Practical Application
Land survey classes are typically available through certificate, associate's and bachelor's degree programs in land surveying and civil engineering. Most programs include field experience with surveying equipment.
Surveying and mapping technicians only need a high school diploma to enter this career path, but many have additional education on the post-secondary level for technological applications. Surveyors, on the other hand, are required to be licensed in order to certify legal documents and provide services to the public. To obtain licensure, most states require an associate's or bachelor's degree from an ABET-accredited school, along with a few years of experience in the field.
Relevant majors for land survey courses:
- Surveying engineering
- Civil engineering
- Electrical engineering
- Computer science
- Mechanical engineering
Course Information
Land surveyors are responsible for using various equipment to take measurements, interpretting data and performing calculations, and creating topographic maps. The courses you take to prepare for such tasks involve areas like engineering, data analysis, and technical writing. A strong foundation in mathematics and statistics, especially geometry and trigonometry, is also essential.
Additional topics you will find in your courses include:
- Measurement errors
- Drainage systems
- Photogrammetry (3D modeling)
- Legal boundaries
- Elevation and GPS
- Computer-assisted drafting
- Field data
List of Courses
Land Survey Instruments
Basic land surveying classes introduce students to survey instruments that collect positioning data for different plots of land. Students are exposed to boundary surveying, topographic surveying, drafting, remote sensing and geographic information systems. Students keep field notes, find common measurement errors, take accurate linear measurement and use instruments for determining elevations.
Subdivision Planning and Layout
This course trains students to design models of subdivisions complete with sewers, drainage systems and traffic circulation. They examine how an area's topography influences the way these systems should be set up and learn ways to work with soil and earth safely. Course participants identify and fix problems with their models that could influence water safety or the flow of traffic. The lecture portion of this land survey course deals with codes and environmental considerations, which students must also incorporate into their models.
Land Survey Computation
Land surveyor classes in computation introduce students to the mathematical procedures involved in land surveys and construction. Students use scientific calculators to deal with field data and measurements. Topics for this intermediate-level class include computing distances, direction and elevations. More advanced students might learn traverse computations and curve stakeout computations.
Boundary Location
Students taking this course gain practical experience retracing boundary lines, using original boundaries, land parcels, global positioning systems (GPS) and water boundaries. Students learn about a landowner's rights in terms of boundary disputes and the ethical responsibilities of surveyors when they create and maintain land boundaries. This course also examines the legal aspects of boundaries, including property descriptions, titles and liabilities.
Topographical Mapping
Topographical mapping classes introduce prospective land survey professionals to field sketching, plotting, traverses and planimetric maps, which indicate the horizontal position of features without noting their elevation. The principles of topographical mapping also include plotting cross sections, grading plans, photogrammetry (3D modeling of a scene) and mapping projections. These advanced land survey courses also teach students about gathering and analyzing field data through the use of GPS.
