GEOM 1280 Surveying Principles and Practice

Fundamental field and office procedures for land measurement and boundary determination.

About this course

GEOM 1280 introduces the core skills needed for professional land surveying. You will spend time outdoors learning to set up and operate total stations, measure distances, and record angles with precision. Inside the lab, you will process that data, check your work, and turn raw numbers into usable survey results.

The course covers the full cycle of a basic survey project: from planning the field work and collecting data, to adjusting for small errors, and finally producing a simple plan. You will also learn how to read and write legal land descriptions, which is essential for boundary work.

Who takes this course

• Geomatics Technician

Credits: 3 · Hours: 60

Prerequisites

None

Learning outcomes

• Operate total stations and electronic distance measurement tools for precise distance and angle measurement.
• Conduct basic traverse surveys and adjust field notes for accuracy.
• Calculate area and volume using both manual methods and standard surveying software.
• Interpret legal descriptions and apply boundary determination principles.
• Produce clear field notes and draft simple survey plans following industry standards.

Evaluation