Overview
Geospatial Intelligence (Honours) Cross-Disciplinary Degree Programme
Overview
Modern society requires intelligent solutions to optimise the built and natural environments, drive sustainable development, and improve well-being. Geospatial intelligence is central to these solutions that often requires spatial considerations. Geospatial Intelligence major, a four-year Bachelor of Science Cross-Disciplinary Programme (XDP) by Geography, Faculty of Arts and Social Science and School of Computing, aims to provide training on spatial knowledge and the data collection and analytic skills that offer operational solutions and tangible outcomes.
The program integrates computing skills and geospatial knowledge through an interdisciplinary curriculum. It provides comprehensive understanding of spatial-oriented issues, and how they are addressed by spatial- and computational-thinking and state-of-the-art toolsets, including but not limited to geospatial artificial intelligence and geovisualisation. This blend equips students with a distinctive skill set in spatial decision making, showcasing both technical proficiency and real-world problem-solving expertise.
Geospatial intelligence is a rapidly growing field worldwide. There is a strong demand with talents with skills in modern data acquisitions, such as the use of light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and drones, to support digital twins and smart city initiatives. There is an equal demand in talents with solid spatial and computing skills to support spatial decision makings, accelerated by the explosive advances in geospatial artificial intelligence (GeoAI). Locally, Singapore Land Authority and Maritime and Port Authority have emphasised the importance of boosting geospatial talent in Singapore
Graduates of Geospatial Intelligence XDP can expect careers in a wide array of industries, such as smart city, sustainable development, space industry, business, logistics, and public health.
Admissions
Geospatial Intelligence (Honours) Cross-Disciplinary Degree Programme
Admissions
- Nil
Mid-Stream Admissions
Geospatial Intelligence (Honours) Cross-Disciplinary Degree Programme
Mid-Stream Admissions
Mid-stream admission is open to CHS enrolled undergraduate students who are keen to pursue the Geospatial Intelligence (GI) cross-disciplinary programme (XDP). Students must have a good overall GPA (Grade Point Average) as well as passion and involvement in environment-related causes to be considered for admission. The GI programme committee may conduct interviews to assess applicants for suitability for the programme.
Interested CHS students should submit their application here (refer to the section Current Undergraduate in NUS/Yale-NUS/NTU/SMU/SUTD/SUSS/SIT (all citizenships)) via the NUS Office of Admissions (OAM) when the application window for course transfer opens in February and October each year, for transfer to GI XDP in Semester 1 and 2 respectively.
Curriculum
Geospatial Intelligence (Honours) Cross-Disciplinary Degree Programme
Curriculum
The GI XDP curriculum is designed to equip students with expertise in three key areas: computational thinking, geographical understanding, and integrated problem-solving. Courses from Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, School of Computing, and Faculty of Science provide a foundation for the GI XDP.
Students will develop core computing skills through courses like Programming Methodology, Data Structures and Algorithms, Business Analytics, and AI & Machine Learning. Students can take courses in later years to continue developing advanced computing skills and further deepen their knowledge and capability.
Students will also learn spatial thinking through geography courses that focus on data collection, Geographical Information System, and spatial analysis. Students can explore various geographical topics, gaining a data-driven understanding of the field.
In their final two years, XDP students will engage in high-level, problem-solving courses. These high-level courses offer learning experience on how to use computing skills to solve real world problems and challenges and provide a critical lens to address practical problems.
This curriculum ensures graduates possess not only the future-proof computing skill sets, but also the understanding and caring of humanity, empowers them with the competence and responsibility to create a brighter future.
Graduation
Geospatial Intelligence (Honours) Cross-Disciplinary Degree Programme
Graduation
Three baskets of courses (Total = 160 units)
- General education and college requirement: 8 courses (32 units)
- Major requirement (96 units)
- Geography core: 9 courses (36 units)
- Computing core: 8+2 courses (32+8 units)
- Integrated Problem-Solving: 5 courses (20 units)
- Unrestricted elective: 9 courses (36 units)
General education and college requirement
The 8 courses (32 units) as listed below:
- CHS Common Core
(1) Design Thinking: DTK1234 Design Thinking
(2) Communities and Engagement: One from the following list -- https://www.nus.edu.sg/registrar/academic-information-policies/undergraduate-students/general-education/communities-and-engagement-pillar
(3) Writing: FAS1101 Writing Academically
- CHS Integrated Pillar
(4) Integrated Asian Studies: HSA1000 Asian Connections
(5) Integrated Humanities: HSH1000 The Human Condition
(6) Integrated Social Science: HSS1000 Understanding Social Complexities
(7) Scientific Inquiry I: HSI1000 How Science Works
(8) Scientific Inquiry II: One from the following list -- https://chs.nus.edu.sg/programmes/common-curriculum/scientific-inquiry-ii/
Major requirement
Major requirement is composed of 3 components: geography core, computing core and integrated problem solving
|
Level (Units) |
Geography (36) | Computing (32+8) | Integrative (20) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1000 |
GI1101 Geospatial Intelligence for Everyday Life (Gateway) |
CS1010HS* Programming Methodology (Python) BT1101HS* Introduction to Business Analytics +2 prerequisites for CS2109HS |
|
| 2000 (28) |
GE2215 Introduction to GIS GE2234 Geospatial Data Collection and Digital Mapping One GE-coded Level 2000 course |
CS2030HS* Programming Methodology II CS2040HS* Data Structure and Algorithm CS2109HS* Introduction to AI and Machine Learning One CS/BT/IS/IT-coded Level 2000 course |
|
| 3000 (24) |
GE3238 GIS Design and Practices GE3252 Cartography and Geovisualization GE3217 3D Data Acquisition and Digital Processing One of the following: GE3216 or GE3259 |
GI3101 GeoAI for Good GI3102 Spatial Social Network Applications |
|
| 4000 (12) |
GI4101 GeoAI for Urban Applications GI4102 Computational Simulation for Social Science One of the following: Capstone project or Industrial Attachment |
||
| 3000 or 4000 (12) |
One of the following: - SPH3108 Geospatial Mapping for Public Health - GE4214 Remote Sensing of Environment - GE4240 Spatial Decision-Making - GE4241 Spatial Health |
Two CS/BT/IS/IT-coded courses |
Career Prospects
Geospatial Intelligence (Honours) Cross-Disciplinary Degree Programme
Career Prospects
Globally, with its strengths in capturing and in gaining insights into spatial dynamics, the adoption of geospatial intelligence has been growing. According to Geospatial World on the global geospatial industry outlook, which was published in 2022, the global geospatial market is forecasted to be US$681 billion in 2025, with the market “estimated to grow at a much faster rate post-2025, making it US$1.44 trillion by 2030.”The explosive advancements in GeoAI have also seen transformative roles in, for example, AI for Good, urban mobility, and digital twins. In Singapore, through consultations with over 50 organisations, Singapore Land Authority (SLA) and Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) have laid out a refreshed Geospatial Masterplan for 2024-2033 that emphasises the need of “increasing geospatial adoption, deepening core capabilities, and positioning Singapore as the thought leader on the global stage”.
As highlighted by Mr. Edwin Tong SC, Minister for Culture, Community, and Youth in March 2024 “we expect that the growth [of geospatial] in the next 10 years will be exponential”. Additionally, “we need to build a pipeline of geospatial specialists to support geospatial sector”, which will advance geospatial technologies and applications that are omnipresent in our everyday life and economy. The need for more talent with competencies in geospatial intelligence is also evident in the local job market. A search across online job portals using the keywords “geospatial” and “GIS” (Geographic Information System) identified positions within government agencies and private sector organisations.
FAQs
Bachelor of Geospatial Intelligence (Honours) Cross-Disciplinary Degree Programme
FAQs
General
NUS recognises the growing importance of computational technology and the necessity of providing an integrated learning approach that merges computational skills with critical knowledge on real-world issues.
No, technically the GI-XDP is not considered a Major. The GI-XDP is a specialised 4-year direct honours degree programme. Students are awarded a Bachelor of Science degree at the end of the programme.
The GI XDP employs a range of engaging pedagogies, including hands-on practice for computing skills, and a mix of lectures, tutorials, case studies, group discussions, fieldwork, and research projects to foster critical thinking and problem-solving in geography and integrative courses.
Curriculum
Since this is a cross-disciplinary programme, your instructors are very diverse. For the fundamental computing courses (CS-HS-coded), you will be taught by educators from FASS and FOS. For geography core courses (GE-coded) and higher-level integrative problem-solving courses, you will be mainly taught by our Geography faculty members.
Yes.
Yes, you can live in UTown, but be aware that all undergraduates who live in UTown have to undertake five compulsory courses as part of the residential programme. That is on top of the GI-XDP requirements.
GI-XDP cannot be taken as a Second Major. For Double Major students, GI-XDP must be taken as the First Major. All GI-XDP students can declare a Second Major, but only after completing the first year of studies.
Yes, you can declare up to two Minors anytime starting in the first semester of your first year. For more information on Minor programmes, please refer to this link (http://www.nus.edu.sg/registrar/academic-information-policies/undergraduate-students/special-programmes/minor-programmes).
Yes, you can.
Contact
Geospatial Intelligence (Honours) Cross-Disciplinary Degree Programme
| Contact |
For course-related issues, please contact Dr Benny Chin: wcchin@nus.edu.sg
For students and administrative issues, please contact Eiffel Tan: eiffeltzh@nus.edu.sg