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Background
The Geomatics Program is the only program in the state of Florida that offers an ABET-accredited Bachelor of Science in Geomatics. This program is the primary source of college graduates 
who are eligible for Professional Surveying and Mapping licensure. The professional surveying industry in Florida is growing, and in 2006 the Florida Legislature identified it as a 'critical jobs need'. With the strong support of the Florida Surveying and Mapping Society, the Geomatics Program established a satellite campus here in Plant City, FL
and Ft. Lauderdale, FL. The purpose of this move was to reach out to community college transfer students and other
regional students who are unable to attend the University of Florida as a traditional student. Our location
at the Plant City campus creates this opportunity in the Central Florida
area.
Program Offerings
We offer community college transfer students with the recommended pre-requisites the ability to take all upper-division courses required for the Geomatics degree
at the Plant City campus. This means that a student who enters the program on track can complete the Bachelor of Science degree at this campus and graduate from the University of Florida
in about two years.
For those who already have a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree, we also offer a Certificate in Geomatics. This certificate consists of approximately 25 hours of upper-division geomatics coursework, designed to meet the requirements for Professional Surveying and Mapping licensure.
The program also facilitates graduate studies in geomatics in the areas of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Remote Sensing, and Navigation/Sensor Integration.
Objectives
- Open access to the Geomatics Program for community college transfers and non-traditional students in the Central Florida area.
- Improve the competitiveness of our graduates by providing them with quality knowledge base and lifelong learning skills.
- Help satisfy the public and private sector employment demand for qualified, well-rounded Geomatics professionals.
- Enhance the professional status and instill a sense of professionalism in future leaders of Geomatics.
- Expand the role of Geomatics in the spatial information community.
- Play a leadership role in the implementation of new ideas and methods through research and the dissemination of research results.
- Expand the diversity of the Geomatics profession
(students, faculty, practitioners).
Organization
The Geomatics Program is organized under the School of Forest Resources and Conservation, which is a part of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. The Geomatics Program director is Dr. Bon Dewitt. Our program advisor at the Plant City campus is Dr. Amr Abd-Elrahman.