Program Overview

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Master of Geomatics for Environmental Management

The Master of Geomatics for Environmental Management (MGEM) is a 9-month, course-based degree program consisting of 30 credits.

Program Overview

• The program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of geomatics and its applications in environmental management.
• The program consists of 7 core geomatics courses, a selection of management and leadership courses, and forestry core courses.
• Alternate core credits may be allowed if approved by the Program Director.

Course Schedule

The program starts in July, with MGEM registration and tuition assessment beginning at the start of UBC's Summer Term Two (July 1st). However, MGEM students are not required to arrive on campus until mid-August for program orientation.

Summer Term

• Orientation and Loon Lake Retreat
• FCOR 599 registration in the summer reflects pre-reading work only for the program, classes start in September for this course.

Winter Term 1

• FCOR 511: Working with Diverse Knowledge Systems in Sustainable Natural Resources Management
• FCOR 510: Professional Communication
• GEM 500: Landscape Ecology and Management
• GEM 510: Geographic Information Systems for Forestry and Conservation

Winter Term 2

• GEM 511: Advanced Geographic Information Systems for Environmental Management
• GEM 520: Remote Sensing for Ecosystem Management
• GEM 521: Advanced Earth Observation and Image Processing
• GEM 530: Geospatial Data Analysis
• GEM 540: Linear Regression Models and Introduction to Spatial Statistics

Course Descriptions

Geomatics Courses

GEM 500: Landscape Ecology and Management

• Course Objectives: Provide students with a base of concepts and skills to facilitate problem-solving approaches to natural resource issues through the application of landscape ecology principles and tools within the realm of geospatial analysis.
• Learning Outcomes:
  • Understand and explain concepts of spatial heterogeneity and scale
  • Explain why spatial heterogeneity is important to ecological processes
  • Quantify spatial patterns using standard software packages
  • Appropriately calculate, interpret, and apply metrics of connectivity in landscape assessments
  • Create and build a simple spatial model to answer a self-designed question
  • Understand the concept of spatial resilience and how it relates landscape dynamics in a range of landscapes

GEM 510: Geographic Information Systems for Forestry and Conservation

• Course Objectives: Provide students with experiences in the design, development, analysis, and visualization of geographic data.
• Learning Outcomes:
  • Demonstrate an understanding of concepts used in GIS
  • Develop conceptual designs for GIS databases
  • Develop informed field data collection and management techniques
  • Conduct spatial and logical queries on geospatial data
  • Describe and communicate analytical findings to a non-technical audience
  • Demonstrate a working knowledge of GIS software capabilities

GEM 520: Remote Sensing for Ecosystem Management

• Course Objectives: Introduce students to the methods used to gather spatial information about the Earth's surface by remote sensing and how it can be used to map, monitor, and better manage the forest, vegetation, and ecosystem resources.
• Learning Outcomes:
  • Understand the variety and capabilities of current and future airborne and space-borne sensors
  • Describe the spectral properties of the Earth surface and how they can be used to interpret vegetation and other aspects of the environment
  • Understand the principles and techniques of LiDAR and RADAR and how these techniques can be used in the geosciences

GEM 530: Geospatial Data Analysis

• Course Objectives: Train students in scientific thinking, as well as provide exposure to the era of "big data" in ecology.
• Learning Outcomes:
  • Understand how to use database technology to increase GIS software functionality
  • Design, implement, and evaluate geodatabase models for complex spatial datasets
  • Understand the availability and strengths of "big data" datasets
  • Show proficiency in setting up complex spatial queries

GEM 511: Advanced Geographic Information Systems for Environmental Management

• Course Objectives: Provide a comprehensive introduction to the techniques and functions used in the analysis of spatial data.
• Learning Outcomes:
  • Demonstrate an understanding of advanced GIS concepts and theory, as well as practical skills
  • Develop practical data editing skills and critical thinking required for quality control
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the concept of autocorrelation and how to analyze point patterns

GEM 521: Advanced Earth Observation and Image Processing

• Course Objectives: Encourage students to think and apply remote sensing more deeply and understand its applicability to a wide range of environmental issues.
• Learning Outcomes:
  • Understand LiDAR remote sensing technology, its underlying principles, and its application
  • Conduct basic LiDAR data processing
  • Assess the capacity of hyperspectral imagery to address environmental issues

GEM 540: Linear Regression Models and Introduction to Spatial Statistics

• Course Objectives: Introduce linear regression models and spatial statistics.
• Learning Outcomes:
  • Understand the theory behind and how to apply simple and multiple linear regression to fit models using sample data
  • Describe regression results and make inferences
  • Understand assumptions underlying linear regression models

Forestry Core Courses

FCOR 510: Professional Communication

• Course Overview: Provide students with epistemological agility and applied opportunities to engage in and hone their cross-boundary communication skills.
• Learning Objectives:
  • Identify, analyze, and investigate diverse audiences in the field of forestry
  • Demonstrate communication of specialized topics in a manner appropriate to the specific audience groups
  • Develop a core message to communicate and convey this core message consistently through multiple communications and/or media

FCOR 511: Working with Diverse Knowledge Systems in Sustainable Natural Resources Management

• Course Overview: Enhance the awareness of diverse knowledge systems and their implications for decision-making and policy among students.
• Learning Objectives:
  • Distinguish how knowledge is contingent and shaped by social, historical, and values-based elements
  • Appraise distinct forms of knowledge; media for communication / transmission; sharing of new knowledge; rights of access; confidentiality and Intellectual Property Rights
  • Reflect on your own worldviews and ethical and political values and how this shapes your approach to knowledge production

FCOR 599: Project Proposal Development and Proof of Concept

• Course Overview: Have students understand how to develop, write, and deliver an effective project proposal.
• Learning Objectives:
  • Identify a topic of interest and problem
  • Pose ecological questions and underlying model
  • Develop a data acquisition plan
  • Propose a data model and/or method of analysis
  • Present effective visualization approaches
  • Propose potential outcomes in a final report

Program Details

• Program length: 9 months, full-time
• Apply by: February 15
• Program start: July
• Tuition (2025/26):
  • Canadian students: $19,918.14 CAD
  • International students: $44,636.22 CAD