Study Surveying / Surveying Measurement at Otago

Why study Surveying?

The Bachelor of Surveying (BSurv) is a four-year professional degree that allows both inside and outside work, has great employment prospects, and gives you an internationally recognised skill.

You'll become a specialist in precise measurement and an expert in land law and land ownership. You'll learn to subdivide land and assess its development potential, undertake city and environmental planning, design urban infrastructure, and prepare resource consents. It even gives you the skills to map the ocean floor.

To complement your lectures, you will gain hands-on experience in practical classes, computer labs and on field trips.

Over the last 15 years BSurv graduates have had as good a record of employment as surveyors and geospatial professionals. There is typically more demand than we can supply for our graduates.

This degree is internationally recognised for its quality and broad scope. It will really open up your world.

Background required

The ideal secondary school subjects are English, Geography, Physics, Maths with Calculus and Maths with Statistics. If you’ve taken other subjects we can work out a suitable study programme for you in your first year at university.

Career opportunities

The BSurv degree is the only academic qualification offered in New Zealand that will lead to licensing by the Cadastral Surveyors Licensing Board – a licence to carry out land title surveys that is also recognised in all Australian states. It can also lead to full Professional membership of Surveying + Spatial NZ (formerly the NZ Institute of Surveyors).

Because Otago graduates have the skills to take on the full range of surveying activities immediately, you will have a wide variety of options, both in New Zealand and overseas. You might begin with a private sector company here in New Zealand involved in defining land boundaries, mapping and designing subdivisions (including roads, stormwater and sewerage systems), and preparing resource consents. Alternatively you might work for a government agency or a local authority, in their policy planning or GIS departments.

Some graduates do scientific research while others travel the world undertaking seismic surveys, mining, hydrographic surveying, or ensuring that the foundations for buildings and major engineering structures are correctly positioned. Others are involved in defining national and international boundaries for the United Nations. Many end up as consultants running their own businesses.

Most surveying jobs are roughly 50/50 inside/outside — at least in the early years. If you choose a planning option, it will be considerably less outside. If you choose project surveying it will be more.

What you can expect to earn depends upon your personal skills, where you are and how quickly you learn. Starting salaries for most New Zealand-based graduates are approximately $55,000. Those working offshore would start on about $80,000 or more.

The challenges are many and the work is exciting. It is this variety and diversity that makes surveying such an enjoyable profession.

What you will learn?

Your first year covers introductory papers in surveying, mathematics, spatial science and communication plus electives of your choice. The remainder of your degree focuses on a number of core subjects:

Surveying methods gives you hands-on experience in using and calibrating surveying equipment. You learn about GPS (global positioning), and how to determine your position anywhere on Earth. You also learn the science of measurement (both on land and on the oceans), and how to analyse and use the data you collect.

Papers in land tenure studies trace the development and application of land law in New Zealand in both Māori and Pakeha contexts. Combine this with cadastral surveying and you will be able to calculate and lay out land boundaries

Papers in subdivision design and land development introduce principles of urban and rural design. You learn how to value land and design housing developments, including services such as roading and sewerage. A specialist paper on project management gives you the skills to convert designs into reality and managing construction contacts.

Land planning papers explore the history of New Zealand’s planning legislation, deal with the practical application of the Resource Management Act and examine environmental ethics.

Finally, papers on how to use spatial data enable you to integrate all the above activities into geographic information systems (GIS) software.

Qualifications

Explore your study options further. Refer to enrolment information found on the following qualification pages.

• Bachelor of Applied Science (BAppSc) majoring in Geographic Information Systems
• Bachelor of Arts and Science (BASc) majoring in Geographic Information Systems (science major)
• Bachelor of Commerce and Science (BComSc) majoring in Geographic Information Systems (science major)
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) majoring in Land Planning and Development or Surveying Measurement
• Bachelor of Surveying (BSurv)
• Bachelor of Surveying with Honours (BSurv(Hons))
• Postgraduate Diploma in Science (PGDipSci) in Surveying
• Master of Science (MSc) in Surveying
• Master of Surveying (MSurv)
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Key information for future students

• Domestic students
• International students

Contact us

School of Surveying

Email surveying@otago.ac.nz
Website otago.ac.nz/surveying

This information must be read subject to the statement on our Copyright & Disclaimer page.

Regulations on this page are taken from the 2023 Calendar and supplementary material.