Frequently Asked Questions
  • Q. What is the difference between Surveying Technology and Surveying Engineering?
  • A. The Surveying Technology program is an associate degree in surveying, where the Surveying Engineering program is a baccalaureate degree in surveying engineering.

 

  • Q. What are the admission requirements for Surveying Engineering?
  • A. Admission to surveying engineering requires readiness to start at calculus 1 or higher. This means that a student coming directly from high school should have a MATH ACT score of 26 or higher. Admission to the surveying technology requires readiness to take Intermediate Algebra, or a MATH ACT score of 19 or higher. Students with lower ability in MATH can be accepted as a Pre-Surveying Technology student, when the admission requirements for either program are met, the student will be admitted either in surveying technology or surveying engineering. Click here to find out more about admission to FSU.

 

  • Q. Why should I choose Ferris State University to study surveying?
  • A. The following are, but a few of the reasons why:
    1. The largest undergraduate program in the US.
    2. The largest faculty group and support staff within Surveying Engineering.
    3. The best equipped laboratories field surveying instruments including GPS receivers, total stations, digital levels, laser scanner, digital photogrammetry and GIS software, and much more.
    4. Small class sizes.
    5. Classes including laboratory components are taught by faculty not graduate students.
    6. Numerous available scholarships.

 

  • Q. Can I start in the program in January if I missed the fall semester?
  • A. Yes, there are multiple entry points to both surveying technology and surveying engineering programs.

 

  • Q. Are there any scholarships available for students?
  • A. There are a number of scholarships given annually to the junior and senior students. Click here to see the details about the scholarships.

 

  • Q. Are there any student organizations that I can get involved?
  • A. Yes, there are two very active student organizations in surveying engineering. They include: The Burt and Mullet Student Chapter of ACSM, and the Lambda Sigma national honor society.

 

  • Q. What courses can I transfer to surveying engineering?
  • A. There are a number of courses that can be taken at a community college or a four-year university that will transfer. Click here to see transfer equivalencies from your school.

 

  • Q. Do you offer any courses online?
  • A. The only online program currently offered at Ferris is the two-course sequence certificate in GIS, normally offered during summers.

 

  • Q. Are graduates finding employment?
  • A. At present time there are two to three positions available for every graduate. Click here to see an Alumni Survey on job placement.

 

  • Q. Where do the graduates work?
  • A. Graduates find employment in surveying and engineering organizations in the private sector, federal, state, county and city government agencies such as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Departments of Transportation, National Geodetic Survey (NGS), Forest Service, National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA), and city and county engineering offices.

 

  • Q. I see that the BS in Surveying Engineering is ABET accredited, what is ABET, anyway?
  • A. Actually, the Surveying Engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. ABET is a nonprofit organization with four commissions that accredit programs in Applied Science, Computing, Engineering, and Technology mostly in the US but also in other parts of the world. Click here to learn more about ABET.

 

  • Q. Can I get licensed as a Professional Surveyor (PS) in Michigan with only an associate degree?
  • A. No, the State of Michigan requires a four-year degree acceptable to the Board for licensure as a Professional Surveyor.