Additional Information
A range of programs in GIS is available. Colleges provide technical programs,
either as year-long courses or as weekly and evening programs. Universities
with geography or surveying programs offer courses in GIS, too. They may also
be listed among the resource management programs.
Many GIS experts have advanced degrees in geography. But GIS is used in
so many fields that you can find GIS experts with degrees in a variety of
subjects.
GISjobs.com conducted a survey of GIS experts in the U.S. They found that
the most common degree held by survey respondents was a bachelor of science
(held by 35 percent of respondents). Twenty-two percent had a bachelor's degree,
while 20 percent had a master's of science degree. Only two percent had a
PhD.
Joseph Kerski is a GIS expert with a PhD in geography. He works for a leading
GIS software company. More than 300,000 organizations worldwide use the company's
software.
"We have 4,000 employees and we have quite a diversity of employees," says
Kerski. "We have people who studied GIS at university and they have at least
a bachelor's degree, and many have master's degrees and PhDs, too, but they
may have studied sciences other than geography.
"In other organizations they might be seeking, like [for] a city planner,
a planning degree, but they'd ideally like them to have some background in
GIS."
Anne Godlewska, president of a geographers' association, recommends the
following: "A really good degree in social sciences or science -- or ideally
a combination of both. That is why geography is such a good home for GIS."
The multidisciplinary nature of GIS makes it useful in many other careers.
Make sure you get the educational background in whatever field you want to
use GIS. A strong background in computers and statistics and a good general
understanding of computer hardware also helps.
"Be curious about the world, want to solve problems, be comfortable with
technology, be creative. Take as much science and math and computer science
as possible, and if there are GIS courses, take them," says Kerski.
"And get out in the field, don't just sit in the lab all day," Kerski adds.
"The best GIS people are the ones who've gotten out in the field, used GPS,
used a probe meter and done some soil testing. The outdoor experience is good."
"I really suggest that they either major in geography or minor in it,"
says Shannon White. She's a professor in the department of geography at the
University of Missouri.
"We have a lot of people doing double majors in geography, along with atmospheric
science," she says. "We get a good number from journalism, we get a good number
from fisheries and wildlife, parks and recreation, education, [and] engineering."
The higher you go in your GIS education, the more you'll be involved in
complex analysis and modeling.
"The undergrads usually enter [the GIS field] in data entry, data verification,
quality control-type positions," says White. "They're not doing high-level
analysis, they're not necessarily pushing the limits of GIS, but they are
getting jobs.
"For those who are pursuing a graduate certificate, many of them go into
local government or state government agencies," White adds. "They're expected
to understand more of the analysis and modeling that can take place, and that's
the fun part to me."