MSc Geographical Information Systems - It’s not too late to Apply for 2025 start

Our full- or part-time MSc Geographical Information Systems (GIS) degree course will prepare you for a specialist career in this exciting branch of IT and learn practical skills using professional-level software.

Geographical Information Systems (GIS) are a major component of information technology – and if you're interested in pursuing a career in this innovative, exciting field, our GIS Master's course will give you the tools to succeed.

On this applied course, you’ll learn the fundamentals of using geospatial data for real-world solutions through a combination of practical work and background theory. You'll use the same software tools employed by professionals in the field, and find out how to apply practical GIS skills in a range of contexts.

The course covers all the essential areas of geospatial data analysis, including GIS, remote sensing and Earth observation, geodatabases, programming, and field techniques. You'll analyse spatial data through your own project work and build on your previous studies and work experience, applying data analysis methods and software tools to help solve real world problems.

Once you graduate, you'll be well placed to pursue a career as a GIS and remote sensing specialist. Our graduates have gone on to enjoy careers in local and national government, healthcare, environment and conservation, construction, energy, transport, heritage, space and satellite technology, and university-based research.

Course highlights

• Get hands-on experience of using Geographical Information (GI) instruments, including GPS, Total Stations and 3D laser scanners
• Learn from experts with extensive industrial and consultancy experience and strong research portfolios
• Practise your GIS data collection skills, both in the field and in our GIS and remote sensing laboratory with its own dedicated GIS technical team
• Take part in three-days of fieldwork data collection at a National Trust conservation site with the processed data shared with the Trust to help inform their management practices
• Use licensed industry-standard software (Esri ArcGIS, ERDAS Imagine), processing techniques and datasets
• Learn image processing and spatial analysis techniques, including programming for GIS and remote sensing applications
• Complete a research project on a GIS topic of your choice, applying the principles of research design, data collection and analysis
• Hear from guest industry speakers including GIS and remote sensing analysts, town and city planners, digital cartographers, coastal managers who use GIS, and representatives of the space and satellite technology sector

Graduates of this course have gone into areas such as:

• Environmental protection
• Surveying and statistics
• Telecommunications
• Civil engineering
• Retail and hospitality
• Local and national government
• International charities
• Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
• The NHS
• Banking, finance and insurance
• Transport planning
• Utilities
• Coastal management
• Space and satellite technology
• Cartography
• Software development

Find out more and apply