BSc (Hons)

Building Surveying

Shape the future of the built environment with expert skills in Building Surveying, sustainability, and property management.

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Key Course Details

  • UCAS Code

    K250

  • Start Date

    September

  • Location

    Pontypridd

  • Campus Code

    A

Fees

  • Home students

    £9,790*

  • International students

    £17,200*

  • Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits.

  • Start Date

    September

  • Location

    Pontypridd

  • Campus Code

    A

Fees

  • Home students

    £1,589*

  • Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits.

  • UCAS Code

    K251

  • Start Date

    September

  • Location

    Pontypridd

  • Campus Code

    A

Fees

  • Home students

    £9,790*

  • International students

    £17,200*

  • Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits.

There is an increasing need for people who can manage and advise on all aspects of our ever-changing built environment. Building surveyors will play a crucial role as the demand for more sustainable and efficient urban spaces grows. This course prepares you to step into that role.

DESIGNED FOR

If you have a strong interest in construction and property and want to turn that into a financially and professionally rewarding career, this course is for you. This course gives you the tools to become a professional building surveyor, with the potential to gain Chartered status soon after graduation.

Career Paths

  • Building surveyor
  • Construction project manager
  • Construction estimator
  • Site supervisor 

Skills taught

  • Communication
  • Problem-solving
  • IT/Digital skills
  • Working with others
  • Employability 

A close up of building surveying equipment

Course Highlights

Professionally Accredited

The Building Surveying course is accredited by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)

Employment focus

Gain technical, personal, and digital skills that make you stand out to employers.

Flexible study options

Study part-time while working or full-time, with an option for a sandwich placement.

Outstanding prospects

Graduate with extensive career opportunities in the UK and globally

Earn while you learn

This degree is offered as a Degree Apprenticeship and through the Network 75 scheme, offering opportunities to complete a fully funded degree alongside an employer. 

Module Overview

In your first year, you’ll build a strong foundation in how the built environment works, exploring construction, planning, law and technology while developing essential academic, digital and professional skills for your future career.

Built Environment Principles in Practice
You’ll explore how the UK construction industry shapes the built environment while developing professional skills, ethical awareness, sustainability principles and digital know-how. You’ll investigate career roles and technologies like drones, laser scanning and VR.

Planning and Development
You’ll learn how planning shapes development in the built environment, exploring planning permission, land use and stakeholder roles. The module also introduces urban regeneration, inclusive design and the legal principles guiding UK planning decisions.

Built Environment Economics and Law
You’ll gain an introduction to the economic and legal forces shaping the built environment, exploring market trends, valuation and investment basics alongside contracts, health and safety, and professional responsibilities guiding ethical construction practice.

Principles of Domestic Construction and Digital Drafting   
You’ll explore how homes are designed and built, learning about construction methods, materials and building systems. The module develops your understanding of regulations, sustainability and detailing, while building practical drawing, CAD and technical communication skills.

In your second year, you will develop your professional capability in commercial construction, building technologies, BIM, surveying practice, and industry regulations. Personalise your studies with an optional module in areas including AI, Data Analytics, Project Management, Green Economy, or Health & Safety to future-proof your career.

Commercial Construction Technology and BIM Management
You’ll learn how commercial buildings are designed and constructed, exploring structural systems, materials and build sequencing. The module develops your digital modelling skills, introduces BIM workflows, and highlights sustainable, high-performance solutions for modern commercial projects.

Applied Architectural Technology for Building Surveyors    
You’ll develop practical surveying skills, learning how to measure, record and analyse buildings using drawings, BIM and CAD. The module focuses on diagnosing defects, interpreting building performance, and producing clear professional reports and technical information.

Building Control, Legislation and Professional Practice
You’ll learn how building regulations shape safe, sustainable and inclusive housing. The module explores legislation, compliance and professional responsibilities, while examining how building control decisions affect communities, housing quality and the wellbeing of occupants.

Health and Safety Management*
You’ll develop essential knowledge of health and safety management, exploring legislation, risk assessment and safety culture. Through real-world scenarios and teamwork, you’ll learn how to promote safe, ethical and sustainable practice in professional environments.

Applied Artificial Intelligence*
You’ll explore how artificial intelligence works and how it’s used across industries. Through practical activities, you’ll apply AI techniques to real-world problems while considering the ethical, sustainable and responsible use of intelligent systems.

The Green Economy and Sustainable Development*
You’ll explore sustainability, the circular economy and carbon reduction, examining how organisations respond to climate challenges. You’ll also apply global frameworks such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and work towards Carbon Literacy certification with the Carbon Literacy Trust.

Data Analytics*
You’ll learn how to collect, analyse and interpret data to support decision-making. The module develops your statistical, visualisation and communication skills, helping you turn real-world datasets into meaningful insights for professional practice.

Industry Sandwich Placement*
You’ll gain valuable professional experience during your sandwich year, applying your learning in the workplace. With university support and reflection activities, you’ll develop practical skills, confidence and industry insight to strengthen your career prospects.

Applied Professional Experience*   
You’ll complete an optional short or summer placement, internship or civic project, gaining real-world experience. With university support, you’ll reflect on your learning, build professional skills and enhance your employability through practical industry or community engagement.

*Optional

In your final year, you’ll take the lead on real-world built environment challenges, tackling innovative projects, solving complex building issues, and developing the skills and confidence to shape sustainable, industry-ready solutions.

Built Environment Project
You’ll complete an independent research project on a real built environment challenge, developing investigation, analysis and project management skills. Your work will align with industry priorities and global goals such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Advanced Building Pathology and Defect Diagnostics 
You’ll develop advanced skills in diagnosing building defects, investigating material failure, moisture issues and structural problems. Using case studies and testing tools, you’ll learn to assess risks and recommend effective, sustainable repair solutions.

Sustainability and Commercial Management  
You’ll develop commercial and leadership skills for the built environment, exploring strategy, finance and sustainability. Working in teams, you’ll create a business proposal while considering ESG, innovation and the challenges shaping future industry practice.

Course Highlights

How you’ll learn

You’ll learn through a mix of hands-on experience and supportive teaching designed to prepare you for a career in the built environment. You’ll explore real construction projects, visit sites, and work with industry professionals, helping you connect theory to practice. Teaching includes interactive lectures, practical workshops, digital tools such as BIM and virtual simulations, and group problem-solving activities. Dedicated reflection weeks help you review your progress and build independent study skills. Guest speakers, employer-led sessions and project mentoring keep your learning aligned with current industry practice. By the final year, you’ll apply your knowledge to an independent research project on a real-world surveying challenge.

How you'll be assessed

Assessment on this course reflects real building surveying practice, helping you develop both technical knowledge and professional skills. You’ll complete a mix of coursework such as project portfolios, reports, case studies, presentations and group work, alongside practical simulations and site-based tasks. Regular feedback will help you track your progress and build confidence as you learn. In your final year, you’ll undertake an independent dissertation or work-based project focused on a current industry challenge. Early in the course, shared modules support you to explore different built environment disciplines before specialising, ensuring you make informed choices about your future career path.

Placements

If you intend to study building surveying around your existing employment in the property industry, the course enables you to progress into more specialised roles.  

You can undertake a 70-hour summer placement, internship or civic project through our Applied Professional Experience module, gaining real-world experience.  

If you are not employed and are studying full-time, we recommend taking a sandwich placement – a year working in the construction industry before your final year. This hands-on experience makes you more attractive to future employers and you may even secure a role at the company where you do work experience. Our course staff along with the dedicated careers team help you source meaningful work experience that supports your career aspirations.

Facilities

We prepare you for work as a graduate surveyor by providing real practical experiences, and we have a range of facilities that support this. On campus, we have several empty houses which you will use to practice your inspection and surveying skills. You’ll have access to hi-tech hardware such as drones, laser scanners, thermal imagers and damp meters – all equipment you’ll be required to use in employment. You’ll also get to grips with industry-standard software engineering software such as Revit, ArchiCAD, AutoCAD, Autodesk QTO, CostX, Synchro, and Navisworks, as well as emerging technologies such as virtual and augmented reality.  

Accredited By

Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
quantity surveyor Anna Chappell standing in front of a building site wearing an hi-vis jacket and hard hat
  • Building courses at USW are top in Wales for overall student satisfaction. (National Student Survey 2025)

98%

of USW Built Environment and Civil Engineering graduates are in employment and/or further study 15 months after graduation 

(Graduate Outcomes Survey 2021/22)
  • Building courses at USW are top in Wales for overall student satisfaction. (National Student Survey 2025)


Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Accredited

RICS is a globally recognised and highly regarded professional body that promotes positive change in the built and natural environments.


Innovation Hub at USW

A photo thumbnail for the

Careers and Employability

Graduate careers

Building Surveying is a thriving profession in the UK and internationally, with extensive opportunities available both at home and abroad (recent graduates have gone on to work in New Zealand and the Middle East). Upon graduation, you’ll hit the ground running as a building surveyor and soon be ready to work towards membership in the RICS. You could go on to work for property companies of any size – the likes of Balfour Beatty and Savills regularly request our graduates. Or you may work in the public sector for local authorities, social housing providers or the NHS.  

Industry partners

We work closely with the RICS, which accredits our course. We work with them throughout the year to help shape our course and ensure that it gives you the best possible preparation for a career in building surveying. We also maintain close ties with property companies, who also help to shape our course in line with current industry trends and requirements. These partnerships allow us to enhance the course with guest lectures from industry professionals and to organise site visits to relevant locations and facilities. Companies also provide placement opportunities which often lead to employment upon or even before graduation.  

Careers support

Throughout the course, our staff use their experience and current positions within the industry to guide you towards a career path that suits your strengths and aspirations. We also develop soft skills such as communication, leadership and teamwork that are so valuable to employers. Through placements, guest lectures, and career fairs, we expose you to potential employers and help you build relationships before you graduate. Our dedicated careers team also help you source opportunities and prepare for them by helping you with your CV, applications, and interview skills.  

Sandwich years

A sandwich year enables you to apply the knowledge gained during your degree to real-world work situations. You’ll equip yourself with a transferable skillset and gain invaluable work experience that will help you to stand out to potential employers in future job applications. A sandwich year also provides a fantastic opportunity to network and, if you impress your employer, you may even find you have a job waiting for you when you graduate. Many employers like to take on dedicated employees as showcased via a sandwich year placement scheme.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

UCAS points: 96

Typical qualification requirements:

  • A Level: CCC 
  • Welsh BACC: Grade C and CC at A Level
  • BTEC: BTEC Extended Diploma Merit Merit Merit
  • Access to HE: Pass Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 96 UCAS Tariff points
  • T Level: Pass (C and above)

 

Additional requirements include:

The University normally requires a minimum 5 GCSEs including Mathematics/Numeracy and English at Grade C or Grade 4 or above, or their equivalent, but consideration is given to individual circumstances. 

International applications welcomed:

We welcome international applications with equivalent qualifications of our entry requirements. For more details related to your country of residence, please view our dedicated country pages.

English language requirements

International applicants will need to have achieved an overall of IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component/TOEFL 4 overall and a minimum of 4 in each component or equivalent.

Equivalents can be located on our English Language pages.

If you have previously studied through the medium of English, IELTS might not be required, please visit our country specific page for further details. If your country is not featured, please contact us.

If you do not meet the English entry criteria, please visit our Pre-Sessional course pages.

Contextual offers

We may make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, including your background (where you live and the school or college that you attended, for example), your experiences and individual circumstances (as a care leaver, for example). This is referred to as a contextual offer, and we receive data from UCAS to support us in making these decisions.

USW prides itself on its student experience and we support our students to achieve their goals and become a successful graduate. This approach helps us to support students who have the potential to succeed and who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university.

 

We're here to help

Whether you a have a question about your course, fees and funding, the application process or anything else, there are plenty of ways you can get in touch, and we'd love to talk to you. You can contact our friendly admissions team by phone, email or chat to us online.

 

Fees and Funding

UK Full-time Fee

£9,790

per year*
International Full-time Fee

£17,200

per year*
International Full-time Fee

£17,200

per year*
UK Part-time Fee

£1,589

per 20 credits*

Further Information

Studying at university is one of the most significant investments you'll ever make. Whilst you’re studying, you’ll have two main financial obligations – tuition fees and living costs. There’s lots of financial help available from the University of South Wales and external funding sources, that may provide loans (which have to be paid back) and grants, scholarships and bursaries (that don't).

*Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee is anticipated to remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course except as described below.

Please be aware that we may increase the maximum fee for home students on full-time undergraduate courses only where the Welsh Government increases the permitted level of inflation of fees. Fees for all students (including part-time, postgraduate and international students) may be amended in accordance with our applicable Fees and Debt Management Policy.  We will ensure that students are given clear, intelligible, unambiguous and timely information about our courses and costs in good time, ahead of the next academic year.

 

Fees and Funding Scholarships and Bursaries Cost of Living Support

Additional Costs

As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment.  

Introducing Calon

We are investing in the future of STEM with the exciting new Calon building at the heart of our Pontypridd Campus.


University Quality Assurance

At USW, we regularly review our courses in response to changing patterns of employment and skills demand to ensure we offer learning designed to reflect today’s student needs and tomorrow’s employer demands.

If during a review process course content is significantly changed, we’ll write to inform you and talk you through the changes for the coming year. But whatever the outcome, we aim to equip our students with the skillset and the mindset to succeed whatever tomorrow may bring. Your future, future-proofed.

How to apply

All applications for full-time undergraduate courses or foundation degrees should be made via UCAS. Take the next step: Apply through UCAS. You can apply to us directly for all part-time undergraduate courses, if you’re seeking advanced entry or you’re an international student. To apply directly, please choose the application form below for your preferred start date and mode of study (full-time or part-time).

Advanced entry

If you already have a relevant qualification or experience related to the course you're applying for, you may be eligible to start at a later stage of the course. For example, students from partner colleges can ‘top up’ their qualifications to a degree by joining us in Year Two or Year Three of a course. This process is known as ‘advanced entry’, you can apply directly to the University for 'advanced entry' using the application forms provided above.

Applicants accepted through advanced entry may study a different combination of modules to those advertised, as they will be joining a course already in progress. You will be contacted and advised about these modules once your application has been processed and an offer made.

International admissions

International applicants can apply to us directly. If the University has an in-country team in your region, your application will be assigned to them for assistance.
 

Work, earn and learn!

This course is also available through Network75, a combined work and study route.

Learn more