Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems PgDip/MSc

Program Overview

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Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems - PgDip, MSc

Overview

Enhance your career with our dynamic course in Remote Sensing and GIS, designed to boost your professional skills and employability!

Summary

This course offers up-to-date content and experience in both Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). It combines theoretical materials with extensive hands-on exercises, covering the acquisition, manipulation, analysis, and interpretation of various forms of geospatial data. Graduates will gain a comprehensive overview of Remote Sensing and GIS, practical experience with a wide range of relevant software packages, and the ability to operate professionally in the geospatial industry.

The program addresses the demand in both the industrial and public sectors for science-qualified geospatial personnel. These professionals can use remote sensing data and advanced spatial analytical skills to interpret big data, informing planning and development across various disciplines. Those completing the Master's component will also demonstrate their ability to undertake and present independent research at an advanced level.

If you don't want to study for a PG Diploma or Masters, you can take individual modules or a PG Certificate (4 modules) that provides a solid grounding in the principles and practice of Remote Sensing and GIS.

To maximise accessibility and learning opportunities, this course is delivered fully online in a part-time format.

About this course

Why Remote Sensing and GIS?

The demand for remote sensing and GIS professionals has been steadily increasing within government, business, education and voluntary sectors, whereas rapid growth in availability of spatial data, mainly via remote sensing satellites and other big data sources provide a huge potential to map, monitor and understand systems and change in terrestrial and marine environments. Skills in remote sensing and GIS enables analysis across global or local scales on a rapid basis in vast application areas spanning both physical and human geography – climate change, agriculture, forestry, natural resource management, marine planning, sustainable urban development, epidemiology and crime analysis are to name a few.

This course aims to provide comprehensive training in capturing, storing, analysing, and interpreting big earth data, equipping professionals with the expertise needed to excel in these dynamic fields.

Who is it for?

Ask yourself these simple questions: Are you a fresh graduate desiring to enter remote sensing/GIS-related employment for the first time, or add remote sensing and GIS to your skillset to enhance employability, qualification or change career? Are you a professional already in remote sensing/GIS-related employment and want to broaden and deepen your remote sensing and GIS knowledge and skills with a view to making better use of spatial technologies, or want to enhance your career and promotion prospects, or even just qualification?

If you answered yes to any of these, then good news – this course is for you!

Our remote sensing and GIS programme offer flexible learning through part-time education – while each module has assessment deadlines, you study at a time and pace that suits you. Further, you decide the duration of the course! PG Certificate in 1 year, PG Diploma in 2 years and MSc in 3 years.

Why us?

We are a well-established provider of online distance learning postgraduate courses. With 30 years of experience in teaching GIS, including nearly 25 years via online distance learning, we have a proven track record in GIS education. Our innovative and career-focused modules and research are designed to impart knowledge, skills, and confidence, enhancing your employment prospects.

Our modules are delivered online through the Blackboard Virtual Learning Environment, which provides access to lectures, practical exercises, reading materials, and additional study resources all in a single place. Integrated communication tools, such as discussion boards, video conferencing, and email, facilitate interaction and support from experienced lecturers and tutors. All assessments are conducted entirely online, with no formal sit-in examinations.

Once registered, you will have access to the University's extensive online library resources, including electronic journals, e-books, and databases.

Modules

Compulsory modules

• EGM711 – Principles of GIS (15 credits) – this module runs in weeks 1-6 of semester 1 and is a compulsory module.
• EGM713 – Introduction to Remote Sensing (15 credits) – this module runs in weeks 7-12 of semester 1 and is a compulsory module.
• EGM703 – Advanced Active and Passive Remote Sensing (15 credits) – this module runs in weeks 1-6 of semester 1 and is a compulsory module.
• EGM712 - Spatial Data Management (15 credits) – this module runs in weeks 7-12 of semester 1 and is a compulsory module.
• EGM702 – Photogrammetry and Advanced Image Analysis (15 credits) – this module runs in weeks 1-6 of semester 2 and is a compulsory module.
• EGM722 – Programming for GIS & Remote Sensing (15 credits)– this module runs in weeks 7-12 of semester 2 and is a compulsory module.

Optional modules

• GROUP A – pick one (these modules run in weeks 1-6 of semester 2)
  • EGM715 – Web-Based GIS (15 credits) – this module runs in weeks 1-6 of semester 2 and is an optional module.
  • EGM716 – Spatial Analysis and Modelling (15 credits) – this module runs in weeks 1-6 of semester 2 and is an optional module.
• GROUP B – pick one (these modules run in weeks 7-12 of semester 2)
  • EGM705 – Marine Remote Sensing (15 credits) – this this module runs in weeks 7-12 of semester 2 and is an optional module.
  • EGM721 – GIS for Environmental Management (15 credits) – this module runs in weeks 7-12 of semester 2 and is an optional module.

Attendance

This course is fully online and part-time, with no requirement to visit Ulster University at any stage.

• PG Certificate: 8 months part-time
• PG Diploma: 2 academic years part-time
• MSc: 3 academic years part-time

As a distance learning student, you can choose your own study hours each week. However, as a part-time student, you should expect to dedicate an average of 17-20 hours per week to the course.

Students wishing to study at a slower pace than the standard part-time course can enrol for one module per semester instead of two.

Start dates

• September 2026

Teaching, Learning and Assessment

The course is delivered through our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), Blackboard Ultra. This platform provides access to teaching materials, assignment instructions, electronic library resources, and other reading materials, as well as discussion boards and communication tools. Teaching materials primarily include lectures in various formats (e.g., illustrated documents or podcasts) and practical exercises (written instructions with screenshots or screencasts). These may be supplemented by additional readings, video content, tutorial exercises, quizzes, and more. This flexible format allows you to study at your own pace, from any location, at any time, with no requirement to attend campus.

Learning is supported by lecturers and e-tutors through discussion forums, email, phone, or video-conferencing tools. Discussion forums encourage class participation and provide opportunities to learn from different perspectives and connect with fellow students.

Assessment methods include practical reports, problem analysis, research projects, presentations, blogs, online tests, and group work. The Master’s component involves a substantial independent research project, written as an academic paper, which may be considered for submission to a scientific journal. Assessment is based solely on coursework, with no sessional examinations.

Once registered, you will have access to the University's extensive online library resources, including electronic journals, e-books, and databases.

Standard entry conditions

We recognise a range of qualifications for admission to our courses. In addition to the specific entry conditions for this course you must also meet the University’s General Entrance Requirements.

Entry Requirements

As a normal requirement, applicants must hold an Honours degree (2:2 or above) with a substantial component of geography, environmental science, computing or other numerate discipline. Applicants with other equivalent and relevant qualifications or experience can also be considered on an individual basis.

English Language Requirements

English language requirements for international applicants The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5. Trinity ISE: Pass at level III also meets this requirement for Tier 4 visa purposes.

Ulster recognises a number of other English language tests and comparable IELTS equivalent scores.

Careers & opportunities

Remote sensing, GIS, and geospatial technologies underpin a rapidly growing, multi-billion-dollar industry. These technologies are becoming increasingly mainstream in both the public and private sectors, creating a high demand for graduates with a combination of theoretical knowledge and practical skills.

Participants and graduates of this course can pursue a variety of remote sensing and GIS-related roles, including analysts, scientists, consultants, project managers, surveyors, data specialists, technicians, mapping officers, and roles in development, sales and marketing, customer support, GIS training, lecturing, and research (including funded PhD projects).

The diverse applications of remote sensing and GIS ensure a wide range of job opportunities. Our GIS graduates have found employment with mapping agencies, GIS and SatNav companies, environmental consultancies, ecological and marine resource management agencies, renewable energy companies, forestry and fisheries departments, town planning departments, heritage agencies, health and emergency services, housing authorities, local government, aid agencies, countryside recreation organisations, rural development projects, retail analysis firms, utilities and infrastructure companies, further and higher education institutions, mining and mineral exploitation companies, and the oil industry, among others.

Fees and funding

10% Alumni Discount

Are you a graduate of Ulster University? Did you know you could be eligible for a 10% fees discount.

Tuition Fee Loans Available

Students domiciled in Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and UK students can apply to Student Finance NI for a Tuition Fee loan of up to £6,500 (subject to eligibility).

2026/27 Fees

Postgraduate fees are subject to annual review, 2026/27 fees will be announced in due course.

See our tuition fees page for the current fees for 2025/26 entry.

Scholarships, awards and prizes

A prize - 'GES Academic Excellence Award for Remote Sensing and GIS research' - will be awarded to an outstanding piece of research.

Additional mandatory costs

This course has very few additional mandatory costs and most of the reading material is available free of charge via the University's electronic library resources. Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of online books and journals, but you will be expected to purchase a small number of textbooks during the course. However, costs are kept as low as possible and are not likely to exceed £150 in total.

The latest version of Microsoft Office is available to download for current students, free of charge. You can run Office on up to five desktop Mac or Windows. You can also run Office Mobile on up to 5 mobile devices (on supported mobile operating systems). Other software programs required for this course are either freely available (open source) or else provided free of charge under academic licence (e.g., ESRI's ArcGIS, the remote sensing package Erdas Imagine and SPSS for statistical analysis).

To participate in this course, you will need a desktop or laptop computer running Windows. The computer or laptop must meet the minimum requirements to run ArcGIS Pro. For detailed specifications, please refer to the ArcGIS Pro system requirements. Please note that although ArcGIS Pro can be run on a Mac, the software tends to run with fewer issues on Windows. A broadband internet connection is also required.

Please contact the course team if you need more information.

It is important to remember that costs associated with accommodation, travel (including car parking charges) and normal living will need to be covered in addition to tuition fees.