Beginning in July 2003, Tennessee will require all licensed professional surveyors to have a bachelor’s degree in surveying in addition to hands on experience.
Dr. Marian M. Clark, the coordinator for ETSU’s surveying and mapping science, says the B.S. degree in surveying and mapping that ETSU has to offer is the only one accredited in Tennessee.
“We have a four-year degree in surveying and mapping science which is the only one of it’s kind in the state of Tennessee, and one out of only 10 in the nation that has the accreditation that we have, she said.”
Clark also notes that the university is expanding their surveying and mapping degree program to include Internet courses. “We’ve recently started having some of our courses available online in conjunction with the Tennessee Board of Regents Online Program that began last fall,” she said. “There are currently 11 credits (three classes) that are available online through Internet or web-enhanced courses.”
Clark also says she is in the process of developing two new Internet courses she hopes to add to the curriculum over the summer.
Clark also pointed out the benefits of pursuing a career in surveying.
She says the salary for an experienced surveyor is expected to exceed that of an engineer.
Another benefit is that surveying offers a variety of experiences with no two days being the same.
“Everyday is a new experience,” she said. “One day, you might be doing a survey for a lady who lives in town on a small lot, and the next, you may be out in the country on a 50-acre tract.”
“We work with real estate agents, lawyers, construction contractors, and the highway department, she said. “We rub elbows with a lot of different professions while getting our contracts and clients.”
She also stated that nearly 75 percent of the university’s graduates in this profession eventually own their own business.
Clark also stressed the high demand for surveyors in the region.
She says that despite the shaky economy, there is still a large need for surveying and mapping professionals.
“As long as people are buying and selling houses they will need our services,” she said.
For more information on the university’s surveying and mapping degree program, call Clark at 439-7656.

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