Surveying and Mapping Science

Outcomes/Objectives

Program Outcomes:

1. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve broadly-defined technical or scientific problems by applying knowledge of mathematics and science and/or technical topics to areas relevant to the discipline.
2. An ability to formulate or design a system, process, procedure or program to meet desired needs.
3. An ability to develop and conduct experiments or test hypotheses, analyze and interpret data and use scientific judgment to draw conclusions
4. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
5. An ability to understand ethical and professional responsibilities and the impact of technical and/or scientific solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
6. An ability to function effectively on teams that establish goals, plan tasks, meet deadlines, and analyze risk and uncertainty.
7. Successfully Complete the NCEES Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) exam.

Program Educational Objective:

The objective of the Surveying and Mapping Science Program is to prepare graduates to successfully pursue their professional career objectives in a land surveying and mapping-related field. The Program considers this objective to be realized if a majority of graduates:

1. Are employed in a field within the geomatics disciplines.
2. Have successfully completed licensing for professional certification/registration, e.g. PS, CP or GISP, as appropriate for their career path in a geomatics discipline.
3. Obtain membership in one or more professional organizations relevant to their career of choice.
4. Continue professional education by participating in professional development courses or sessions, or complete higher education courses.
5. Analyze, manage, and disseminate geospatial data utilizing industry standard land surveying techniques.

Expectations

Our students come to us with a wide variety of backgrounds, interests, and talents. No one generalized statement will fit everyone. So perhaps the best answer to the question of what to expect as a surveying graduate is to answer in the negative; what not to expect.

Surveying graduates are not master technicians or crew chiefs. While many of our students acquire mastery of surveying technology before coming here, and while all of our students should have some basic familiarity with various surveying technology and theory, they will need more practice and instruction with surveying technology. For example, please know that a typical four credit course gives a student approximately the same amount of lab time as 2 weeks of full time employment.

At ETSU, we believe that the best way to prepare students for service as future professionals is through a partnership between education and employment. We see the role of the educational institution as exposing the students to the breadth necessary to see all the opportunities before them, both personally and professionally. We see the role of the employer as providing the depth needed to master the opportunities that they decide to pursue.

This means that our graduates won’t leave ETSU knowing all that is needed to know as a professional surveyor. Although they will have been exposed to a great deal of theory, they are not expected to be a master of it. Although they will have written many papers, given oral presentations, performed field work, prepared maps and done a host of other assignments while at ETSU, they will not been given enough exposure to any one thing to have mastered everything. But, by the time they graduate they should know how to learn.

And they will still have much to learn.

Curriculum

To graduate from ETSU with a degree in Surveying and Mapping Science a student must complete a total of 128 hours. These hours are broken down as follows:

• General Education (42 credit hours)
• Surveying and Mapping Science Technical Core Requirements (74 credit hours)
• Guided Electives (12 credit hours)

A list of these classes and a course description of each can be found in ETSU’s on-line catalog.

• Program Objectives & Student Outcomes

  1.An ability to identify, formulate, and solve broadly-defined technical or scientific problems by applying knowledge of mathematics and science and/or technical topics to areas relevant to the discipline.
  2.An ability to formulate or design a system, process, procedure or program to meet desired needs.
  3.An ability to develop and conduct experiments or test hypotheses, analyze and interpret data and use scientific judgment to draw conclusions
  4.An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
  5.An ability to understand ethical and professional responsibilities and the impact of technical and/or scientific solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
  6.An ability to function effectively on teams that establish goals, plan tasks, meet deadlines, and analyze risk and uncertainty.
  7.Successfully Complete the NCEES Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) exam.

   

  The objective of the Surveying and Mapping Science Program is to prepare graduates to successfully pursue their professional career objectives in a land surveying and mapping-related field. The Program considers this objective to be realized if a majority of graduates:

  1.Are employed in a field within the geomatics disciplines.
  2.Have successfully completed licensing for professional certification/registration, e.g. PS, CP or GISP, as appropriate for their career path in a geomatics discipline.
  3.Obtain membership in one or more professional organizations relevant to their career of choice.
  4.Continue professional education by participating in professional development courses or sessions, or complete higher education courses.
  5.Analyze, manage, and disseminate geospatial data utilizing industry standard land surveying techniques.

• Course Delivery

  The lecture component of most surveying classes is videostreamed. Videostreamed lectures are recorded and made available to all students. Videostreamed lectures are usually offered in two sections. The students in one section are expected to attend the lectures live in the classroom. The students in the other section have the option of attending classes live in the classroom, or by participating live via computer. Students who would like to have the option of attending lectures live via computer are charged a fee to cover the costs of this option. 

  Labs for freshman and sophomore classes are typically held on the main campus in the vicinity of Wilson-Wallis Hall. Labs for junior and senior students are often held at the Valleybrook Farms campus. This campus consists of 144 acres of improved and unimproved space and is ideal for giving students an opportunity to work in conditions routinely encountered by surveyors working in a rural environment.

  Students who enroll in sections that have a live videostreaming option also have the option of making arrangements to perform lab exercises off-campus. Those who exercise this option will need to make arrangements with a partner who will assist in administering exams and lab assignments at off-campus locations. Prospective students or partners who would like to learn more about this option are encouraged to contact the Surveying and Mapping Science degree program coordinator to learn more.

  We encourage all students to attend lectures and labs live on campus in the conventional manner, as we feel this provides the best environment for effective learning. However, we want to make sure that place-bound students are not precluded from attaining their educational goals either. Although we feel that attending lectures live via computer and performing labs off-campus under the supervision of an approved partner is more difficult and requires more time and effort from the student, we are providing this option to allow place-bound students to complete classes that they otherwise could not complete.

Employers

There are several paths to locating the right employee to match your firm’s needs. 

One path is through a resume book published by our student surveying club. Several of our students have taken the initiative of preparing their resumes and publishing them in this book. This book is typically published each January. If you would like a copy of it, send an email to the program coordinator.

Although the students who have placed their resumes in this book are some of our most organized and attentive, you may find that no one listed in the resume book adequately meets your firm’s needs, or that no one remains available by the time you are ready to make a hire. In either event, other alternatives are available.

One direct path that is available to you is to make a direct posting of your needs to our student e-mail list. We maintain an email list of all surveying majors, as well as some alumni, faculty and other interested people. All prospective employers are invited to submit an announcement of any employment opportunities they may have and that announcement will be forwarded to everyone on the list, usually within 24 hours. If you would like to post an employment opportunity to the list, you can send it directly to surveyors@listserv.etsu.edu.

Another path is to work with our career center. They provide a variety of services to prospective employers, ranging from career fairs, to posting job notices and providing interview rooms, to helping you participate in our co-op program. Learn more about the Center for Advisement and Student Excellence.

Faculty

Jin

Hong

• AssociateProfessor
• hongjs@etsu.edu

Jared D.

Wilson

• Assistant Professor/Program Coordinator
• wilsonjd@etsu.edu

Club

The students at ETSU have formed a student organization dedicated to helping the students enrolled in the Surveying and Mapping Science program degree. 

Any student at ETSU is eligible to join this club.

The Surveying Club at ETSU is a valuable resource for the surveying students at ETSU and we strongly recommend that every surveying student join the club and actively participate in it. Club activities can include:

• Mentoring services provided to new students
• Creating and dissemination of a resume book
• Hosting presentations by professionals, vendors and prospective employers on topics not covered in the classroom
• Organizing field trips to surveying conventions and other events of interest.
• Providing general social fellowship

Enrollment and Graduation Data