CRICOS code (International applicants): 072982E
You are currently viewing the 2023 Handbook. For study in 2024, please refer to the .
Please be advised that this program will be transitioning from Semester to Trimester study periods in 2024. Trimester 1 starts on 22 January 2024. Read more in our new academic calendar FAQs.
On-campus | Online* | |
Start: | Semester 1 (February) Semester 2 (July) | Semester 1 (February) Semester 2 (July) Semester 3 (November) |
Campus: | Toowoomba | - |
Fees: | Commonwealth supported place Domestic full fee paying place International full fee paying place | Commonwealth supported place Domestic full fee paying place International full fee paying place |
Standard duration: | 2 semesters full-time or 4 semesters part-time or by distance learning | |
Program articulation: |
Notes
In 2023 the program follows the Semester calendar. The Academic
Calendar and Important Dates webpage will allow you to view
and download a copy of the important dates for the Semester calendar.
Footnotes | |
* | Semester 3 commencement — only the Geographic Information Systems major is available for part-time commencement in Semester 3. |
Contact us
Future Australian and New Zealand students | Future International students | Current students |
Freecall (within Australia): 1800 269 500 Phone (from outside Australia): +61 7 4631 5315 Email: study@usq.edu.au |
Phone: +61 7 4631 5543 Email: international@usq.edu.au |
Freecall (within Australia): 1800 007 252 Phone (from outside Australia): +61 7 4631 2285 Email usq.support@usq.edu.au |
Professional accreditation
The Graduate Diploma of Spatial Science Technology is not accredited by any professional bodies other than the ¾«¶«´«Ã½app of Southern Queensland.
Program aims
The Graduate Diploma of Spatial Science Technology (GDST) program produces graduates who are skilled in the area of spatial science theory and evaluation. It allows students to advance their knowledge of a spatial science discipline area for industry application, research or management purposes.
Program objectives
On completion of this program graduates should be able to:
-
apply and analyse advanced theoretical knowledge and technical skills in a spatial science discipline.
-
critically evaluate knowledge from professional journals and other information sources to exercise independent judgement and communicate relevant ideas and theoretical concepts in their specialisation.
-
acquire and demonstrate an integrated understanding of a complex body of knowledge in a spatial science discipline or area of professional practice.
Australian Qualifications Framework
The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) is a single national, comprehensive system of qualifications offered by higher education institutions (including universities), vocational education and training institutions and secondary schools. Each AQF qualification has a set of descriptors which define the type and complexity of knowledge, skills and application of knowledge and skills that a graduate who has been awarded that qualification has attained, and the typical volume of learning associated with that qualification type.
This program is at AQF Qualification Level 08. Graduates at this level will have advanced knowledge and skills for professional or highly skilled work and/or further learning.
The full set of levels criteria and qualification type descriptors can be found by visiting .
Admission requirements
To be eligible for admission, applicants must satisfy the following requirements:
-
Completion of an Australian university three or four year Bachelor degree in the area of a discipline approved by the Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences, or equivalent
Or
A minimum of five (5) years' professional work experience equivalent to a qualification at AQF Level 7.
-
English Language Proficiency requirements for Category 3.
All students are required to satisfy the applicable .
If students do not meet the English language requirements they may apply to study a ¾«¶«´«Ã½app-approved . On successful completion of the English language program, students 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 a students' higher education and students pay a , which varies depending on the courses undertaken. Students 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. Students 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, external or online. Students are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the .
Program structure
The Graduate Diploma of Spatial Science Technology consists
of eight units and is a one year full time on-campus program that
may also be studied online over two years.
Students completing
the Graduate Diploma of Spatial Science Technology select eight courses
from the appropriate recommended enrolment pattern, as follows:
Schedule A: five core courses (five units)
Schedule B: A three course specialisation (three units)
Specialisation
The specialisation study provides students with knowledge and skills in a specific discipline. The two specialisation study areas in the Graduate Diploma of Spatial Science Technology are:
-
Geographic Information Systems
-
Surveying.
Articulation
Graduates from this program may articulate with full credit into the Master of Spatial Science Technology in the same specialisation.
Exit points
Students who for whatever reason, are unable to complete the Graduate Diploma of Spatial Science Technology, and who satisfy all of the requirements of the Graduate Certificate of Spatial Science Technology , may be permitted to exit with that award.
Recommended enrolment patterns
In this section:
- Geographic Information Systems specialisation recommended enrolment pattern
- Surveying specialisation recommended enrolment pattern
Geographic Information Systems specialisation recommended enrolment pattern
Specialisation: Geographic Information Systems (Specialisation ¾«¶«´«Ã½app Code: 12704) | |||||||
Course | Year of program and semester in which course is normally studied | Enrolment requirements | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
On-campus (ONC) | External (EXT) | Online (ONL) | |||||
Year | Sem | Year | Sem | Year | Sem | ||
Schedule A: Students must complete the following four core courses | |||||||
GIS1402 Geographic Information Systems£ | 1 | 1,3 | |||||
EBE5003 Research Training | 1,2 | 1,2 | Pre-requisite: (ENG5001 or ENG5002) and Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: MENS or GDNS or GCNS Pre-requisite or Co-requisite: ENG5105 | ||||
ENG6104 Asset Management in an Engineering Environment | 1 | 1 | |||||
CIS5310 IS/ICT Project Management£ | 1 | 1,2,3 | Enrolment is not permitted in CIS5310 if CIS8010 has been previously completed. | ||||
Schedule B: Select the remaining four courses from the following list | |||||||
GIS2405 Spatial Analysis and Modelling | 2 | 2 | |||||
GIS3406 Remote Sensing and Image Processing | 2 | 2 | |||||
GIS3407 GIS Programming and Visualisation | 1 | 1 | Pre-requisite: GIS1402 and CSC1401 or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GDST or MSST or GCST or MENS or MSPT | ||||
SVY3202 Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing | 1 | 1 | |||||
GIS2407 Web Based Geographic Information System | 2 | 2 | Pre-requisite: GIS1402 or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCST or GDST or MSST or MSPT or GCNS or GDNS or MENS | ||||
SVY1110 Introduction to Global Positioning System | 2 | 2 | |||||
SVY3302 Property Valuation and Development | 2 | 2 | |||||
URP4002 Urban and Regional Planning Theory | 1 | 1 | Pre-requisite: URP1001 or URP3201 or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GDST or MSPT or GCNS or GDNS or MENS or GCBU or MPPM | ||||
GIS3008 Applications of GIS and Remote Sensing | 2 | 2 | Pre-requisite: GIS1402 and GIS3406 or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCST or GDST or MSPT | ||||
CSC1401 Foundation Programming£ | 1,2 | 1,2,3 |
Footnotes | |
£ | In Semester 3, 2023 this course will be delivered as a Transition (9 week) semester, commencing on 13 November 2023 and concluding on 12 January 2024 |
Surveying specialisation recommended enrolment pattern
Specialisation: Surveying (Specialisation ¾«¶«´«Ã½app Code: 12705) | |||||||
Course | Year of program and semester in which course is normally studied | Enrolment requirements | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
On-campus (ONC) | External (EXT) | Online (ONL) | |||||
Year | Sem | Year | Sem | Year | Sem | ||
Schedule A: Students must complete the following three core courses | |||||||
SVY1104 Survey Computations A | 2 | 2 | Pre-requisite: SVY1102 or SVY1500 or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCST or GDST or MSPT | ||||
EBE5003 Research Training | 1,2 | 1,2 | Pre-requisite: (ENG5001 or ENG5002) and Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: MENS or GDNS or GCNS Pre-requisite or Co-requisite: ENG5105 | ||||
ENG6104 Asset Management in an Engineering Environment | 1 | 1 | |||||
Schedule B: Select the remaining five courses from the following list | |||||||
SVY2106 Geodetic Surveying A | 1 | 1 | Pre-requisite: SVY1110 and SVY1102 or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCNS or GCST or GDNS or GDST or MSST or MSPT or MENS | ||||
SVY3107 Geodetic Surveying B | 2 | 2 | Pre-requisite: SVY1110 and SVY2105 or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCNS or GCST or GDNS or GDST or MSST or MSPT | ||||
SVY2301 Automated Surveying Systems | 1 | 1 | Pre-requisite: SVY1104 or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCST or GDST or MSPT | ||||
SVY3202 Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing | 1 | 1 | |||||
SVY1110 Introduction to Global Positioning System | 2 | 2 | |||||
SVY4304 Land and Cadastral Law^* | 2 | 2 | |||||
SVY3302 Property Valuation and Development | 2 | 2 | |||||
SVY2302 Mine Surveying | 1 | 1 | Pre-requisite: SVY1104 or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCNS or GCST or GDNS or GDST or MSPT | ||||
SVY4309 Practice Management for Spatial Scientists | 1 | 1 | |||||
SVY3304 Cadastral Surveying (Queensland) | 2 | 2 | Pre-requisite: (SVY1102 and SVY1104) or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCNS or GCST or GDNS or GDST or MSST or MSPT or MENS |
Footnotes | |
^* | Unavailable Semester 2, 2023 Springfield On-campus and Toowoomba On-campus |