Major: Surveying
Surveyors use geometry, algebra, and trigonometry, as well as a variety of technologies, to take exact measurements of the land and its features. Surveying programs prepare students to become licensed surveyors and survey technicians. You’ll learn geodesy, which is the measurement of the size and shape of the earth and of points on its surface. Other topics include computer graphics, mapmaking, and instrument care and use.
Students of surveying learn to use math and survey equipment to measure, map, and plan areas of land.
Did You Know?
- Surveyors use computerized technology known as geomatics to map in three dimensions using information received from satellites and from sensors in the air, sea, and ground.
Are You Ready To...?
- Use optical or electromechanical equipment to gather data
- Measure distances, directions, and elevations
- Use computers to perform calculations
- Draw conclusions from data
- Make topographic maps
- Work outside
It Helps to Be...
Good at drawing and solving problems and attentive to detail. You’ll also need to communicate your findings to others.
College Checklist
- Is the program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology?
- Will you earn a certificate (one year of study), an associate’s degree (two years of study), or a bachelor’s degree (four years of study)?
- If the program awards an associate’s degree, does it award the career-oriented A.A.S. or the transfer-oriented A.S.?
- Will you be prepared to pass the licensure exams in your state when you graduate?
- What surveying equipment is available for lab work?
- Will you be trained in the latest surveying technologies?
- Will you have to buy any supplies other than textbooks?
Did You Know?
- You may have seen surveyors using a tripod-mounted instrument known as a theodolite, which measures horizontal and vertical angles.
Course Spotlight
How can maps be made of places that are difficult -- or even impossible -- to get to? As a surveying student, you’ll learn about the surveying technique known as photogrammetry, or aerial surveying. In lectures and labs, you’ll learn to use photographs taken from aircraft, satellite images, and other imaging systems to create detailed maps of hard-to-reach areas.
