Geospatial & Mapping Sciences

This MSc in Geospatial & Mapping Sciences focuses on understanding the theory and practice of geospatial data collection and management. Topics covered include land, engineering and hydrographic surveying, data and geospatial information quality. The course draws on research and the latest developments in the field of geomatics, with a strong practical component. Key applications of geospatial skills support sustainable development, including measuring land and location of assets (eg. transport routes, location of electric cables, forests), monitoring subsidence and sea level change, documenting heritage using laser scanning, and setting up and managing the coordinate system/mapping for a country. This programme is strongly endorsed by industry, accredited by both the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors.

Video: Alumni Abigail on how her postgrad opened up a career in surveying

2.1 Hons (or non-UK equivalent) in a non-UK university or 2.2 Hons from a UK university in Building Surveying, Quantity Surveying, Architecture, Planning, Any Engineering discipline, Computing Science, Earth Science or Engineering, Environmental Science or Engineering, Geography, Geology, Mathematics, Physics.

We accept degrees at 2.2 Hons from a non-UK university in Geodetic Engineering/Science, Geographical Engineering, Geographical Information Systems/Science, Geospatial Science/Engineering, Land Surveying, Land and Cadastral Surveying, Mapping Science, Surveying, Surveying and Mapping, Surveying Science/Engineering, Topographical Science/Surveying.

Please note those with a degree in geomatics or a closely related subject or who meet the age and experience criteria of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors can use the programme as a route to a professional qualification and may, under special circumstances, be given exemption from some aspects of the programme.

International students with academic qualifications below those required should contact our partner institution, Glasgow International College, who offer a range of pre-Masters courses.

For applicants whose first language is not English, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic and Academic Online (not General Training)

• 6.5 with no subtests under 6.0
• IELTS One Skill Retake Accepted
• Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

Common equivalent English language qualifications for entry to this programme

TOEFL (ibt, mybest or athome)

• 90 overall with Reading 20; Listening 19; Speaking 19; Writing 21
• Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements, this includes TOEFL mybest.

Pearsons PTE Academic

• 59 with minimum 59 in all subtests
• Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

Cambridge Proficiency in English (CPE) and Cambridge Advanced English (CAE)

• 176 overall, no subtest less than 169
• Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

Oxford English Test

• 7 overall with no subtest less than 6
• Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

LanguageCert Academic SELT

• 70 overall with no subtest less than 60
• Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

Password Skills Plus

• 6.5 overall with no subtest less than 6.0
• Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

Trinity College Tests

• Integrated Skills in English II & III & IV: ISEII Distinction with Distinction in all sub-tests
• Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

University of Glasgow Pre-sessional courses

• Tests are accepted for 2 years following date of successful completion.

Alternatives to English Language qualification

• Degree from majority-English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI including Canada if taught in English)
  
  • students must have studied for a minimum of 2 years at Undergraduate level, or 9 months at Master's level, and must have completed their degree in that majority-English speaking country within the last 6 years.
• Undergraduate 2+2 degrees from majority-English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI including Canada if taught in English)
  
  • students must have completed their final two years study in that majority-English speaking country within the last 6 years.

For international students, the Home Office has confirmed that the University can choose to use these tests to make its own assessment of English language ability for visa applications to degree level programmes. The University is also able to accept UKVI approved Secure English Language Tests (SELT) but we do not require a specific UKVI SELT for degree level programmes. We therefore still accept any of the English tests listed for admission to this programme.

Pre-sessional courses

The University of Glasgow accepts evidence of the required language level from the English for Academic Study Unit Pre-sessional courses. We would strongly encourage you to consider the pre-sessional courses at the University of Glasgow's English for Academic Study (EAS) Unit. Our Pre-sessional courses are the best way to bring your English up to entry level for University study. Our courses give you:

• direct entry to your University programme for successful students (no need to take IELTS)
• essential academic skills to help you study effectively at University
• flexible entry dates so you can join the right course for your level.

For more detail on our pre-sessional courses please see:

• Pre-sessional courses

We can also consider the pre-sessional courses accredited by the below BALEAP approved institutions to meet the language requirements for admission to our postgraduate taught degrees:

• Heriot Watt
• Kingston Upon Thames
• Middlesex University
• Manchester University
• Reading University
• Edinburgh University
• ST Andrews University
• UCL
• Durham.

For further information about English language requirements, please contact the Recruitment and International Office using our enquiry form

Career opportunities include land surveyor, engineering surveyor, hydrographic surveyor, GIS specialist, environmental consulting. There is currently a very high demand for surveyors, especially in hydrographic survey, in support of offshore oil and renewable energy engineering and maintenance. Several of the key employers visit us each year to recruit students. 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. A strong background in data capture, datums and co-ordinate systems, and data processing can also be of value in the GIS and environmental management sectors. Recent graduates have gone on to work for companies such as the Ordnance Survey, Glanville Consultants, Jacobs, Babcocks, KOREC, Malcolm Hughes Land Surveyors, Andrews Survey, Morgan Stanley, Fugro, AECOM, UTEC and Subsea 7. Positions include Land Surveyor, Offshore Surveyor, Analyst, Hydrographic Surveyor and Graduate Supervisor.