Online Certification and Certificate Programs for Land Surveyors

Online certificate programs typically take 1-2 years to train students in the geographical, mathematical and technical skills necessary to perform land surveying tasks. After gaining work experience in the field, graduates can apply for certification and work as surveyors for government agencies or private organizations.

Land Surveyor Online Certificate Programs Overview

Land surveyor certificate programs teach students techniques and methods used to measure and record geographic formations and contours of the earth's surface. Land surveying certificate programs require strong skills in mathematics, particularly geometry and precalculus, and technical capabilities with mapping and surveying software. After graduation and certification, surveyors work with government organizations and private companies to define geographic boundaries, describe land for deeds and other legal documents and assist in developing topographical and political maps.

Program Information and Requirements

Most land surveyor certificate programs have no prerequisites other than a high school diploma. Students who pursue a certificate in land surveying commonly go on to pursue a bachelor's degree to improve their employment opportunities in the field. Most programs are designed to transfer to bachelor's degree programs in surveying, geoscience or civil engineering.
Students enrolled in online certificate programs complete work through a site specific to the course. Through the course site, they retrieve lectures and participate in chat sessions. Oftentimes hands-on fieldwork is a necessary component in completing a land surveyor certificate program. Students may be required to attend some courses on-campus or to complete some fieldwork at sites near their homes.

Common Coursework for a Land Surveyor Certificate

Courses taken for land surveyor certificate programs place heavy emphasis on mapping, topography, geographic coordinates and the computational methods needed in land surveying. Students complete hands-on fieldwork in order to develop and maintain the skills they learn in class.

Surveying Course

This course studies basic geomatic principles. Students learn the basics of topographic mapping, geographic coordinates and property surveys through a mix of online coursework and hands-on fieldwork.

Engineering Graphics Course

Students complete coursework online and in a laboratory. This course covers the use of software to perform geometric constructions and dimensioning.

Precalculus Mathematics Course

Precalculus studies angle measurement, trigonometric functions, graphs, and sines and cosines. This course applies these mathematics techniques to surveying methods.

Career Information for Graduates

Most surveyors work with companies that perform architectural or engineering services, or with government agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service. They often spend a great deal of time outdoors, sometimes in strenuous circumstances. As of May 2009, surveyors earned an average annual wage of $57,420, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov). The BLS reported that, between 2008 and 2018, job opportunities in the field are expected to grow by 19%.

Certification Information

Land surveyors must be certified by the state in which they practice. State requirements vary, but usually include professional experience, coursework taken through a certificate or degree program and completion of a written exam. Coursework required for certification is available in an online format, but supervised work experience may need to be completed in person.