Location:

Lisbon, Portugal

Program Type:

Full Degree

Degree Level:

Master

Specialty:

Geographic Information Systems

Program Overview

Program Description:

The three-semester Masters program will enrol up to 32 students per year. Language of instruction is English. Students will attend the first semester in Lisbon or Castellón, the second semester in Münster. The third semester (Master thesis) can be performed at each of the three partner universities. The first semester offers different learning paths, addressing the previous know-how and requirements of the students. The courses at UJI focus on the provision of know-how in informatics, new media, and GI basics. UNL provides modules in mathematics, data modelling, and GI basics. . The second semester at the WWU provides basic and advanced courses in GIScience. In addition, courses in additional key competencies (project management, research methods) are provided. Optional for selected courses is the alternative attendance of a summer school, organized by WWU, UJI, or UNL. The Master thesis in the third semester is closely linked to ongoing research projects of one of the partners. Depending on the resources, students can choose each of the three universities for performing the thesis. In case of not attending a semester at each partner university, the thesis will be supervized or co-supervized by the university not attended so far. The standard period of study is 3 semesters, including all examination requirements and Master thesis. The International Masters program requires 90 ECTS credit points. Based on the successful Master examination, the three universities will award the joint degree “Master of Science” (M.Sc.) with the adjunct “in Geospatial Technologies”. FIRST SEMESTER The Masters program will be performed with up to 32 students. Half of them attend their first semester at UJI, half at UNL. On purpose, UJI and UNL offer courses with a different focus, in order to address the different backgrounds and requirements of the incoming students. Both partners offer basic modules in GI, although with different intensity. The program at UJI stresses the computing aspects of GI such as computer graphics and web services, whereas the program at UNL is more oriented towards the processing and modeling aspects of Geographic information, including topics such as “Remote Sensing” and “Geospatial data mining”. As for the other modules, UJI is more informatics-oriented (modules “Informatics and mathematics” and “New technologies”). UNL provides a series of courses in data analysis, processing and modelling as well as courses in GIS foundations and applications. Students with different backgrounds can choose the courses that best suite their particular needs and profiles and define a personalised path. SECOND SEMESTER For the second semester, all students attend the courses at WWU. The first module mediates “Fundamentals in GI Science”. The second module “Advanced topics in GI Science” mediates knowledge on ongoing research and research projects, thus preparing the students for their own research in the Master thesis. Optionally, courses of this module can be replaced by an annual summer school performed by WWU, UJI, or UNL, or by work in ongoing research projects of one of the partners’ research groups. The third module provides additional “Core competences” the students will need for their Master thesis as well as for their future professional careers: “Research methods in GI Science” and “Project management in GI projects”. THIRD SEMESTER As for the third semester (Master thesis), students can choose one of the three universities, whereas the applicants will be distributed equally to the three partners. If a student did not attend courses of one of the three partner universities before, one of the supervisors or co-supervisors has to be of that university. With the Master thesis, the candidate shows that she/he is capable to independently handle a defined scientific problem within a defined schedule, and in a way that is ready to publish. Typically, the Master thesis will be integrated into an ongoing research project at one of the partners.

Additional Program Information

Accreditation:

The program is accredited by the Portuguese Evaluation and Accreditation Agency for Higher Education

Financial Aid:

Yes

Requirements:

Bachelors degree in a GI related area or equivalent

International Requirements:

Bachelors degree in a GI related area or equivalent