Urban Analytics and Visualisation (MSc)

This course will not be available for 2022 entry, but you may be interested in our other Master's degrees below.

Data Visualisation MASc

P-L99D

MSc

1 year full-time;
2 years part-time

3 October 2022

Centre for Interdisciplinary Methodologies

University of Warwick

Warwick's CIM explores how our wired-up cities can be analysed to offer meaningful solutions to real world problems. Urban Analytics and Visualisation MSc advances your understanding of smart cities, analysis of city-scale data and the emerging solutions posed by interdisciplinary methodologies.

For the first time in history, more than half of the world’s population lives in urban areas. At the same time, cities and urbanised regions in general are increasingly linked and influenced by “smart” technologies.

Urban Analytics and Visualisation is an emerging interdisciplinary approach to addressing the urban challenges arising from these developments. Our unique MSc develops both the practical and theoretical skills needed – such as data analytics, urban theory, and visualisation techniques – to tackle these challenges, combining practice with cutting-edge theoretical and methodological understanding of urban systems.

Our course offers you:

• Deep understanding of the nexus between urban life and digital technology
• Thorough knowledge of interdisciplinary urban analytical methods
• Practical and analytical skills to explore, visualise, and make sense of city-scale spatial data
• Interdisciplinary methodological skills to design solutions to the world’s urban challenges
• Capitalising on emerging developments in big data analytics and digital technologies

Skills from this degree

• Software skills: R including geospatial R packages; GeoDa (a spatial visual analytics tool); QGIS (an open-source geographical information system); (possibly more, depending on optional modules chosen)
• Communication of scientific results to different audiences (including the general public)
• Interdisciplinary discussion and collaboration skills
• Application of urban theories to real-world problems
• Critical reflection about data, information, tools/methods
• Project management and team working skills (managing extensive group work projects)

Modules in this course make use of a range of teaching and learning techniques, including, for example:

• Online Virtual Learning Environment
• Student Group and Project Work
• Lectures
• Seminars
• Reading and Directed Critical Discussion
• Independent Research by Students
• Practice-Based Activities

A typical seminar size for this course consists of around 12-16 students.

There are typically around 7-9 hours contact hours per week, depending on optional modules chosen.

A combination of essays, reports, design projects, technical report writing, practice assessments, group work and presentations and an individual research project (10,000 word dissertation).

Reading lists

Most departments have reading lists available through Warwick Library. If you would like to view reading lists for the current cohort of students you can visit our Warwick Library web page.

Your timetable

Your personalised timetable will be complete when you are registered for all modules, compulsory and optional, and you have been allocated to your lectures, seminars and other small group classes. Your compulsory modules will be registered for you and you will be able to choose your optional modules when you join us.

2:i undergraduate degree.

• Band B
• IELTS overall score of 7.0, minimum component scores of two at 6.0/6.5 and the rest at 7.0 or above.

There are no additional entry requirements for this course.

Spatial Methods and Practice in Urban Science

This module introduces you to the rapidly growing field of urban science with a focus on concepts and methods for understanding modern cities and the integration of emerging technologies in the urban space. It provides a broad and systematic exposure to a range of topics and methods on urban science with emphasis given to spatial analysis.

Urban Data: Theory and Methodology

This module aims to provide an overview of the theoretical and the practical debates surrounding the rapidly growing sub-field of Urban Science. You will develop an appreciation for both the computer-based approach to data science and the social science contexts behind the real-world problems of cities.

Dissertation

The CIM Masters dissertation is a piece of work (10,000 words) which addresses a single student-selected subject. The topic may concern any aspect of the subject matter of their Masters programme.

The dissertation is an exercise in independent study in which you can pursue a topic of interest. It allows you to further develop a range of independent research skills, including literature search and bibliography construction, theoretical argument, and generation/appraisal of empirical evidence.

• Media Activism
• Urban Resilience, Disasters and Data
• User Interface Cultures: Design, Method and Critique
• Visualisation
• Digital Cities
• Digital Sociology
• Ethnography, Knowledge and Practice
• Ecological Futures: Science, Culture and Media
• Data Science Across Disciplines: Principles, Practice and Critique

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