The St. Cloud State University
Land Surveying Program
MSPS Annual Convention February 1, 2008
Professor Ken Wong
Director of Land Surveying
Department of Geography
kwwong@stcloudstate.edu
Evolution of the Land Surveying
Program
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MLSA
Program at SCSU
New faculty 2000, second faculty 2004
Program progress and development
ABET accreditation 2005
MSPS support
The Future – and beyond 2008
Minnesota Land Surveyors
Association
1. Upgrading the profession’s education
2. Mandated the Bachelor’s degree in
Surveying from an ABET accredited
institution 1985
2. The debate of the degree requirement
3. Educational requirements of neighboring
states and across the nation
The Land Surveying Program
1. MLSA lobbied universities in Minnesota
2. The Geography department in 1995 agreed
to set up a Bachelor of Science degree in
Land Surveying and Mapping Science with a
GIS Minor
a. Early emphasis was in GIS
b. Four courses evolved to year 2000;
GEOG 335 Land Surveying, GEOG 336 Advanced Surveying,
GEOG 435 Boundary Law, GEOG 436 GPS/GIS
Surveying Faculty
1. Ken Wong was hired in 2000 from Canada
2. A new nine course (27 credits) surveying
curriculum was set up and approved by the
university by spring 2001 which became the
basis for ABET accreditation
3. Henry Hochmair was hired in 2004 from
Austria
Program Progress and Development
since 2000
1. Students in the B. Sc. Land Surveying major
increased from 25 to over 100 since 2000
2. Surveying course offerings – most courses
are available on ITV/web, class sizes 17 to 42
3. Interactive Television and the web offerings
4. Graduates – 75 since year 1995
5. Surveying Scholarships (in excess of $24k
annually), MSPS, ACSM, MSES, ACECM, Ulteig,
Westwood
Program Progress and Development
since 2000 (2)
6. ‘Categories’ of students
Bachelor of Science (100+),
Bachelor of Elective Studies in Land Surveying (25+)
Undergraduate Certificate in Land Surveying (5)
Or ‘simply’ take a surveying course(s)
7. Surveyors from the profession are invited to
speak in surveying courses
8. Equipment acquisition – funding from MSPS,
MACS and matching funds from SCSU
Program Progress and Development
since 2000 (3)
9. Articulation agreements in Minnesota and
neighboring states – 12
10. The National Fundamentals of Surveying FS
examination
• SCSU students in the last semester may write the national FS
examination in April (or October)
• SCSU Passing rates
• Students from MN on passing FS are LSIT if they possess
Bachelor’s degree in surveying or other degrees
The Four-Year Degree at SCSU
• 120 credits for bachelor’s degree
• Transfer credits from colleges
– Averages 45 to 54 credits incl. Gen. Ed.
SCSU requires:
• General Education credits – 41 or MTC
– Electives to reach 120 credits
• Land Surveying credits – 60
Articulation Transfers
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Dunwoody Institute, Minneapolis MN – 2 yr.*
Lake Superior College, Duluth MN
N. Dakota College of Sciences, Wahpeton ND
NE Wisconsin Technical College, Tampa Bay WI
Nicolet Community College, Rhinelander WI
Rochester Community College, Rochester MN*
St. Cloud Technical College, St. Cloud MN
St. Paul College, St. Paul MN
S. Central Technical College, Mankato MN*
SE Technical College, Sioux Falls SD
Land Surveying Curriculum 1
Surveying subjects – all 3 credits adopted 2001:
GEOG 335 Land Surveying
GEOG 336 Control and Geodetic Surveying
GEOG 433 Cadastral Surveys
GEOG 435 Boundary Law
GEOG 436 GPS/GIS Integration
GEOG 438 Geodesy and Survey Adjustments
GEOG 439 Survey Seminar
SEOG 444 Surveying Internship
GEOG 455 Urban Site Development
Land Surveying Curriculum 2
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GIS and Cartography – all 3 credits
GEOG 216 Principles of GI Science
GEOG 316 Introduction to GIS
GEOG 350 Remote Sensing
GEOG 394 Int. to Urban Planning
GEOG 402 Techniques in GIS
GEOG 406 Thematic Cartography
GEOG 462 Concepts in Spatial Analysis
– GIS minor by taking GEOG 407, GEOG 408
Land Surveying Curriculum 3
Mathematics
• MATH 221 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I (5 CR)
• MATH 222 Calculus and Analytic Geometry II (4 CR)
• STAT 229 Statistics for Physical Sciences (3)
• Summary of Land Surveying major:
– Surveying [27 credits]
– GIS/Cartography [21 credits]
– Mathematics [12 credits]
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Total: 60 credits
Planning ahead prior to SCSU while at Tech
• ABET requires 9 credits in science Astronomy 100, Physics 100, Computing
•
100, Chemistry 100, Biology 100
College Algebra, Trigonometry, Calculus I, GEOG 216
Why Pursue Further Surveying Education?
• Bachelor’s degree in Surveying required
for licensure as a Land Surveyor in MN
• Self-employed/partner, own company
• A broader horizon of the profession *
• A great future as a Surveyor, shortage in
MN and the US [low numbers are not just
MN problem]
• Recognition as an educated Professional *
College Planning for Further Surveying
Education
• What can you plan now for ‘then’?
• Can I endure another 2.5 years of study/poverty after XXXX Technical
College?
• Can I handle this academic program in Land Surveying?
It may not be as easy as it appears - courses may ‘look’ easy!!!
• How are my mathematical skills? Study ethic
• Do I have enough survey work experience?
• University education is not for everyone, YOU
decide what is best for you, assess your own
abilities
In General Education (pre-calculus)
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College Algebra
Trigonometry
Take as much Gen Ed courses as possible
Plan academically for Calculus and statistics
ABET Accredited in 2005
• Accreditation Board for Engineering
Technologies ABET – national
• Bachelor of Science in Land Surveying is
accredited – not BES
• Accredited with retroactivity to October 1,
2004 - September 30, 2008, for a period of 4
years
• Accreditation is an on-going process, with
periodic re-accreditation
ABET Accredited (2)
Other issues:
- Faculty salary
- Future Faculty
- Annual progress reports if needed to ABET
- On-going process (re-accreditation in 4 to 6 years)
- Recording of student grades (office of the Registrar)
- Low student numbers are not a problem at SCSU
MSPS and SCSU
• Minnesota Society of Professional Surveyors
MSPS Financial Support and SCSU Matching
Program
• Since 2001
– Equipment (GPS equipment)
– Software (AutoCAD, Starnet)
– Equipment maintenance and software update
MSPS and SCSU (2)
• MSPS support
– SCSU Land Surveying Industrial Advisory
Committee IAC
– Speakers in surveying courses
– Curriculum development
– On-going financial support
The Future – 2008 and Beyond
1. The national push for a Bachelor’s degree
2. Program (course) delivery and the web
3. The present accreditation expires September
30, 2008
4. New equipment and new curriculum
5. Professor Ken Wong’s pending departure and a
new search for replacement in January 2008
6. Student enrollment
7. The national survey education scene
The Future – 2008 and Beyond
The National ‘push’ for the bachelor’s degree
1. The reality of the degree and faculty
2. Degree requirement for licensure across the
country
3. MN is an ‘island’ with degree
4. Lack of students entering the profession and
the universities. Some states are
‘considering’ to ‘going back’
The Future – 2008 and Beyond
Program (course) Delivery
1. ITV and the web growing (From the total of 102
students on the web - 27 was off-campus. From the 27 off
campus - 19 has a previous degree)
2. Dual sections, currently two sections of
GEOG 335 and GEOG 336
3. Two sections should be offered in GEOG 455
The Future – 2008 and Beyond
ACCREDITATION
• The SCSU Land Surveying accreditation expires
September 30, 2008 resulting in another
Self-Study
• What is accreditation?
• Why accreditation?
• On-going assessment – graduate and employer
surveys
• Documentation in minutes and emails
The Future – 2008 and Beyond
New Equipment and Curriculum
1. Robotics
2. Potential new courses to Land Surveying
a. Business course(s)
b. Split present GEOG 438 (Geodesy and
Survey Adjustments) into two separate
courses with respective names
The Future – 2008 and Beyond
• Professor Ken Wong’s pending departure and
a new search for replacement in January
2008
– New faculty search for replacement January 08
– Stay for Orientation of new faculty during fall 08
– Higher salary schedule
The Future – 2008 and Beyond
• STUDENT ENROLLMENT
1. Presently total of over 140 students in three
categories
2. Most students are part time, with about 40 full
time students
3. ITV /web will be integral part to maintain high
student numbers
4. Anticipated B.Sc. & BES graduates
per year: 14
The Future – 2008 and Beyond
THE NATIONAL SURVEYING EDUCATION SCENE
1. Lack of students entering universities and
graduating less than 300 per year
2. Future is great for graduates
3. Lack of SURVEYING faculty
4. University Surveying program closures
5. Number of university surveying programs in
the US – approximately 22
Surveying Programs in Universities
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Alabama – Troy State University*
Arkansas – University of Arkansas
Alaska – University of Alaska*
California – California State Polytechnic
University*, California State University*
• Colorado – Metropolitan State College of
Denver*
• Florida – University of Florida*
* ABET accredited
Surveying Programs in Universities
• Georgia – Southern Polytechnic State
University*
• Idaho – Idaho State University*
• Illinois – Southern Illinois University
• Indiana – Purdue University*
• Kansas – Kansas State University
• Kentucky – University of Kentucky
• Louisiana – Nicholls State University
Surveying Programs in Universities
• Maine – University of Maine
• Michigan – Ferris State University*, Michigan
Technological University*
• Minnesota – St. Cloud State University*
• Mississippi – Mississippi State University
• Missouri – Southern Missouri State
University
• Montana – Montana State University
Surveying Programs in Universities
• Nevada – Great Basin College
• New Jersey – New Jersey Institute of
Technology*, Thomas Edison State College,
Rutgers University
• New Mexico – New Mexico State University*
• New York – Alfred State University
• Ohio – Ohio State University*, University of
Akron*
Surveying Programs in Universities
• Oklahoma – Oklahoma State University
• Oregon – Oregon Institute of Technology*,
Oregon State University
• Pennsylvania – Pennsylvania State
University*
• Puerto Rico – Polytechnic University of
Puerto Rico, University of Puerto Rico
• Tennessee – East Tennessee State University*
Surveying Programs in Universities
• Texas – Texas A&M University*, University of
Texas at Tyler
• Virginia – Old Dominion University*
• Wyoming – University of Wyoming*
• ‘Former’ programs – U of C at Berkley, U of
Iowa, U of Minnesota, U of Washington, U of
Wisconsin
The Future – 2008 and Beyond
• US surveying programs exist but ‘with
difficulties’
• Accreditation of surveying programs
• Future faculty searches at SCSU
• Lack of surveying faculty
The Future – 2008 and Beyond
• 1. The education challenge
• 2. The student numbers challenge and
graduates
• 3. The licensing challenge
• 4. Surveying faculty