When it comes to getting a head start in the GIS job market, it’s worth investing in an Advanced Diploma program to supplement any education you may have gained regarding environmental science, geography, or urban planning. While students often gain a cursory understanding of GIS through their undergraduate work, it really requires a GIS-focused program to set yourself apart in terms of marketable GIS skills that employers often prefer.
I have reviewed various graduate GIS programs in Canada and the US and am going to summarize some of the best available. The first is the British Columbia Institute of Technology located in Burnaby. BCIT offers an Advanced Diploma in GIS that is designed for those with a college or university degree in a related discipline. BCIT offers the program to full-time or part-time students. This is a challenging program that will give you much of the technical knowledge you need to help you stand out in today’s job market.
The BCIT GIS Advanced Diploma program places a strong emphasis on computer programming. They want to graduate not only to be highly skilled at customizing and building apps, but also building web apps. Students learn GIS as they apply Java, Python, JavaScript, PHP, and more. Therefore, you will need to be familiar with programming and design concepts before you enroll, although you do not necessarily need to be familiar with any of the above languages in particular.
It should be noted that BCIT has admitted strong candidates who did not have significant programming experience. In these cases, the staff directed potential applicants to online programming tutorials to ensure they could acquire the basics of programming and to see if they would enjoy the programming aspect of the GIS courses. Students also use the web to present materials and therefore need to know how to use HTML and an HTML editor before beginning the courses. Students also find it very beneficial to brush up on high school math skills before classes start.
In addition to the emphasis on programming, the BCIT program will give you an understanding of GIS as it relates to database structure, remote sensing, mapping, and spatial analysis related to environmental and business applications. Students gain hands-on experience with the latest ESRI and Autodesk GIS software and will also be exposed to GIS-related IT, management, and organizational issues. All of your work culminates in a project/internship course to gain real-world experience with a GIS employer.
Applicants must have completed a bachelor’s degree, BC associate’s degree, or have a technology diploma prior to entering the program. Applicants with an international degree will be required to appear for a full credential assessment. When applying, students will also need to provide a resume and write a letter explaining their interest in the program and how they will prepare for the challenges it will bring. This is because the program is very intensive with 30 hours per week in labs and lectures and another 20-30 hours per week in coursework.
Previous graduates explained to me that BCIT enabled them to stay within their particular fields of geology and marine biology respectively because they developed GIS as an extremely marketable skill through the BCIT program.
BCIT’s relationship with employers for the capstone/internship project can be extremely valuable because new GIS skills can be combined with a degree discipline that can lead to employment in the student’s chosen niche.
It should be noted that BCIT offers several GIS programs. They offer many of their introductory level GIS courses to people just looking to gain a working knowledge of how to use GIS applications by taking one or two courses. BCIT also offers a Bachelor of Technology in GIS, aimed at students who enter the program with an Associate Degree or Diploma in Technology and do not yet have a Bachelor’s degree. The B.Tech in GIS consists of the same technical courses as the Advanced Diploma. Additionally, to earn the degree, the student must complete additional business and liberal arts credits, as well as complete six months of employment in the GIS field. Additionally, in the fall of 2012, the Advanced Diploma program was offered entirely online through distance learning.