Accreditation

What is the best route to getting a GIS certification?

My wife would like to get her GIS certification. She has about 5 years of experience with obtaining, researching, and analyzing topographical maps with an environmental company. Having just been laid off she would like to get her GIS certification. Should she take 12 hours at a local community college (1 semester) or can she simply get it online though a place such as 'GIS certification institute.' Given our slowly but surely diminishing bank account would a GIS certification from an online 'school' be almost as good as if it came from a community college given her experience?

Public Comments

Sorry i can't help you, but i just wanted to warn you to becareful with those online "schools". I would go with the CC. http://www.gis.com/education/index.html
Malaspina University in Nanaimo BC offers their "Diploma in GIS" as either an 8 month degree or a 12 month online degree. It is a reputable institution, and I believe the online and face-to-face programs are completely equivalent: http://www.mala.ca/calendar/Technology/advancedgis.asp There is also a list of Universities offering GIS programs at geo community: http://spatialnews.geocomm.com/education/links/ As long as the "online school" is reputable, it's probably okay, but of course, make sure you do your research on the place. If possible, contact a graduate of the program she would be taking. Also, there are several GIS specific job boards that she could check out to see if she qualifies without the GIS certification... a quick google search for "GIS Jobs" brings up most of them. One last thing: the ESRI website provides online Training classes as well. Maybe look into whether they give you any proof of completion, so that she would be able to stick that kind of thing on her resume.