What is Geomatics?

Geomatics is an integrated approach to the measurement, analysis, management, storage and display of descriptive, geographically-referenced earth-based data. The data comes from many sources including earth orbiting satellites, air and sea-borne sensors, and ground-based instruments. Geomatics has applications in all disciplines that depend on spatial data, including, surveying, civil engineering, mapping sciences, geographic information systems, geodesy, photogrammetry, and remote sensing.

The Geomatics Engineering program at A&T

The Geomatics Engineering Program, which was implemented in the fall of 2006, is a four-year degree program that leads to a Bachelor of Science in Engineering. It is the first and only four-year program in North Carolina to serve the surveying and geospatial community. The program is unique in design, allowing an easy transition for students coming from the community college survey technology programs as well as providing an opportunity for distance learning through on-line classes.

The curriculum has an emphasis on the areas of math, science, engineering, and geospatial analysis. Courses included are Cartography, Land Surveying, Boundary and Survey Law, Photogrammetry, Geographic Information Systems, Remote Sensing, Geodetic Science, Global Positioning Systems, and Adjustment Computations.

In the spring of the Senior year, students are eligible to sit for the Fundamentals of Land Surveying Exam, this exam is a prelude to professional licensure. Following two years of related field experience, graduates may take the Principles and Practices exam to receive professional licensure as a land surveyor.

What can you do with a Geomatics degree?

Students with a degree in Geomatics Engineering will have the opportunity to work in areas of traditional land and boundary surveying, land development, construction, photogrammetry, remote sensing, and geodesy. There is a high demand for surveyors from both the state and local governments as well as the private sector. It is common for graduates to have multiple job offers in the profession as well as remarkable opportunities for advancement. Currently, Geomatics professionals are averaging higher salaries than Civil Engineers. As the world’s population continues to expand so will the need for surveyors

Scholarship Opportunities

Local companies and professional organizations, such as the North Carolina Society of Surveyors, Inc., provide scholarships to qualified students in the Geomatics Program. You must meet the specific scholarship’s criteria and submit an application in order to be eligible

Internship Opportunities

As a part of the curriculum, the Geomatics Program requires that each student complete a summer internship. Normally this should occur between the sophomore and junior years, but it can just as easily occur following the freshman year, if an opportunity presents itself. Companies from across North Carolina, as well as other states, actively seek out our students for these opportunities. Since the area of Geomatics is so diverse, the internship allows each student to be exposed to different areas within the field.

Distance Learning Opportunities

Fall 2009 Distance Learning Courses

1. GEOM 270 Surveying Law
2. GEOM 340 Adjustment Computations I
3. CIEN 366 Hydraulics and Hydraulics
   
   
   
   Please check with the faculty to see if you are eligible to sit for these courses due to prerequisites.
   Cost per course can be found at http://fac.ncat.edu/dist/tuition_fees.html . It appears to be around $230.00 per course.

Fall 2009 Campus Courses

1. GEOM 210 Cartography
2. CAAE 204 Introduction to Surveying
3. GEOM 270 Surveying Law
4. GEOM 307 Automated Surveying and Mapping
5. GEOM 460 Satellite Positioning Systems
6. GEOM 470 Boundary and Legal Principles
7. GEOM 598 Senior Capstone Project I
   

Distance learning students may also take “campus” courses, and they will be administered through the Blackboard internet environment. But, these courses carry the full tuition "campus" cost.