Kingston University offered the first GIS undergraduate degree in the world in 1989, followed by several MSc and PhD research degrees. Today, Kingston is considered the UK's foremost centre for GIS education and training, with one of the largest GIS programmes in Europe. This course provides a high level of competency in the principles of GI science and the use of geotechnology, as well as the skills to routinely use professional software for data acquisition, handling, exploration and mapping.
Key features
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Kingston University is recognised within the industry as a premier provider of GIS education with our graduates having amongst the highest employment rates.
-Fieldwork is an important part of our teaching.
What will you study?
The course covers the principles of GI science and geotechnology and the foundations of geographical information handling.
You will learn how to handle spatial entities for data transformations, generalisation and aggregation, and will develop competency in analytical operations, methods and spatial analyses. You will have the chance to implement principles of map design and graphical representation techniques, and will gain an understanding of spatial database systems and application design. You will also perform storage and retrieval operations, and work with alternative data models, 3D modelling and advanced visualisation.
The course is taught partly in distance-learning mode and partly in traditional classroom mode or entirely in distance-learning mode.
Please note that Esri ArcGIS is used in several core modules. Students outside the UK and Ireland will need to use their own licensed copy of the software. Student licences are available for most countries at £100.
Assessment
Coursework, projects, presentations, exams, online tests, online group work.
Work placement scheme
Kingston University has set up a scheme that allows postgraduate students in the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Computing to include a work placement element in their course starting from September 2017. The placement scheme is available for both international and home/EU students.
-The work placement, up to 12 months; is optional.
-The work placement takes place after postgraduate students have successfully completed the taught portion of their degree.
-The responsibility for finding the placement is with the student. We cannot guarantee the placement, just the opportunity to undertake it.
-As the work placement is an assessed part of the course for international students, this is covered by a student's tier 4 visa.
Details on how to apply will be confirmed shortly.
Course structure
Please note that this is an indicative list of modules and is not intended as a definitive list.
Core modules
-Data Modelling and Analysis (distance learning)
-Research Methods and Techniques
-Research Project (Dissertation)
-GIS for People and Environments
-Spatial Data and the World-wide Web
Successful applicants will be expected to have either: a good honours degree awarded by a British or approved overseas university. Normally the degree level should be at second-class honours level or higher and contain one or more aspects from the GIS, geographical, Earth, environmental, computer or biological sciences as the major field(s) of study; or for those without formal undergraduate qualifications, be able to demonstrate extensive work experience or career development in the field of GIS.
