Section 134.31 - Educational Requirements for Applicants(a) Applicants for certification as a surveyor-in-training shall have graduated from at least one of the educational programs or program combinations listed in §1071.253 of the Surveying Act. (1) For the purpose of meeting the requirements found in §1071.253(a)(2)(A) or §1071.253(a)(4)(A), the courses listed in subparagraphs (A) - (C) of this paragraph must be taken in order to be eligible for a surveyor-in-training certificate: (A) a minimum of 9 semester hours (13.5 quarter hours) of land surveying. For the purposes of this chapter, land surveying courses acceptable to the board may include, but are not limited to, the topics of basic surveying, advanced surveying, route surveying, engineering surveying, geospatial engineering, and geodesy.(B) a minimum of 3 semester hours (4.5 quarter hours) of land law. For the purposes of this chapter, land law courses acceptable to the board may include, but are not limited to, the topics of legal principles of surveying, boundary surveying evidence and boundary analysis, and Texas specific laws impacting land surveying. Courses focusing primarily on real estate laws are not acceptable to the board.(C) a minimum of six semester hours (nine quarter hours) of mathematics. For the purposes of this chapter, mathematics courses acceptable to the board may include, but are not limited to, land surveying math, college algebra, trigonometry, analytical geometry, differential and integral calculus, linear algebra, numerical analysis, probability, statistics, and advanced calculus.(2) For the purpose of meeting the requirements found in §1071.253(a)(2)(A) or §1071.253(a)(4)(A), the board provides the following definitions: (A) Civil engineering courses acceptable to the board include, but are not limited to, courses that address the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment.(B) Photogrammetry courses acceptable to the board include, but are not limited to, courses that address the science and technology of obtaining reliable information about physical objects and the environment through the process of recording, measuring and interpreting photographic images and patterns of electromagnetic radiant imagery and other phenomena and includes the topic of remote sensing.(C) Forestry courses acceptable to the board include, but are not limited to, courses that address the science of developing, caring for, or cultivating forests.(D) Physical science courses acceptable to the board include, but are not limited to, courses that study the non-living world, including physics, geology, physical geography, astronomy, chemistry, and geographic information systems (GIS).(3) The education provisions found in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection shall apply to any applicant for a surveyor in training registration after January 1, 2026.(b) Applicants for registration as a registered professional land surveyor shall have graduated from at least one of the educational programs or degree program combinations listed in §1071.254 of the Surveying Act.(1) For the purpose of meeting the requirements found in §1071.254(a)(3), the courses listed in subparagraphs (A) - (C) of this paragraph must be taken, as part of the qualifying degree or in addition to the bachelor or associate degree program, in order to be eligible for a surveyor-in-training certificate: (A) a minimum of 9 semester hours (13.5 quarter hours) of land surveying. For the purposes of this chapter, land surveying courses acceptable to the board may include, but are not limited to, the topics of basic surveying, advanced surveying, route surveying, engineering surveying, geospatial engineering, and geodesy.(B) a minimum of 3 semester hours (4.5 quarter hours) of land law. For the purposes of this chapter, land law courses acceptable to the board may include, but are not limited to, the topics of legal principles of surveying, boundary surveying evidence and boundary analysis, and Texas specific laws impacting land surveying. Courses focusing primarily on real estate laws are not acceptable to the board.(C) a minimum of six semester hours (nine quarter hours) of mathematics. For the purposes of this chapter, mathematics courses acceptable to the board may include, but are not limited to, land surveying math, college algebra, trigonometry, analytical geometry, differential and integral calculus, linear algebra, numerical analysis, probability, statistics, and advanced calculus.(2) For the purpose of meeting the requirements found in §1071.254(a)(3), the board provides the following definitions: (A) Civil engineering courses acceptable to the board include, but are not limited to, courses that address the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment.(B) Photogrammetry courses acceptable to the board include, but are not limited to, courses that address the science and technology of obtaining reliable information about physical objects and the environment through the process of recording, measuring and interpreting photographic images and patterns of electromagnetic radiant imagery and other phenomena and includes the topic of remote sensing. (C) Forestry courses acceptable to the board include, but are not limited to, courses that address the science of developing, caring for, or cultivating forests.(D) Physical science courses acceptable to the board include, but are not limited to, courses that study the non-living world, including physics, geology, physical geography, astronomy, chemistry, and geographic information systems (GIS).(3) The education provisions found in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection shall apply to any applicant for a registered professional land surveyor who applied for a surveyor in training registration after January 1, 2026.(4) If the surveyor in training registration was waived for an applicant from an out-of-state registration holder in accordance with the provisions found in § 134.25 of this chapter (relating to Application from Out-of-State Registration Holders), the education provisions found in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection shall apply to any applicant for a registered professional land surveyor received after January 1, 2026.(c) The Board will accept degrees conferred by programs accredited or approved by the (ABET), Applied and Natural Science Accreditation Commission (ANSAC), and other recognized institutions of higher education as described in § 131.2 of this title (relating to Definitions).(d) Degrees not accredited per subsection (c) of this section must be evaluated at the expense of the applicant by an organization approved by the Board.22 Tex. Admin. Code § 134.31
Adopted by Texas Register, Volume 45, Number 52, December 25, 2020, TexReg 9516, eff. 12/30/2020; Amended by Texas Register, Volume 49, Number 36, September 6, 2024, TexReg 7038, eff. 9/14/2024