Program Overview

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Key Facts

Qualification

MSc

Course duration

1 year

Available for September start 2025

Typical Entry Requirements

Entry Requirements

2:2 Bachelors (Honours) degree in a relevant subject area, or equivalent. Non-graduates will be considered individually based on relevant work experience.

English Language Requirements

IELTS 7.0 with minimum 6.0 in each component, or equivalent

Other Requirements

Applicants are encouraged to submit an up-to-date CV as part of their application.

Course Overview

Why study MSc Remote Sensing and GIS at Aberystwyth University?

• Study in a high quality outdoor physical environment and multi-national community

• The Department of Geography and Earth Science is top in Wales, with 78% of its research classified as either ‘world leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ - REF 2014

• Aberystwyth DGES is in the top ten of UK Geography departments with regards to research power, which provides a measure of the quality of research, as well as of the number of staff undertaking research within the department

• DGES receives funding from organisations such as United Nations, WHO and the European Research Council

• Students have access to a dedicated computer laboratory for research in GIS and remote sensing which is fully equipped with the latest software platforms.

• Masters students have the opportunity to participate in significant meetings and conferences, such as the Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry Society Annual Conference

• This course has a strong vocational aspect and offers an integration of cutting-edge theory and practical application

• Remote Sensing Masters are offered through the collaboration of three world-class institutes at the university, giving students access to this collective expertise and experience as well as to superb departmental facilities

About this course

Duration:

One year full-time or two years part-time. The academic year (September to September) is divided into three semesters: September to January; January to June; June to September.

Contact Time:

Approximately 8-10 hours a week in the first two semesters. During semester three you will arrange your level of contact time with your assigned dissertation supervisor.

Assessment:

The taught part of the course (Part 1) is delivered and assessed through lectures, student seminars, practical exercises, case studies, course work and formal examinations. The subsequent successful submission of your research dissertation (Part 2) leads to the award of MSc.

Course Fees:

Please see the tuition fee pages for current tuition fees. Please note that all fees are subject to an annual increase.

Funding:

Funding opportunities may be available, please check our funding calculator for details.

Modules September start - 2025

Year 1

Core

• Advanced Research Skills 1: science communication and data analysis | EAM1120 | 20
• Applications of Remote Sensing and GIS | EAM2920 | 20
• Applied Geospatial Skills in Industry | EAM3820 | 20
• Fundamentals of Remote Sensing and GIS | EAM4020 | 20
• Living Earth: Environmental Monitoring | EAM0020 | 20
• Machine Learning for Geospatial Applications | EAM5520 | 20
• Research Dissertation in Geographical Information Systems/Remote Sensing | EAM3060 | 60

Careers

Careers

Our alumni have taken positions with UK and international government bodies, private enterprises and leading research establishments. This MSc in Remote Sensing and GIS will open up a diverse range of careers for its students.

By studying this course, you will be a highly competent contributor to any work relating to:

• climate change
• human impacts on terrestrial ecosystems
• glaciology
• hydrology
• forestry
• coastal change
• carbon cycle science
• biodiversity
• consultancy

Skills

Through this programme you will enhance your:

• Presentation and communication skills
• Research and study skills
• Field expertise and data collection skills
• Critical analysis and evaluation
• Academic and practical knowledge
• Understanding of scientific processes and advanced technical tools
• Confidence with GIS and remote sensing software systems, technologies and programming languages
• Project management skills

Field Trip

As a highly practical Masters course, it offers also the opportunity for students to gain hands-on experience in the use of field equipment and the collection of ground truth data to support the interpretation and analysis of remote sensing and GIS datasets. This will allow you to covert the academic theory of research and data collection into the proven know-how of experience.

Teaching & Learning

How will I learn?

This course can be studied either one year full-time or two years part-time. The academic year is divided into three semesters. When studied full time, in the first two semesters, students will complete the taught part of the course, which is delivered through a combination of lectures, workshops, practical exercises, fieldwork and a 20 day work placement (agreed in advance between the Department, the work placement partner and the student).

During the final semester, you will arrange your level of contact time with your assigned dissertation supervisor.

What will I learn?

In the first two semesters you will undertake a number of core modules, worth a total of 120 credits. This includes modules on Remote Sensing Issues and the Fundamentals of Remote Sensing and GIS, alongside modules on Advanced Research Skills, Skills in Remote Sensing, and Work Experience in Geographical Information Systems/Remote Sensing.

In the third semester, students will undertake the independent research component of the course, and will complete a 60 credit Research Dissertation in Geographical Information Systems/Remote Sensing.

How will I be assessed?

Assessment during the first two semesters is varied and consists of a combination of essays, practical-based examinations, written examinations and reports. The work experience module is assessed via a presentation, a report and a report from the employer. Successful submission of the master’s dissertation in semester 3 leads to the award of an MSc.