Stream

Geospatial - COMPGS8543

Stream Summary

Faculty: Faculty of Engineering

School: School of Computer Science and Engineering

Contact: School

Program: 8543 - Information Technology

Award(s):

Master of Information Technology (Specialisation)

View stream information for previous years

Stream Outline

Geospatial Technology is one of the fastest moving fields of Information Technology, gathering, processing and analysing geographically-referenced information which is used in an ever expanding range of mapping and decision-making applications, including environmental, land and resource management, scientific, strategic planning and development, commercial and military. Mastering the principles of hi-tech geospatial data acquisition and computer analysis systems allows one to resolve complex spatial data interrelationships, which in turn help to address many of the critical challenges of the 21st century: climate change; food, resources, energy & water scarcity; rapid urbanisation & population growth; environmental degradation; and disaster mitigation and management. Furthermore geospatial technologies and principles underpin the recent explosion in commercial apps such as location-based services on smartphones, and web mapping and geoinformation services such as Google Earth, Google Maps and Bing Maps.

The Geospatial stream in the Graduate Diploma and Master of Information Technology programs exposes students to the foundations of Geographic Information Systems, GPS Positioning, Satellite Imaging Systems and Remote Sensing as well as to the use of Data Warehousing and Data Mining techniques for the analysis of large databases of geospatial data.

Stream Structure

Students must complete 96 UOC in total, including:
  • 18 UOC from the Prescribed Electives (see below)
  • 42 UOC of level-4 or higher COMP elective courses

Prescribed Electives:

Advanced Disciplinary Knowledge (ADK) requirement:
  • at least 6 of the courses must come from the CSE ADK course list (see below)
Up to 2 of the non-ADK, non-prescribed elective courses can be replaced by level-4 or higher non-CSE courses.

COMP9900 is not required if a major research project course (COMP9596 or COMP9945) is taken.

Advanced Disciplinary Knowledge Courses:
Project Option

Students are permitted to substitute 12-18uoc of Advanced Disciplinary Knowledge courses in their final semester with a research project of equal value provided they meet the following criteria:
  1. completed (or have advanced standing in) 72uoc; and
  2. obtained agreement from a CSE academic supervisor; and
  3. maintained a distinction level performance in the program.

Project courses:
Students who take a research project course will be exempted from COMP9900 - Information Technology Project.

Advanced Standing

Advanced standing is possible in up to 50% of the stream. For details on Advanced Standing and Exemptions, see the 8543 Master of Information Technology program description.
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Study Levels

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