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GIS Certification Frequently Asked Questions
If you have questions about completing the application, please read the Procedures Manual or view the A Step by Step Guide to Completing an Application for GIS Professional Certification available here.
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Q: Can I use the "GISP" designation without having applied for certification?
NO!
The "GIS Professional" and "GISP" designations are protected as federal registered trademarks owned by the GIS Certification Institute, which reserves all rights. The Institute takes the duty of protecting the GISP credential very seriously. If you have not been personally certified as a GISP by the Institute, then you cannot legally use the GISP designation, either as part of your signature or on your resume. Any person found to have used the GISP designation without having been previously granted use of that credential by the GIS Certification Institute will be subject to legal action under federal copyright and trademark code. In addition, such violation shall subject the person to disciplinary action under the GISCI Code of Ethics for misrepresentation of qualifications and/or any other applicable grounds. |
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Q: GISCI offers a certification program. What is the difference between certification, licensure, accreditation, and certificates?
A:
- Certification: A process, often voluntary, by which individuals who have demonstrated a level of expertise in the profession are identified to the public and other stakeholders by a third party. Designed to recognize expertise.
- Licensure: The granting of a license to practice a profession. Often regulated by states and indoctrinated in legislation. Designed to guard against incompetence.
- Certificate: An award given to an individual recognizing completion of an academic or training program. A list of certificate programs at colleges and universities is available at:
http://www.urisa.org/career/colleges
- Accreditation: The process of evaluating the academic qualifications or standards of an institution or program of study in accordance with pre-established criteria.
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Q: Is GISCI certification tax deductible?
A: The $250 application fee is not a charitable contribution. Whether it is deductible for an individual or a company depends on one's particular situation. You should consult your tax advisor for more information. |
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Q: Why was a certification program created?
A: Professional certification was a topic of discussion within the GIS community for many years. In 1999, the URISA organization formed a committee to explore GIS certification within the profession and society. This work lead to the creation of the GIS Certification Institute (GISCI), an independent institute supported by representatives from national and international GIS professional organizations. The GISCI recognizes the following important reasons why GIS certification is needed:
- To establish GIS as a profession and meet the criteria of a ‘profession’ as established by DL Pugh, and others.
- To provide a means for attaining recognition by allied professions and colleagues that the GIS professional has demonstrated professional competence and integrity in the field
- To encourage long-term professional development that will help existing professionals maintain currency in GIS technology and methods
- To ensure ethical behavior by members of the profession and provide a basis for judging the validity of allegations or complaints against GIS practitioners
- To assist prospective employers assess and hire GIS professionals
- To ensure that those who produce geographic information have a core competency of knowledge
- To assist aspiring GIS professionals choose their educational opportunities wisely
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Q. How does this differ from the GIS/LIS Certification Programs offered by The American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS)?
A. ASPRS's certification process uses an examination that includes questions from the allied sciences of photogrammetry, remote sensing, surveying, earth science, and physics. GISCI provides a portfolio based program because a GIS examination is not considered feasible until: 1) an established curriculum is adopted by the GIS academic community and 2) a body of professionals is established to design a test in accord with the curriculum. With UCGIS efforts now focused on the completion of a GIS Body of Knowledge and over 800 individuals now certified as GISPs, the development of a GIS Professional examination will become more feasible.
While both ASPRS and the GISCI require professional experience, the GISP certification requires the added demonstration of 'Contributions to the Profession'. GISCI feels it is important to acknowledge and support GIS professionals who contribute to the benefit of their community through the sharing of their professional knowledge, skills and experience. Thus GISCI certification signifies a commitment to the profession and benefits individuals and their employers, as well as the GIS professional community and public.
ASPRS and GISCI recertification requirements also differ. GISCI balances the recertification application so that continuing education, further experience and additional contributions to the profession are required. The minimum required points for the 'Contributions to the Profession' section increases after initial certification. This challenges GISPs to stay involved and continue to help their colleagues and the public. The GISCI supports GISPs in furthering their contributions by providing opportunities for participation via the GIS-Eye Newsletter, GISP application review, the GISCI Outreach Committee, GIS Ethics Committee, and the GIS Professional Mentoring Program.
Finally, GISCI is very different from a professional association. Most GIS-related professional associations focus on the application of GIS to a specific discipline or sector of private/public practice. As such, no one association has the perspective necessary to thoroughly and completely define the profession. The GISCI was created as a federation of GIS professional associations capable of representing the broad spectrum of the profession. GISCI does not spend resources holding conferences or running workshops. Certified GIS professionals review certification applications and maintain the program for other GIS professionals. In addition, GISCI membership is limited to organizations so there are no certification fee 'discount' incentives to promote membership within any specific association. |
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Q: Who benefits from certifying GIS professionals?
A: First and foremost, the public. Given that the public sector is one of the largest (if not the largest) employment sectors using GIS technology today, it is felt that the nation’s taxpayers deserve assurance that competent and ethical GIS professionals are being hired with their public tax dollars. Certification is one of the means governments (as well as other employers) can use to identify the most qualified individuals for GIS positions. Also, citizens are possibly the largest group of people that can be affected by the use of GIS in the operations of government, so it is expected that GIS certification can assure the appropriate application of GIS technology to improve their quality of life. Finally, young people can be made aware of the GIS career and what it takes to become a GIS professional through the formal definition of the profession that certification provides.
Existing and aspiring GIS professionals will also benefit from GIS professional certification because it can be a means to document their expertise and thus set themselves apart from other potential candidates for the GIS position or salary level they seek.
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Q: Why not test an individual’s knowledge of GIS skills to certify competence as other professions do?
A: It is felt that general agreement on the skills needed for the GIS profession has not yet been achieved, given that there are so many different professions that use GIS technology. Another influencing factor is that most of the feedback received over the past two years of discussion on GIS certification was against a qualifying exam on the basis that it is very difficult to design a single examination that can fairly evaluate the basic skills needed. In addition, it was felt that formal educational programs that require tests and a minimum level of grade point average already have an established (and fair) record for evaluating skills. Thus, graduation from a post-secondary educational program, especially with a GIS emphasis, was given a high level of confidence in evaluating an individual’s GIS skill level.
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Q: I have a GIS Certificate from an educational program I recently completed. Why isn’t that good enough to be certified?
A: There has been a dramatic increase in the number, variety, and quality of educational programs offering GIS certificates, but there is no authoritative body to evaluate their quality. Since there is no such accreditation of GIS educational programs (as there is for engineering, urban planning, architecture, and other professionally-oriented programs), it is impossible to determine which, if any, provide the skills needed in the profession. While both the NCGIA and UCGIS are addressing GIS education curriculum guidelines, no accreditation process is in place (or planned) to assure compliance or evaluate quality. URISA has accredited its own GIS workshops, but they are only a small offering among the many courses and workshops now available. |
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Q: Must I be or become a member of URISA, AAG, NSGIC, or UCGIS in order to become GIS-certified?
A: No, that would be self-serving for any of the four Member Organizations. No one organization decided to implement the GIS certification program as a service to the profession and society in general. The Member Organizations hope that members of all the primary GIS and geospatial technology associations participate in this discussion and evaluation period and also the ongoing administration of the program. |
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Q: Will I get a raise if I get this certification?
A: Possibly but not assuredly. It will take time to see what effect this will have on the salaries of existing GIS professionals. Internal surveys of current GISPs showed the 7% received a salary increase while another 30% received either a one-time salary bonus or promotion. It should be noted, however, that urban and regional planners who became certified have been found to have salaries that are 27.5% higher than planners who are not certified, according to a 1996 survey by the American Planning Association’s Planning Advisory Service (See: Morris, Marya. 1996. “1996 Planners Salaries and Employment Trends”. Planning Advisory Service Report #464. American Planning Association. Chicago.)
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Q: How does this certification program compare to the new licensing program for surveyors?
A: Certification programs and licensing programs are used for different purposes. In general, certification of individuals is a means to establish professional and ethical standards whereas the licensure of professionals is meant to protect the public from any harm that an incompetent professional may cause. In addition, licensure is administered by a governmental body (states, in the case of surveyors) while certification is usually administered by one’s professional peers. See the National Council of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors (NCEES) web site for additional information on the Model Law for the surveyor’s role in GIS: www.ncees.org.
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Q: Are there other certification programs for GIS professionals?
A: Yes, but they are closely linked to a specific discipline – at least in the United States. The American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) adopted a certification program, “Certified Mapping Scientist, GIS/LIS” in 1991, and the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO) currently has a certification for “Cadastral Mapping Specialist”, although it is not focused on GIS technology. Internationally, there are a number of related efforts and programs underway to evaluate the quality of GIS professionals. |
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Q: Do I need this certification if I use GIS in my job as a (planner, landscape architect, engineer, forester, real estate analyst, etc.)?
A: No. This certification program is only for those professionals whose primary responsibilities involve the design, implementation, management, or support of GIS applications.
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Q: Should I pursue this certification if I am a frequent user of GIS in my job as a (planner, landscape architect, engineer, forester, real estate analyst, etc.)?
A: No, unless you feel that you may be interested in shifting to a more GIS-related job in the future.
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Q: I’m a professional (planner, landscape architect, engineer, forester, real estate analyst, etc.) and spend most of my time doing GIS analyses and assisting others use GIS. Should I pursue this certification?
A: Yes. You may be a “GIS Professional” and should be recognized as such by your peers. There may be a benefit to you by becoming certified.
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Copyright © 2008 GIS Certification Institute |
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