With the rapid development of smart sensors, smartphones and social media, 'big' data is ubiquitous. This MSc teaches the foundations of GIScience, databases, spatial analysis, data mining and analytics to equip professionals with the tools and techniques to analyse, represent and model large and complex spatio-temporal datasets. Students will be equipped with computational foundations and skills needed for big data analytics including visualisation, prediction, clustering and simulation with statistical and machine learning approaches, as well as retrieving and mining big (open) data, web services and cloud computing, web and mobile applications, all by practising with real case data and open software.

Graduates from this programme are expected to find positions in consultancy, local government, public industry, and the information supply industry, as well as in continued research. Possible career paths could include: data scientist in the social media, finance, health, telecoms, retail or construction and planning industries; developer of spatial tools and specialised spatial software; researcher or entrepreneur.

Graduates will be equipped with essential principles and technical skills in managing, modelling, spatial and spatial-temporal analysis, visualising and simulating 'big' spatio-temporal data, with emphasis on real development skills including: Java, JavaScript, Python and R, Business Intelligence (BI) skills will also be taught via practical case studies and close collaborations with leading industrial companies and institutions. All these skills are highly valued in big data analysis.

This degree is also available as a PG Diploma with fees set accordingly.