skills that are increasingly required in professional life such as working in groups, debating within interdisciplinary and intercultural teams, preparing and presenting projects

Course modules

• Urban and Spatial Planning
• European Territorial Trends and Policies
• Territorial Governance and Policy Analysis
• Cartography and GIS
• Geographical Modelling
• Projects and Practice
• Research Methods and Seminars
• Language modules

Career

The programme leads to a variety of professional careers at different geographical scales and in various sectors, as well as an opening to PhD programmes. Most of our graduates work in private and public spatial planning bodies, mobility and transport consultancies, urban and regional development agencies, European and cross-border institutions, as well as in universities and research centres.

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The MSc in Geoinformatics addresses the growing need for science-trained postgraduates who are technically aware and competent to work in the field of geoinformatics, particularly as applied to environmental and resource management. This twelve month full-time course of study covers both the theoretical and practical aspects of geoinformatics, including Geographical Information Systems (GIS), Remote Sensing (RS), satellite navigation systems, cartography, visualisation, programming and web services.

The course consists of 60 credits of taught modules, followed by independent research towards a dissertation worth 30 credits. In addition to the taught modules, you will have the opportunity to meet practitioners through regular seminars led by experts in the discipline from Ireland and abroad, visits to local geoinformatics enterprises and attendance at relevant Irish conferences. With an MSc in GIS and RS, you will be highly sought after by employers on graduation.

Visit the website: http://www.ucc.ie/en/ckr09/

Course Detail

The course introduces you to the foundational concepts of GIS, RS and cartography in the first teaching period, with lectures and practical classes which explore the underlying principles of the subjects. These skills are developed in the second teaching period with more advanced digital image processing, spatial analysis and computer programming, again taught through lectures and practical classes.

Running throughout both teaching periods are modules which develop your research skills and explore the applications, technologies and systems of geoinformatics. These modules are taught through a variety of methods which include workshops, seminars, fieldtrips, conferences, site visits, group projects and independent study.

Leading national and international geoinformatics practitioners are invited to lead seminars highlighting industrial, commercial and governmental applications and, where applicable, to demonstrate different equipment used in the discipline. You are encouraged to explore your own interests in geoinformatics through self-directed studies, oral presentations, networking with professional researchers and attending the annual national GIS and RS conferences held each autumn.

One of the highlights of the teaching period is the weekend field trip which allows students to gain hands-on experience with a variety of different instruments and to experience the complete data acquisition, processing, evaluation and presentation chain.

When you complete the taught modules you are eligible to undertake the research project in an area of your own choice within the geoinformatics discipline over a four month period from May to September. This research may be undertaken in the university or with the support of a commercial placement organised by you and culminates in a 15,000 word thesis. All students have a dedicated computer in the masters’ lab in the Department of Geography and are provided with student copies of relevant software as well as access to departmental equipment as necessary for research projects.

Further details on the content and modules are available on the Postgraduate College Calendar - http://www.ucc.ie/calendar/postgraduate/Masters/science/page05.html#geographical

Format

During the two teaching periods, there are daily classes that typically consist of one to two hours of morning lectures followed by two to three hours of afternoon practical sessions in the computer lab. For every hour of taught classes, students are expected to spend two to three hours on self-directed study. An overnight stay may be required for attendance at the national conferences, depending on their location, but the weekend field trip is within easy travelling distance of Cork. Students are made aware of the dates of these events at the earliest opportunity and they are a compulsory part of the course.

Placement and Study Abroad Information

While there are no compulsory placement requirements as part of the course, you are actively encouraged to seek opportunities to develop your skills in a commercial environment as part of the independent research project. Several successful partnerships have been developed in this way, resulting in students having access to data and knowledge not available in-house and enabling them to undertake novel and innovative research that directly supports the work of a commercial or government enterprise.

Assessment

Because of the very practical nature of the subject, there is a large element of coursework with some of the taught modules assessed entirely through computer-based exercises, written reports, projects and practical activities. Some modules are also assessed through a combination of coursework and examination at the end of each of the two teaching periods. Students are assessed on valuable transferable skills that include written, mathematical, problem-solving and oral assignments, many of which are completed individually or in small groups.

Careers

You will gain a wide variety of technical skills on this programme, including computer-based activities and use of field instruments. You are also made aware of the importance of theoretical concepts, policy initiatives and commercial constraints and limitations which impact on the use of geoinformatics in the workplace. Many transferable skills are also fostered through different learning approaches, including critical thinking, problem-solving, report writing, oral presentations, statistical analysis, independent research and time management.

How to apply: http://www.ucc.ie/en/study/postgrad/how/

Funding and Scholarships

Information regarding funding and available scholarships can be found here: https://www.ucc.ie/en/cblgradschool/current/fundingandfinance/fundingscholarships/

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Your programme of study

This programme is ideal if you want to study flexibly around work or other commitments or you want to study from anywhere in the world if you have a very busy lifestyle. It is entirely delivered online to help you study at University of Aberdeen from any remote location with internet access.  There is also an on campus delivery of this programme.

Geographic information systems have become really interesting to all of us with the increased innovation in smart phones and IOT, whether we are searching for a venue to eat and drink or looking for something specific in a difficult to reach location. At one time GIS was heavily used in planning and map creation, now we all have access to those maps on our mobiles and tablets and we now expect sensors in our phones to connect automatically to satellite systems to tell us our every move, whether we are walking or in the car. This has made the discipline incredibly interesting and opened up a lot more opportunities in terms of work. On top of the more obvious GIS enabled systems many businesses rely on this technology to inform them about weather, shipping, coastal locations, risks and hazards, agriculture and energy and minerals exploration.

Geospatial technologies are increasingly important across all industries and this programme gives you skills in developing remote sensing, working with wide ranging expertise from coastal, marine, ecology, energy, geology, spatial planning, and archaeology. You learn some very useful skills in programming, simulation and modelling, spatial databases and global positioning systems, plus cartography, remote sensing, digital image processing, geographic information systems, field data capture for a variety of devices. 

It is worth visiting the Scottish Innovation Centres to find out more about innovations using GIS and the technologies it uses:

http://www.innovationcentres.scot/

Courses listed for the programme

Year 1

Compulsory

The History, Origins and Evolution of GIS

Introduction to GIS Tools, Techniques, Cartography and Geo-visualisation

Uav Remote Sensing, Monitoring and Mapping

Advanced Spatial Analysis and Programming 

Year 2

People Management and GIS

Database Systems and Big Data

Fundamentals and Advanced Applications of Map Algebra

Current Applications of GIS

Year 3

Dissertation Project in GIS

Find out more detail by visiting the programme web page

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught/degree-programmes/1083/geographical-information-systems/

Why study at Aberdeen?

• Aberdeen is in a great location to test out your skills in a range of sea and energy, remote, rural and wild locations
• You are encouraged to go on field trips and out into these varied locations
• You are taught by experts from marine science, ecology, energy and environmental industry and academic experts
• Apart from learning your profession inside out career opportunities are rapidly developing in GIS across the world

Where you study

• Online Learning
• 24 Months Part Time
• September or January start
• You may also be interested in the on campus delivery

International Student Fees 2017/2018

Find out about fees:

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/international/tuition-fees-and-living-costs-287.php

 *Please be advised that some programmes have different tuition fees from those listed above and that some programmes also have additional costs.

Scholarships

View all funding options on our funding database via the programme page

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught/finance-funding-1599.php

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/funding/

Living in Aberdeen

Find out more about:

• Your Accommodation
• Campus Facilities
• Aberdeen City
• Student Support
• Clubs and Societies

Find out more about living in Aberdeen:

https://abdn.ac.uk/study/student-life

Living costs

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/international/finance.php

You may also be interested in the on campus delivery of the programme::

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught/degree-programmes/99/geographical-information-systems/

 

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Your programme of study

Geographic information systems have become really interesting to all of us with the increased innovation in smart phones and IOT, whether we are searching for a venue to eat and drink or looking for something specific in a difficult to reach location. At one time GIS was heavily used in planning and map creation, now we all have access to those maps on our mobiles and tablets and we now expect sensors in our phones to connect automatically to satellite systems to tell us our every move, whether we are walking or in the car. This has made the discipline incredibly interesting and opened up a lot more opportunities in terms of work. On top of the more obvious GIS enabled systems many businesses rely on this technology to inform them about weather, shipping, coastal locations, risks and hazards, agriculture and energy and minerals exploration.

Geospatial technologies are increasingly important across all industries and this programme gives you skills in developing remote sensing, working with wide ranging expertise from coastal, marine, ecology, energy, geology, spatial planning, and archaeology. You learn some very useful skills in programming, simulation and modelling, spatial databases and global positioning systems, plus cartography, remote sensing, digital image processing, geographic information systems, field data capture for a variety of devices. 

It is worth visiting the Scottish Innovation Centres to find out more about innovations using GIS and the technologies it uses:

http://www.innovationcentres.scot/

Courses listed for the programme

Semester 1

The History Origins and Evolution of GIS

GIS Tools and Technologies

People Management and GIS

Optional

Data Systems and Big Data

Aspects of Digital Mapping and Visualisation

Semester 2

Fundamentals of GIS and Spatial Analysis

Planning, Managing and Presenting a GIS Project

UAV Remote Sensing, Monitoring and Mapping

Semester 3

Dissertation

Find out more detail by visiting the programme web page

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught/degree-programmes/99/geographical-information-systems/

Why study at Aberdeen?

• Aberdeen is in a great location to test out your skills in a range of sea and energy, remote, rural and wild locations
• You are encouraged to go on field trips and out into these varied locations
• You are taught by experts from marine science, ecology, energy and environmental industry and academic experts
• Apart from learning your profession inside out career opportunities are rapidly developing in GIS across the world

Where you study

• University of Aberdeen
• Full time and Part Time
• 12 Months Full Time or 24 Months Part Time
• September or January start

International Student Fees 2017/2018

Find out about fees:

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/international/tuition-fees-and-living-costs-287.php

*Please be advised that some programmes have different tuition fees from those listed above and that some programmes also have additional costs.

Scholarships

View all funding options on our funding database via the programme page

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught/finance-funding-1599.php

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/funding/

Living in Aberdeen

Find out more about:

• Your Accommodation
• Campus Facilities
• Aberdeen City
• Student Support
• Clubs and Societies

Find out more about living in Aberdeen:

https://abdn.ac.uk/study/student-life

Living costs

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/international/finance.php

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At the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, we conduct research and offer MPhil supervision in all major fields of politics, including: international and global politics, governance and political organisations, and political theory.

We can offer you excellent supervision for your Politics MPhil, in a vibrant and supportive research environment.

We have a Politics Postgraduate Society, which organises:
-The 'New Voices' seminar series, with both internal and external presenters
-Round table discussions on topical issues
-Professional development workshops led by politics staff

You are encouraged to attend conferences to present papers, partial funding for this is available from the School.

Our main research themes are:

The politics of difference

We examine the issues thrown up by the social and political differences of humanity from a variety of perspectives including: analytical and continental political philosophy; comparative politics and international politics; post-colonialism. Our work includes research on:
-Multiculturalism and issues of identity
-Inequality and social justice
-Disability
-Competing discourses of national identity
-Ethnic-nationalism
-Political violence
-Socio-political exclusion and discrimination
-Global norms and cultural difference
-Free speech - toleration and recognition

Popular culture and political communication

Our research addresses various key issues including:
-Representation
-Aesthetics
-Identity
-Cultural political economy
-Memory
-Control

We also assess the processes and depiction of political struggles, such as:
-Armed conflict
-Everyday life
-Political organising and identity formation
-Elections

Political participation and elections

We examine the differing forms of political participation that link society to the political systems of the world. We look at both the formal electoral process and non-electoral politics (social movements, protest groups etc). Our research on the emergence of virtual political participation means that some of our work intersects with popular culture and political communication. We investigate:
-Citizen involvement and (dis)engagement
-Social capital
-Non-participation
-The role of civil society

Political ideologies and political thought

We focus on the history of political thought as well as how these ideas are embedded in programmes for political action. Our research incorporates both historical and contemporary political thought prominent in the Western tradition as well as Asian philosophy and post-colonial thinking. This is an interdisciplinary theme, serving as a bridge between empirical political science and political theory.

Global economic and environmental challenges

We study the importance of political ideas such as sustainable development and globalisation, as well as the struggle to define the core problems that society faces. These challenges pose questions to the nature and reform of global governance, and generate tensions between the state and transnationalising forces in global politics and political economy. Our work has already led to findings on:
-The implications for global justice
-The policy challenge for governments and non-governmental actors
-The empowerment of various actors

Democracy, the modern state and political organisations

Our work examines the role of interest groups, social movements, political parties, third-sector actors and charities, community organisations and postcolonial nationalism in relation to the modern state. We draw from ancient and modern political thought to understand the interpretation of democracy (including democratic rights and the foundations of democracy). Our research interrogates the forms democracy takes, including:
-Elite theories of democracy
-Deliberative democracy
-Cosmopolitan democracy
-Democracy in divided societies

Political economy of development

Our research focuses on the interaction of economic forces and principles with political power in the development of societal economics and welfare, as well as on theories of development and post-development. We cover a range of geographic areas in Africa, the Americas, Europe and Asia. We explore questions such as:
-The impact of the ongoing financial and economic crisis
-The role of communities and individuals in the face of global political economic forces
-The impact of the emerging economies (for example Brazil and China) on the global political economy

Critical geopolitics and security

Our research focuses on thinking critically about the political dynamics, consequences and discourses of historical and contemporary geopolitics. We cover both historical and contemporary questions of security, including:
-The territorialisation/de-territorialisation of identity and political agency
-Political cartography
-The role of fear and identity in shaping geopolitics
-Sovereignty and nationalism - the role and impact of the military
-Notions of terrorism and the war on terror
-The geographies of international boundaries
-The war on the trade in illegal substances
-The city and security
-The threat of biological weapons and infectious disease
-The vertical dimension in geopolitical and security studies
-Visual culture and world politics
-Technologies and architectures of security and insecurity
-The human body and security

Theory of international relations

We take an active role in the global debate on the units, actors and structures that shape the dynamics of international politics. Our research covers the political consequences of the constitution of the international as a distinct kind of relation. We examine political concepts including:
-The world system
-International diplomacy
-Networks
-Notions of empire
-Regional integration
-Non-governmental actors
-The (nation) state

Governance in Britain and wider Europe

Our research investigates the dynamics driving public policy-making at national, EU and international levels. We focus on the challenges multi-level governance offers for concerns about legitimacy and accountability. This includes the changing relationship between the governing and the governed over matters of politics and policy. Our geographic scope includes the United Kingdom, Western Europe, Eastern Europe and Russia, and the Mediterranean

Global justice and human rights

Our work in political philosophy reflects the increasing need to tackle issues at a global rather than a state-only level. We cover issues such as:
-The formulation and justification of human rights
-The competing claims of relativism, particularism, and cultural diversity
-The extension of ideas of distributive justice from states to humanity as a whole
-Proposals to secure global democracy
-The application of just war theory to modern conflicts and to humanitarian intervention
-Environmental justice, especially climate change

We tackle questions of justice from an issue perspective as well as surveys of nationalism, statism, and various non-cosmopolitan theories of global justice.

Political research and methods

We conduct qualitative and quantitative research reflecting both empirical and critical political methodologies. We use quantitative methods, including rational choice theory and experiments, to make sense of topics as diverse as party systems and transitional justice. Our aim is to push innovation in research methods in ethnography, hermeneutics and discourse analysis. We use concepts that challenge traditional notions of politics to investigate methods for research into new challenges, including:
-The rise of life sciences
-The focus on the relationship between the human body and security
-Emergent forms of subjectivity and politics

Research skills development

The University's Humanities and Social Sciences Graduate School provides a full range of research training in the social sciences, which meets the requirements of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). This training includes:
-Bibliographical techniques
-Philosophy of social science
-Quantitative and qualitative methods

The Graduate School also hosts postgraduate events, including open days, and supports personal development.

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Ranked 2nd in the UK by Research Fortnight, our geomatics research is ground breaking. We publish in leading international journals, at conferences, in the media and through educational outreach programmes. Whether focusing on geodesy or geospatial engineering, you will work with experts to produce research of an international standard.

The School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences enjoys an international reputation for using the latest science to solve problems of global importance. Our research has significant relevance in non-academic settings and we regularly apply it through consultancy to industry, from the global offshore industry to local authorities and survey and engineering companies. We are a key part of the TSB Satellite Applications Catapult North East Centre of Excellence.

For geomatics we have MPhil and PhD supervision in the following areas:

Satellite geodesy

-GPS and geophysical modelling
-GPS/GNSS geodesy
-Precise orbit determination of altimetric and geodetic satellites
-Sea level
-Ice sheet mass balance
-Satellite altimetry
-Static and temporal gravity field and reference frame analyses from dedicated satellite missions
-SAR interferometry
-Geophysical and industrial deformation monitoring
-Geodynamics and geohazards
-Integration of GPS and INS
-Engineering geodesy

Geospatial Engineering

-Geoinformatics and advanced GIS
-Geospatial algorithm development
-Spatial modelling including network modelling, cellular automata and agent based approaches to spatial complexity
-Multimedia cartography and information delivery
-Temporal GIS
-Geospatial data management
-Airborne and satellite remote sensing applied to environmental impact assessment
-Land use, vegetation and pollution monitoring
-Earth observation of urban systems
-Photogrammetry
-Laser scanning
-Precise non-contact dimensional control

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Why take this course?

The Master of Architecture provides a vibrant, challenging and expansive programme aimed at equipping you with the professional and creative skills for a successful career as an architect and leads to Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Part 2 exemption. Through the design studios you will be exposed to a range of related architectural interests, including urbanism, landscape, practice, sustainability and culture, providing a cross-disciplinary learning environment that is appropriate in today’s professionally complex architectural world. We can also provide all incoming, full-time MArch students with funding toward a Course field trip.

What will I experience?

On this course you will undertake studio-based design projects, with opportunities to:

Engage with current collaborative projects with academic institutions in other countries – in the past these have included Turkey, Spain, Denmark and Australia
Work on projects with 'live' clients through our RIBA registered Project Office practice
Opt to study at a choice of European universities through the ERASMUS exchange scheme

What opportunities might it lead to?

This course is professionally accredited by the Architects Registration Board (ARB) and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). It is structured to ensure the integration and synthesis of contextual, technical and professional complexities inherent within the design process, helping you to engage with the prescribed ARB/RIBA criteria, and attain RIBA Part 2 exemption.

Module Details

The design curriculum is delivered through studios, each having a distinct research topic relating to the research and practice of the studio tutors. The studio topics and pedagogy provide a framework and guidance for student projects in Year One and support in Year Two as you develop your particular thesis questions into design propositions. Studios topics change annually in response to current issues in practice and society, challenging the architectural profession, and offering variety in scale,content and context in the UK and abroad.

Please see our proposed 2016/17 MArch studios below. You can find more information on our course blog and see output in our MArch Gallery.

MArch Studios 2016-17*

Latent Culture- Exploring the Reading, Mapping and Making of Place: Mapping, reading and drawing out, Studio 1 will explore cartography, archaeology, memory, narrative and material of place. Through a series of thematic studies – text and making based – the studio will bring together an understanding of place using artefacts, films, maps and narratives.

Littoral Landscapes: Change Labs for Coastal Experimentation: This studio will experiment with the ‘seeds’ of transformation, focussing on littoral landscapes – coastal villages, towns and cities in the UK and abroad. The studio is the Lab, the seeds are about speculation, growth, invention and entrepreneurialism - small changes which can lead to revolutions.

Urban Futures. Cities constantly change in response to changes in society: Today, major environmental and economic challenges we are facing require new models for the built environment that are capable to be resource efficient, adaptable to environmental modifications and designed to facilitate placemaking.

The Emergent Studio: Architecture of, on and around the Edge: The Emergent Studio explores the idea of making architecture within cultural contexts that are not ‘our own’; always in a location that in some way exemplifies an edge condition. Our theoretical platform for exploring these conditions has been, and continues to be, rooted within phenomenology, drawing from the writings of the humane Nordic modernist tradition, in informing our methodologies of interrogation and design.

Portsmouth: The Anatomy of "The Island City”: This studio continues our reflections on Portsmouth's response to climate change induced rise in sea levels adding an analysis of infrastructures and their impact on developing Urban & Architectural visions for the city.

Tactical Urbanism: Tactical Urbanism will investigate, in a radical and provocative way, how a university environment will change in the future and create alternative and hypothetical social scenarios as starting point for your design project. The aim is not to create a futuristic environment but to challenge the current paradigms and try to address the real problems and issues that our society will face in a near 2050 future.

Coastal Latent Dynamics: Material Voids: This new studio will frame the architectural process, starting with a close up of the Micro (the detail, the material qualities of place, prototyping), continuing to a wide shot of the Macro (the notion of municipality in a coastal context) and then zooming into the Meso (dealing with the opportunities of voids, empty buildings and their environs).

*Please note: studio offers may change due to staff and student numbers.

Programme Assessment

You will be taught through a combination of individual and group tutorials in your selected studio, while year-wide units are lecture-based, complemented by seminars and workshops. Our studio-teaching method will mean that you will be working with tutors with professional and academic experience in their field and all unit programmes are complemented by contributions from external professionals.

Studio programmes will often entail shared sessions with European and, sometimes, other overseas institutions, in countries such as Denmark, Turkey, Morocco, Italy and Spain. Representatives of local public and private bodies and agencies frequently contribute to studio tutorials and crits. All this helps to ensure that your learning and studio research outputs can have regional impact and global reach.

Design assessment is through studio review (crit) as work progresses and portfolio assessment at the end of the academic year. ‘Taught’ units, in support of the design curriculum, are assessed through various forms of illustrated written coursework – both individual and group, such as reports and the Dissertation.

Student Destinations

Careers in architecture are demanding ever-increasing specialism and professional competence.

The unique learning experience we offer on this course will enable you to develop as an expansive, creative and professional individual capable of success in a range of creative and professional environments. The breadth of engagement with the discipline and range of studios ensures that you will become confident in responding to the demands of the profession. The regional, national and international destinations of the School’s alumni are testament to this, as are our graduate employment take-up statistics.

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The Masters in Geomatics & Management is aimed at graduates in geomatics (surveying and mapping). It will enhance your career progression in the field of geomatics, and provide you with the necessary skill set to succeed in managerial positions. The combination of geomatics with management offered by this programme has been strongly endorsed by industry.

Why this programme

◾The School of Geographical and Earth Sciences is proud to announce that it is ranked 28th in the world (QS World Rankings 2016).
◾You will be jointly taught by staff from the School of Geographical and Earth Sciences and the Adam Smith Business School and will benefit from their resources and expertise and from an industry-focused curriculum informed by experts in the field.
◾The School is consistently ranked amongst the top 10 in the UK and top 5 in Scotland, recently achieving 2nd in Scotland and 9th in the UK (Guardian University Guide 2017).
◾If you have a geomatics background, but with little management experience and you are looking to broaden your knowledge of management while also furthering your knowledge of geomatics, this programme is designed for you.
◾The programme is split into two semesters and a summer session. One semester will be based in the Business School and is aimed at developing knowledge and skills of management principles and techniques. An applied approach is adopted, with an emphasis on an informed critical evaluation of information, and the subsequent application of concepts and tools to the core areas of business and management.
◾The semester in Geomatics allows you to focus on land and hydrographic surveying, or GIS and cartography. Your programme will be customised depending on your background and interests.
◾While taking advanced courses in Geomatics you will have benefit from access to the latest surveying equipment, including GPS and Terrestrial Laser Scanning, and industry standard processing software, GIS and graphic packages as part of this programme.
◾You will attend either a week long survey field course or the three-day GIS Research UK conference as part of the programme (included in fees).
◾This programme has a September and January intake*.

*For suitably qualified candidates

Programme structure

Semester 1 – 60 credits in Management
◾Contemporary issues in human resource management MGT5210 (10 credits)
◾Managing creativity and innovation MGT5213 (10 credits)
◾Managing strategic change MGT5216 (10 credits)
◾Marketing management MGT5219 (10 credits)
◾Operations management MGT5222 (10 credits)
◾Project management MGT225 (10 credits)

Semester 2 – 60 credits in Geomatics
◾Research & Professional Issues in Geomatics GEOG5021(10 credits)

50 credits from:
◾Applied GIS GEOG5012 (10 credits)
◾Applied Hydrographic Surveying GEOG5098 (10 credits)
◾Applied Land Surveying GEOG5099 (10 credits)
◾Directed Studies in Geomatics GEOG5006 (10 credits)
◾Engineering Surveying GEOG5007 (10 credits)
◾Geodesy & GNSS GEOG5012 (10 credits)
◾Geospatial Data Infrastructures and Land Administration GEOG5013 (10 credits)
◾Geovisualisation & Map Use GEOG5026 (10 credits)
◾Hydrographic Survey GEOG5014 (10 credits)
◾Internet & Mobile GIS GEOG5015 (10 credits)
◾Remote Sensing of the Environment GEOG5056 (10 credits)

Career prospects

Career opportunities exist in both the private and public sectors and there are lots of possibilities for those with Surveying and Mapping skills. Positions include GIS specialist, ranging from support in large corporations (banking, insurance, retail), environmental consultancies, local authorities, utility companies, or mapping specialist with software house or geoinformation data provider. There is currently a very high demand for surveyors, especially in hydrographic survey, in support of offshore oil and renewable energy engineering and maintenance. In addition to the offshore energy industry, land surveyors are in demand in many parts of the world to support mining operations, major civil engineering projects and to provide surveying services for Land Registration.

Graduates of this programme have gone on to positions such as:
◾Assistant Surveyor General at Dept of Surveys, Ministry of Lands and Housing, Malawi
◾Regional Surveyor General at Dept of Surveys, Ministry of Lands and Housing, Malawi
◾Surveyor at Rudan Engineering Ltd, Ghana
◾Surveyor at KACST, Saudi Arabia
◾Surveyor at Environmental Sciences Group Pelorus Surveys
◾Senior Surveyor at North Ayrshire Council
◾Surveyor at Line Surveys Transmission Consultancy

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What is the Master of Geography all about?

The Master of Science in Geography is a two-year advanced study programme jointly organised by KU Leuven and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). The interuniversity master programme provides the students with comprehensive training in geography's approaches to social geographical and/or natural geographical phenomena. The objective of this programme is to provide a deeper understanding of geographical problems and methods, knowledge to the theoretical debate within the discipline, and training in the use of geographical working techniques.

The global aim of the master is to generate geographers that can play an active role in our contemporary society. Teaching is based on scientific research. Therefore the KU Leuven and the VUB work together for their master in geography, since their focal points of research are similar. The following specialties are offered in English:

• Earth and Climate;
• City, Society and Space;
• GIS and Spatial Modelling.

This is an initial Master's programme and can be followed on a full-time or part-time basis.

Structure

The full programme comprises 120 ECTS. In addition to core courses on human-environment interactions and research methods in geography (27 ECTS), you take the compulsory courses within your chosen specialisation (33-34 ECTS) as well as a number of specialised electives in your field (29-30 ECTS). The remaining 30 ECTS are allocated to the master’s thesis.

The programme offers three specialisations:

• Earth and Climate: this specialization focuses on terrestrial ecosystems and environmental changes, emphasising timely and relevant research topics in the geosciences like global warming, ice-climate interaction, soil and water conservation, long-term landscape development, natural hazards and risk assessment.
• City, Society and Space: in a strongly urbanised world there is a growing need to better understand social, economic, cultural, and political dynamics of urban areas. This specialisation focuses on the multifaceted issues that cities are experiencing in the current era of globalisation.
• GIS and Spatial Modelling: within this specialisation you will become acquainted with new approaches and techniques for acquiring, managing, analysing and mapping spatial data.

Within this specialisation you can also opt to include a two-month GIS internship in your study programme.

Courses are taught at KU Leuven’s Arenberg Campus in Heverlee and at the VUB campus in Etterbeek. A joint degree will be awarded upon the successful completion of the programme.

Departments

This highly competitive programme is jointly offered by the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at KU Leuven and the Department of Geography at VUB and is firmly rooted in current research at both universities. Both departments continuously develop and maintain innovative and internationally recognised research programmes on fundamental and applied aspects of the geosciences, covering a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. Within the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at KU Leuven, geographical research activities are focused on earth surface processes and climate, human-environment interactions, society and space, tourism, and education in the geosciences. Research in the Department of Geography at VUB is focused on the dynamics of glacial systems, the study of hazardous geomorphological and volcanological processes, small-scale cartography and map projections, remote sensing, and the geography of world cities. 

Objectives

The Master of Geography aims to gain the analytical and synthetical ability, necessary to understand independently and critically the scientific and social aspects of the environmental problems in our country, in a European dimension and on global level. It aims to enable the student to approach the relation between society and environment in an integrated way. The student will learn to overview and to function within the realm of the geographer. This is possible in the area of fundamental and applied geographical research, as well as in the area of communication and education of geographical sciences.

In the master thesis the research activities are emphasized, next to the acquiring of knowledge and abilities on an advanced level.

The global aim of the master is to produce geographers that can play an active role in our current society. Teaching is based on scientific research. To be able to realize this the KU Leuven and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel work together for their Master of Geography, since their focusses of research are similar. The following specialties are offered in English:

• Earth and Climate
• City, Society and Space
• GIS and Spatial Modelling

Career perspectives

Geographers study the interaction between human societies and their environments, characterize the regions and localities that result, and analyze the spatial distributions and processes of particular natural and human phenomena. Being equally a natural science and a social science equipped with geographical information science techniques, geography integrates the physical and human environments. Thus, geographers have long applied integrated multidisciplinary approaches to solve real-world problems at all spatial scales from local to global.

Undoubtely there exists a growing demand for competent professionals in the broad field of geo-sciences. As a graduate from the interuniversity master programme geography, you may be recruited by surveying companies, mapping agencies, service and utility providers and public entities. You will also be placed high on the recruitment list of international and national administrations dealing with urban and rural land use planning, disaster management, environmental conservation and management. Careers can also be perused in research and education, whereby this Master programme is most often complemented by a relevant PhD programme.

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Students will learn how to acquire knowledge from a range of sources including history, horticulture, architecture, garden archaeology and other subjects, to develop an appreciation of the study of garden history as a cultural discipline.

Students will be able to appreciate the differences in garden-making over time and in different countries, from the 16th century to the present day in Britain, Europe and America. Emphasis will be on design and management, ownership, and the culture from which these examples have evolved.

This degree will provide an academically rigorous environment in which students will learn a range of academic research and writing skills. Teaching will be undertaken at the Institute of Historical Research (http://www.history.ac.uk/), with a strong emphasis on tutor/student interaction in class. There will be practical sessions at museums and libraries, as well as visits to gardens in London. There will also be an optional field trip to Italy in the spring.

Structure

The course will be run on a full-time basis over one year. Teaching will take place on Thursdays from 10:00 to 17:00 and will be divided between two terms. The third term will be dedicated to dissertation preparation and writing. Please get in touch if you would like to see the full timetable.

Students must complete core module 1, core module 2 (selecting three options from the six provided), and core module 3 - a 15,000 word dissertation in order to be awarded the full MA.

However, there are a range of options available for flexible study:

Those wishing to pursue this course on a part-time basis can complete Modules 1 and 2 (the taught elements of the course) in their first year and Module 3, the dissertation, in their second year
Module 1 can be undertaken as a standalone unit leading to a PGCert, the credit for which can be banked should the student wish to complete the MA at a later date (within a prescribed time frame) Please enquire for further details.
Module 1: Researching Garden History (60 credits)

The first term will showcase the huge variety of resources available to study garden and landscape history from archaeology, architecture, cartography, horticulture, manuscripts, paintings and other works of art, from the sixteenth century to the present day.

Sessions include:

Early maps of gardens (British library)
Garden Archaeology (Hampton Court)
Gardens and Architecture referencing Drawings Collection at the RIBA and V&A
The Italian Renaissance and English Gardens
The eighteenth century garden + visit to Chiswick House
Gardening and Photographic images
Assessment

A 5,000 word report on the history of a garden chosen by the student and an accompanying presentation.

Module 2: Culture and Politics of Gardens (60 credits)

This module consists of six optional units of which students must choose three.

These sessions aim to:

Develop students’ knowledge and understanding of gardens and landscapes in different countries
Develop students’ critical analysis and judgement
Demonstrate the importance of context and the relationship of garden and landscape history to other disciplines such as literature, social history, film and visual media and the history of ideas
The module will look at Historiography, theory, the connection between culture and politics in landscape making and the expansion of the skills of term one across regional boundaries.

For instance, the influence in Britain of the Italian Renaissance’s new ideas on garden making, including architecture, sculpture and hydraulic engineering; iconography in gardens and landscapes; formality in garden-making as an indicator of the power of the owner, from the sixteenth century onwards, as in France; different aspects of the ‘natural’ garden from the eighteenth century onwards; conflict between the ‘natural’ and the formal in the nineteenth century between William Robinson and Reginald Blomfield in Britain; gender and garden making; and shifting boundaries between architect, landscape architect and plantsman relating to the status of those designing gardens and landscapes in the 21st century.

Students will choose one unit from each group:

Students will choose one unit from each group:

Group A
French gardens of the seventeenth century
The evolution of the English garden in the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries

Group B
The eighteenth-century garden
The American garden

Group C
The Suburban Garden in England between the wars
Twentieth- and twenty-first-century gardens

Please note: Optional units are subject to change. Please consider this a guide only.

Assessment

Two 5,000 word assessed essays on two of the three options taken, and an assessed student presentation on the outline of the intended dissertation.

Module 3: Dissertation (60 credits), 15,000 words

Mode of study

12 months full-time or 24 months part-time.

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Introduction

MA Drawing at Wimbledon College of Arts is aimed at students who want to explore and interrogate the practice of drawing.

Content

What students can expect from the course:

- A course that promotes drawing for a purpose, focusing on process and cross-disciplinary dialogues that centre on communicating ideas to an audience, client or user

- To develop their drawing, discursive skills and agendas through a re-orientation of their practice

- Collaborations across and between diverse disciplines and courses at the College

- To have access to rich research sources such as Wimbledon’s Jocelyn Herbert Archive, the Stanley Kubrick Archives and University of the Arts London Centre for Drawing

- To benefit from the College’s established relationships we have with Tate Britain, The British Museum, Ashmolean Museum, The Royal Academy, The Sir John Soane Museum and the V&A drawing collections

- To explore a range of practices and disciplines where new languages and methodologies can be developed, including: architecture,
art, cartography, dance, design, engineering, performance, the sciences and writing

Structure

Unit One:

This will comprise of input from a range of practitioners from diverse disciplines, encouraging discussion of drawings purpose, its currency and potential for communicating and problem solving. This may include input from scientists, architects, writers and performers exploring the boundaries of drawing.



Unit Two:

This unit will focus on defining and developing themes from Unit One via individual or collaborative research questions. The unit will allow students to set up identifiable internal or external collaborations, and establish specific targets. The collaborative process can be used to resolve issues across and between disciplines.



Unit Three:

Will allow students to further develop their individual research questions, and explore and define practical methodologies to articulate drawing for a purpose.

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Environmental and sustainability issues are at the forefront of global concerns. Consequently, globally there is increasing demand for competent, qualified environmental managers. Managing the environment is of increasing importance to governments and industry by choosing to study this course you will develop expertise in key areas which will enhance your employability.

Key benefits

The course offers opportunities for professional placements or work-based learning. We provide support for finding placements, but we expect you to be a proactive partner in finding and pursuing opportunities.

Course detail

The MSc Environmental Management is an opportunity to study a professionally focused course in line with your own interests and ambitions. On completion, you'll be ready to take on a number of roles, for example, working in the environmental arm of a large private company, or with a public sector body such as the Environment Agency. You'll find possibilities across the world in areas as diverse as civil engineering, sustainable development, water security, or research. You may find yourself developing policy or getting involved in major projects.

Be at the forefront of helping solve some of the world's biggest environmental and sustainability issues, including climate change, air pollution, biodiversity loss, food and water security, sanitation and safe water access. Your expertise could help shape the future of our planet, and really make a difference.

Modules

Core:

• Managing the Environment
• Master's Project

Optional:

• Introduction to Applied GIS
• Spatial Analytical Methods
• Cartography and Visualisation
• Sustainable Development: Principles and Practice
• Creating Sustainable Behaviour Change
• The Sustainable Organisation: Vision into Practice
• Water Management: Challenges for the 21st Century
• Water Policy and Law Catchment Hydrology
• Catchment Management

Format

The teaching and learning methods used across the course are designed to ensure you develop a range of valuable professional skills as well as subject expertise. You learn collaboratively through practical sessions, small group tutorials and placements, and we encourage you to form independent study groups and support one another this ensures you benefit from each other's experiences as well as the taught content.

Assessment

We want you to realise your full potential. So we expect you to participate in debates and discussions, prepare professional reports and presentations, and write traditional academic essays. There is a strong emphasis on reflective learning, which will allow you to monitor, assess and evaluate your progress. There will be plenty of opportunities for feedback before your work is assessed more formally.

Careers / Further study

Environmental Management issues are high on many international political agendas. For example, the Indian government and the World Bank have declared environmental management a priority. As a result there is a global demand for highly skilled environmental managers. The environmental employment sector in the UK and Europe is significant, with the UK environmental economy expected to grow at an average of 5% a year.

In addition to preparing you for an exciting career in a growing industry, your studies will also prepare you to pursue a PhD, if you choose.

How to apply

Information on applications can be found at the following link: http://www1.uwe.ac.uk/study/applyingtouwebristol/postgraduateapplications.aspx

Funding

- New Postgraduate Master's loans for 2016/17 academic year –

The government are introducing a master’s loan scheme, whereby master’s students under 60 can access a loan of up to £10,000 as a contribution towards the cost of their study. This is part of the government’s long-term commitment to enhance support for postgraduate study.

Scholarships and other sources of funding are also available.

More information can be found here: http://www1.uwe.ac.uk/students/feesandfunding/fundingandscholarships/postgraduatefunding.aspx

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The Department of Geography's master of arts program educates qualified students for work toward the PhD degree, and for professional careers in government service, federal agencies, health departments, industry and regional or urban planning. The department's goals are to provide students quality academic instruction in geography; to foster and advance teaching, research and publication in the field of geography; and to provide the expertise of geographers to the community at large so that decision-makers in both the public and private sectors may enhance the quality of their decisions.

The program offers theoretical foundation and computer applications in
- Resource Management and Sustainability
- Water Resources
- Flooding and Watershed Impacts
- Environmental Hazard Assessment
- Race and Ethnicity
- Population Health GIS
- Urban and Retail Planning

The program also allows students to specialize in one of five tracks, each of which offer a mix of theory, practice, tools and techniques:
- Cartography and Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
- Environmental and Resource Management
- Population Health and GIS
- Urban Planning and Applied Geography
- Race and Ethnicity

There is a thesis option for each of the five tracks. Each track requires a total of 40 credits, as well as defense of a project or a thesis.

Applicants must submit the following:

- Online graduate degree application and application fee
- Transcripts from each college/university you have attended
- Two letters of recommendation
- Personal statement (2-3 pages) describing your reasons for pursuing graduate study, your career aspirations, your special interests within your field, and any unusual features of your background that might need explanation or be of interest to your program's admissions committee.
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae (max. 2 pages)
- Official GRE scores

And, for international applicants:
- International Student Financial Statement form
- Official bank statement/proof of support
- Official TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE Academic scores

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The new Postcolonial and Global Literatures pathway offers students the opportunity to explore classic and contemporary writings in English and in translation. Students on the pathway will be able to think further about literatures in postcolonial and global contexts, while studying in the heart of London’s East End with its long history of migration.

The pathway’s core module, ‘Peripheral Modernities’, will give students a thorough grounding in concepts of modernity, globalisation, and culture as viewed from the global peripheries. Students can also choose from a wide variety of optional modules, whether studying literatures from the Caribbean, Africa, South Asia and its diasporas, or the East End of London; or exploring interdisciplinary fields like translation studies, cartography, or book history in postcolonial and global contexts.

This is a broad and interdisciplinary pathway, which nevertheless provides a specialized programme of study ideal for those wishing to go on to pursue PhD study in related fields. The programme also engages with the critical present and provides a wide range of academic and transferable skills allowing graduates to pursue a wide range of career pathways, including teaching, publishing, or working within the cultural industries.

On this pathway, you will:
- Be introduced to a wide range of postcolonial literatures, in English and in translation
- Study in London’s East End, with its rich history of waves of migration
- Gain a greater understanding of how contemporary issues surrounding immigration are refracted in recent literature
- Be taught by leading experts in the fields of postcolonial studies and global literatures
- Develop vital skills in argumentation, analysis, and independent inquiry.

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