There are different types of land surveyor courses available to meet people's needs in the surveying field. Beginning, or introductory, courses teach the skills needed to start working as a land surveyor, basic information about laws and rights of the landowners, and tools used to do the job. More advanced courses teach information that can help surveyors become more successful at the job, including courses on making computations, plane surveying, and public land surveying. A bachelor of science in surveying is more advanced and includes land surveyor courses such as technical writing, advanced analysis, and mathematics.
The first course a surveying student takes is an introduction to the land surveying field. This course covers information that can help a student decide if land surveying is the right field for him or her. Information on property laws, land ownership, and property records is given. Students are taught basic information on how to establish property boundaries and the tools used to do so. Information on map-making is provided so that students can begin to learn about the intricacies of the subject.
After the introductory course is completed, students can begin to take slightly more advanced land surveyor courses, including those in mathematics. Computations are a necessary part of doing the job, and students learn how to use geometry to measure the land. Additional mathematics is learned in courses such as trigonometry and advanced computations, which looks at spherical and Cartesian coordinates. Individuals pursuing a bachelor's degree in land surveying take land surveyor courses in calculus and analytic geometry to provide a more in-depth look at the mathematics used in the field.
Land surveyor courses that focus on one particular area of land surveying in greater detail are offered in many training programs. Plane surveying is the study of what is done in the field by land surveyors. This course goes into much greater detail about the equipment and measurements that are gathered, and is offered in a hands-on format. Public land surveying courses study government land and teach students the proper ways to survey it.
Students working towards a bachelor's degree, or those who simply wish to learn more advanced surveying information, can take additional courses. Technical writing teaches students how to accurately write about the information that they gather. Advanced analysis looks at statistical methods that are used in surveying. Legal information is offered in greater detail in a course that focuses specifically on the subject.