Study

Master degree course in Geo-information Science and Earth Observation for

Geoinformatics

There is an increasing need for organizations to efficiently acquire and exploit geo-information. The emphasis is therefore on the integration and reuse of geo-information and the associated production process. Such efforts are the core activity of building spatial data infrastructures (SDIs). To handle the ever-increasing volumes of data storage and data flow between computer systems, the characteristics and functionality of such infrastructures require special attention from different technical perspectives: data acquisition, processing and dissemination.

Understanding the design principles and being able to apply appropriate technology for implementation purposes is of key importance to staff in these organizations. They must effectively carry out data acquisition (from remotely sensed images and other sensors), database management, geo-information processing and visualization techniques to build integral geo-information applications and SDIs in any geo-information application domain.

For whom is the course relevant?

The Master degree course addresses the needs of geoinformatics engineers who wish to improve their skills in using integrated geo-information production technology. An integral part of the course is the operational management of geo-information production systems, including design, planning, maintenance (execution, quality control) and exploitation. The course is designed for young and mid-career engineering staff at governmental organizations or companies such as mapping agencies that deal with geo-information.

Course structure

The Master degree course in Geoinformatics consists of three distinct blocks.

What is the course content?

In this course, the overall theme is the application of technology for SDIs. After a thorough introduction to the principles of databases, remote sensing and GIS, six consecutive modules address specific aspects of the theme:

• the design and development of the component systems of an SDI
• requirement analysis
• 3D data acquisition
• base mapping from sensor data
• spatial data modelling and spatial database design
• spatial data analysis
• methods and techniques for acquiring and eventually disseminating and visualizing (via the Web) geospatial data
• geo-information application development and customization.

The overall aim of the modules, the real-life case study that runs through all six modules, and the exercises in computer programming is to improve the understanding and engineering skills of the course participants.

What will be achieved?

On completion of the course, participants will be able to:

• analyse geo-technical problems and design production processes (from acquisition to dissemination) for geospatial data and services for different application fields of geo-information
• support the design of, and implement, technological and infrastructural components in an organization
• evaluate (intermediate) information products that can be used as building blocks for multilevel SDIs
• evaluate the performance of production and dissemination processes
• work in multidisciplinary teams engaged in production projects that involve spatial data collection, database management and data dissemination
• transfer the acquired knowledge to the home working environment.

Why choose this course?

The topics covered in this course will provide the participant with an in-depth knowledge of geo-information technology that can be readily applied in your home organization. It will also allow the participant to effectively create and handle geo-information and to build and use geo-information applications and SDIs. Moreover, the course has been set up to give the participant a clear overview of information integration issues and common solutions to real-life geo-information problems.

Admission requirements

Academic level and background

Applicants for the Master degree programme should have a Bachelor degree or equivalent from a recognised university in a discipline related to the course, preferably combined with working experience in a relevant field.

English language

As all courses are given in English, proficiency in the English language is a prerequisite. If you are a national of one of the countries in this list (PDF), you are exempted from an English language test. Please note: the requirements when applying for fellowships may vary according to the regulations of the fellowship provider.

English language tests: minimum requirements

Only internationally recognised test results are accepted.

Computer skills

Although introductory lessons on computer skills are scheduled in the Master degree programme, applicants lacking computer experience are strongly advised to follow basic courses in their home countries.

Notebook requirements

From September 2011, participants that start an ITC course of nine months or longer (MSc, Master and Diploma courses), are required to have a notebook computer that meets ITC’s requirements.

To make the purchase of notebook computers easier and more affordable, ITC introduces the ITC Notebook Programme through which students can purchase discounted notebooks that meet ITC's standards and have the peripherals needed to connect to the ITC networks.

When studying at ITC your notebook has to meet a minimum set of requirements. This is to ensure that you will be able to run most of the programs and the “software manager” (a program developed by the IT department that enables you to download, install programs, license software, make connections to network drive and enable you to print.)

The minimum requirements for a privately bought notebook are:

Please make sure the operating system is the same or higher and in English or else we cannot provide you the adequate service when experiencing problems with your notebook. It is also important that the operating system is genuine.