Bachelor of Science in Geomatics
Program Educational Objectives
Within a few years of graduation, graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Geomatics:
- Have attempted NCEES Fundamentals of Surveying examination or other professional certification/registration, e.g. FS, PS, CP or GISP, as appropriate for their career path in a geomatics discipline
- Obtain membership in one or more professional organizations relevant to their career of choice.
- Be employed in the fields within the geomatics disciplines, including surveying of various types, mapping and cartography, GIS/LIS, remote sensing, geodesy, photogrammetry or hydrographic surveying.
- Continue their professional development by participating in professional development courses or sessions, or complete higher education courses.
- Teach at least one workshop or training session, make one conference presentation, or publish one article relevant to their career.
Admission Requirements
Complete the Admission Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees.
Preparation
Students seeking the Bachelor of Science (BS) in Geomatics should prepare for entrance into the program by completing the following high school courses:
- Mathematics - Algebra II, trigonometry
- Science - Natural sciences such as chemistry, physics, biology or geology
- English Composition - Skill level as demonstrated by ACT, SAT or approved placement test to qualify for enrollment in WRTG A111
The University offers courses to help students without this preparation to meet the skill level required in the geomatics program. Insufficient preparation will increase the number of semesters required to complete the degree.
Advising
All undergraduate students are encouraged to meet with their academic advisor each semester for the purpose of reviewing their academic progress and planning future courses. It is particularly important for students to meet with their advisor whenever academic difficulties arise.
Students are encouraged to consult the faculty in the Department of Geomatics for assistance in designing their course of study to ensure that all prerequisites have been met and that university and degree requirements are understood and followed.
Academic Requirements
A student who is unable to earn a minimum satisfactory grade of C in the major requirement courses during their initial enrollment may attempt to earn a satisfactory grade one additional time on a space-available basis. Failure to earn a minimum grade of C on the second attempt may result in removal from the geomatics program.
Graduation Requirements
- Complete the General University Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees.
- Complete the General Education Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees.
- Complete the following major requirements with a minimum grade of C:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| Complete 15 credits from the following with at least one lab: | 15 | |
| Solar System Astronomy and Solar System Astronomy Laboratory | ||
| Introductory Biology and Introductory Biology Laboratory | ||
| Introduction to Oceanography and Introduction to Oceanography Laboratory | ||
| General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Laboratory | ||
| Environmental Science: Systems and Processes and Environmental Science: Systems and Processes Laboratory | ||
| Earth Systems: Elements of Physical Geography | ||
| Physical Geology and Physical Geology Laboratory | ||
| Environmental Geology and Environmental Geology Laboratory | ||
| College Physics I and College Physics I Laboratory | ||
| General Physics I and General Physics I Laboratory | ||
| College Physics II and College Physics II Laboratory | ||
| General Physics II and General Physics II Laboratory | ||
| Complete the following courses: | ||
| BA A300 | Organizational Theory and Behavior | 3 |
| ESM A450 | Economic Analysis and Operations | 3 |
| GEO A146 | Geomatics Computations I | 3 |
| GEO A156 & A156L | Geospatial Measurement I and Geospatial Measurement I Laboratory | 3 |
| GEO A246 | Geomatics Computations II | 3 |
| GEO A267 | Boundary Law I | 3 |
| GEO A357 | Photogrammetry | 3 |
| GEO A359 | Geodesy and Map Projections | 3 |
| GEO A364 | Spatial Data Adjustments I | 3 |
| GEO A460 | Geomatics Capstone Project | 3 |
| GEO A466 & A466L | Geopositioning and Geopositioning Laboratory | 3 |
| GIS A101 | Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | 3 |
| GIS A201 | Intermediate Geographic Information Systems | 3 |
| GIS A351 | Remote Sensing | 3 |
| MATH A151 & MATH A152 | College Algebra for Calculus and Trigonometry | 5-7 |
| or MATH A155 | Precalculus | |
| MATH A251 | Calculus I | 4 |
| MATH A252 | Calculus II | 4 |
| PHIL A305 | Professional Ethics | 3 |
| STAT A253 | Applied Statistics for the Sciences | 4 |
| WRTG A212 | Writing and the Professions | 3 |
| Complete one of the following: | 3-4 | |
| Calculus III | ||
| Linear Algebra | ||
| Intermediate Statistics for the Sciences | ||
| Total | 83-86 | |
Choose one of the following concentration areas: surveying, geographic information systems (GIS), or developer.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Surveying Concentration | ||
| GEO A157 | Computer-Aided Drafting for Surveyors | 3 |
| GEO A256 & A256L | Engineering Surveying and Engineering Surveying Laboratory | 3 |
| GEO A266 & A266L | Geospatial Measurement II and Geospatial Measurement II Laboratory | 3 |
| GEO A366 | Spatial Data Adjustments II | 3 |
| GEO A369 | Cadastral Surveys | 3 |
| GEO A410 | High-Density Surveying | 3 |
| GEO A457 | Boundary Law II | 3 |
| PEP A112 | First Aid and CPR for Professionals | 1 |
| Complete 3 credits from the following: | 3 | |
| City and Regional Planning | ||
| Land Development and Design | ||
| Point Cloud Analysis | ||
| Hydrographic Surveying | ||
| Selected Advanced Topics in Geomatics | ||
| Spatial Data Structures | ||
| Spatial Data Management | ||
| Spatial Analysis | ||
| Image Analysis | ||
| Total | 25 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Concentration | ||
| GEO A410 | High-Density Surveying | 3 |
| GEO A420 | Point Cloud Analysis | 3 |
| GIS A301 | Spatial Data Structures | 3 |
| GIS A458 | Spatial Data Management | 3 |
| GIS A466 | Spatial Analysis | 3 |
| GIS A467 | Image Analysis | 3 |
| Complete 6 credits from the following: | 6 | |
| Computer Programming I | ||
| Object-Oriented Programming I | ||
| Database Systems | ||
| Computer-Aided Drafting for Surveyors | ||
| Engineering Surveying and Engineering Surveying Laboratory | ||
| Geospatial Measurement II and Geospatial Measurement II Laboratory | ||
| City and Regional Planning | ||
| Land Development and Design | ||
| Spatial Data Adjustments II | ||
| Hydrographic Surveying | ||
| Selected Advanced Topics in Geomatics | ||
| First Aid and CPR for Professionals | ||
| Total | 24 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Developer Concentration | ||
| CSCE A201 | Computer Programming I | 4 |
| CSCE A222 | Object-Oriented Programming I | 3 |
| CSCE A360 | Database Systems | 3 |
| GEO A420 | Point Cloud Analysis | 3 |
| GIS A301 | Spatial Data Structures | 3 |
| GIS A458 | Spatial Data Management | 3 |
| GIS A466 | Spatial Analysis | 3 |
| GIS A467 | Image Analysis | 3 |
| Total | 25 | |
A minimum of 120 credits is required for the degree, of which 42 must be upper-division.
Honors in Geomatics
Undergraduate students may be recognized for exceptional performance by earning departmental honors in geomatics. In order to receive honors, a student must meet each of the following requirements:
- Complete all requirements for a BS in Geomatics.
- Meet the UAA requirements for Graduation with Honors.
-
Have a GPA of 3.50 or higher in their courses required for the major. Document a minimum of eight weeks of work experience while a student at the University of Alaska Anchorage in Geomatics or related position.
Licensure and/or Certification
Graduates of the BS in Geomatics gain four years of education credit toward obtaining a Professional Land Surveyor license in Alaska.
Students planning to seek a professional license or certificate in a state other than Alaska are required to contact the UAA offering department before enrolling to determine if the program meets the licensing/certification requirements of the state in which they wish to practice.
Program Student Learning Outcomes
Students graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Geomatics will have an ability to:
- Identify, formulate, and solve broadly-defined technical or scientific problems by applying knowledge of mathematics and science and/or technical topics to areas relevant to the discipline.
- Formulate or design a system, process, procedure or program to meet desired needs.
- Develop and conduct experiments or test hypotheses, analyze and interpret data and use scientific judgment to draw conclusions
- Communicate effectively with a range of audiences
- Understand ethical and professional responsibilities and the impact of technical and/or scientific solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
- Function effectively on teams that establish goals, plan tasks, meet deadlines, and analyze risk and uncertainty.
- Apply knowledge in all six areas of surveying and mapping:
- Field surveying and methods;
- Photogrammetric mapping, image interpretation and remote sensing;
- Surveying calculation and data adjustment;
- Geodetic coordinates and astronomy;
- Cartographic representation, projections, and map production;
- Computer-based multipurpose cadastre, geographic information systems.