Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Surveying)
Degree Level Undergraduate
Year 2023
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You're considered an Australian student if you are any of the following:
- Australian or New Zealand Citizen
- Australian Permanent Resident (including Permanent Humanitarian Visa holders)
Prerequisites
SACE Stage 2 Math Methods
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Assumed Knowledge
SACE Stage 2 Physics
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Admissions
Student Profile
Entry Scores
2023 Guaranteed Entry
Year 12 (ATAR-based): 72.00
Year 12 (Grades-based): B,B,B
TAFE/RTO: DIP
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2022 Cut-Offs
Year 12 (ATAR-based):
- Internal: 74.15
TAFE/RTO: Cert IV
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Entry requirements
Admission criteria
The admission criteria have been grouped to assist you to easily find the information most relevant to your circumstances. However, you may fit into more than one and the university will consider applicants against each of the relevant criteria.
Certain conditions apply. For more information refer to Appendix 4 of the University's Selection and Entry policy.
Applicants are required to meet one of the following criteria with a competitive result, and demonstrate that they fulfil any prerequisite requirements and essential requirements for admission:
Recent secondary education
Meet any prerequisite requirements with a minimum grade of C- or equivalent
AND- Qualify for the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE), and achieved a competitive Selection Rank (ATAR), or
- Complete secondary qualifications equivalent to SACE, or
- Complete the International Baccalaureate Diploma with a minimum score of 24 points
Applicants who have not achieved the Selection Rank required for automatic selection may be selected for any remaining places based on the grades of their year 12 subjects.
OR
Higher education study- Complete or partly complete a recognised higher education program at a recognised higher education institution, or
- Complete at least four Open Universities Australia (OUA) courses at undergraduate level or above, or
- Complete the Associate Degree in Engineering at the University of South Australia
OR
Vocational Education and Training (VET)- Complete an award from a registered training organisation at Certificate IV or above
OR
Work and life experience- Qualify for Special Entry, or
- Complete a UniSA Foundation Studies program or equivalent, or
- Hold completed secondary qualifications equivalent to SACE obtained more than 2 years in the past
Essential requirements for admission
Prerequisites
SACE Stage 2 Math MethodsAssumed Knowledge
SACE Stage 2 Physics
This program will have no further intakes after SP5 2022. Visit Study Engineering at UniSA for alternative programs.
Degree overview
- Study at SA's number one university for student experience and teaching quality in engineering1.
- Graduate into an industry with excellent job opportunities due to an existing shortage of surveyors and geospatial scientists2.
- Develop the knowledge and skills to become a licensed surveyor.
- Access contemporary facilities and industry-standard technology, such as robotic total stations, drones and unpiloted aerial vehicles (UAVs), Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), terrestrial laser scanners and precise digital levels.
- Pursue an exciting, practical, and hands-on career that balances field work with office work, and often involves travel.
- Tailor your career to your interest area, working in professional, technical, or scientific fields.
- Graduate industry-ready with the UniSA STEM Professional Practice Program and gain at least 450 hours of skills and competencies.
- Benefit from long-standing support from the Surveyors Board of South Australia.
12021 Good Universities Guide –Undergraduate and Postgraduate
2Determining the Future Demand, Supply and Skills Gap for Surveying and Geospatial Professionals 2018-2028, BIS Oxford Economics
Snapshot
Surveying is an essential profession in Australia, with skills shortages seeing highly trained surveyors in demand locally in South Australia, as well as nationally and around the world.
Surveyors use modern, high-tech equipment such as satellite navigation systems, drones and unpiloted aerial vehicles (UAVs), laser scanners and robotic total stations, to measure and map our environment. From cadastral surveying (land mapping), to hydrographic surveying (marine mapping), geodetic surveying (earth mapping), mining or engineering surveying, employment prospects are excellent across the sector.
As a surveyor you will enjoy an exciting, practical and hands-on career with a balance of field and office-based work. You will also have the opportunity to tailor your career path to your interests – from construction to climate change, your options are wide and varied.
The Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Surveying) enjoys long-standing support from the Surveyors Board of South Australia, with extensive industry involvement ensuring you graduate with the knowledge and skills expected by industry. Furthermore, you will benefit from real-world experiences built into your program of study, including placements, internships, guest lectures, industry panels, site visits and networking events.
New Pathway options for Engineering
If you haven’t completed SACE Stage 2 Mathematical Methods and want to study engineering, consider our Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Flexible Entry). You’ll study first year courses, and catch up on the required prerequisite, before transferring into your preferred engineering specialisation with up to one year of credit.
What you'll learn
In your first year, you will develop a strong, general foundation in engineering before moving into your surveying major where you will study topics such as:
- Spatial data acquisition and analysis
- Surveying processes
- Environmental remote sensing
- Web cartography
- Geodetic surveying
- Cadastral surveying
- Surveying specialisations
- Contemporary surveying practices
You will also get hands-on experience across a range of surveying activities and learn how to operate industry-standard surveying equipment. This includes:
- Reality capture using terrestrial laser scanners, drones and unpiloted aerial vehicles (UAVs)
- Surveying using Trimble Robotic Total Stations and survey-grade global navigation satellite systems (GNSS)
- Levelling with optical levels and precise digital levels
- Field camps to apply your skills in a real-world environment
The UniSA STEM Professional Practice Program then allows you to apply the skills and knowledge you’ve acquired throughout your degree in real-world settings.
At least half of your honours year involves a major project, generally supported by industry clients or based in a research centre. Projects are designed to foster the consolidation and application of the surveying skills and techniques learned throughout your degree to ensure you graduate prepared for the challenges of professional practice.
You can gain an extra qualification and broaden your career prospects by completing a Diploma in Languages.
Study hours
For each course you study, you will need to allocate time for various classes such as lectures, tutorials, workshops, seminars and practicals. Plus you will need additional hours to study in your own time to complete assignments, readings and projects, as well as to contribute to online discussion forums (independent study). So as a general rule, if you are studying full-time you would need to allocate 12–26 hours of study when at university and 14–28 hours of independent study per week.
Global opportunities
Enrich your studies and your life – make overseas study part of your qualification. You may have the option to undertake an exchange, short-term program or study tour overseas while you study. We have links with universities worldwide, as well as a range of travel grants available to make going overseas much more accessible.
You can choose short-term or semester-long study from a range of universities and countries depending on your area of study and cultural interests.
Take a look at the global opportunities available.
Why Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Surveying)
The Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Surveying) is the only degree in South Australia that meets the Surveyors Board of South Australia’s requirements to work towards becoming a Licensed Surveyor. You will develop the knowledge, ethics and practical skills needed for a rewarding and highly varied career exploring new projects, environments, locations and challenges.
Informed and supported by industry, and taught by highly experienced professionals, the program takes an industry-focused, project-based teaching and learning approach to develop surveyors ready to work in diverse, interdisciplinary teams.
Industry experience is integrated into your learning, with the UniSA STEM Professional Practice Program seeing you engage in at least 450 hours of professional skill and competency building through a range of activities, such as placements, internships, guest lectures, industry panels, site visits, networking and events.
You will also enjoy hands-on, practical experiences in purpose-built facilities, such as the Surveying Experiential Studio equipped with Trimble Robotic Total Stations (to perform surveying campaigns), Global Navigation Satellite Systems (such as GPS for accurate positioning) and precise digital levels, as well as access to terrestrial laser scanners, drones and unpiloted aerial vehicles (UAVs) to enable 3D modelling of the world around us.
Fieldwork is also crucial to your skill development, with a focus on building your capabilities in cadastral surveying, GNSS surveying, geodetic sciences, and precision positioning; ensuring you graduate ready to hit the ground running.
Your career
In South Australia, and other states around the nation, a shortage of surveyors and geospatial scientists is forecast until at least 20281.
There is strong industry demand for degree qualified surveyors, with many of our students securing work before they graduate.
Graduates may find work in the public or private sector, working with engineers, architects, ecologists and / or land developers.
You may choose to pursue a career as a:
- Licensed Cadastral (Land) Surveyor: critical to land management, cadastral surveyors play a vital role in the legal definition of property boundaries, conducting surveys to re-establish existing property boundaries or create new ones as part of the land division process.
- Engineering Surveyor: integral throughout the lifecycle of civil engineering projects, engineering surveyors are responsible for mapping the existing environment before projects begin, making sure the project is constructed in the correct location and to the right sizes, and ensuring construction is compliant with the original design and relevant regulations.
- Mining Surveyor: working in the mining industry, mining surveyors are involved in the design, planning, risk management and environmental impact assessment of mine sites; measuring, recording and mapping mining activities; and contributing to remediation and restoration of mine sites.
- Hydrographic Surveyor: a specialist in marine environments, hydrographic surveyors may work in environmental monitoring and protection, mapping the ocean floor and other waterways to enable safe passage for shipping or to track the impact of weather patterns and climate change.
- Geodesist: a specialist in the size and shape of the Earth, accurately establishing a framework to enable us to position ourselves within our national coordinate system supporting everything from day-to-day surveying activities, through to modelling climate change or positioning driverless vehicles.
1Determining the Future Demand, Supply and Skills Gap for Surveying and Geospatial Professionals 2018 – 2028. Report prepared by BIS Oxford Economics for Consulting Surveyors National.
Professional accreditation and recognition
This program is professionally accredited by Engineers Australia and is designed to meet the requirements for graduate membership of Engineers Australia and comparable international institutions through the Washington Accord. Such accreditation is provisional until the program produces its first graduates.
This program meets the Surveyors Board of South Australia requirements to proceed through a Registered Training Agreement to be become a Licensed Surveyor. The program is designed for professional scientists for careers in areas such as land boundary (cadastral) and engineering surveying. Graduates will develop knowledge, ethics and practical skills in land surveying measurements and analysis. The program incorporates integrating learning into industry experience, and opportunities for fieldwork and study camps on cadastral surveying, GPS surveying, geodetic science, and precision positioning.
UNLOCK YOUR UNSTOPPABLE CAREER
APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN FOR 2023
Applying to study with us:
- go to the top of this page and make note of the SATAC code, then click Apply
- you will be redirected through to the SATAC website to continue your application
Alternative Pathways
There are a wide variety of pathways into studying Engineering at UniSA.
Find an Alternative Pathway
Scholarships
Every year, over 2,500 UniSA students are supported in their studies through scholarships and grants worth millions of dollars. Check out the scholarships below. One of them may be perfect for you. Visit our scholarships page for more.
UniSA Excellence Scholarships
$5,000 scholarship for South Australian students with an ATAR of 99 who enrol to study a UniSA undergraduate degree.
UniSA Outstanding Achievement Scholarship
Up to $10,000 per annum (full time) for South Australian students who obtain an ATAR of 99.95 or IB equivalent and enrol to study at UniSA.
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Your study experience and support
Our campuses are home to fantastic facilities including modern lecture theatres, libraries, workshops and laboratories, as well as spaces that simulate real work environments. But you’ll also discover that your journey at UniSA is about social experiences, healthy living and getting involved. You’ll find student sports and fitness facilities, community clinics, tech zones and chill-out spaces. There are campus sport activities to keep you active, and if you are keen to explore the social side of university life, there are movies, cooking demonstrations, parties and loads more.
Adelaide also has a variety of accommodation options to suit different requirements and budgets. Options include dedicated student accommodation and private rentals. See our long-term accommodation pages, or explore our student accommodation by Scape on Bank Street in Adelaide’s lively cultural precinct, an ideal location for students. It is within easy reach of UniSA’s city and metropolitan campuses, Rundle Mall shopping, the Central Market, Chinatown, and the West End’s vibrant nightlife. It is also across the road from the Adelaide train station, and on bus and tram routes.
Student services
Our student services provide you with all the support you need at university. We want you to succeed, and if you need help, we're here to assist. You can access a full range of support services, including:
- academic counselling
- personal counselling
- social support services, including family support and nearby childcare
- common rooms
- prayer rooms
- security officers
- career services and mentoring
- Wirringka Student Services, offering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students a supportive place to study
- as well as services offered through our student association, USASA.
When you become a UniSA student, you can also contact Campus Central for help with anything related to your degree. They will help you with your enrolment, ID cards, fees, timetables and more.
24/7 digital environment
Our learnonline facilities include a personal learning environment with virtual classrooms, lecture recordings, emails, learning support, administration, library access and results. The environment is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so you can tailor your learning to your life. We are continually investing in innovative digital technologies for a high-quality student learning experience.
Your program director
I have worked for UniSA as a structural lecturer since 2013 and, in 2020, took on the role of program director for the civil and surveying programs. Prior to joining the University, I worked as a consulting engineer in the structural field since graduating from UniSA in 1995. I have worked locally and internationally, having designed a wide variety of projects across Australia and Asia during that time. I came to Uni to share my knowledge and to teach students about the design process. I have research interests in the durability of concrete and other more teaching focussed areas. Please feel free to knock on my door and ask me any questions related to your study, engineering or my experiences.
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How do I apply?
There are a number of ways to apply to study UniSA's undergraduate and postgraduate coursework degrees.
Applications for admission into the University of South Australia’s undergraduate and most postgraduate degrees are made via the South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre (SATAC). Visit satac.edu.au and follow the links.
For the MBA degrees please apply through the UniSA MBA Application Portal. Applications for a small number of degrees are submitted direct to UniSA through our Apply Online portal. It will be noted on the degree page if you need to apply via Apply Online.
Postgraduate study by research
For information on applying to do postgraduate study by research, including Masters by Research, PhDs or Doctorates, please visit unisa.edu.au/resdegrees. -
Is there a closing date for applications?
Undergraduate
Yes. The deadline to apply to study a degree at UniSA for semester one (commencing late February) and be given equal consideration is in early December. While you may be able to apply after this date, you are not guaranteed to be considered equally with other applicants and your application may not be assessed in time for the main round of offers (mid January). Some degrees will not make any offers after the main offer round. Please click here find all of the key dates for applications here.Postgraduate
Most postgraduate degrees do not have a closing date for applications. However, there are exceptions, so it is best to check – either on the SATAC website, Apply Online or the degree homepage. Postgraduate offers are normally ‘rolling’, meaning they may be sent out at any time up until the program starts. This also means that applications may close at any time without warning, if the quota is filled earlier. For this reason, postgraduate applications should be submitted without delay. For more information, please contact our Future Student Enquiries team on (08) 8302 2376 or via the online enquiry form. -
What credit can I receive for previous studies?
Credit transfer or advanced standing
You may be eligible to receive a credit transfer or advanced standing for your chosen UniSA degree based on your previous studies, if they are in a related area at an equivalent or higher level. Receiving a credit transfer will reduce the number of courses you undertake within the degree, and may also reduce the overall duration of your degree.
Recognised prior learning
If you have related industry experience, you may also be eligible to receive recognised prior learning for this experience. Receiving recognised prior learning will normally reduce the number of courses you undertake within the degree, and can reduce the duration of the degree.
How do I get credit?
Credit transfer and recognition of prior learning is assessed on a case-by-case basis by the Program Director who will discuss your prior learning and experience with you to ascertain what credit you may be eligible for.
Many of our credit transfer arrangements are listed on our online Credit Assessor.
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Can I speak to someone regarding my study options?
UniSA welcomes the opportunity to speak with you regarding your study options. Our staff are able to talk to you about degree information, career outcomes and pathways, entry requirements, applications, and student life, so that you are able to make the best study decision for your future.
Click here to book a 1:1 appointment with one of our enquiries team.
If you are interested in studying an MBA please contact admissions@unisa.edu.au and our Future Student Enquiries team will contact you regarding your enquiry.
Alternatively, you can complete a MyCareerMatch career profile. MyCareerMatch is an online career profiling tool that you can use free-of-charge through UniSA. MyCareerMatch specialises in career profiles and provides you with a personalised career report outlining information about your personality style and a list of career options, which are complementary to your natural strengths and talents.
We have many events throughout the year where you can speak with a lecturer or tutor about your degrees of interest. You can find out what is happening at UniSA by visiting our events page or by signing up to our mailing list, so you're the first to know about careers events, information sessions, degree requirements, scholarships and more!
There are also many career counsellors external to the University that you can discuss your career options with. If you are unsure where to start your search, you can contact the Government's Work Ready team (formally Skills for All). Visit skills.sa.gov.au or call 1800 506 266.
You may also find Job Outlook a helpful resource in your decision-making.
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Where can I get further information?
It can be difficult to decide what degree you would like to do and where. You might find information from government organisations will help to weigh up your degree and provider options.
Find a course or a provider
TEQSA is a regulatory body for higher education providers. Use the TEQSA national register of higher education providers to search for a course or a provider. Compare courses and providers for undergraduates and postgraduates using the Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT) online comparison tool.
More information on university admission
Visit the SATAC website to find out important news, events and information on applying to university in South Australia. Visit Study with Us to find out everything you need to know about studying at UniSA, admissions and the application process.
Questions about your application
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your application you should contact the Future Students Enquiries team in the first instance.
What others are saying
Through my degree, I've been on plenty of field trips that have taken me all across South Australia. This has allowed me to see and explore places that I never would have gone to. All of the teaching staff are either working or have worked in the surveying industry, which has also provided great insight.
Michael Button
Bachelor of Geospatial Science, Master of Surveying
