Geographic information Systems are widely-used indispensable tools for governance, commerce, and environmental and social science in Ireland and word-wide. Over the next few years it is forecast that the area of GIS will grow rapidly. This will lead to the need for highly qualified professionals in all areas of the geospatial industry. The MSc programme in Geographic Information Science presents an opportunity to develop and build on your previous learning and to deepen your understanding and knowledge of essential principles, practices and applications of geospatial technologies. Competency in information technology skills has consistently been identified as a critical need in the geospatial industry and in the wider workplace in Ireland. This programme has been designed specifically to address these issues and will provide graduates with a thorough grounding in information technology including spatial databases and web technology as well as programming skills tailored to the particular requirements of geospatial data. This is a conversion programme to enable graduates of a related discipline or current practitioners in the geospatial or related industry to acquire a qualification in Geographic Information Science at Masters Level. The programme is delivered within Spatial Information Sciences in the School of Surveying and Construction Management in DIT Bolton Street. A maximum intake of 20 students is planned from different disciplines and backgrounds.

It is an exciting and challenging time for the geospatial industry and also a time of opportunity. Government has recognised the value and benefit in promoting Ireland as a smart economy and developing the expertise and technology to manage and exploit new sources of information and technologies. Development of such technologies requires highly skilled graduates with both strong computing and spatial analysis skills. Employment opportunities and emerging workforce development opportunities are growing in the GIScience area and the number of GIS-related job opportunities has risen steadily over the last few years. Career opportunities exist in a wide and diverse range of organisations including government, semi-state, private and commercial sectors.