Northeastern GIS

Northeastern's MPS in Geographic Information Technology is a great program for anyone looking to start a career in GIS. I would recommend this program over other schools or on-line programs, on account of its state-of-the-art GIS lab (private lab not accessible to other NEU students), the cohort of students for support, mutual learning and encouragement, and the high-quality instruction. I was fortunate to be taught by professors employed at both MassGIS, and PeopleGIS, who provided a wealth of insider's information on the new trends, standards, and technicalities of GIS.

Massachusetts is known to be one of the most "data-rich" states in the country, thanks to the free, comprehensive repository of vector and orthophotographic data avaliable from MassGIS. MassGIS also offers free Web Services of their data for on-line mapping. Check out the MassGIS Web Services Wiki or the MassGIS WMS layers list for more information. New England in general is a great area in which to learn GIS, due to the friendly and supportive network of GIS professionals who are always willing to help out fellow GISers. Joining the NEARC listserv is a great way to be involved in this community.

If you do not live in Massachusetts, don't despair. Northeastern's MPS-GIT courses are also offered on-line, and you can still take advantage of the free MassGIS data and services mentioned above.

Please don't hesitate to contact me if you'd like to know more about the NEU program or GIS in Massachusetts.