Education of specialists-cartographers in Lviv Polytechnic National University

This paper describes the system of future specialists-cartographers education in Lviv polytechnic national university. Main targets of the department of cartography and geospatial modelling are listed. Key research areas of the department, the educational specifics of students at «Bachelor» and «Master‘s» levels are described. At present, the main task of the department is to train specialists with good knowledge of cartographic investigation method, GIS technologies, because digital cartography, web-mapping, web-portal are things of the future. Cartography specialists must know how to create traditional maps (topographic, thematic, tourist) using computer technologies and electronic maps that can be used in the creation of GIS systems, informational resources in navigation, military affairs and so on. The main scientific direction of the department is general geographic and thematic mapping, GIS mapping and development of GIS, history of the cartography, mathematic modelling in geodesy, astronomy and geophysics. The department trains bachelors on specialty 103 «Earth sciences», specialization 103.02 «Cartography». The feature of master's education is maximum approach to education content for future employment. Master degree students are improving their professional knowledge and skills received during their study for the bachelor's degree. They are deeply studying modern methods of cartographic digital terrain models with GIS technologies, combining their work with development of cartographic databases. They get acquainted with the principles of base sets of geospatial data, conduct thematic evaluation and forecast maps, using GIS. The students also study methods and order of design, edition, and maps development in detail. Modern mapping needs to be more efficient in the use of both natural and human resources, reflect a complex system man - society - environment. Such problem can be solved using various modeling techniques with the construction of multi-universal system of cartographic models. All conditions for education of specialists, corresponding to production requirements, are created at the institute of geodesy. The department also has a postgraduate course on specialty 103 «Earth sciences» and 193 «Geodesy and land management». Specialists on the specialty «Cartography» have an opportunity to be employed in companies of State service of geodesy cartography and land management, in DNVP «Cartography», Ukrmorkartohrafiya, National space agency, at scientific and design institutes, that are developing maps, GIS for enterprises, institutions and organizations of different ownership, including the structure of tourist and recreational areas.