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Graduate Program in Spatial Analysis

Objectives

The objectives of the Masters' program in Spatial Analysis are to:

  1. Provide in-depth knowledge, through courses, labs and seminars, of current practice (and possible future trends) concerning how:
    1. digital representations of geographic phenomena are constructed;
    2. extensive data bases can be assembled and processed in distributed computer environments; and,
    3. information can be passed from one analytical environment to another, involving the tools of spatial technology, particularly those of GIS.
  2. Explore and critically assess, again through courses, labs and seminars, ways in which analysis of large spatially-referenced data sets may be undertaken, considering:
    1. the fidelity, accuracy, and precision of digital representations of geographic phenomena;
    2. the data structure and quality inherent or explicit to digital databases;
    3. the methods of transferring and transforming digital datasets between applications and the effect of such transfers on the information content and data quality of the datasets.
  3. Provide focused discussions of the theoretical, conceptual, methodological issues/concepts practitioners need to know (and think) about when using spatially distributed information in strategic decision-making situations. This objective may be seen as focusing primarily on the academic first principles of spatial analysis.
  4. Generate, through a practicum placement the knowledge and awareness of ways in which spatial analysis is used in a private or public sector environment.
  5. Require students to demonstrate a critical understanding of the methodological and practical issues facing users of spatial information through the preparation of a major research paper focusing on strategic decision-making in a particular area.
  6. Provide opportunities for graduate students to complete the degree on a full-time (one year) or part-time (two year), basis.

The MSA degree prepares our graduates for careers in various types of public and private sector organizations - from major banks and retailers to environmental consultants. Recent MSA graduates have secured jobs within the following companies and departments, such as:

  • City of Brantford
  • City of Toronto
  • Direct Energy
  • DMTI Spatial Inc.
  • Durham Police
  • Enbridge Gas Distribution
  • Environics Analytics Inc.
  • Geomedia Inc.
  • Government of Nunavut
  • MapInfo Inc
  • Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources
  • Ottawa Police Service
  • Peel Region
  • Queen's University
  • Rogers Communications
  • Royal LePage
  • Ryerson University
  • Scotiabank
  • Sears Canada
  • Shopper's Drugmart
  • Simon Fraser University
  • St. Michael's Hospital
  • SUNY Buffalo
  • Telus
  • Toronto Region Conservation Authority
  • Vancouver Police Department
  • Wal-Mart Canada
  • WWF � Canada

Selected MSA graduates chose to continue their academic education pursuing another professional or research master's, or a PhD at one of the following institutions:

  • McMaster University
  • Ontario College of Teachers
  • University of Toronto
  • University of Western Ontario
  • Wilfred-Laurier University
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Spatial Analysis:
Program Details
Program-Related News

20 March 2013 – Alumni news: Congratulations to GIS Analyst Manoj Dangwal (MSA ’04) on winning a 2012 Employee Excellence Award at Allstate Insurance Company of Canada.

26 February 2013 – She did it again! Second peer-reviewed journal article by Lisa-Jen Ferrato (MSA ’12) on her research “Comparing Hyperspectral and Multispectral Imagery for Land Classification of the Lower Don River, Toronto” with supervisor Dr. Wayne Forsythe.

21 February 2013 – MSA program director Dr. Shuguang Wang led the publication of an article on “Recent Trends of Ethnic Chinese Retailing in Metropolitan Toronto”, which is partially based on Jason Zhong’s (MSA ’09) major research paper on “Delineating Ethnoburbs”.

15 February 2013 – Congratulations to MSA faculty member Dr. Doug Banting, who is part of a team that won a major research contract from the City of Toronto to develop “GIS-Based Hydrologic and Hydraulic Models for Combined-Sewer-System Management”. The Ryerson team will help the City to comply with new federal wastewater systems effluent regulations.

20 December 2012 – Congratulations to MSA faculty members Dr. Wayne Forsythe and Dr. Claus Rinner: Wayne received a 2012/13 Faculty Service Award for exceptional contributions to the Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts, Ryerson University, and the profession of Geography. He currently serves as Vice President of the Canadian Association of Geographers - Ontario Division (CAGONT). Claus received a 2012/13 Faculty SRC Award for outstanding achievements in scholarly, research, and creative activities. His research program and publication record is driven by MSA student research.

01 November 2012 – Emily Hazell (MSA ’12) gave an invited presentation on “Geographic variation and clustering of gastroschisis in Canada, 2005-2010” at the Canadian Congenital Anomalies Surveillance Network conference. This work was the outcome of Emily’s MSA Practicum in the Maternal-Infant Care Research Centre at Mount Sinai Hospital.

13 October 2012 – Four 2012 MSA graduates supervised by Professors Forsythe and Swales presented their research at the CAGONT conference this weekend. The work by L. Ferrato, J. Floroff, C. Krnic, and M. Wilson ranged from thermal energy site selection to land cover classification, fire modeling, and the analysis of river sediment contamination. And for the second year in a row, the CAGONT Master’s Research Paper award went to an MSA: Congratulations to Lisa Ferrato on her winning paper on “Comparing Hyperspectral and Multispectral Imagery for Land Cover Classification of the Lower Don River, Toronto”!

10 September 2012 – We are welcoming 24 new MSA students from a variety of education, career, and life paths into the program. We are looking forward to an exciting year of learning and collaboration. At the same time, 16 out of 17 fulltime and 2 out of 3 second-year parttime students have defended their major research papers and are working on their final revisions. Best of luck with your future endeavours!


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