The new degree will draw upon several core geographic information-related subjects already taught in the current Bachelor of Geomatic Engineering degree. These subjects include Geomatics Science (dealing with the fundamental principles of geographic data collection), Introductory GIS and Remote Sensing, Imaging in the Geosciences, Environmental Visualisation and Mapping, Land Administration (including Spatial Data Infrastructures), Applications of Remote Sensing, Spatial Analysis, and Application and Development of GIS. Furthermore, the degree will include other Department-taught subjects in Computer Systems and Graphics, Information Systems and Programming, Professional Development, and Research Studies. The degree will also draw on subjects taught by other Faculties including several units of mathematics, Experimental Design and Data Analysis, Database Systems, Management principles, and Management Information Systems. The structure of the BGeoIT degree is shown in Figure 1.
Fig. 1: The structure of the new BGeoIT degree
Importantly, however, the new degree provides the opportunity to develop and introduce several new subjects within the Department in the areas of Web-Mapping and e-Commerce, Location-Based Services. These subjects, together with a new database unit, will ensure that students enrolled in the 3-year degree have continuity and a common focus as an independent group during the final two years of their course. This focus will be supported in the third year of the course by the subject ‘Case Studies in that Geographic Information Industry’, which will draw all subjects in the degree together from an academic perspective. It is also intended that there be an option for suitably qualified students to take a 4th, or Honours, year in their BGeoIT which will require them to study higher level subjects offered by the Department in Spatial Data Handling and the Management of GIS, plus completion of a substantial research project.
Looking at the new subjects in more detail, firstly “Web Mapping and e-Commerce” will provide an introduction to the concepts and processes used in distributing geographic information (in particular) and conducting e-commerce over the web. The subject focus will be on the technical aspects of web-based mapping architectures, and both technical and non-technical aspects of e-commerce. Topics to be covered include the principles of web-based data delivery, client and server-side strategies, on-line analytical processing (OLAP), streaming vector models, network protocols, CGI, Java and Applets. From an e-commerce perspective topics to be covered include the principles and use of e-commerce technologies such as XML, automatic identification, web-based data clearinghouses, and e-hubs and e-markets in managing and re-engineering supply chains. In addition, areas such as business models for e-commerce, marketing and payment systems, security, privacy and ethics raised by web-base mapping and e-commerce will be taught to students.
Next, the subject “Location-based Services” will include topics such as: data transmission (synchronous and asynchronous transmission, error detection and correction, and data compression); local and wide area networks (architectures, protocols and surrounding issues); and the delivery of geographic information via telecommunication networks. The subject will cover the incorporation of geo-positioning technologies within the telecommunication infrastructure, and the integration of these various technologies to achieve spatial information solutions.
Finally, the subject “Case Studies in the Geographic Information Industry” will incorporate and highlight the principles and practices that have been presented in earlier subjects through a combination of local and overseas case studies. Students will gain an understanding of the way that organisations design, develop, implement, maintain and use GIS; the complexity, politics and realities associated with actual systems in organisational contexts; a knowledge of how to analyse, learn and generalise from the experiences of individual organisations; and be exposed to different organisational cultures in both developed and developing nations with regard to the establishment of GIS.
Other aspects
The new BGeoIT degree is expected to be of considerable interest to both local and overseas prospective students.
A spin-off from the development of the new degree has been the realisation that many prospective graduate students would also be drawn to its course content, including those students who already had formal education in geographic information science and technology but who now wished to update their knowledge in web-mapping and e-commerce, and location-based services. Accordingly, a 2-semester (9 month) Master of Geographic Information Technology course (the MGeoIT degree) has recently been designed and drafted, and is currently with the University of Melbourne for approval.
Conclusion
The Bachelor of GIT offered by University of Melbourne is response to the growing market need. The focus of the degree is the science and technology of geographic information systems, spatial information and information technology. It is structured to provide professional education in the areas of information technology, geographic information systems, location-based services, database systems, electronic commerce, web-mapping, mathematics and statistics, mapping science, remote sensing, visualisation, spatial analysis, computer science, management and professional development. Graduates will receive a broad knowledge of geographic information technology, enabling them to enter the geographic information industry and allied sectors of the broader information technology communities.
