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Degrees and Schools
Surveying technology associate and bachelor's degrees are available. A small number of universities provide master of science degree programs in land surveying and geomatics. A lot of vocational schools and community colleges offer one-year, two-year and three-year programs in surveying or surveying technology.
In most of the surveying technology programs students complete numerous field experiences in order to become familiar with the equipment used in surveying and calculating accurate boundaries. Formal programs typically have been provided accreditation from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.
Classes
Students typically study the following subjects:
- Drafting
- Technical writing
- Physics
- Mathematics
- Global Positioning Systems (GPS)
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
- Legal aspects of land surveying
- Cartography
Online Classes and Programs
Due to the extensive training provided outdoors surveyors typically take on-campus programs.
Employment Requirements
Surveyors usually need to have a bachelor's degree in surveying or a related field. The requirements for training and education vary among the states. An increasing number of states require surveyors to have earned a bachelor's degree in surveying or in a closely related subject such as civil engineering or forestry, regardless of the number of years of experience they have. Some states require surveyors to have earned a degree from a school which has been provided accreditation from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.
Every state licenses surveyors. To obtain a license, most state licensing boards require applicants to pass a series of written examinations provided by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying. Most states also require surveyors to pass a written examination created by the state licensing board.
The primary employers are the surveying services firms, architectural, engineering and related services industry; drafting services firms, and federal, state and local government agencies.
How to Evaluate Schools and Programs
The answers to the following questions can help students select the appropriate school:
- Training - Does the program provide plenty of hands-on training? Does the program include an internship? Do students have a variety of internship choices?
- School's Reputation - Is the school recognized for its surveying technology program?
- Job Placement - Are students provided job placement services? Do employers that hire surveyors recruit students at the school?
- Curriculum - What type of electives are offered?
- Financial Aid - What types of financial aid are available? Is the school eligible to provide federal financial aid?
- Accreditation - Is the school accredited by an agency which has been approved by the the United States Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education?
Surveyors Job Description
Surveyors gather information about the characteristics and size of a piece of land. Surveyors measure distances, directions and angles between points on, above and below the surface of the earth. They set official water, land and airspace boundaries. Surveyors provide written descriptions of land for deeds, leases and other types of legal documents. They utilize the Global Positioning System in order to locate reference points with a high degree of precision.
Geodetic surveyors measure large areas of the earth's surface utilizing high-accuracy techniques such as satellite observations. Geophysical prospecting surveyors mark sites for subsurface exploration, usually to search for petroleum. Marine or hydraulic surveyors survey harbors, rivers and other bodies of water to determine water depth, shorelines, the topography of the bottom and other types of features.
Shown below are some of the responsibilities of surveyors:
- Take measurements of construction and mineral sites
- Determine the precise location of important features in the survey area
- Research land titles, legal records and surveys to obtain information regarding property boundaries
- Determine the location of boundary lines
- Conduct surveys to establish legal boundaries for properties based on titles and legal deeds
- Write descriptions of property boundary surveys for use in deeds, leases and other types of legal documents
- Develop and maintain sketches, maps, legal descriptions and reports of surveys
- Develop plots, maps and reports
- Calculate depths, heights, property lines, relative positions and other characteristics of terrain
Resources
- American Congress on Surveying and Mapping
- American Association of Geodetic Surveying
- National Society of Professional Surveyors
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