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Date: Mon, 10 Aug 1998 13:10:43 +0100
From: nathan williams <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: New Online Masters degree in Geographical Information Science
by         distance learning
Sender: nathan williams <[log in to unmask]>
 
Reply-To: nathan williams <[log in to unmask]>
Message-ID: <001f01bdc457$e6b3e4f0$6d0b3dc1@homer>
 
 
Apologies for any cross postings
 
New Masters degree in Geographical Information Science by distance learning
 
Contact: Dr Richard Kelly +44 171 631 6474
Fax: +44 171 631 6498 [log in to unmask]
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/Departments/Geography/
 
The Department of Geography, Birkbeck College announces a new advanced and
flexible Masters degree in Geographic Information Science (GISc) for
professionals and researchers working with geographically referenced data.
The new degree will build on 20 years of experience in GISc at Birkbeck and
will be taught by Prof. David Unwin, Dr Jonathan Raper and Dr Richard Kelly
with contributions from Prof. John Shepherd and Dr Andrew Church. The course
will cover the philosophical, scientific, social, policy, environmental and
technological issues associated with the use of geographic information in an
international context.
 
As the course will be entirely delivered over the Internet by distance
learning techniques no attendance at Birkbeck College in London will be
required at any stage of the course, although for those who are resident in
the UK or who visit London, facilities for study will be provided (the
department is located in the heart of London, 50m from Oxford Street).
Students on the course will need access to the Internet to read the course
materials, access course discussion groups and submit coursework which it
will be their responsability to provide locally to them. Students will also
need access to a state of the art personal computer (minimum specifications
will be set out at registration) running an approved desktop GIS package.
Access to GIS for many students will be through their workplace, or if that
is not possible, by acquiring the software through Birkbeck at heavily
discounted prices negotiated directly with GIS vendors (note that any cost
for software will be in addition to the course fees). To receive copies of
papers or to make loans of books, students will have access to the Birkbeck
Electronic Library and other UK library resources on-line and will be
eligible to use the library services for distance learners provided by
Birkbeck. Full support for students on the course will be given through a
course tutor system and course teachers will attend the major annual GIS
conferences worldwide, at which course meetings will be held.
 
The course will run from October to September each year and will consist of
three course units:
 
Course module 1 (Foundations) 12 weeks, two topics per week:
 
- course orientation, practice in the use of course GIS software
- principles of spatial representation
- new dimensions of representation
- application issues in specific sectors of GIS application
- interoperability issues for GI
 
Course module 2 (Experiences) 12 weeks:
 
Practical application of GIS tools by the student.
 
- GIS implementation strategies
- social and political context of spatial data
- GIS experiences
- GIS customisation project
 
Course unit 3 (Dissertation) 12 weeks:
 
Supervised dissertation on a subject chosen by the student.
 
 
The degree can be taken in 1 year with a full time commitment, or over 2
years part time. Fees for part time EU students will be #1450 p.a.
(approximately $2300) and for part-time non-EU students will be #1900 p.a.
(approximately $3000). Full details given on the web site.
 
Contact: Dr Richard Kelly +44 171 631 6474
Fax: +44 171 631 6498 [log in to unmask]
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/Departments/Geography/
 
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