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Faculty of Engineering
UNB Fredericton

Back to Geodesy & Geomatics

Graduate programs

Prospective Students | Current Students

The Department of Geodesy & Geomatics Engineering offers three graduate programs:

Our department has consistently received top ranking in research within the university. We’re well known internationally in the various fields of geomatics. Our research in GPS and geodesy, GIS, remote sensing, photogrammetry, engineering surveys, ocean mapping, data science, and land administration have all been recognized as being in the forefront of geomatics innovations.

We also excel at interdisciplinary approaches that incorporate all of these fields and relate them to other disciplines such as geology, physics, civil engineering, urban planning, geography, computer science, oceanography, and law. We maintain an archive of our students’ graduate reports, theses, and dissertations, showcasing the scientific contribution of our research to the Geomatics Engineering discipline.

An international perspective

Since our first graduate student in 1963, students from countries all around the world have obtained postgraduate degrees from the GGE department at UNB. We average approximately 40 graduate students per year, representing as many as 15 different countries. The international experience in our graduate program is one of the major strengths of our department, paired with small class sizes and widely recognized faculty researchers.

Personal and interdisciplinary

Our interdisciplinary program means your degree can be personalized to suit your career goals. With course options from a variety of related fields, and directed research opportunities, your degree can be highly focused or it can cover multiple areas. You will know the names of all of your classmates, work closely with your professors, and have many opportunities to collaborate with other researchers in the department and with industry partners.

Industry collaboration

Our industry contacts lead to highly sought after employment and cutting edge research opportunities with real world applications. In recent years, we have collaborated with Natural Resources Canada, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Cisco Systems Canada, NB Power and Emera Utility Services, the Canadian Space Agency, and the European Space Agency, to name a few.

Postgraduate Diploma in Mapping, Charting & Geodesy

We also offer a Postgraduate Diploma in Mapping, Charting & Geodesy, designed to meet the requirements of the Mapping and Charting Establishment (MCE) of J2 Geomatics in the Department of National Defence. You must be a member of the Canadian Forces Department of National Defence to be eligible for this program. Please contact the department for more information.

Areas of specialization

  • Global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) as an atmospheric remote sensing tool
  • Advanced precise point positioning algorithms
  • GNSS deformation monitoring
  • Unmanned aerial vehicle positioning and navigation
  • Satellite-based augmentation system integration

  • 3D city models
  • Mobile mapping
  • Hazard assessment
  • Hydrological models
  • Spatial analysis, decision support and geo-visualization

  • Streaming Analytics
  • Machine Learning for spatio-temporal data
  • Mapping for Internet of Things
  • Graph Databases and Graph Analytics
  • IoT for Smart Cities
  • Visual analytics

  • AI-supported digital image processing
  • Data mining and object extraction from imagery
  • Environment monitoring using remote sensing imagery
  • Sensor and data fusion
  • Digital photogrammetry and computer vision
  • Motion detection
  • 3D generation and visualization
  • LiDAR processing
  • Point cloud processing
  • Change detection

  • Multibeam sonar mapping and application development
  • Hydrodynamic numerical modeling
  • Autonomous underwater and surface vehicles (AUV/ASV)

  • Geoid determination
  • Downward continuation algorithms for gravity measurements
  • Gravity field monitoring
  • Numerical methods