Geoinformation Technology & Cartography with Work Placement MSc

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Tuesday 3 November 2026, 9am – 5pm

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Postgraduate Study Finance & Funding Event:
Wednesday 4 November 2026, 5pm - 7pm
Advanced Research Centre (ARC), University of Glasgow

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Our Masters in Geoinformation Technology & Cartography with Work Placement is an industry-focused programme. It develops advanced skills in GIS, cartography, and geospatial data technologies alongside a six-month, credit-bearing professional placement. Replacing the traditional MSc thesis, the placement enables students to apply technical expertise directly within industry, government, or consultancy environments. Graduates complete the programme with practical experience, professional confidence, and strong employability in the geospatial sector.

Academic contact: Mingshu.Wang@glasgow.ac.uk
Teaching start: September

Glasgow: Gilmorehill campus and Work placement
MSc: 15 months full-time

Apply now

Why this programme

A job-ready Masters that replaces the MSc thesis with a six-month, paid-style professional work placement, giving graduates real industry experience and a clear competitive edge in the geospatial job market.
Designed for employability from day one, combining advanced GIS and cartography training with extended workplace experience to produce graduates ready to contribute immediately in professional roles.
This is the only programme in the UK that focuses on cartography. It offers modern, cutting-edge cartographic and data visualisation practices and is developed in conjunction with industry via our Geospatial Industry Advisory Board.
This programme is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) when fully completed with the award of an MSc.
The School of Geographical and Earth Sciences has an Athena Swan Silver Award, demonstrating the school’s commitment to supporting women in scientific studies and careers, and to improving the working environment for all.

Programme structure

The programme is delivered over 15 months full-time, combining taught study with an extended professional work placement. Teaching includes lectures, computer-based labs, tutorials, seminars, and project and team-based coursework. The final stage is a six-month, credit-bearing work placement, replacing the traditional MSc thesis and enabling students to apply their skills in a professional environment.

Courses

Semester 1

Semester 2

Work placement (June – Nov)

Geospatial Science Work Placement

Programme alteration or discontinuation
The University of Glasgow endeavours to run all programmes as advertised. In exceptional circumstances, however, the University may withdraw or alter a programme. More information: Student contract.

Career prospects

Graduates of the Masters in Geoinformation Technology & Cartography with Work Placement are well prepared for professional roles across the geospatial, data, and spatial analytics sectors. Typical career destinations include roles such as:

GIS Analyst
Cartographer
Geospatial Data or Spatial Analyst
Mapping or Visualisation Specialist
Geospatial Consultant.

Sectors include:

industry
government
infrastructure
environmental organisations
technology companies.

Fees & funding

Tuition fees for 2027-28

MSc

Home & RUK

Full-time fee: £13,092

International & EU

Full-time fee: £31,515

Fee status

Fee status guidance

Additional fees

Fee for re-assessment of a dissertation (PGT programme): £370
Submission of thesis after deadline lapsed: £350
Registration/exam only fee: £170

Funding opportunities

Carnegie Masters Grants

If you have any questions about the scheme or would like to discuss your eligibility before applying, please contact: grants@carnegie-trust.org, the Scholarship team at the University of Glasgow will not be able to provide further information on this scheme.

Postgraduate study can open doors to better careers, new opportunities and higher earning potential, however cost can be a major barrier. Funding options for study at this level in Scotland are limited, but the new Carnegie Masters Grant from Carnegie Education Fund (CEF) help to address this problem.

This new scheme helps students from low-income Scottish households undertake masterʼs programmes of study at Scottish universities. It helps to cover the cost of tuition fees and, in some cases, will offer additional support for study costs.

The scheme aims to:

Support people from low-income backgrounds who want to return to higher education to upskill or reskill to change career.
Increase the numbers of low-income students undertaking postgraduate study in Scotland
Equip graduates with the skills and expertise to meet current and emerging skills gaps in Scotland.

About Carnegie Education Fund Carnegie Education Fund is an independent charitable trust that aims to support participation in and improvement of Scotlandʼs higher education system through grants and research. It was established in 1901 as the Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland (SC015600).

Carnegie Masters Grants

The scholarships above are relevant to this programme. For more funding opportunities search the scholarships database

Entry requirements

2.1 Hons (or non-UK equivalent) in in a Geomatics-related discipline, including but not limited to:

Geodetic Engineering, Geodetic Science, Geographical Engineering, Geographical Information Systems, Geographical Information Science, Geospatial Science, Geospatial Engineering, Land Surveying, Cadastral Surveying, Mapping Sciences, Surveying, Surveying and Mapping, Surveying Science, Surveying Engineering, Topographical Science, or Topographical Surveying.

Applicants with degrees in Built Environment, Computing Science, Art, Applied Graphics, Graphic Design, Multimedia, Environmental Sciences, Environmental Engineering, Architecture, Psychology, Social Sciences, Geography, Mathematics, Statistics, Urban or Regional Studies, or Planning may also be considered where the degree includes appropriate quantitative (mathematics and/or statistics) content.

Please note that applicants with a degree in Geomatics or a closely related subject, or those who meet the age and experience requirements of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), may use the programme as a route to professional qualification and may, under special circumstances, be granted exemption from some aspects of the programme, subject to approval.

Please note this programme has a higher entrance and progression requirement than the MSc in Geoinformation Technology & Cartography due to the inclusion of a compulsory work placement.

Applicants with degrees below the minimum academic requirement may be considered where they can demonstrate substantial and relevant professional experience. Such applications will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Securing a work placement

Offers for the MSc Geoinformation Technology & Cartography with Work Placement (GTC-WP) are dependent on the availability of suitable work placements negotiated by the School of Geographical and Earth Sciences with placement providers in advance. While the School endeavours to secure appropriate placements, a work placement cannot be guaranteed, as circumstances beyond the School’s control may result in a placement becoming unavailable.

If, for any reason, a placement is not available after an offer has been made, the student will be transferred to the MSc Geoinformation Technology & Cartography, and the work placement will be replaced with an MSc project.

The School will also consider suggestions for placement partners proposed by applicants. In such cases, the School will contact the proposed organisation to confirm that it meets the programme’s requirements and is willing to agree to the conditions of the placement. Placement providers should be active in geospatial data science, geomatics, digital cartography, spatial analytics, or closely related professional areas.

Progression to the placement

Progression to the work placement is conditional on meeting specified academic requirements during the taught component of the programme. If a student does not meet the progression requirements for the placement but does meet the requirements for the degree overall, the student will be transferred to the MSc Geoinformation Technology & Cartography, and the work placement will be replaced with an MSc project.

Please note that these progression requirements are more demanding than those for the non-work-placement version of the programme. The progression requirements for the placement are normally as follows:

At the end of Semester 1, achievement of at least a C grade in each Semester 1 course at the first attempt
At the end of Semester 2, achievement of an overall average of at least a B grade across all taught courses at the first attempt.

Visa information for international applicants

For international (non-EU) applicants, a Student visa permits participation in this assessed work placement, where it forms an integral and assessed part of the degree programme, in accordance with UKVI regulations.

English language requirements

For further information about English language requirements, please contact the Recruitment and International Office using our enquiry form

For applicants from non-majority English speaking countries, as defined by the UK Government, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level.

Accepted English Language Tests

We accept a wide range of English language tests for entry to this programme. Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date, and requirements must be met using a single test.

IELTS Academic/IELTS Academic for UKVI/ IELTS Academic online

6.5 overall with no subtest less than 6.0
IELTS One Skill Retake Accepted
We do not accept General Training

TOEFL iBT (including MyBest and Home Edition)

Test taken up to 20 January 2026

90 overall with no subtest less than Reading 20; Listening 19; Speaking 19; Writing 21

Tests taken from 21 January 2026

92 overall with no subtest less than 4.5

PTE Academic (test centre only)

65 overall with no subtest less than Reading 60; Listening 60; Speaking 65; Writing 60
We do not accept the online PTE Academic

Cambridge C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency

176 overall with no subtest less than 169

Oxford ELLT

7 overall with no subtest less than 6

LanguageCert Academic/Academic SELT/ Academic Online

70 overall with no subtest less than 65

Password Skills Plus

6.5 overall with no subtest less than 6.0

Trinity College Integrated Skills in English II

96 overall with no subtest less than 90

Kaplan Test of English

Any two subtests at 480 or higher, and any two subtests at 450 or higher

PSI Skills for English

B2 Pass with Merit

Duolingo English Test

120 overall with writing at 120 and no subtest less than 110

Oxford Test of English Advanced

140 Overall with any two subtests at 126 or higher, and any two subtests at 136 or higher

Alternatives to English Language test

Degree from majority-English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI including Canada if taught in English)

students must have studied for a minimum of their final year at Undergraduate level, or 9 months at Master's level, and must have completed their degree in that majority-English speaking country within 6 years of programme start.

TNE degree from UK university taught at a campus outside of the UK

students must be awarded the degree by the UK university and must have completed the degree within 6 years of programme start.

Pre-sessional courses

The University of Glasgow accepts evidence of the required language level from the English for Academic Study Unit Pre-sessional courses. We would strongly encourage you to consider the pre-sessional courses at the University of Glasgow's English for Academic Study (EAS) Unit. Our Pre-sessional courses are the best way to bring your English up to entry level for University study and remain valid for 2 years following date of successful completion.

Our courses give you:

direct entry to your University programme for successful students (no need to take IELTS);
essential academic skills to help you study effectively at University;
flexible entry dates so you can join the right course for your level.

For more detail on our pre-sessional courses please see: https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/mlc/eas/pre-sessionalcourses/

We can also consider the pre-sessional courses accredited by the below BALEAP approved institutions to meet the language requirements for admission to our postgraduate taught degrees:

Heriot Watt
Kingston Upon Thames
Middlesex University
Manchester University
Reading University
Edinburgh University
St Andrews University
UCL
Durham

International students

We are proud of our diverse University community that includes students and staff from more than 140 different countries.

How to apply

To apply for a postgraduate taught degree you must apply online. We cannot accept applications any other way.

Please check you meet the Entry requirements for this programme before you begin your application.

Documents

As part of your online application, you also need to submit the following supporting documents:

A copy (or copies) of your official degree certificate(s) (if you have already completed your degree)
A copy (or copies) of your official academic transcript(s), showing full details of subjects studied and grades/marks obtained
Official English translations of the certificate(s) and transcript(s)
One reference letter on headed paper
Evidence of your English language ability (if your first language is not English)
Any additional documents required for this programme (see Entry requirements for this programme)
A copy of the photo page of your passport

You have 42 days to submit your application once you begin the process.

You may save and return to your application as many times as you wish to update information, complete sections or upload supporting documents such as your final transcript or your language test.

For more information about submitting documents or other topics related to applying to a postgraduate taught programme, see how to apply for a postgraduate taught degree

Guidance notes for using the online application

These notes are intended to help you complete the online application form accurately; they are also available within the help section of the online application form.

If you experience any difficulties accessing the online application, see Application System Help.

Name and Date of birth: must appear exactly as they do on your passport. Please take time to check the spelling and lay-out.
Contact Details: Correspondence address. All contact relevant to your application will be sent to this address including the offer letter(s). If your address changes, please contact us as soon as possible.
Choice of course: Please select carefully the course you want to study. As your application will be sent to the admissions committee for each course you select it is important to consider at this stage why you are interested in the course and that it is reflected in your application.
Proposed date of entry: Please state your preferred start date including the month and the year. Taught masters degrees tend to begin in September. Research degrees may start in any month.
Education and Qualifications: Please complete this section as fully as possible indicating any relevant Higher Education qualifications starting with the most recent. Complete the name of the Institution (s) as it appears on the degree certificate or transcript.
English Language Proficiency: Please state the date of any English language test taken (or to be taken) and the award date (or expected award date if known).
Employment and Experience: Please complete this section as fully as possible with all employments relevant to your course. Additional details may be attached in your personal statement/proposal where appropriate.

Reference: Please provide one reference. This should typically be an academic reference but in cases where this is not possible then a reference from a current employer may be accepted instead. Certain programmes, such as the MBA programme, may also accept an employer reference. If you already have a copy of a reference on letter headed paper then please upload this to your application. If you do not already have a reference to upload then please enter your referee’s name and contact details on the online application and we will contact your referee directly.

Application deadlines

For entry in September 2027

International & EU applicants

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International application rounds

Applications are considered on a rolling basis within each round, and the decision date shown for each round is the latest date by which you will receive an outcome on your application.

Round 1: 1 October 2026 to 5 November 2026

You will receive our decision on your application by 18 December 2026.

Round 2: 6 November 2026 to 17 December 2026

You will receive our decision on your application by 3 March 2027.

Round 3: 18 December 2026 to 4 February 2027

You will receive our decision on your application by 8 April 2027.

Round 4: 5 February 2027 to 25 March 2027

You will receive our decision on your application by 6 May 2027.

Round 5: 26 March 2027 to 13 May 2027

You will receive our decision on your application by 10 June 2027.

Round 6: 14 May 2027 to 8 July 2027

You will receive our decision on your application by 29 July 2027.

As we receive a high volume of applications, prospective students are only allowed to apply to each programme once per year.

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UK applicants

24 August 2027