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Master of Spatial Science Technology (MSPT) - MSpScTech

CRICOS code (International applicants): 093265E

You are currently viewing the 2023 Handbook. For study in 2024, please refer to the .

 On-campusOnline
Start:Trimester 1 (January)
Trimester 2 (May)
Trimester 1 (January)
Trimester 2 (May)
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 years full-time, 4 years part-time. International students should complete this program within the CRICOS duration which is 2 years. 
Program articulation:

From: Graduate Certificate of Spatial Science Technology ; Graduate Diploma of Spatial Science Technology

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.

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Contact us

Future 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
international@usq.edu.au 

Freecall (within Australia): 1800 007 252
Phone (from outside Australia): +61 7 4631 2285
Email usq.support@usq.edu.au 

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Professional accreditation

The Master of Spatial Science Technology is not accredited by any professional bodies other than the 精东传媒app of Southern Queensland.

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Program aims

The Master of Spatial Science Technology program aims to produce graduates who are skilled in spatial science investigations, evaluation and synthesis. The program allows students to enhance their knowledge of a particular surveying or spatial science information discipline area for theoretical application, research and professional practice.

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Program objectives

The Master of Spatial Science Technology is a graduate level program in the fields of geographic information systems (GIS) and surveying. A coursework component (10 units) is augmented by a research project component (6 units). This allows students to enhance and extend their knowledge of a particular GIS or surveying specialisation. Since spatial science is inherently a confluence of knowledge from various disciplines, a candidate from a non-spatial science background, such as biological and physical sciences, engineering, mathematics and statistics, information technology, agriculture and forestry, arts, and business, can apply to this program.
Students who successfully complete the Master of Spatial Science Technology should be able to:

  • critically evaluate knowledge from the literature and other information sources relevant to spatial science fields;

  • systematically apply advanced, specialised knowledge within spatial science;

  • employ a range of cognitive skills to review, analyse and synthesise knowledge to identify innovative solutions to complex discipline specific problems in spatial science;

  • independently plan, implement, interpret, analyse and evaluate research outcomes by ethical means and application of evidence based practices.


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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 09. Graduates at this level will have specialised knowledge and skills for research, and/or professional practice and/or further learning.

The full set of levels criteria and qualification type descriptors can be found by visiting .

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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 a discipline approved by the Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences, or equivalent.

  • 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 精东传媒app-approved . On successful completion of the English language program, students may be admitted to an award program.

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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 .

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Program structure

The Master of Spatial Science Technology consists of 16 units of study comprising of one 8-unit specialisation, 2 units of approved courses and 6 units of Research.

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Required time limits

Students have a maximum of 6 years to complete this program

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Specialisation

The specialisation study provides students with knowledge and skills in a specific discipline. The two specialisation study areas in the Master of Spatial Science Technology are:

  • Geographic Information Systems

  • Surveying.


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IT requirements

For information technology requirements, please refer to the .

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Articulation

Students who have completed the Master of Spatial Science Technology are able to apply for entry to the Doctor of Philosophy.

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Exit points

Students who have completed four courses in the program may satisfy the requirements for the Graduate Certificate of Spatial Science Technology and therefore may apply to exit this program with a Graduate Certificate of Spatial Science Technology.

Students who have completed eight courses in the program may satisfy the requirements for the Graduate Diploma of Spatial Science Technology and therefore may apply to exit this program with a Graduate Diploma of Spatial Science Technology.

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Credit

Exemptions/credit will be assessed based on the .

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Enrolment

The Master of Spatial Science Technology consists of 16 units of study as indicated in the following recommended enrolment patterns for each specialisation study area. Each candidate must follow a specific schedule based on the candidate鈥檚 specialisation study (i.e. GIS or Surveying).
The recommended enrolment pattern below is designed to cover a four-semester period for on-campus students.
Each student must complete the following:

  • eight (8) courses from Schedule A (GIS or Surveying specialisation courses)

  • two (2) courses from Schedule B (related discipline and further application areas)

  • all courses in Schedule C (research methods and project).


A student with a previous undergraduate degree in the spatial sciences may opt to select fewer courses in Group A than required and thus will need to complete more courses from Group B, with the approval of the Program Director. All students in this program must select or formulate a research dissertation topic that focuses on spatial sciences (i.e. GIS, remote sensing, surveying, GPS, spatial science education, etc.) and/or their applications.

Recommended enrolment patterns

In this section:

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Geographic Information Systems specialisation recommended enrolment pattern


Specialisation: Geographic Information Systems (Specialisation study Code: 15926)
CourseYear of program and semester in which course is normally studiedEnrolment requirementsComments
On-campus
(ONC)
External
(EXT)
Online
(ONL)
YearSemYearSemYearSem

Schedule A: Students must complete all eight courses**

     ENG6104 Asset Management in an Engineering Environment211
     CIS5310 IS/ICT Project Management2Enrolment is not permitted in CIS5310 if CIS8010 has been previously completed.
     SVY3202 Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing111
     GIS3407 GIS Programming and Visualisation211Pre-requisite: GIS1402 and CSC1401 or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GDST or MSST or GCST or MENS or MSPT
     GIS1402 Geographic Information Systems111,3
     GIS2405 Spatial Analysis and Modelling122
     GIS3406 Remote Sensing and Image Processing122
     GIS3008 Applications of GIS and Remote Sensing122Pre-requisite: GIS1402 and GIS3406 or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCST or GDST or MSPT

Schedule B: Students must complete two courses from the following list

     CSC1401 Foundation Programming1,21,2,3
     SVY1110 Introduction to Global Positioning System22
     GIS2407 Web Based Geographic Information System22Pre-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
     SVY4309 Practice Management for Spatial Scientists11
     URP4002 Urban and Regional Planning Theory11Pre-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
     SVY3302 Property Valuation and Development22
     URP3201 Sustainable Urban Design and Development22
     CIS8025 Big Data Visualisation1,21,2Enrolment is not permitted in CIS8025 if CIS8701 has been previously completed.
     CSC6001 Introduction to Data Science and Visualisation22

Schedule C: Students must complete all courses in Schedule C

     EBE5003 Research Training11, 21, 2Pre-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
     ENG8411 Masters Engineering Research Project A21,21Pre-requisite: ENG8001 and normally have a GPA greater than 3.5 and completed 50% of the courses in the program
     ENG8414 Masters Engineering Research Project D^21,21,2Pre-requisite: ENG8411 4 units

Footnotes
**A student with a previous undergraduate degree in the spatial sciences may opt to select fewer courses in Group A than required (and thus will need more courses from Group B), upon approval by the Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences.
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
^Part-time students wishing to undertake ENG8414 Masters Research Project D over two semesters should contact the examiner before enrolling in the course

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Surveying specialisation recommended enrolment pattern


Specialisation: Surveying (Specialisation 精东传媒app Code: 15927)
CourseYear of program and semester in which course is normally studiedEnrolment requirementsComments
On-campus
(ONC)
External
(EXT)
Online
(ONL)
YearSemYearSemYearSem

Schedule A: Students must complete all eight courses**

     ENG6104 Asset Management in an Engineering Environment211
     MGT5000 Managing Organisational Behaviour211,3
     SVY3304 Cadastral Surveying (Queensland)122Pre-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
     SVY3202 Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing111
     SVY1104 Survey Computations A122Pre-requisite: SVY1102 or SVY1500 or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCST or GDST or MSPT
     SVY1110 Introduction to Global Positioning System122
     SVY2106 Geodetic Surveying A111Pre-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 B122Pre-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

Schedule B: Students must complete two courses from the following list

     SVY2105 Survey Computations B11Pre-requisite: ENM1600 and SVY2106 or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCNS or GCST or GDNS or GDST or MSST or MSPT or MENS
     SVY3302 Property Valuation and Development22
     SVY4304 Land and Cadastral Law^*22
     SVY2302 Mine Surveying11Pre-requisite: SVY1104 or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCNS or GCST or GDNS or GDST or MSPT
     URP3201 Sustainable Urban Design and Development22
     SVY3400 Advanced Surveying22Pre-requisite: (SVY2106 and SVY2105) or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCNS or GCST or GDNS or GDST or MSPT or MENS
     SVY4309 Practice Management for Spatial Scientists11
     URP4002 Urban and Regional Planning Theory11Pre-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
     SVY2301 Automated Surveying Systems11Pre-requisite: SVY1104 or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCST or GDST or MSPT
     SVY2303 Construction Surveying22Pre-requisite: SVY1104

Schedule C: Students must complete all courses in Schedule C

     EBE5003 Research Training11, 21, 2Pre-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
     ENG8411 Masters Engineering Research Project A21,21Pre-requisite: ENG8001 and normally have a GPA greater than 3.5 and completed 50% of the courses in the program
     ENG8414 Masters Engineering Research Project D^21,21,2Pre-requisite: ENG8411 4 units

Footnotes
**A student with a previous undergraduate degree in the spatial sciences may opt to select fewer courses in Group A than required (and thus will need more courses from Group B), upon approval by the Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences.
^*Unavailable Semester 2, 2023 Springfield On-campus and Toowoomba On-campus
^Part-time students wishing to undertake ENG8414 Masters Research Project D over two semesters should contact the examiner before enrolling in the course