Geospatial Science Major - Bachelor of Science
In the Geospatial Science major in the Bachelor of Science you learn to interpret, analyse, present, and distribute information about locations in space and time.
Geospatial scientists help determine where schools, hospitals and new housing areas are located, and how to make the most efficient use of available resources. Geospatial scientists also identify which areas need environmental protection.
Geospatial science at AUT emphasises its use for conservation planning. Graduates with geospatial science skills are sought after by a range of employers, and demand will continue to grow, spurred on by population growth and finite resources. You explore an awareness of environmental considerations, and develop geospatial plans for environmental management and resource planning.
This is part of the Bachelor of Science.
Start date: 2022
Year 1
Complete the following courses
BIOL502 Plants and Animals
HEAL506 Knowledge, Enquiry and Communication
HEAL507 Health and Environment
ECOL501 Ecology and Evolution
BIOL501 Biological Sampling and Interpretation
ENVS522 Our Dynamic Earth
And at least two of
CHEM501 Principles of Chemistry
SCIE503 Biophysics
MICR501 Microbiology
CHEM502 Biological Chemistry
ENVS523 Human Geography
Year 2 and 3
Level 6 courses
ENVS601 Environmental Law
SCIE602 Research Techniques
ENVS621 Geographical Information Systems
ENVS622 Biogeography
ENVS623 Planning for Environmental Sustainability
Plus three elective courses.
Level 7 courses
ENVS721 Geospatial Analysis
ENVS723 Remote Sensing
ENVS701 Ecosystem Management
Plus five elective courses, or three electives and the Research Project course.
Workplace experience
In your final year you can enrol in the Research Project course (30 points) if you have at least a B grade average in 60 points at level 6. This may involve working on an industry-related project related to your major.
SCIE701 Research Project
- Environmental planner
- GIS analyst or consultant
- Natural resource or hazard manager
- Sustainable development planner
- Geography teacher*
- Geospatial scientist for Crown-owned research institutes, government departments and local government
*After completing a graduate diploma in education.
Find out more about industry trends, job descriptions and what employers may be looking for.
Other majors in the Bachelor of Science
- Applied Conservation
- Biomedical Science
- Chemistry
- Computer Science
- Environmental Sciences
- Food Safety
- Food Science
- Geoscience
- Health Protection
- Marine Biology
- Microbiology
- Molecular Genetics
- Psychology
You can combine this major with other majors like Environmental Science, Marine Biology or Applied Conservation, and complete your Bachelor of Science within three years without doing more than the standard eight courses (120 points) per year.
Postgraduate study options
- High demand for geospatial science graduates
- Skills to shape the physical spaces people live in
- Research project and industry placement options
- Having creative problem-solving skills
- Interested in the natural environment, sustainability and geospatial planning
- Curious about using maps and GIS software
The information on this page was correct at time of publication. For a comprehensive overview of AUT qualifications, please refer to the Academic Calendar.