Overview
The Bachelor of Surveying (BSurv) degree is the only academic qualification available in Aotearoa New Zealand that leads to full professional recognition as a Registered Professional Surveyor. It is also the only qualification that is recognised as being an appropriate foundation for Licensing by the Cadastral Surveyors Licensing Board of New Zealand to carry out land title definition surveys for lodgement with the government.
Otago's BSurv degree is recognised for licensing in both East and West Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong. It is also recognised as a strong and appropriate professional degree for those seeking employment as a surveyor in the United Kingdom, USA, the Middle East, and Africa.
The degree takes four years and aims to produce a graduate skilled in the science of measurement, in the practical issues of land planning and development, and in the legal issues associated with land ownership and resource management. It also allows a student to pursue GIS studies and other specialist professional areas such as hydrographic surveying, photogrammetry, remote sensing, and the study of land tenure systems. The degree is characterised by its strong academic, practical and professional emphasis.
Contact
For any enquiries about the Bachelor of Surveying, please contact the School of Surveying's Course Advisers.
Email surveying.advice@otago.ac.nz
Programme requirements
Bachelor of Surveying (BSurv)
| Year | Papers | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1st year | SURV 120 Surveying and Spatial Science (or an approved equivalent) | 18 |
| SURV 130 People, Place and the Built Environment (or an approved equivalent) | 18 | |
| ENGL 228 Writing for the Professions (or approved equivalents) | 18 | |
| MATH 130 Fundamentals of Modern Mathematics 1 | 18 | |
| 54 further points | 54 | |
| 2nd year | SURV 201 Surveying Methods 1 | 18 |
| SURV 202 Surveying Mathematics | 18 | |
| SURV 203 Land Development Engineering 1 | 18 | |
| SURV 204 Land Development Engineering 2 | 18 | |
| SURV 205 Statutory Planning A | 18 | |
| SURV 206 Land Tenure 1 | 18 | |
| SURV 220 Geographic Information Science | 18 | |
| SURV 298 Introductory Field Camp | 0 | |
| 3rd year | SURV 301 Surveying Methods 2 | 18 |
| SURV 302 Geodetic Reference Systems and Network Analysis | 18 | |
| SURV 303 Urban Design 1 | 18 | |
| SURV 304 Land Development Engineering 3 | 18 | |
| SURV 306 Land Tenure 2 | 18 | |
| SURV 307 Cadastral Surveying 2 | 18 | |
| SURV 314 3D Reality Capture | 18 | |
| SURV 399 Third Year Field Course | 0 | |
| 4th year | SURV 320 Spatial Analysis and Visualisation | 18 |
| PMAN 401 Project Management | 18 | |
| SURV 450 Professional Practice | 18 | |
| SURV 455 Statutory Planning B | 18 | |
| SURV 499 Vacation Employment | 0 | |
| Plus | Additional papers worth at least 54 points from SURV 309, SURV 319, SURV 322, SURV 329, SURV 413, SURV 418, SURV 451, SURV 452 , SURV 453, SURV 456, SURV 457, SURV 458, SURV 459, SURV 462, SURV 463 , SURV 465, SURV 469, SURV 470, SURV 480 including at least 36 400-level points. | 54 |
|
Further papers in any subject to make a total of 522 points Notes: Approved equivalent papers may be substituted for any of SURV 120, 130, ENGL 228, MATH 130. Those candidates who have taken and passed 24 units of English at NCEA Level 3, at an appropriate standard, may be exempt the ENGL 228 requirement. These requirements apply to students who are commencing this programme in 2023. Students who enrolled in this programme in 2022 or earlier will normally complete the programme under the regulations in force when they first enrolled. Pre-2023 programme requirements can be found in the 2022 University of Otago Calendar and the 2022 Guide to Enrolment. If you have any questions regarding the structure of your degree, please contact surveying.advice@otago.ac.nz for further information. | 18 | |
| Total | 522 |
Regulations for the degree of Bachelor of Surveying (BSurv)
Regulations for the Bachelor of Surveying (BSurv) degree can be found on the BSurv qualification page:
Bachelor of Surveying (BSurv)
Fees for Surveying students
Surveying students are required to pay excursion and field camp fees for SURV 298 and SURV 399, in addition to the regular university tuition fees. A list of all additional costs is available from the School of Surveying and is also shown in the Surveying Student Handbook.
This information must be read subject to the statement on our Copyright & Disclaimer page.
Regulations on this page are taken from the 2025 Calendar and supplementary material.