Geographic Information Systems – Bachelor's Degree

Program Details

Length: 1 year

Total Credits: 77/80 (30 in fourth year)

Intake Terms: Fall

Delivery Method: In-person

Campus: Castlegar

Credential: Applied Bachelors Degree

Cost:

Approximate program cost

Student Loans:

This program is eligible for student loans

Credential Received

Bachelor's Degree in Geographic Information Systems

Overview

Program Summary

Geographic information systems (GIS) is a highly valued workplace asset with industries increasingly needing GIS experts. With unmatched flexibility, you can enter and exit our program at a variety of points in your academic career.

Students can enter this program after completing 60 post-secondary credits from other programs. The bachelor’s degree can be completed in two years. We provide you with top-quality GIS training and education to prepare you to succeed in today's fast-changing industries that are increasingly demanding spatial skills.

GIS Complements Any Career
Flexible and adaptable, GIS can be used in a variety of different scenarios, to make evidence-based decisions, understand trends and analyze data, effectively communicate a message and visually tell a story. GIS allows experts to map any type of spatial data so that it is interactive, complex and layered with valuable information.

Be a specialist in demand in this field that touches a variety of industries, including business planning, health care, wildlife conservation, natural resource planning, water management, community development, climate change research and law enforcement.

Our GIS programs are also complemented by the Selkirk Innovates research department, giving you opportunities to use and understand GIS in current real-world situations. Our GIS classrooms and these researchers are in the Applied Research and Innovation Centre, where you’ll get essential training, individual access to an advanced workstation and exposure to projects.

Program Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, learners will be able to:

Conduct original research on a problem or question using appropriate GIS methods and data sources.
Apply critical thinking skills to evaluate the quality, reliability, and validity of spatial data and analysis results.
Plan, execute, prioritize and manage a GIS project from inception to completion, following ethical and professional standards.
Perform spatial data analysis using various GIS tools and techniques, including statistical modeling techniques.
Identify and explore emerging trends and issues in GIS and related fields
Demonstrate personal and professional growth by selecting and completing electives that align with one’s interests, goals, and values.

Program Admission Requirements

Academic Requirements

In addition to meeting the general admission requirements to Selkirk College, the applicant must meet the following program requirements to be considered fully-qualified:Academic

a) Program Chairs will determine, in consultation with Assessment Services, which components of the CRT will be required and the cut off scores for each component, in order to verify an applicant's potential for success and program admission.

Admission Requirements for ADGIS and BGIS Programs

The minimum requirement for entry into the Advanced Certificate, ADGIS, or Year 3 of the BGIS program is successful completion of 60 credits from a diploma/associate degree or applied/academic degree from an accredited post-secondary institution with an average GPA of at least 2.33.
Successful completion (“C” grade) of a 100 or 200 level introductory statistics course is required for students planning to complete the BGIS.
International students will be expected to provide documentation of English proficiency as per Policy 8611.

Additional Requirements

Minimum entry is also possible with equivalent education or work experience, such as a background doing research or using GIS and/or other computer software.

Letter of intent, not exceeding 500 words, stating your background and interest in the field of geographic information systems.

Demonstrated competency in computer technology, including spreadsheet use, word processing, computer graphics and presentations is required. In addition, international students will be expected to provide documentation of English proficiency (refer to the college calendar for requirements).

Applicants may be required to complete modules in mathematics, writing and computer technology skills if knowledge gaps in one or more of these areas are identified by the school chair.

General

a) Applicants must submit a completed application form and other required documents (i.e. secondary school and any post-secondary transcripts, application package) to the Registrar’s office.

b) Personal Reference (only ADGIS and BGIS)

(i) All applicants must have two academic or professional references. Students must ensure that referees complete and submit the form provided in the application package. Both references must indicate a favourable chance of applicant success in the program (i.e., must score over 3.5 in the reference answer rating system)

c) Letter of intent (all programs)

(i) Applicants should highlight experience in GIS and/or computer skills in this letter. Demonstrated competency in computer hardware and software technology, including, spreadsheet use, word processing, computer graphics and presentations is recommended.

Note: An applicant with reasonable potential for success on the basis of work experience or other criteria may be admitted, notwithstanding some deficiency in prior formal education.

Applicants with no accredited post-secondary credential may require academic upgrading prior to starting the program. They are urged to apply for the program at least one year in advance. All applicants wishing to enroll in the BGIS must have completed 60 post-secondary credits, as outlined in 1. a. above.

APPLICATION PROCESS

1. Before an applicant's file is considered to be complete, the following must have been received by the Admissions office:

a) completed application form;

b) official transcripts of all relevant post-secondary education;

c) official transcripts of high school grades will be required for applicants entering without a credential from an accredited post-secondary institution;

d) completed Letter of Intent; and

e) For ADGIS and BGIS, two personal reference forms completed by a current or previous instructor, counselor or employer, e.g., supervisor. Personal references should be submitted by the referee directly to the Admissions Office (photocopies are not acceptable).

2. Deadline for completing the application file is normally one month prior to the commencement of the program.

3. Late applications will be accepted if space is available.

4. Part time applications for the Advanced Certificate will be accepted.

Graduation and Promotion

In order to receive your credential in your program, you must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.00.

PROMOTION

1. Each semester must be completed with a Grade Point Average of 2.00 ("C" average) or better with no more than two grades below a "C" to continue into the next semester. GPA will be based on all grades for courses scheduled for a given year and semester as per the course calendar. All grades below a "C" grade must be raised to a satisfactory level in order to graduate (see below).

2. Students not eligible to continue to the next semester will not be permitted to upgrade any marks but must repeat all courses with grades below a "C" prior to proceeding to the next semester.

3. Students receiving a final grade of "C-" or lower in the prerequisite course will be required to withdraw from the subsequent course requiring the prerequisite. Students receiving the "C-" or lower grade must re- register in, and successfully complete the course with a "C" grade or better before going on to the subsequent course.

4. Students receiving a final grade of "C-" or lower in a course will be required to withdraw from the subsequent course requiring the course as a prerequisite. Students receiving the "C-" or lower grade must re- register in, and successfully complete the course with a "C" grade or better before going on to the subsequent course.

GRADUATION

All programs: All courses must have at least a “C” grade, except for GIS 320 which needs a “CRG” to be eligible for graduation.

BGIS: All courses from the ADGIS program as listed above, plus 60 additional credits (normally, these credits would be earned previously to meet the admission requirements for entry to the program) are required plus the following:

Note: Students completing the BGIS following the ADGIS will be deemed to have completed sufficient new work notwithstanding Policy 8617

Requirement

Term 4

Code	Title	Credits	Total Hours

Required Courses

Code	Title	Credits	Total Hours
GIS427	Project Management	3.00	45
GIS492	Bachelor of Geographic Information Systems Thesis	6.00	300

Elective Courses

You must take:

three (3) General electives (these could be UAS electives or GIS electives)

These electives must be approved by the School Chair prior to registration.

Code	Title	Credits	Total Hours

Term 5

Code	Title	Credits	Total Hours

Required Courses

Code	Title	Credits	Total Hours
GIS435	Statistics and Spatial Data Management	3.00	45
GIS437	Emerging Trends In GIS	3.00	45

Elective Courses

You must take:

two (2) General electives (these could be UAS electives or GIS electives)

These electives must be approved by the School Chair prior to registration.

Code	Title	Credits	Total Hours

Additional Program Policies

Effective Term: Fall

Effective Year: 20240801

Advanced Standing:

ADVANCE OR TRANSFER CREDIT AND PRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT

1. A student may obtain credit for a maximum of 75% of program requirements by Transfer Credit, Advanced Placement, Prior Learning Assessment or combination thereof, with the exception of BGIS, which has a minimum residency requirement of 56 credits taken at Selkirk College in semesters one through 5; this generally includes the ADGIS 300 and BGIS 400 level courses.

2. Application for advanced credit is to be made prior to entry into the program and students are advised to attend all classes for which they are seeking advanced credit until the credit is formally approved.

Re-Entry Instructions:

1. Students normally must complete the entire program within 24 calendar months of initial entry to qualify for a diploma. Re-entry applicants who cannot meet this deadline will be required to retake courses which have changed.

2. Re-entry is permitted only when space is available.

3. Students in good standing who must interrupt their program may apply to re-enter the program within one year of departure.

4. Students who fail to complete a course successfully may apply to re-enter the course the next time it is offered.

5. Priority for re-entry will be given as follows:

a) students who interrupted their program for illness or compassionate reasons; and

b) students who failed to meet program requirements for promotion.

Assessment:

Grading

Grades and the calculation of the grade point average will be based on the Standard Academic and Career Grading table. With the exception of GIS 320 – GIS Professional Development and a 300 level COOP course which will be assigned a credit/no credit grade (CRG/NCG) as described in the Competency Based Grades table. This non-grade status is recorded on the transcript and is not calculated in the grade point average. To view the grading tables see Policy 8612: Grading.

Grading Table: Standard Academic and Career Programs

Types of Assessments:

a) Assessments will occur as specified in course outlines and will be four or more events per course.

b) GIS 320 assessment occurs on a weekly basis. All activities in which students participate may be considered assessment events. Informal verbal and/or written feedback and formal, written feedback is regularly provided by the instructor or field supervisor. Formal, written performance appraisals are summaries of assessment events to date and there may be one or more of these events as well as the written feedback on the practicum project included in the assessment process.

c) In both theory and lab courses assessment events will normally include assignments, presentations, reports, examinations, tests and quizzes. These will be specified in the course outlines.

d) In the practicum, formal written appraisals will be given using a tool, which is based entirely on the stated performance criteria for the program practicum activity level and/or to write all exams in order to receive credit for the course.

e) No single assessment can be worth more than 50% of the final grade of any course.

f) Presentations will be required for GIS 492: BGIS thesis.

Examinations

1. The schedule for midterm examinations will be published in the course outlines. Final Exam schedules will be published via the Registrar's Office.

2. Regulations for invigilated examinations at Selkirk College sites or other designated sites include the following:

(a) tests, quizzes, exams must be written at the scheduled appointment time when invigilation services are available

(b) students leaving the exam room before the conclusion of the exam without the permission of the invigilator may forfeit their right to return and complete the exam

(d) no material relating to the examination may be removed from the examination room. Under no circumstances may materials upon which answers are written be removed

(e) making use of materials, books or notes without the approval of the invigilator, speaking or communicating in other ways with other students, or exposing written papers to the view of other students is not permitted

(f) students in violation of the above items will be required to leave the examination room immediately and will forfeit the right to have the examination evaluated

(g) any questions must be directed to the invigilator

(h) all completed tests must be returned to the instructor/invigilator and will be kept on file for the required time period

3. Regulations pertinent to face-to-face laboratory and practicum testing will be according to course outline details and as previously described.

Supplemental Assessment(s)

a) Supplemental final examinations/activities will only be considered upon written request by the student to the course instructor and will need to be approved by both the instructor and the school chair.

b) At no time will the mark on a supplemental examination/activity exceed the equivalent of a "C" grade for the evaluative event.

c) Normally, only one supplemental final examination/activity will be allowed in the program.

Attendance:

1. Attendance at all scheduled laboratories, practicum experiences, examinations and other learning experiences is mandatory. Upon the recommendation of the course instructor to the School Chair, students who have been absent from either two labs and/or four lectures, without a prior and/or confirmed acceptable excuse, may be required to withdraw from the course.

2. Students absent from any Advanced Diploma in GIS or BGIS course, for any reason, are responsible for the work they have missed. They must make up assignments as required.

3. Absences from learning experiences may preclude the student from meeting the requirements for that course.

4. Students claiming illness, accidents or compassionate reasons for absence from learning experiences must contact the instructor concerned as soon as possible.

5. Students may be required to supply a medical professional certificate to substantiate claims of illness. A student who must be absent from a practicum experience is responsible for notifying the agency and/or instructor at least one hour prior to the scheduled time for the experience to begin.

Professional Requirements:

1. Students enrolled in the Online Advanced Certificate will need to have access to their own personal computer. This computer will need to be capable of running the most recent version of ESRI’s ArcGIS Pro software. Students will receive minimum specifications required of this computer when they register, but typically it needs to be able to run on a recent windows operating system, with adequate graphic capabilities and ample RAM and hard drive space.

2. Should a student make inappropriate use of the equipment including theft or vandalism, they will be required to withdraw from the program.

3. Student behaviour in the physical or online classroom that disrupts the class, upsets the learning environment of other students or poses a threat to other persons in the learning environment is unacceptable. Students behaving in such a manner will be given a verbal warning for the first offence and placed on probation for the second offence. Any subsequent similar behaviour is grounds for the compulsory withdrawal from the course in question. Subsequent misconduct will result in the student being withdrawn from the program.

4. Students are expected to be on time and prepared for all face-to-face classes prior to entering the classroom. Assigned materials are to be read by students; such materials and textbooks are not necessarily reviewed in class by the instructor.

5. The student is responsible for researching and obtaining notes of missed sessions. Instructors are not expected to give personal reviews to students who miss a class.

Other regulations:

PROBATION

See Policy 8619: Probation for more information.