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The Bachelor of Geoinformation Technology Honours is an initial postgraduate specialisation degree, designed for registration at NQF level 8. This programme builds on the outcomes of the Bachelor of Geoinformation Technology and aims at consolidating and deepening the knowledge and skills of students in the main cognate area of learning, as well as developing their capacity to conduct research of an applied nature. Students will be capacitated to do independent study in this field, evaluate issues critically pertaining to Geoinformation Technology (GIT), and to become expert practitioners in the theory, methods and applications of GIT to natural, socio-economic and rural/urban development. Overall, the programme places specific emphasis on the competencies and attributes that will enable students to assume supervisory/middle management and applied research positions in Government, or other organisations, such as mapping agencies in the field of GIS and remote sensing in Namibia, specifically, and more broadly within the SADC region. The programme focuses on niche areas in Geoinformation Technology and includes both compulsory and elective courses.
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The Geoinformation Technology (GIT) section is the division under the department of Geo-Spatial Sciences and Technology within the Faculty of Natural Resources and Spatial Sciences. Established in 2007, the section hosts the Bachelor of Geoinformation Technology (Level 7), the Bachelor of Geoinformation Technology Honours (Level 8), a Masters of Spatial Science (Level 9 – Research Masters) and a Masters in Geoinformation Science and Earth Observation (Level 9 – Taught Masters).
The Namibia University of Science and Technology’s strategic plan of 2005 recommended the development of a programme in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing, instead of offering different GIS and remote sensing related courses within other programmes. A stakeholders’ workshop was organized together with the National Public Service Commission through LUX-Development to assess and collect the industrial GIS readiness for a localized GIS academic programme in Namibia. The programme initially targeted employees in the public service at the National Planning Commission to contribute to the newly established national spatial statistics of Namibia, and employees who could not attend full-time education because of their work responsibility. During the year 2009, the programme started to be offered full-time mode for students having just completed high school.
The demand for GIS, remote sensing and earth observation programmes has since grown in Namibia and brought the introduction of Level 8 and Level 9 programme, which will be complemented with a Level 10 in the near future.
The section has a remarkable staff complement of diverse experts, with qualifications in GIS, Remote Sensing, Geography, Natural Resources, Geomatics and related sciences. We take pride in the expertise of our staff member as they comprise both national and international experts. -
The Master of Geoinformation Science and Earth Observation is a postgraduate degree designed for registration at NQF level 9, as an interdisciplinary programme for students with diverse natural science and social science backgrounds who desire specialised training in the use of remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS). The programme builds on the outcomes of the level 8 qualifications in this cognate area and aims at providing practice-oriented education for high level scientists/specialists that are able to provide practical solutions to real-world in Geoinformation and Earth Observation related problems in Namibia and beyond.
This programme will, furthermore, enable students to evaluate and design complex and innovative systems in the above-mentioned areas of specialisation using advanced analytical, design, as well as management tools and techniques in order to addresses natural sciences and societal needs. Students will also be capacitated to work and study independently, synthesis knowledge at the forefront of Geoinformation and Earth Observation, and conduct research using the scientific method. The programme will be a combination of coursework and a thesis.
Graduates of this programme will be able to contribute significantly to national economic development in management positions such as urban and land use planning, hydrologic resources, environmental analysis and management, transportation review and planning. etc.
The programme has been endorsed by members of the Programme Advisory Committee, while academic peers in Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), the University of Botswana (UB) and the University of Zambia (UNZA) have been consulted for purposes of benchmarking (attached, please find evidence of consultation, benchmarking and support).