Leveling Program Surveying

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Land Surveying Certificate Program Highlights

UW’s 100 percent online land surveying certificate program makes it possible for you to earn the credential that will help you improve your skills, while also offering the education you need to become a licensed land surveyor in states that don’t require ABET certification.

Here are some additional reasons to choose UW:

Program

Distance learning delivery. Maintain your current work schedule. UW’s distance learning format consists of downloadable, pre-recorded lectures as well as weekly teleconferences with instructors. Exams are typically take-home with the exception of a proctored final exam.

  • Excel for Land Surveyors is a Hub for sharing helpful spreadsheet tools and applications to be used in the surveying field. If you are new to the Excel Support for Land Surveyors Group, please start by adding a discussion and introducing yourself to the community!
  • Levelling (or Leveling) is a branch of surveying, the object of which is: i) to find the elevations of given points with respect to a given or assumed datum, and ii) to establish points at a given or assumed datum.
  • Differential leveling survey methods/equipment to achieve second-order standards are:. Compensator-type (automatic) engineer’s level (three-wire observations) with a one piece invar-tape yard rod. Electronic digital/bar-code leveling system with one-piece invar rod. If matched rods are used they must be alternated (leapfrogged).

Program satisfaction survey questions are a questionnaire used to collect feedback that can help training organizations or academic institutions measure the participants’ satisfaction levels for their specific programs. Such a questionnaire can help institutions and organizations understand the factors that help satisfy program participant needs. Hence, it can enable them to modify the programs accordingly based on their opinions.

Scholarships. Take advantage of scholarship opportunities for land surveying students. Also, check with your employer to see whether your company will fund all or part of your land surveying certificate.

Faculty. Learn from faculty who have professional experience as land surveyors and can help you apply new concepts immediately, if you are currently working in the field.

Great job prospects. Enjoy a bright future. UW land surveying students are often offered jobs before they graduate

About the Surveying and Geomatics Program

Leveling Program Surveying

Are you well-versed in math and science? Are you interested in computers, the latest technology and the environment? If you answered “yes” to these questions, then a TROY bachelor’s degree in surveying and geomatics sciences may be the perfect fit for you.

A global opportunity

As a graduate of TROY’s surveying and geomatics sciences program, you’ll have opportunities to work as a surveyor with some of the most modern and precise satellite navigation systems and measurement devices. You’ll also gain a knowledge and understanding of legal issues ranging from boundary location to land development and environmental regulation.

TROY surveying and geomatics sciences graduates play key roles in the design and construction of the nation’s buildings, roads, bridges, tunnels, water-supply systems and utilities. Depending on your area of expertise, you may find yourself designing and building computer systems for purposes such as land management, resource management, utility organization, traffic control and urban planning. Working as a surveyor, you can also help less developed countries change their land ownership systems to promote economic growth and democracy. In fact, many surveyors also work toward environmental protection and efficient utilization of the earth’s resources.

Program advantages

TROY is home to the only Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) accredited surveying and geomatics sciences program in the state of Alabama. In fact, the program is one of the few in the Southeastern United States. When preparing to enroll, make sure you check out the program’s many foundation scholarships available specifically for surveying and geomatics sciences students.

While pursing your degree with TROY, you will have opportunities to connect with professionals working in the field. This will allow you to gain insight into the careers that resonate with you. During the summers, you’ll also have the option to gain real-world experience by enrolling in the program’s summer co-op courses.

Program focus

Troy University’s surveying and geomatics sciences program is focused on fundamental theories as well as hands-on practices, which will give you exposure to traditional equipment and modern geomatics technologies including both hardware and software.

Leveling Program Surveying Guide

As part of TROY’s commitment to education excellence, you will be exposed to a diverse range of surveying equipment including robotic total stations, laser-equipped total stations and GPS equipment. You will also be trained in TROY’s geomatics computer lab, which is equipped with the latest computer-aided design (CAD), photogrammetry, land surveying software, GIS software, drone and scanning software.

With a surveying and geomatics sciences program degree from TROY, you can also specialize in the following areas:

  • Construction surveying
  • Geodesy and GPS
  • Geographic information systems
  • Hydrology
  • Land development
  • Land law and boundary retracement
  • Land surveying
  • Photogrammetry and remote sensing
  • Scanning and drone technology
  • Survey fundamentals

A look at the numbers

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the job growth for surveyors is projected to increase by 6 percent from 2018 to 2028 while the potential job growth for photogrammetrists and cartographers is expected to increase by 15 percent within that same timeframe. The BLS also reports a rising demand for geographic data and accurate digital maps for businesses and consumers. This demand can lead to opportunities for professionals who are proficient in GIS and other geospatial technologies.

Geospatial Informatics Department Page

Program Objectives

  • Graduates will be prepared to obtain quality entry-level positions within the Surveying and Geomatics profession.
  • Employers will be pleased with the quality and performance of graduates.
  • Graduates are well prepared for the licensure process of examinations and experience.
  • Graduates will hold wide-ranging positions within the diverse disciplines of the Surveying and Geomatics fields.
  • Graduates have grown and advanced into managerial/ownership/leadership positions within the Surveying and Geomatics fields.

Geomatics students begin with the fundamentals of measurement science offered in GEM 2220 Basics of Surveying and continue with GEM 3330 Advanced Measurement Analysis. Students learn how to make survey measurements and how to compute products desired by clients from these measurements. Class time is spent developing the concepts of what it means to be precise and what it means to be accurate as these concepts relate to measurement theory. Students learn how the physical properties of the earth affect field measurements and the corrections for these effects. Students gain experience with modern instrumentation used for making field measurements, common sources of error in their usage, and the organized crew procedure and note keeping necessary for professional results.

The sub discipline of land surveying is an ancient science dating back to the first need to delineate land ownership on the ground. The need for land boundary or cadastral surveyors is just as important today. In fact, one could argue that as human population grows the demand for the fixed quantity of land on the earth surface increases. As land values increase the need for the accurate determination of land boundaries becomes even more important.

Many geomatics professionals assist in the design and construction of roads, bridges, subdivisions, and planned unit developments. Areas of interest are planning and zoning, the principles of route surveying, hydrology, large-scale mapping, subdivisions design, and CAD drafting. Students are offered the opportunity to study land development in GEM 4405 Route and Construction Surveying, GEM L407 Land Development Lab, and GEM 4409 Hydrology. Topographic Mapping is studied in GEM 3330 Advanced Measurement Analysis and GEM L405 Route and Construction Surveying Lab. GEM 4409 is a design course focused on the determination of peak flows and design of hydraulic flows to accommodate runoff. An exciting integration of land development and GIS are offered by new software that offers parcel management features. Career opportunities exist for Geomatics Professionals in construction surveying, subdivision design and layout, and Land Information Systems (GIS).

Least Squares is a statistical criterion for the estimation of the goodness of fit in correlation analysis. Least squares methods aim to minimize the sum of squared differences between the observations and the predictions from a model. Least Squares is a method for determining the line that comes nearest to passing through a set of data points. The squares come in because of Pythagoras' theorem about triangles. The method aims to minimize (hence the word 'least') the sum of the differences from the data points to the line in question. Least squares is a mathematical optimization technique that attempts to find a 'best fit' to a set of data by attempting to minimize the sum of the squares of the differences (called residuals) between the fitted function and the data.

Leveling Program

Geodesy is the study of the size, shape, and the effect of the physical properties of the earth on measurements. A mathematical model of the earth is the subject of geometric geodesy, the earth's gravity field is the subject of physical geodesy, and the use of earth satellites to measure the earth's surface the concern of satellite geodesy. The civilian use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) is a major component of the study of geodesy. GPS plays a valuable role in providing precise measurements between receivers on the earth's surface based on one-way signals broadcast from a network of satellites. Study of the models used by GPS systems to determine precise coordinate locations and the transformation of these initial coordinates to facilitate the accomplishment of local geomatics projects is a major portion of the course work in GEM 3370 Geodesy and Geodetics.

Leveling Program Surveying Pdf

GPS is complex system that is easy to use. However, to understand the system itself, one needs to study the propagation of electromagnetic waves (microwaves), the properties of the atmosphere, the orbits of the satellites and the impact of solar radiation, the concept of precise timing, the ellipsoid model used as a reference system for GPS measurements, transformations between coordinate systems, and the principles of least squares adjustment.

Construction surveying is the translation of construction plans into physical points on the ground that can be used as a basis for the actual construction. The results of construction surveying are seen in almost any urban, suburban, and even rural setting. Almost any roadway, building, or other man-made improvement probably had some amount of construction surveying involved. Construction surveying provides not only the horizontal location of new improvements, but also the vertical information required to ensure that surfaces drain or pipes flow as required. The stakes and points set during the process of construction surveying are not usually set at the actual construction point, but usually on some sort of offset. This is done so that the survey stake is not disturbed by excavation or other activities that will take place at the actual point of construction. The stakes are marked with an 'offset' and a 'grade', which provides the construction crew with the spacial relationship of the construction stake to the actual point of construction. The 'offset' is the distance from the survey stake to the horizontal position of the actual point of construction, and would typically be three feet for curb and gutter to ten feet for underground pipes. The distance of the offset should be coordinated with the contractor to accommodate any specific needs due to existing field conditions or special equipment, and should be clearly marked on the survey stake (usually by a number enclosed in a circle). The 'grade' represents the change in elevation that needs to be obtained from the reference point to the actual construction point, expressed as a 'cut' (lower in elevation) or a 'fill' (higher in elevation). The grade should also indicate the vertical feature that the grade is referencing, usually a flow line or finished floor elevation. The need for accuracy is inherent in all of the surveyor's tasks, but especially evident in construction surveying. It is not only important to perform all calculations correctly, but also to communicate clearly with the contractor about the distance of offsets and reference points for grades. If the surveyor provides grades to the flow line of curb and gutter and the contractor uses those grades as top of curb elevation, the net result is a construction site that is not going to work as planned! Additionally, scheduling should be coordinated in a manner that minimizes the risk of the stakes being damaged by human or natural activities, as any disturbance to the survey stake may carry over to actual construction. (http://www.flatsurv.com/)

The U.S. National Map Program providing full map coverage of the continental United States was made possible by the development of the theory and practice of photogrammetry. Photogrammetry is the science of obtaining measurements from photographs. Today the importance of photogrammetry has not diminished as the most effective method of providing precise spatial data over large project sites. The pressing need for precise spatial data for Geographic Information Systems makes the field of photogrammetry an exciting area to study. Students are taught the fundamentals of photogrammetry with an emphasis on being able to apply photogrammetry in a practical way to all types of surveying and mapping problems. Troy University has made an investment in leading-edge imaging software to allow students to use computers to view photography, perform image enhancement, set-up stereo-models, and to produce orthophotos to use as maps. Our students are taught how to perform aerial flight planning to ensure the photography and control necessary to meet specific project data accuracy requirements. Students are exposed to the following technology:

Leveling

SUMMIT EVOLUTION digital photogrammetric workstation: This is a user-friendly system for performing 3D feature collection directly into AutoCAD®, MicroStation®, or ArcGIS®. The SUMMIT EVOLUTION system allows for easy management of multiple model images along with their appropriate camera and control files in a project-based environment.
ERDAS IMAGINE is one of the world's leading provider of geographic imaging solutions. The software facilitates visualizing, manipulating, analyzing, measuring, and integrating any type of geographic imagery and geospatial information into 2D and 3D environments. ERDAS IMAGINE is easily integrated with ArcGIS®

GIS is an application that can benefit from the input of a team of interdisciplinary professionals. A geomatics professional is a valuable member of a GIS team when the mapping data is required to be precise such as the base map for county land ownership or utility location. Applications requiring precise data typically use photogrammetry and survey-grade GPS receivers to acquire the data. The ability to determine the procedures and equipment necessary to acquire a specification for precise data is one of the benefits from study in our geomatics program. GIS is a major component of our Surveying and Geomatics Sciences Program. The student is offered two courses on the fundamentals and application of GIS. GIS applications are introduced in the curriculum to demonstrate the impact that GIS is and will continue to make on your career in geomatics.
Simply put, a GIS combines layers of information about a place to give you a better understanding of that place. One of the main benefits of GIS is improved management of your organization and resources. A GIS can link data sets together by common locational data, such as addresses, which helps departments and agencies share their data. By creating a shared database, one department can benefit from the work of another.

Courses

This program of study can be adjusted to meet your specific needs and interests in the field of geomatics. The core courses in the major provide a study of the several sub disciplines in Geomatics: land surveying, land development, photogrammetry, remote sensing, geodesy, and geographic information systems (GIS).The eighteen semester hour minor provides the opportunity to prepare for a specific job opportunity after graduation, business ownership, or graduate school. Excellent student advising is available to you to help you make these choices.

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Program Locations

Program
  • Troy Campus

Hydrographic Society of America awards scholarships to two TROY students