EDUCATION IN REMOTE SENSING AT THE WARSAW UNIVERSITY

Education in remote sensing at the Warsaw University geographical studies has been conducted by the Department of Geoinformatics and Remote Sensing, Faculty of Geography and Regional Studies since 1964. At present, education in Remote Sensing of Environment is conducted for every student of geography and spatial economy specializations at the Faculty of Geography and Regional Studies, and in Environmental Protection at the Warsaw University Inter-Faculty Programme for Environment Protection.

Education is conducted on three levels.

I – Bachelor’s study. Educational programme covers 15 to 30 1-hour lectures and from 15 to 45 1-hour classes, depending on specialization. The programme of the course includes subjects, as follows: Physical bases of remote sensing; Techniques of acquisition of aerial photographs and satellite images; Photographic techniques – panchromatic, infrared black and white, colour film, colour infrared and multispectral; Scanner techniques – in a visible spectrum and in photographic infra-red radiation, thermal images; Microwave and Lidar techniques – radar images; Multispectral and hyperspectral techniques; Basic principles of photogrammetry, measurements of elevations and areas; Introduction to methodology, visual geographical interpretation, aerial and satellite images (for example in geology, geomorphology, soil-science, hydrology, and anthropogeography – agricultural and urban environments and regional planning applications).
We educated about 250 students every year.

II – Master's study. Education lasts two years and finishes with the performance of a master's thesis. Students receive master's diploma in geography, in the specialty of geoinformatics – remote sensing. The programme of the course covers subjects, as follows: Preliminary field course - field photointerpretation; Physical bases of remote sensing; Geostatistics; Remote sensing data acquisition methods; Introduction to GIS; Introduction to digital image processing (groups "Erdas" or "Intergraph"); Geographic photointerpretation; Introduction to photogrammetry; Digital stereoscopy - VSD practice course; Introduction to programming; Digital image processing (groups "Erdas" or "Intergraph"); Environmental systems modeling; Introduction to environmental processes modeling; Methods and techniques of field remote sensing; Integrated course on field measurement techniques - remote sensing; Introduction to thematic cartography and map editing; Environment monitoring by remote sensing methods; Monographic lecture - imaging spectroscopy; Master's research fieldworks; Master's research laboratory; Optional lecture; seminar. Total 1085 hours (365 – 1-hour lectures and 720 – 1-hour classes). This gives 120 ECTS.
We educated 12 specialists with master’s degrees in geoinformatics and remote sensing.

III – Doctor’s study in geoinformatics and remote sensing. Education is conducted within the frame of the Faculty of Geography and Regional Studies. It lasts four years and finishes with the performance of a doctor's thesis. A graduate receives an academic degree within the scope of Earth Sciences in geography.