Program Overview

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Survey Engineering Technician

Credential

Ontario College Diploma

Duration

Four semesters

Start Date(s)

September (Fall)

Locations

Belleville

Open to

Domestic Students

CIP Code

15.1102

On this page:

Find your career

Surveying is the foundation of most engineering projects. You might be involved in:

• Working with many industries, including construction, land development, government agencies, and mining and natural resource exploration.
• Pre-engineering surveys, laying out proposed structures and locating existing improvements.
• Assisting an Ontario land surveyor in locating property boundaries.
• Gathering data for use in geographic information systems.

Our grads get great jobs

• Survey Technician, Gifford Harris Surveying Ltd.
• Junior Party Chief, Mission Geospatial Ltd.
• Instrument/CAD Person, Marshall Macklin Monaghan Ltd.
• Junior Inspector, GD Jewell Engineering Inc.
• Paving Superintendent, Villeneuve Construction Co. Ltd.

This program has opened doors to opportunities I wouldn’t have had without coming to college. I learned to work with MicroSurvey, use AutoCAD and test the equipment surveyors use in the field. The hands-on experience I’ve gained will be invaluable as I start my career.

Alyssa, Survey Engineering Technician

Is it for you?

This can be a rewarding career for people who:

• Are curious and investigative.
• Like mastering the latest technology.
• Are physical and enjoy spending time outdoors.
• May enjoy running a crew or managing an office space.

How you'll learn

Experiential learning

Learning combines classroom instruction with computer lab and practical field exercises:

• Loyalist College offers the only specialized program for survey technicians in Ontario which prepares students for high-demand careers in cadastral land surveying and geomatics engineering.
• Gain extensive hands-on field surveying experience using current satellite positioning equipment (GNSS), total stations, and data collectors during practical survey projects on our wooded 200-acre Belleville campus.
• Using current versions of industry software including MicroSurvey, AutoCAD and AutoCAD Civil 3D, create a registered plan of a subdivision and engineering drawings for land development applications and highway design according to provincial and municipal standards.
• Make valuable job connections during an industry work placement.
• Graduates are eligible for certification with the Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists (OACETT).

Outstanding faculty make the difference

Learn in small classes with one-on-one attention from faculty:

• Faculty include experienced Ontario Land Surveyors and Registered Professional Engineers who have worked in government, private industry and built their own business.
• Professors have specialized experience with Global Information Systems and integrating Global Positioning Systems into automated machine control for heavy equipment.
• A wide network of industry contacts helps connect students with placements and jobs across the country.

Courses

Semester One

• BLDG1005 Building Methods & Materials
• CADD1004 CAD 1
• COMP1003 Engineering Applications
• SAFE2001 Field Safety
• SURV2001 Field Techniques
• SURV1000 Geomatics 1
• MATH1012 Math 1

Semester Two

• CADD1005 CAD 2
• SURV1004 Community Planning
• SURV1005 Geodectic Survey
• BLDG1004 Heavy Construction, Methods and Materials
• SURV1001 Highway Technology 1
• MATH1007 Mathematics 2
• SURV2002 Real Property Law
• SURV1003 Survey Law
• COMM1002 Technical Communications 1
• GNED1100 Becoming a Global Changemaker

Semester Three

• BLDG3006 Construction Supervision 1
• SAFE2001 Field Safety
• SURV2001 Field Techniques
• SURV2000 Geomatics 2
• BLDG2006 Highway Technology 2
• WKPL2034 Placement (Survey)
• SURV1011 Survey Drafting
• GNED General Education Elective

Semester Four

• SURV2005 Capstone Project
• SURV1004 Community Planning
• SURV1005 Geodectic Survey
• MUNI2001 Municipal Engineering 1
• SURV2002 Real Property Law
• BLDG3009 Remote Sensing
• SURV1003 Survey Law
• GNED General Education Elective

Admission requirements

Required academic preparation

• OSSD/OSSGD or equivalent with courses at the general, advanced, (C), (U) or (M) level, AND
• Grade 12 English (C) level or equivalent

OR

• Mature applicant

Recommended academic preparation

• Grade 11 and 12 Math (MCF 3M and MCT 4C)

Academic upgrading

Are you missing admission requirements? Discover how Career and College Prep at Loyalist can help you get started on your journey.

Costs

Domestic students

Approximate costs (2025 – 26, two semesters at full-time student status)

• Domestic Tuition: $2,722.08
• Full-Time Ancillary Fees: $1,595.26
• Total: $4,317.34

Additional student-purchased costs may include textbooks, supplies, software, and other resources. Additional expenses related to off-campus experiential learning activities may also be incurred.

Further study

Pathways and university transfer

What’s next? Build on the knowledge and skills you learned at Loyalist by continuing your academic journey. Return to Loyalist to complete a second diploma or a post-graduate program in as little as a year, or receive credit recognition for your Loyalist studies when pursuing a degree at a university. Explore pathway opportunities.

Professional certification

College graduates must apply to the Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists (OACETT) to be certified in Ontario. Loyalist Civil Engineering Technician and Technologist graduates meet the academic requirements for accreditation as a Certified Technician (C.Tech.). Applicants are also required to:

• Complete additional work experience.
• Provide peer references.
• Pass a Professional Practice Examination administered by OACETT, offered four times a year.

Autodesk certification

Students are eligible to take the Autodesk certification exams at Loyalist College. Completing these industry-recognized credentials enables students to highlight that they have the in-demand skills employers are seeking.

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