Is anyone aware of any colleges offering a BS in surveying online?
ETSU is moving agressively in that direction. Probably people could start taking classes now and would be able to graduate when the time came. There are lots of issues with an on line degree, but they have things pretty well squared away. Contact Jerry Taylor at ETSU.
Surveying degrees online? Sunny Queensland
on line in OZ met a fellow from NSW who is currently doing the degree
RADU
I think Great Basin College has a lot of classes on-line, if not the entire degree. Metro State College in Denver has some classes online, as does the University of Wyoming. The last two would need some classes from a local college to complete a degree.
Great Basin College in Elko, NV does have the second two years of a four year degree in Land Surveying/Geomatics. I live in WV and I am enrolled in their program. They also have most of the first two years of classes online as well. The keys to the surveying classes is having a licensed "mentor" to loan equipment/help to you for the lab portions of the classes. If you have any other questions about the program, Dr. Elithorp was most helpful in answering all of my questions or you can email me.
Middle Georgia College also has a two year degree in Surveying online. My step-father is a professor at Southern Polytechnic State University in Marietta, GA and when I spoke with him last night he told me that MGC now offers a four year degree online. I couldn't find any information online but you could email Mr. Butler (I believe that is his name) for information.
SLCC has quite a few classes on line for their associate degree. UVU starts their BS program this fall. Many of their classes will be available on line as well. Don't know whether the entire BS program will be available.
JBS
If you goals for the Bachelors or any post-secondary education is tied to eventually using that accomplishment as a tool to obtain licensure in a particular state with educational requirements or mandates; then be sure you also research accreditation of programs as allowed or DIS-allowed by a states board.
NCEES Licensing Boards
Upper left corner of the page, Check out Licensing Board Survey Results.
Also check with the College Department Head or registrars office to discuss the transferability of particular classes taken elsewhere.
If you goal for obtaining the post-secondary education is simply for self-betterment, then good luck and have fun doing it!
Cheers
The degree will be no good for licensure unless it is ABET Accredited.
Though, ABET accreditation may be hard to come by for distance education programs, as they evaluate based on a strong lab component as well (field work).
Maybe there is a way to work it with a combination of online and traditional field survey coursework.
Please share your findings, would be interesting to see what the current picture of survey degree options is.
Most states do NOT require ABET accreditation as the ONLY path to licensure, although it is the first choice. If you read through the laws of different states, most just say a four year degree in surveying. Some say a four year degree program approved by the board. Check with the state licensing board with which you plan to become licensed.
It would be a very nice addition if someone had an online degree that the various boards would approve. As of now there are very few and its pretty hard to afford the ones that do exist on a survey technicians pay. I think it would be interesting if they would consider using the later stages of the CST exam in combination with experience as a prerequisite for the FS. Then use that in combination with continuing education credits as well as experience for the PS and State tests.
"Board Approved" means they typically look for ABET with possibly some case by case exceptions - state boards typically do not have the resources to do any independent in-depth evaluation of surveying programs. ABET is also more likely to give you better portability for your license (usually would only have to take the state specific exam).
Using the CST program as a prerequisite for licensure would defeat the purpose of the CST program. It is meant as a career ladder for survey technicians. The difference (in any profession) between a technician and a professional is education.
As for the online degrees, one would certainly want to check with the state board that they would be applying to about acceptance/approval. Most don't care if your degree is in Psychology or Business Management or Basket Weaving for that matter as long as you have 32-40 credit hours of surveying classes.
I don't know about colleges but there is a lot of BS about on line surveying on this message board. It makes me think they must offer degrees in it.
Ya, PHD's........piled higher and deeper!
> Using the CST program as a prerequisite for licensure would defeat the purpose of the CST program. It is meant as a career ladder for survey technicians. The difference (in any profession) between a technician and a professional is education.
I would agree with that, my choice of words was faulty in my previous statement. I meant as an alternative qualification with 9 years experience as was previously used for the LEP qualifications. You would also have a moniker to measure candidates based on the level they achieved in the CST Program. Then if they attain their LSI use the Continuing education system in place to provide the education needed to take the PS and State portion.
