Advanced Diploma in Geographical Information Systems (GIS) Applications in Nanaimo Canada | Vancouver Island University

Enhance your career prospects in the growing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) sector with VIU’s Advanced GIS diploma. Nearly every discipline incorporates spatial elements, creating diverse job opportunities for GIS professionals in forestry, resource management, urban/rural planning, government, finance, transportation, and beyond.

VIU’s GIS Diploma equips students to collect, visualize, and interpret geographic data using ESRI’s ArcGIS software. Learners can select either an intensive 8-month on-campus option with a work-study component or a flexible 16-month online format.
This Advanced GIS Applications Diploma offers specialized training for university/college graduates seeking to boost their employability in this globally sought-after field.

Through this rigorous two-term program, students master GIS as both an analytical tool and problem-solving methodology. The curriculum balances practical GIS software proficiency with real-world geographic challenges through assignments and projects, ensuring graduates are job-ready.

Instruction primarily utilizes ESRI’s ArcGIS, supplemented by published materials and customized courseware. Select modules from ESRI’s Virtual Campus keep the program aligned with updates to this industry-standard software.

On-campus students undertake a nine-week capstone project during their second term, applying first-term knowledge to real-world scenarios. Each participant collaborates with an industry sponsor to develop and execute a tailored GIS project proposal.