Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Monitoring (Distance Learning) - PGDip/MSc

I graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Biological Sciences and started a career in conservation and ecology working for a variety of environmental organisations and ecology based charities. After moving to Ireland and setting up my own environmental consultancy, I decided I wanted to take a slightly different route and to further develop my GIS skills. I enrolled on the MSc GIS Distance Learning course at the University of Ulster so I could continue working whilst studying and achieved a Masters with Distinction as well as winning the Ordnance Survey Northern Ireland “Award for Outstanding Contribution to GIS” for my Masters dissertation. I continue to work in the ecological sphere, now as Head of GIS and Data Management for an environmental consultancy based in Scotland with ecological expertise in both land-based and marine projects. My work is varied, which I love, and involves everything from building and maintaining our database, to providing training on GIS software, as well as undertaking GIS analyses for the ecologists in the organisation. My main role is to progress the business forward strategically regarding GIS and data management. This means that I am involved in the innovation, research and development side of things; finding solutions and looking at ways to commercialise them for our business. The Masters course at the University of Ulster course gave me an invaluable foundation on which I have built my career in GIS. The flexibility of the distance learning really worked for me; I could fit my studies around when I needed to work. I never felt as though I was missing out not being on campus, I had access to a vast library of information, and the discussion forum helped me stay in contact with other people. All the course materials were detailed and of high quality, and the feedback and support I got from staff was always clear and useful. The whole course structure and content really worked for me and I achieved a better result than I thought I was capable of!

The first time I used a GIS was while collaborating, during my last year of a BSc in Mechanical Engineering in Spain, with an NGO in El Salvador in WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) related projects. After that experience I decided to improve my skills in GIS and the MSc offered by Ulster University was the best option I found in the UK for studying online and part-time while working in the hospitality sector. I completed the PgDip and the MSc in 2018. It’s been an extremely valuable learning experience of which I would like to highlight and thank for the flexibility and support provided. Completing the PgDip gave me the opportunity to find a job as a GIS technician in a UK based Geospatial company and later on in an international organisation working on Disaster Management related projects in East Africa. I then returned to Ulster University and enrolled on the MSc Project, received freedom and encouragement when developing the project proposal, both in terms of topics and tools. Completing the MSc Project was key to gaining a scholarship for a PhD project in Geography, which I have now finished successfully.

My academic background was in Human Rights and I wanted to gain a qualification in GIS and Remote Sensing as I was aware how powerful a tool it can be in the field of Human Rights. I chose Ulster because the course was online so I could continue working whilst I studied, and also because the course did not require an undergraduate degree in a related discipline. I had not studied a science or mathematics related subject for 10 years when I started the course, and I was initially worried that I may struggle to keep up however this was not the case; I found that I grasped all of the subject material very quickly and did not feel disadvantaged.

I am aiming to pursue a career in the humanitarian field; helping to create geospatial technical solutions in response to humanitarian disasters. I definitely would not be able to pursue this career if I did not have this qualification. The course is very practical which is extremely important for applying the knowledge in the real world. I especially liked doing the Programming for GIS module as Programming is such a useful skill in real-world applications and also sets a good foundation in developing in other areas such as machine learning. I liked that in the assignments we had a lot of flexibility about how we chose to apply the skills we had learned; I wanted to learn about the application of GIS and Remote Sensing for human rights so I chose to base my assignments around this (for example I completed assignments identifying the impact of war and conflict on crop health, and using Synthetic Aperture Radar to identify damaged buildings in the war in Ukraine). This flexibility meant that we could tailor our experiences to the field we aspired to work in.

The faculty and staff were extremely helpful in addressing our queries. For each module we had a discussion forum where we could post our questions and I always received a response within 24 hours. Some of the forums had a huge amount of discussion questions on them and I was really impressed that the professors were able to maintain answering all the questions on there. Some of the staff also had office hours that we could dial in to remotely which was helpful. I am currently completing my thesis and my supervisor is also really great at getting back to my queries quickly and they are really generous with their time on supervision meetings.

I am employed within an industry that makes use of GIS. I have taken this course to formalise and upskill my existing GIS abilities as well as develop new remote sensing skills. The main reason for choosing to enrol in UUs program was the reputation of the coarse and its pre-covid online experience in its teaching structure. I believe my career will definitely benefit from completing this course. As someone currently employed in an industry that utilises GIS and remote sensing, I know that the majority of the modules have a direct real-world application in a wide range of roles.

There is a good degree of flexibility within the course which changes depending on the individual modules. I found all module coordinators very communicative and responsive. I have chosen to complete my course within an accelerated timeframe and as a result balance between my full-time employment, personal life commitments and studies was sometimes difficult. However, the flexibility and communicative nature of the module coordinators allowed for these issues to be overcome when needed.

Currently I’m working as a LiDAR Engineer for a Japanese Company. There were limited MSc programs that covered LiDAR and photogrammetry subjects under the GIS and Remote Sensing course. Upon online research, it emerged as the most flexible option among the available choices. I am suppose get a promotion upon completing the MSC program. Enrolling in this course is immensely beneficial for those aspiring to become GIS specialists. This well-recognized qualification will open doors to job opportunities worldwide, providing the flexibility to pursue employment anywhere on the globe.

Being a part-time student enables me to pursue my studies while maintaining a full-time job. Occasionally, I find myself working on assignments until 2 am, given that my job concludes at 6 pm. Despite the challenges, it remains manageable, and the satisfaction of completing an MSC while actively working is immense. I appreciate the fact that I didn't have to take a lengthy break to complete my studies. It gives me enough flexibility as I have access to all the materials online at any time of the day. It helps me to plan everything accordingly with my Job.

Thus far, the learning experience has been highly positive, proving beneficial for my work. I've acquired new techniques and received valuable tips, making my professional life more manageable. The accessibility to course materials and lectures is convenient, allowing me to accomplish tasks from any part of the world.

For me, this (course) was more about equipping me with greater skills and knowledge in my existing role, which has occurred on a major scale. However, it is clear that if I wanted to move into a more dedicated GIS/Remote Sensing role, this course has equipped me with many of the typical job description essentials. In terms of real-world applications, very much so – I have used a range of learnt skills already to contribute to my day job on a local and regional scale.

As a full-time worker and running my own household, it has been critical as to the great flexibility offered by the online format, and the sheer quality of the learning materials. Main motivation - the breadth and depth of course content. Also, the value for money, online flexibility, 100% distance learning.

This course has helped me network on a more advanced basis with professionals within my own organisation and others, which has been extremely valuable.