CAREERS IN GIS

Having a GIS certificate will always help when looking for a job in the GIS industry.  Unfortunately, no major magazine or online publication ranks GIS certificate programs the same way business schools, law schools, and undergraduate colleges receive ranks.  Therefore, it is up to you to decide.  However, you should not necessarily look for the “best” GIS certificate program. You should look for the “best” program that fits your needs.

There are GIS Certificates offered at colleges and universities all over the world but each of them have different curriculums, different instructors, and different requirements.  Here is a list of of GIS certificate programs maintained by the University Consortium on Geographic Information Science (UCGIS). The list is fairly comprehensive but I will let you be the judge.  I recommend using a select set of criteria to decide whether a certain GIS certificate program is for you.

1)      Cost:  Many certificate programs do not offer specific financial aid.  Some public colleges and universities may offer needs based assistance but you will likely need to qualify.  However, the rest of us will be paying out of pocket to enroll for a given number of credit hours.  Does the program fit your budget?  The most expensive programs do not necessarily mean they are the best.

2)      Online or in-person:  You need to consider how well you retain information acquired in different environments.  I have taught students in online courses and traditional courses.  Some students do well in one environment but not in another.  Everyone learned from a live person at some point in his or her lives.  However, not everyone has taken classes online.  I would definitely ask an online program administrator if you can see some examples of how classes are taught before enrolling to make sure you would not have difficulty.  Some online programs convey information very well while some others are not that good.

3)      Number/diversity of instructors:  It is usually not a good idea to learn everything you know from just one instructor.  You want to become a well-rounded student.  Look for programs that are taught/administered by at least more than one person.  The reason is to absorb different perspectives on the same subject.  I would say the more instructors, the better.

4)      Curriculum: The Geographic Information Science and Technology Body of Knowledge published by the Association of American Geographers (AAG) and the University Consortium on Geographic Information Science (UCGIS) is probably the most comprehensive document put together on what sort of curriculum you should expect from a GIS program.  However, it is extremely rare to find a certificate program that includes everything listed in the GIS&T Body of Knowledge.  Nonetheless, look at the list to see what sort of things YOU want to learn more about and then make your judgment about a program.  Personally, I would also look for a program that requires more than four classes for certificate completion.  Six to eight courses is average.  That should give you a comprehensive exposure to what is necessary for GIS proficiency.

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