Below is a list of our most frequently asked questions regarding Chartered Geographer (GIS) along with relevant answers. If, after reading these you still have a question, please do not hesitate to contact either susan.walter@agi.org.uk or cgeog@rgs.org.
I would like to apply to become a Chartered Geographer (GIS) but am not sure which route I should apply under
You need to decide upon 1 of 4 possible routes and this will be dependent upon your education and experience to date.
Graduates (BA/BSc Hons or BEd) in Geography or a closely related discipline (e.g. GIS, Environmental Science, Geology etc) with 6yrs or more years of relevant post graduate experience, including up to 2 years spent studying for a relevant MA, MSc or PhD.
Non graduates with 15yrs + relevant and demonstrable experience in the discipline. This can be research and/or industry based.
Graduates (BA/BSc Hons or BEd) in Geography or a closely related discipline (e.g. GIS, Environmental Science, Geology etc) with LESS than 6yrs of relevant post graduate experience.
Non-graduates with LESS than 15yrs relevant and demonstrable work experience.
If you qualify for routes 1 or 2 you can apply immediately for Chartership. If you qualify under routes 3 or 4 - the Practitioner routes - and you have 2 more years or less until you qualify, you can contact the Professional Officer at the RGS-IBG who will appoint a mentor for you and advise on what to do next. You will need to start logging and submitting annual CPD records for all routes.
What fees will I need to pay in order to become a CGeog (GIS)?
To become a CGeog (GIS) you will need to become a Fellow of the RGS-IBG by the time of application. The annual subscription for this membership is currently £78 p.a. without any publications. If you are applying for route 3 of CGeog, you will have to become a Postgraduate fellow of the RGS. If you are applying for route 4, you will have to apply for fellowship of the RGS.
You will also need to pay a non- refundable application fee when submitting your forms for Chartered status. This is currently £50. Once you have become Chartered, you will need to pay an annual £20 admin fee (2nd and subsequent years only) to maintain the accreditation.
NB: If you apply for Chartership and Fellowship at the same time, your Fellowship fee of £30 will be waived.
If you are not already a member of the AGI, we would recommend that you also take out membership with us in order to take full advantage of the additional CPD opportunities, and to ensure that your knowledge and skills within the GI industry are as up-to-date as possible. Currently, AGI Membership costs £69 per annum for individuals (less for students). Other rates are available for commercial and non-commercial corporate memberships, dependent upon the size of your organisation.
What are the benefits of becoming a CGeog (GIS)? I need to convince my employer that it is a worthwhile accreditation to work towards.
There are several benefits to working towards and becoming a CGeog (GIS). First of all, the RGS-IBG scheme is well respected and known internationally. In fact, it is the first of its kind in terms of breadth of appeal. Achievement of Chartership for the individual demonstrates significant personal development and can be used to enhance your career. It demonstrates your professional dedication to keeping up-to-date with industry developments and best practice and provides the impetus required to maintain your Continuing Professional Development. For employers, it helps ensure you have a highly skilled and respected workforce, and can add value to an internal appraisal system or pay scale. It provides an additional mark of achievement and professional credibility once more formal education has come to an end.
Do I have to apply for membership of the RGS-IBG before I can submit an application to be considered for Chartered Geographer status?
You do need to be a Fellow of the RGS-IBG before you can become a CGeog (GIS). However, the 2 applications can be made at the same time and if so, the RGS-IBG will waive the application fee of £30 for Fellowship. If you are following either of the Practitioner routes you can initially apply to become a Post-Graduate Fellow of the RGS-IBG at a cost of £26 p.a. however, you will need to upgrade to full Fellowship once you are ready to be awarded Chartership.
Do I have to be a member of the AGI to undertake Chartered Geographer?
If you are not already a member of the AGI, we would recommend that you take out membership with us in order to take full advantage of the additional CPD opportunities, and to ensure that your knowledge and skills within the GI industry are as up-to-date as possible. The RGS-IBG views AGI membership as an indication of an applicant's interest and professionalism and would likewise encourage you to become a member. Currently, AGI Membership costs £73 (+VAT) per annum for individuals (less for students). Other rates are available for commercial and non-commercial corporate memberships, dependent upon the size of your organisation. More information is available in the 'Join the AGI' section of this website.
When can I start my application to become a CGeog (GIS)?
You can start and submit your application for CGeog (GIS) status at any time during the year. However, the RGS-IBG do give 'soft' closing dates throughout the year to give you an idea of when your application may be approved by. This is because the whole assessment process takes on average 12 weeks and then final approval can only be given at an RGS-IBG Council meeting, held 3 times a year. So, for example, to be approved at the December Council meeting, you would need to submit your application no later than September 1st. Please note however that during the summer months when the Annual International Conference is held and many of the assessors are away on holiday, all CGeog (GIS) applications may take longer than usual to process. The closing dates are available on the RGS-IBG website - www.rgs.org/charteredstatus
What qualifications do I need to have in order to be eligible?
Fellowship is open to those who are either have a relevant first degree or are currently studying for a relevant post-graduate qualification, OR those who can demonstrate a well developed enthusiasm for Geography and have sufficient working involvement in the discipline. You will need to be nominated either by the current Head of Department where you are studying, or by an existing Fellow. If you and your work are known to the AGI, we do have staff who are Fellows and may be able to act as a referee.
Chartership is open to both graduates and non graduates. Graduates require a minimum of 6yrs relevant work experience upon applications; non graduates require at least 15yrs demonstrable and relevant experience.
For those with a degree, this should be a BA/BSc Honours or a BEd in Geography or a related subject. The RGS-IBG would normally be looking for degrees which have at least a 60% geographic component. Closely related disciplines might include Environmental Science, as one example.
I have an MSc in GIS. Does this count towards my experience?
Yes. Any relevant experience you have following graduation from your first degree can be used to meet the minimum years experience criteria including time spent on full or part time study.
I don't have a degree in Geography or a related discipline. Can I still be considered for CGeog (GIS)?
Yes. You would be eligible for following the non-graduate practitioner route. If you already have at least 15yrs relevant and demonstrable experience in the industry then you can apply for Chartered status immediately. However, if you don't yet have that amount of experience you should register with the RGS-IBG by contacting the Professional Officer who can assign you with a mentor who will help guide you through the time between now and when you are eligible to apply.
What counts as an 'other comparable degree'?
For those with a degree, this should be a BA/BSc Honours or a BEd in Geography or a related subject. The RGS-IBG would normally be looking for degrees which have at least a 60% geographic component. Closely related disciplines might include Environmental Science, as one example. Other academic qualifications may also be accepted upon application: please provide full details so the assessors can decide whether the qualification is of equivalent standing. Please note that most overseas qualifications are also accepted
Are there specialist streams within the Chartered Geographer (GIS) scheme?
No. The feeling is that CGeog (GIS) should encapsulate all areas of geographic discipline. Exceptions have been made to include variations on the post-nominal for GI Scientists, Teachers, Geomorphologists and Economic Geographers as these are quite succinct. Within these though, there is no scope for streaming very particular specialisms - for example, remote sensing. Of course, if all your experience is in one very specific area that is not a problem but this cannot be reflected in your post-nominal. You can if you chose use either the post nominals CGeog or CGeog (GIS)
Please can you tell me more about the practitioner route for graduates and non graduates? What kind of people is it suited to?
The practitioner routes have been introduced recently by the RGS-IBG to assist those people wishing to work towards CGeog (GIS) status but as yet do not meet the minimum requirements for quantity of experience (6yrs for graduates, 15yrs for non-graduates). In order to follow a practitioner route you need to contact the Professional Officer at the RGS-IBG and register your intent. You will then be allocated a suitable mentor, if you want one, who can guide you through the time between registering, and being ready to apply for Chartered status. You will need to log and submit an annual CPD record in the interim and your mentor can help you with this if necessary.
Am I able to obtain Chartered status via my employer?
If your employer is willing to support you in working towards CGeog (GIS) then by all means, it is fine for them to pay the necessary fees and allow you any time you might need for working on your CPD. We would encourage any organisation that approaches us to offer this as a benefit of employment and already several organisations are implementing CGeog (GIS) as part of their internal appraisal and development systems. Some are even using CGeog (GIS) as a way to structure their pay scales. If your employer requires any information from us about this, please suggest they get in touch.
Are you running any CGeog (GIS) awareness sessions?
The AGI and RGS-IBG has already run a couple of awareness sessions and these were very successful. As a result, the AGI will be running some additional sessions during our 3 day annual conference and exhibition. These will be free to attend and will take place on the exhibition floor in our solutions centre. More information about AGI2006 can be found in the Annual Event section of this site. If your organisation is interested in implementing CGeog (GIS) as part of its internal staff development plan we are always open to working with you on a tailored awareness session. Please contact susan.walter@agi.org.uk if you wish to take this forward.
What should be included in my Professional Self Evaluation Report and do you have any examples?
The Professional Self Evaluation Report is far more than an extended CV and should contain thoughts, opinions, and a detailed analysis of how your work has contributed to the advancement of your chosen field. The Assessors will be looking for a clear demonstration that you are making a significant contribution to the GI industry and use of geography, and that you are the right type of candidate for Chartership. It is essential that you address the criteria in the requirements for validation document. Some examples of Professional Self Evaluation Reports can be found on the RGS-IBG website - www.rgs.org/charteredstatus
What needs to be included in the extended CV? For example, do I actually specify projects I've worked on, or do we put that in the Professional Self Evaluation Report?
As the name suggest, the extended CV should be just that - a detailed report of your education and work experience to date, much as you would send for a job application though in more detail. This should specify projects you have worked upon. The Professional Self Evaluation Report is far more than an extended CV and should contain thoughts, opinions, and a detailed analysis of how your work has contributed to the advancement of your chosen field.
What could be included as supporting documents? Could these be papers/thesis or project proposals I've written?
Yes. Anything that can illustrate clearly what you have claimed or described in your Personal Self Evaluation Report will be useful as a supporting document. Photocopies of certificates, etc. are accepted as evidence- there is no need to send in originals
I see that I have to provide two referees, one of whom must be a Fellow of the RGS-IBG but I don't know any existing Fellows - what should I do?
The RGS-IBG stipulate that one of your referees must be a Fellow of the RGS-IBG and preferably a CGeog. However, they do appreciate that in the field of GI, there are currently very few Fellows. This is likely to change now that a GI Science stream to Chartership exists but before then, they are prepared to be flexible about your referees. Talk to the RGS-IBG Professional Officer for further advice. The main thing is that your referees can write confidently about your skills and experience. If you and your work are well known to the AGI then it may be possible for one of our staff members who is a FRGS and a CGeog (GIS) to assist by writing a reference but be aware this may not be possible in every case. The RGS-IBG Professional Officer can also nominate you for Fellowship but can not act as a referee.
Who can act as a suitable referee?
Your referee must be someone who can comment upon the claims you make in your Personal Self Evaluation. This is likely to include your line manager, head of department, a previous manager and possibly your Masters or PhD supervisor.
What are the timescales involved to acquire the necessary Continual Professional Development?
The RGS-IBG recommends including evidence of CPD when applying for CGeog (GIS) status- this is not essential but will help with the application. However, once Chartered Geographer status has been awarded, the RGS-IBG stipulates that an annual log of CPD be submitted for inspection in order to maintain CGeog (GIS) status. The minimum amount of CPD you must complete is 35 hours per year and of this 35, 20 hours must come from internal CPD and 15 hours from external CPD opportunities. More information can be downloaded by AGI members by logging into the AGI website and visiting www.agi.org.uk/education/cpd.asp. Here you will be able to access various CPD related documents and forms to assist you in planning and logging your CPD. The RGS-IBG are hoping to have the CPD submission form on-line by 20
