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QTAC code (Australian and New Zealand applicants): Toowoomba campus: 907802; Distance education: 907805

CRICOS code (International applicants): 053512D

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Professional accreditation

The Bachelor of Spatial Science Technology (Surveying) program is accredited by the Surveyors Board of Queensland and is recognised in every Australian state and in New Zealand through reciprocal arrangements. The degree, together with relevant industry experience, enables registration as a graduate surveyor with the Queensland Surveyors Board. The degree, together with relevant industry experience, enables registration and/or licensing as a professional mining surveyor with the Surveyors Boards of Queensland and New South Wales.

The Spatial Science Institute has accredited both program majors and graduates are eligible for membership with the .

Program aims

The Bachelor of Spatial Science Technology program equips students with a core of basic technical, scientific, analytical, business administration and communication skills that will permit them to undertake further study of the science and practice of spatial science in one of two fields: Geographic Information Systems (GIS) or Surveying.

In addition, students obtain knowledge of the natural, legal, commercial, industrial and social environments in which they will function as professionals. The program instils in students the need for continuing professional development and gives them the ability to adapt to change.

Program objectives

A student who successfully completes the Bachelor of Spatial Science Technology should be able to demonstrate:

• a broad knowledge of basic scientific and technical skills

• a level of computer literacy skills appropriate to their field of study

• appropriate written and oral communication skills

• the capacity to analyse technical problems and propose solutions

• an understanding of, and the ability to undertake, the processes required to collect, store, and manipulate a variety of spatial data

• a capacity to adapt to change and to master new technologies as they emerge

• an understanding of the natural, social, professional, industrial and technical environments in which they will practice

• the skills required to access information and an aptitude to undertake further learning and study

• a knowledge of surveying or spatial information systems of sufficient depth to gain employment, certification and, where appropriate, registration as a Graduate Surveyor or GIS Spatial Scientist.

Admission requirements

Applicants shall normally:

• have studied four semester units and achieved an exit assessment of 'Sound Achievement' or better in the Queensland Senior Secondary School subjects: English and Mathematics B (Mathematics A is assumed)

or

• be able to demonstrate that they have achieved an equivalent standard in these subjects at another institution

and

• Australian applicants: have achieved a Queensland Overall Position (OP) band, or an equivalent Rank based on qualifications and previous work experience, at or above the specified cut-off level

Domestic and International Applicants from a non-English speaking background are required to satisfy .

If you do not meet the English language requirements you may apply to study a ¾«¶«´«Ã½app-approved . On successful completion of the English language program, Applicants may be admitted to an Award Program.

Program fees

Commonwealth supported place

A Commonwealth supported place is where the Australian Government makes a contribution towards the cost of your higher education and you as a student pay a , which varies depending on the courses undertaken. You are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the .
Commonwealth Supported students may be eligible to defer their fees through a Government loan called .

Domestic full fee paying place

Domestic full fee paying places are funded entirely through the full fees paid by the student. Full fees vary depending on the courses that are taken. You are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the
Domestic full fee paying students may be eligible to defer their fees through a Government loan called provided they meet the residency and citizenship requirements.
Australian citizens, Permanent Humanitarian Visa holders, Permanent Resident visa holders and New Zealand citizens who will be resident outside Australia for the duration of their program pay full tuition fees and are not eligible for .

International full fee paying place

International students pay full fees. Full fees vary depending on the courses that are taken and whether they are studied on-campus, via distance education/online. You are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the .

Program structure

The Bachelor of Spatial Science Technology is a 24 unit program consisting of Academic Courses and Practice Courses.

Academic Courses are normally one-unit courses and involve approximately 155 hours of student work per unit.

Practice Courses are zero unit courses and each involves approximately 50 hours of student work. The only grades available for a Practice Course are Pass (P) and Fail (F). A Practice Course is designed to enable students to acquire specific competencies associated with their major study. These competencies range from specific practical and communication skills through to generic competencies relating to ethical and social responsibility, awareness of the environment, teamwork, etc. For an external student a Practice Course generally involves attendance on-campus for a one-week residential school.

Program completion requirements

The Bachelor of Spatial Science Technology Program normally involves three years of full-time study or six years of part-time study.

Students must complete the program within a maximum period of five years of full-time study or 10 years of part-time study from the date of their initial enrolment. To graduate from a particular major students must successfully complete all of the core course plus the specialist and Practice courses in that major, including the required number of Electives.

Required time limits

Full-time students have a maximum of five years to complete this program. Part-time students have a maximum of 10 years to complete this program.
A pro-rata adjustment of the maximum time period will apply for those students who transfer from one mode of study to another. A pro-rata reduction in the maximum time period will apply to students who are admitted to a program with advanced standing.

Practical experience

Practical experience is desirable and encouraged but is not required for the completion of the Bachelor of Spatial Science Technology program. Students are encouraged to obtain practical experience during vacation periods.

IT requirements

Access to an up-to-date computer is necessary. On-campus students can access appropriately equipped laboratories, but should consider acquisition of their own computer. External students should be able to access a computer with the following as advised by the ¾«¶«´«Ã½app. All students should have access to email and the Internet via a computer running the latest versions of Internet web browsers such as Internet Explorer or Firefox. The ¾«¶«´«Ã½app has a wireless network for on-campus students' computers. In order to take advantage of this facility and further enhance their on-campus learning environment, students should consider purchasing a notebook/laptop computer with wireless connectivity. A notebook/laptop may be required for some courses.

Residential schools

External students are required to attend a number of during their program. These are associated with Practice Courses and are normally conducted at the end of Semester 3 (February), or during the mid-semester recess in Semester 2 (September/October).

Students enrolled in the external offer of a Practice Course must attend the residential school for that course. In some cases students enrolled in the on-campus mode may also be required to attend the residential school. Students should only enrol in a Practice Course when they are able to attend the residential school for that course. Practice Courses may not be taken earlier than shown except with the permission of the Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences. In some cases students may enrol in two Practice Courses in one term so they can complete the two residential schools in a two-week period. The actual dates for each residential school are shown in the in this Handbook.

Practice courses

The majority of the practical and professional experience requirements for the program are contained within the major recommended enrolment pattern in the following table. These are zero unit courses, which are a compulsory part of the program, however they do not attract a student contribution charge for Australian Residents or a tuition fee for international students.

Articulation

Graduates of an Associate Degree in Spatial Science would normally be eligible for up to 16 units of credit towards the Bachelor of Spatial Science Technology within the same field. Similarly, Bachelor of Spatial Science Technology graduates would normally be eligible for up to 24 units of credit towards the Bachelor of Spatial Science (Honours) degree within the same field. Students who have completed an associate degree or certificate program in surveying than five years ago are eligible to claim advanced standing. The number of units of advanced standing granted will depend upon the nature and currency of the studies undertaken, and on the major undertaken.

The programs in Surveying and Geographic Information Systems also articulate to and from each other and enable students to move between Surveying and Geographic Information Systems degrees, whilst still retaining a significant amount of credit.

Prospective students who wish to upgrade an existing qualification should contact the Faculty to obtain information about likely exemptions and recommended enrolment patterns for their upgrade program.

Exit points

Students who, for whatever reason, are unable to complete the Bachelor of Spatial Science Technology and who satisfy all of the requirements of the Associate Degree in Spatial Science may be permitted to exit with that award.

In this section:

• Geographic Information Systems Major recommended enrolment pattern
• Surveying Major recommended enrolment pattern

Geographic Information Systems Major recommended enrolment pattern

Students are able to enrol in any offered mode of a course (on-campus, distance education or online), regardless of the program mode of study they enrolled in.

To satisfy the requirements of the program students must complete all of the Academic and Practice Courses in the following table that shows the recommended enrolment patterns for on-campus and external students. Students following a non-standard enrolment pattern should consult the section of this Handbook to ascertain if a course is offered in another term.

Surveying Major recommended enrolment pattern

Students are able to enrol in any offered mode of a course (on-campus, distance education or online), regardless of the program mode of study they enrolled in.

To satisfy the requirements of the program students must complete all of the Academic and Practice Courses in the following table that shows the recommended enrolment patterns for on-campus and external students. Students following a non-standard enrolment pattern should consult the section of this Handbook to ascertain if a course is offered in another term.