DipGIS: Diploma in Geographic Information Systems

The Diploma of GIS caters for students from all disciplines who want to enhance their skills in areas such as GIS, remote sensing, visualisation, spatial analysis, web mapping and location-based services, and allows them to take a sequence of eight additional subjects in either a Geomatics stream or a Geography stream.

The Diploma of GIS can be taken concurrently with any undergraduate degree [except the Bachelor of Geomatic Engineering (BGeomE)], and adds an extra year of study.

• Course objectives
• Entry requirements
• Course structure
• Subject descriptions

Course objectives

This diploma aims to provide skills in, and a critical understanding of what Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and its associated technologies can, and cannot achieve. It acts as an entry qualification for a career as an applied GIS researcher within a wide range of public and private organizations. Specific objectives are to:

• develop a fundamental understanding of the theoretical principles and practical aspects relating to GIS and associated science and technology
• develop basic practical skills in applying GIS and related software to problems in areas such as land administration, natural resources management, facility management, environmental science, geography, geomatics, planning, agriculture, forestry and architecture
• develop analytic, problem solving, team work and design skills
• develop verbal and communication skills that enable students to interact effectively with others in the context of defining and solving problems using GIS
• develop a critical appreciation of the roles and responsibilities of professionals who use GIS

Entry requirements

• A student enrolled in an undergraduate degree in any discipline (with the exception of BGeomE) at the University may take the Diploma concurrently with their undergraduate studies.
• The Diploma will only be awarded on successful completion of the student's undergraduate degree.
• Entry to the diploma requires the approval of both the student's home faculty and the administering faculty for the Diploma.
• There are limited places in the Diploma each year and these are available for new and re-enrolling students. Selection is based on academic merit. Students generally need to meet both the Arts and Geomatics CIR ENTER (whichever is higher) to be eligible for selection. The academic standard required for re-enrolling students is determined by the quality and quantity of students applying for the course and so is not pre-determined.
• Combined degree students are not usually eligible for the Diploma, however applications will be considered from high-achieving students.
• It is not possible to defer commencement of the Diploma. Students not intending to commence study in a nominated year should apply for selection in a later year. Students who have completed at least one subject (12.5 points) in the Diploma may be permitted to take up to one year's leave of absence.
• There is only one enrolment period for the Diploma at the beginning of each year (there is no mid-year entry). Applications must be received by the due date.
• Credit may be granted to Diploma students, at the time of first enrolment, for tertiary studies taken within the last 10 years. Credit will only be given towards the diploma for a maximum of 25 points of 100-level subjects and 25 points of 200-level subjects, for equivalent study not counted towards another qualification at any institution.
• Students who are not eligible for credit, but who have completed work considered to be the equivalent of a core subject in the Diploma, may be granted an exemption from that subject. However, the student must still complete 100 points of study to be eligible for the award of the diploma.

Course structure

• On-line handbook here
• The diploma assumes no previous study of GIS.
• The Diploma will consist of 100 credit points of 100-, 200-, 300- or higher-level subjects, and will typically add one year to the total duration of the student's undergraduate degree.
• Normal subject prerequisites will apply, except for two subjects: "121-435 Environmental Management Systems" and "121-454 Computer-aided Policymaking". For these two subjects the prerequisite, for students enrolled in the Diploma of GIS, is that they have completed 75 points of the Diploma.

Subject descriptions

On-line Handbook subject descriptions here