Department of Geodetic Engineering Faculty of Engineering Universitas Gadjah Mada is one of eight department inside Faculty of Engineering UGM. In the beginning, it was August 1959 still a joint study program with Geology Engineering study program named Geodetic and Geology Engineering Division. In 1962, based on UU No.22 Year 1961, Geodetic and Geology Engineering Part splitted into two parts, namely Geodetic Engineering and Geology Engineering which each stand alone.
Since its inception until 1979, the education system at UGM Engineering Faculty (included in the Geodetic Engineering Division) uses a known package system in several levels of study i.e. Propaedeuse degree, Candidate level, Doctoral level I (Bachelor Degree / B.Sc.), and Doctoral level II (Engineer). In 1980, based on the Decree of the Minister of Education and Culture No. 0214/U/1979, Geodetic Engineering Division was changed to Geodetic Engineering Department by imposing a new curriculum in 1980 which for the first time implemented Semester Credit System (SKS).
Starting academic year 1993/1994, Geodetic Engineering Department occupies a new 3-story campus with area 4,237 m2 in Faculty of Engineering UGM area, Grafika Street No. 2, Yogyakarta. Meanwhile, in its effort to keep following science and technology development as well as the demands of the market, Geodetic Engineering Department Faculty of Engineering UGM has made several improvements to the curriculum. The 1980 curriculum that has been running for almost 8 years, in 1988 has been refined to produce the 1988 Curriculum. Furthermore, in 1995, the evaluation of the Curriculum 1988 was to be completed in accordance with the development of science and technology and the enactment of the National Curriculum, resulting the 1996 Curriculum.
In 1996, the 1996 curriculum has been evaluated, which resulted the 2001 Curriculum, where the changes are very significant which reduces the number of credits as a graduation requirement from 150 credits to 144 credits only, and the study time that was originally in 9 semesters accelerated only 8 semesters. Curriculum evaluation which was conducted at that time follow the guidances of ABET 2000 Criteria, incorporated in the Competency Standards of the Indonesian Geomatics Council. In that same year, the name of the Geodetic Engineering Study Program was changed to Geodetic and Geomatics Engineering Study Program with the reason of Geodetic Engineering paradigm changes to Geomatics Engineering, so that Geodetic Engineering graduates not only have the ability to produce maps, but also have the ability to process and present earth information that is integrated to be used in various fields.
As a commitment to the development of the education quality, in 2006 the evaluation of the 2001 curriculum has resulted a new Competence-Based 2006 Curriculum. The 2006 curriculum is arranged based on the Graduate Competence of Undergraduate Program of Geodetics and Geomatics Engineering which consists of two main competencies (Positioning and mapping, Geo-Information) and two supporting competence (Engineering Survey; Land Management).
In order to revitalize the vision and mission of Geodetic Engineering Department Faculty of Engineering UGM, to improve the role and influence of Geodetic Engineering graduates in the national society as well as the desire to increase confession by the international community, in 2010 a review and evaluation have been done to the 2006 curriculum to produce the new 2011 curriculum. This matter motivated also by the condition of academic, community, industry, and graduate users at local and global level. With the passage of the Geospatial Information Act (Law No.4 / 2011) and the enactment of free markets include surveying and mapping services and technologies through AFTA and CAFTA must have had a direct impact to the Geodetic Engineering profession.
Curriculum as a tool to implement and achieve the goal of education should always pay attention to the development of colleges paradigms and situations both external and internal. So in 2015 conducted review and evaluation of the 2011 curriculum, which then produced 2016 curriculum. Review and evaluation of the 2011 curriculum to 2016 curriculum is more on the perfection, not to reassemble the entire curriculum. These refinement include the improvement of graduation competencies, timely graduation, refined course loads and theses, improved GPA. In addition, the changes of 2016 curriculum refers to:
- ABET 2015-2016 Criteria for Accrediting Engineering Technology Programs, especially Program Criteria for Surveying Engineering Technology Programs.
- ABET Proposed Changes 2015.
- ISO/TR 19122:2004 (ISO/TC 211 N 573) about Technical Report of ISO TC/211 Geomatics about Qualification and Certification of Personnel in Geographic Information/Geomatics.
- Decree of the Minister of Manpower and Transmigration of The Republic of Indonesia No. 331 of 2013 on SKKNI 6 Fields (Terrestrial Survey, Hydrography, Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing, Geographic Information System, and Cartography)
- BLOOM Taxonomy
In 2016, the composition of lecturer staff at Geodetic Engineering Department Faculty of Engineering UGM is available 28 lecturers, which are 16 Doctoral (S3) and 12 Master (S2).
In addition to the development efforts above, Geodetic Engineering Department Faculty of Engineering UGM has also developed and organized several courses other than regular (S-1), i.e. :
- Vocational program I (D-1) Survei and Cadastre Mapping (opened since 1998), only for cooperation program. This program no longer accept new students.
- Vocational program III (D-3) Geomatic Engineering (opened since 2000), start form 2008 be a part of Vocational School UGM.
- Swadaya program S-1 (Extension Program) Geodetic-Geomatic Engineering (opened since 2000), according to UGM regulations this program no longer accept new students since School Year 2009/2010.
- Magister Study Program Geomatic Engineering (opened since 2001), still active until now and accept postgraduate program students.
- Doctoral Study Program Geomatic Engineering (opened since 2001), still active until now and accept postgraduate program students.