If you’d like to prepare for a career in a growing field that won’t confine you to an office, then check out the Geomatic Engineering Technology associate degree program at Bellingham Technical College. You can put your math and computer skills to work as a surveying and mapping technician or land surveyor in a construction firm; a surveying and engineering firm; a mining, oil or gas company; a public utility; or a government agency, such as U.S. Geological Survey, Department of Natural Resources, the Bureau of Land Management, or the U.S. Forestry Service.
BTC’s associate degree in Geomatics includes training in GIS, AutoCAD and GPS skills, as well as gain a working knowledge of Washington laws and standards related to surveying, boundaries and map preparation.
Data are provided on a program (not credential) level
79%1 BTC graduate placement rate (Employment Security Department- WA and OR only)
96%3 BTC graduate placement rate (faculty-tracked, national)
96%3 BTC in-field graduate placement rate (faculty-tracked, national)
$59,305 starting annual wage2
$69,440 average annual wage2
$83,501 potential annual wage2
Students may begin working toward this degree quarterly.
Admissions application and assessment testing in Reading, Math and Writing is required. Your score on the test and/or your previous transcripts will determine where you begin your course sequence. Contact Admissions at 360.752.8345 or at admissions@btc.edu for assistance with academic planning.
AMATH 111 | Applied Technical Math | 5 CR |
(Can substitute MATH& 141 for AMATH 111) |
ENGL& 101 | English Composition I | 5 CR |
CMST& 220 | Public Speaking | 5 CR |
(Can substitute CMST& 210 for CMST& 220) |
TOTAL Academic Core Course Credits | 15 CR |
ENGR 115 | Graphics | 5 CR |
ENGT 134 | AutoCAD I | 5 CR |
ENGT 135 | AutoCAD II | 5 CR |
TOTAL Engineering Core Course Credits | 15 CR |
CET 102 | Fundamentals Of Surveying I | 5 CR |
CET 103 | Fundamentals Of Surveying II | 5 CR |
CET 110 | Construction And Highway Surveys | 5 CR |
ENGT 132 | Engineering Applications Using MS Office | 5 CR |
CET 141 | Fundamentals Of GIS & GPS | 5 CR |
CET 142 | Intermediate GIS | 5 CR |
CET 143 | Advanced GIS Applications | 5 CR |
CET 205 | Survey of Public Lands | 5 CR |
CET 210 | Boundary Law & Land Description | 5 CR |
CET 215 | Environmental Mapping | 5 CR |
CET 220 | GPS Systems | 5 CR |
CET 225 | Advanced Survey Seminar | 5 CR |
CET 251 | AutoCAD Civil 3D I | 5 CR |
TOTAL Geomatics Core Course Credits | 65 CR |
BIOL& 160 | General Biology w/ Lab | 5 CR |
BUS 123 | Records Management | 3 CR |
CAP 101 | Microsoft Computer Applications | 5 CR |
ECON& 201 | Micro Economics | 5 CR |
TOTAL Engineering Elective Credits | 3 CR |
Any CENG, CET, ENET or ENGT course 100 level or higher* |
Any Chemistry course 100 level or higher |
Any Math course 141 or higher* |
Any Physics course 100 level or higher |
*Courses taken to meet General Education, Program Core, or Program Specialty requirements may not be used to meet the Elective requirements. |
Most program graduates work as surveying and mapping technicians and are employed in direct field service. Opportunities exist in construction companies, private surveying and engineering firms, mining, oil, and gas extraction companies, public utilities, and city, county, state, and federal government agencies (i.e., U.S. Forestry Department, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, and Bureau of Land Management).
If you have questions about this program or want help with the admissions steps to Bellingham Technical College, please email outreach@btc.edu.
Current students wanting academic planning and support, can connect with the program Instructor(s) or email EngineeringNav@btc.edu