Certificate in GIS (difference, GED, how to, exam)

[Croye22]

I thought the certificate of GIS was at the graduate level?

[le roi]

No.. For some programs you can have a 3rd grade education and get your GIS cert. For others, you need a bachelor's degree.



The term "certificate" has different meanings. Sometimes it is referring to whatever rubber-stamp they give you after taking a short GIS course. Other times it is referring to a 1-year academic program.

http://www.urisa.org/career/colleges

A "certification" is something totally different, referring to a GISP. Getting your GISP requires a B.S./B.A., typically a Masters degree, about a decade of experience, and a good bit of $$$.

[Croye22]

Mine is a BS in Geography with a concentration in Geographic techniques, basically another word for GIS.

[Croye22]

I met with my advisor, and she says the GIS field is growing and a lot of her graduates have graduated to good jobs.

[Bucknut23]

This thread has been a very good read for me and i appreciate all the responses. I currently attend Ohio State and was going to be a CIS major but found I really didnt like programming all that much. I then started looking and saw GIS which dealt with two things I like, geography and computers. I've been looking up a lot and everything I see it doesnt make much money. Not that money is the most important thing but I dont want to have to live paycheck to paycheck. Do you guys think I should go ahead and pursue a degree in geography with a gis specialization.

[le roi]

Ohio State has a reputable GIS program. The Geog department I graduated from had about a half-dozen OSU grads, all in high level faculty positions.

You say it doesn't make much money - could you clarify what numbers you are using?

[Bucknut23]

Originally Posted by rubber_factory

Ohio State has a reputable GIS program. The Geog department I graduated from had about a half-dozen OSU grads, all in high level faculty positions.

You say it doesn't make much money - could you clarify what numbers you are using?

I was just looking at a bunch of job postings, I could be totally off base with what I saw.

[le roi]

where I live--

Your average technician will earn $30k - $40k.

Your average analyst will earn $40k - $60k.

Your average manager, or an exceptionally skilled analyst, will earn $60k - $100k

Above and beyond $100k is possible for exceptional workers, for people who work in very large organizations, for people who start their own firms, and I suppose for more "average" type managers who work in very high cost locations.

[vivo]

how does ones visual-spatial skills have to be for a GIS job?

[Willis84]

Is federal financial aid generally available for a GIS (graduate) certificate. GIS is definitely relevant to my line of work, but it would probably not increase my salary level by much.