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Students surveying the landscape
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Land Surveying

Overview

About This Program

Finding points and lines can be a complicated task, but being able to undertake this job with information from GIS management, GPS applications, and best practices gives you a solid foundation for a Land Surveying Career. Often part of an advanced degree, the Land Surveying program provides the skills needed to work as a technician or transfer to become a certified land surveyor.

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At-a-Glance

Degrees & Credits

A.A.S. Degree (60 credits)

Certificate (23 credits)

Campus
Vermilion

Program Features

A variety of activities and classes
  • General outdoor skills, problem-solving techniques, computer mapping skills, and applications of land surveying skills
  • Math classes including Calculus, Trigonometry, Statistics
  • History of land surveying
  • Surveying and real estate laws
  • Instructors with field experience and best practices expertise
Student using land surveying equipment
Career Opportunities

Many options for Associate's and Bachelor's degrees

Students completing the Land Surveying program are eligible for immediate employment at the Land Surveying Technician level. To complete your requirements to be a licensed land surveyor in the state of Minnesota, students are required to transfer on to complete a bachelor degree program in a related field. Associate careers include Cartographic Technician, Engineering Technician, Geodetic Technician, Survey Technician. Bachelor careers include Professional Surveyor, Photogrammetrist, GIS Manager, and GPS Systems Professional

Faculty

Rita Koch

Natural Resources Faculty

218-235-2160

Ryan Miller

Natural Resources Faculty

218-235-2180

Meet Our Alumni

Chris Foley

B.S. in Land Surveying and Mapping Science; minor in Geographic Information Science

Saint Cloud State University

Program
Land Surveying

Education and experience
While attending VCC I worked a summer internship at Bear Island Surveying in Ely. After graduating with my A.S. in Land Surveying in 2009 I enrolled at Saint Cloud State University and received a B.S. in Land Surveying and Mapping Science with a minor in Geographic Information Science. While at SCSU I worked a summer internship at the City of Bloomington, Minnesota, on a survey crew. After graduation, I went to work in the field and eventually transitioned into an office position. After satisfying all of the state and federal requirements I passed the Professional Surveyor exam and the Minnesota Land Surveyor exam, making me a licensed land surveyor in the state of Minnesota in 2017

Current employer
Westwood Professional Services located In St. Cloud, Minnesota.

Position
Project Surveyor. I am involved in every aspect of surveying in our office from resource management to the technical and business end of things.

Favorite VCC memory
Learning math from Shawn Bina- I never knew calculus contained so many “animals” and “houses” but the way he taught me really clicked. Small class sizes with instructors that yearned for class participation- I always felt that as long as I attended class and participated I did fine. Whenever I struggled with a unit I always made sure to utilize the instructor’s office hours or work with a teacher’s aide when available. All of my instructors wanted me to succeed and as long as I put in the effort they were more than willing to spend 1-on-1 time with me. That was something that I think is extremely valuable at VCC. Forest Field Skills and Dendrology- Those were my two favorite classes!

Additional Information

Transferability

Students interested in becoming a licensed land surveyor in the state of Minnesota are required to complete a bachelor’s degree in land surveying. Specific articulation agreements are set with St Cloud State University and Michigan Technological University.