Land surveyors manage one or more survey parties who measure distances, directions, and angles between points and elevations of points, lines, and contours on the earth's surface. They research legal records and look for evidence of previous boundaries. They record the results of the survey, verify the accuracy of data, and prepare plans, maps, and reports. Surveyors who establish official boundaries must be licensed by the state in which they work.

New technology and government regulations are changing the nature of work of surveyors and survey technicians. Surveyors will need to upgrade their knowledge and skills in these new regulations and technologies and become familiar with environmental regulations on the local, state, and federal levels.

The Certificate in Land Surveying can prepare students for licensure in Massachusetts, when combined with additional state requirements. Many of the courses may be applied to the A.S. Degree in Civil Engineering Technology: Surveying Option and/or the B.S. Degree in Civil Engineering Technology.

Required Courses: (6)
92.123 Precalculus Mathematics II
23.101 Engineering Graphics
15.123 Surveying I
15.124 Surveying II
15.262 Legal Aspects of Land Surveying
15.299 Surveying III
 

Course Descriptions

92.123 Precalculus Mathematics II
Reviews angles and their measure, the trigonometric functions, solving triangles, law of sines, law of cosines, circular functions and their graphs, vectors and trigonometric identities.
Prerequisite: 92.120
Credits: 3
Special Notes: MA. Students may not receive credit for both 92.123 and 92.124.

23.101 Engineering Graphics
Presents material in both class and laboratory format. Topics covered include: geometric constructions; multi-view sketching and projection; sectional views; isometric and oblique drawing; and dimensioning.
Prerequisite:
Credits: 2

15.123 Surveying I
This course is devoted to the study of basic principles of geomatics through class instruction and hands-on field work. Students will develop and retain a basic understanding of computations made in topographic mapping, property surveys, construction layout, cross-section designs, etc. Practical, real-world examples will be used to model the topics of each lecture. The concepts presented in this course directly relate to numerous other civil engineering fields.
Prerequisite: 92.123, 23.101.
Credits: 4

15.124 Surveying II
This course is devoted to the study of geomatics through class instruction and hands-on field work. Students will develop and retain a more advanced understanding of computations made in topographic mapping, property surveys, roadway layout, construction layout, cross-section designs, subdivisions, etc. Practical, real-world examples will be used to model the topics of each lecture. The concepts presented in this course directly relate to numerous other civil engineering fields.
Prerequisite: 15.123, 92.123, 23.101
Credits: 4

15.262 Legal Aspects of Land Surveying
This course covers topics such as property law, property transfer, boundary law, property descriptions and titles, survey plats, water law, liability and litigation, professional ethics and standards, and land information systems.
Prerequisite: 15.123
Credits: 3

15.299 Surveying III
This course presents an introduction to geodesy, geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude), State Plane Coordinate System of 1983 (Lambert Conformal Conic Projections and Transverse Mercator Projection), field astronomy for celestial observations including the use of an ephemeris to determine astronomic north from observing the sun, Polaris (the North Star), and various other stars. In addition, the course covers error theory, precision and accuracy, probability curves, standard error and other statistics, propagation of errors in surveying and sources of error, field method of determining accuracy and precision of electronic distance measuring (EDM) devices.
Prerequisite: 15.124.
Credits: 3

Certificate Requirements

Students enrolled in UMass Lowell certificate programs must complete the indicated series of certificate program courses, generally consisting of both required courses and electives. Students may complete the certificate programs at their own pace, enrolling in one or two courses per semester (which is the average recommended course load). Students should anticipate at least two hours of preparation for every hour of classroom instruction and they are required to maintain a grade point average of 2.0 or better to receive the certificate.

Courses held on campus typically meet one night per week, three hours each night, for 14 weeks during the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters (Summer courses are also offered over two 6-week condensed sessions). Call for a course bulletin or check our website course listings for specific course scheduling information.

Application into the Program
Those who wish to enroll in a certificate program should submit a completed application form and arrange to have their official high school transcript or GED sent to Continuing Studies and Corporate Education. Applications, transcripts, and other correspondence should be sent to: University of Massachusetts Lowell, Admissions/Continuing Studies and Corporate Education, Dugan Hall, Room 110, 883 Broadway Street, Lowell, MA 01854-5104. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and there is no fee to apply. Upon acceptance, notification will be sent to students.

Registering for Courses
Continuing Studies and Corporate Education offers courses during the Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer. Information about current course offerings, schedules, and registration procedures is published regularly on our website at http://continuinged.uml.edu. If you would like to receive a printed Course Bulletin, please contact our Faculty and Student Support Center at (978) 934-2474.

You may take courses without being officially enrolled in a certificate or degree program, but you must meet the particular course prerequisites. Registrations are accepted on a first come, first served basis. Class size is limited. We recommend that you register early to reserve your place in class.

Transfer Policy
With the program coordinator's approval, one course may be transferred from another accredited institution to satisfy certificate program requirements. The course should be equivalent to UMass Lowell instruction, applicable to the intended program, and the student must have received a grade equivalent to a C- (1.70 on a 4.00 scale) or better.

Academic Advising
Program coordinators and general Faculty and Student Support Specialists are available by appointment to help students determine appropriate course loads, discuss admission requirements, and review the transferability of courses. To schedule an appointment with a program coordinator or Faculty and Student Support Specialist, please call Continuing Studies and Corporate Education at (978) 934-2480 or (978) 934-2474. General walk-in advising is available Monday through Thursday from 8:30am-8:00pm and Friday from 8:30am-5:00pm at the Continuing Studies Faculty and Student Support Center located in Southwick Hall, Room 202 on UMass Lowell North. For online advising, email our Faculty and Student Support Specialists at Continuing_Education@uml.edu.

Awarding of Certificates
Upon successful completion of the certificate program, students must submit a completed Certificate Petition Form to Continuing Studies and Corporate Education. Upon verification, students will be mailed their certificates. Receipt of the certificate will be noted formally on the student's transcript with an award date of October, February, or June.

Tuition
Please refer to our website course listings or our current printed course bulletin for the latest information on tuition and fees.

For More Information
For additional information on any of our programs, call Continuing Studies and Corporate Education at (978) 934-2480 or email Continuing_Education@uml.edu.

For information on Financial Aid, call the University's Financial Aid Office at (978) 934-4220.