School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering

BSc (Hons) Building Surveying with Foundation Year

BSc (Hons) Full-time 4 years, Part-time 8 years

No traditional qualifications? This is your route into chartered building surveying. Building surveying is a profession the industry itself describes as critically short of trained people; this course exists to bring in talent that traditional entry routes miss.

No traditional qualifications? This is your route into chartered building surveying. Building surveying is a profession the industry itself describes as critically short of trained people; this course exists to bring in talent that traditional entry routes miss.

Award
BSc (Hons)
Start date(s)
14 September 2026
UCAS Code
K232
Course specifications
Course length
Full-time (4 years),Part-time (8 years)
Campus location
University: City Campus
UCAS points calculator

Why choose this course?

Ranked 7th in the UK for Architecture, Building and Planning (Daily Mail University Guide, 2026)

89% of students were satisfied with the teaching on this course (NSS, 2026)

Building surveying is short of people, not short of interest. RICS' own research names building surveying among the professions facing the UK's most acute skills shortages — but that gap won't be closed only by school leavers with strong A-Levels. This foundation year is built for anyone with the genuine interest and drive to succeed in the profession, whatever their qualifications look like on paper.

  • A genuinely accessible entry point: typical entry is just 48 UCAS points, and if you don't hold formal Level 3 qualifications, our Prepare for Foundation assessment day offers an alternative way in based on interest and relevant experience.
  • One extra year, fully built into the course: the foundation year gives you the maths, science, communication and study skills you need, so you start the building surveying modules on an equal footing with every other student.
  • CABE-accredited, and mapped directly to RICS' Assessment of Professional Competence framework — the same competency structure you'll need for chartered status later in your career.
  • Study on the £120 million Springfield site — Europe's largest construction centre of excellence.
  • Study your way: full-time over 4 years (including your foundation year), or part-time over 8 years.

The course is professionally accredited by:

CFF CIOB Logo

CFF RICS Logo

Accreditation gives the graduate the opportunity to qualify as a Chartered Surveyor once appropriate industrial experience has been obtained and through a successful assessment of professional competence, as directed by the RICS.

What's unique about this course?

This isn't a generic access course with ‘building surveying’ attached to the end. The foundation year itself is built around construction and the built environment from day one, and everything that follows matches our direct-entry degree exactly.

  • The Prepare for Foundation route: a one-day assessment event for applicants without formal Level 3 qualifications, built around a written assessment and activities that judge genuine interest and relevant experience — not just exam grades.
  • A construction-focused foundation year: alongside core maths and communication skills, you'll study a dedicated module orienting you to infrastructure and the built environment, plus practical engineering science and scientific problem-solving — not generic access-course content.
  • The same practitioner-led teaching from Year 2: defect trails, site visits, drones and laser surveying equipment, VR and AR technology, and fully functional industrial laboratories — identical to our direct-entry students.
  • Based at Springfield site, a £120m facility purpose-built for construction education.

What happens on the course?

The course runs across four stages full-time (or eight part-time) — a dedicated foundation year, followed by exactly the same three-stage building surveying degree taken by our direct-entry students.

Foundation Year — Getting you ready

Before you touch a single building surveying module, you'll spend a year building the core skills you'll need: two dedicated mathematics modules, a communication and study skills module, an introduction to problem-solving in science and technology, some practical engineering science, and a module orienting you specifically to infrastructure and the built environment. Whatever your starting point, this year brings everyone up to the same standard.

Year 1 (Level 4) — Building the foundations of building surveying

You'll get to grips with construction technology for residential buildings, the basics of construction law and procurement, and how digital tools — including VR, AI and BIM — are transforming the industry. Academic and employment skills modules run throughout, alongside a project examining the economics of the built environment.

Year 2 (Level 5) — Developing technical depth

You'll study commercial and high-rise construction technology, construction law and site safety, and the design principles behind 20th- and 21st-century British buildings, alongside professional practice specific to building surveying and property management, and property procurement and development. You'll also choose an option in leadership or academic and employment skills.

Year 3 (Level 6) — Specialising and consolidating

Final-year work centres on building pathology — diagnosing the causes and consequences of building and material failure — alongside built heritage and facilities management, contract administration and dispute resolution, and sustainability. You'll finish with an independent dissertation on a building surveying topic of your own choosing.
Running throughout (from Year 1 onward)

  • Regular site visits and 'defect trails' with industry practitioners
  • Group projects with peers from other construction disciplines
  • A mix of assessment methods — written assignments, presentations, practical surveying exercises and formal exams
  • A curriculum mapped to RICS' Assessment of Professional Competence

Employability on the course

This route exists because the profession needs people who don't fit the traditional pipeline — career changers, those with site or trade experience looking to move into a professional role, and students who need a year to build their academic confidence first. Whichever of those describes you, you graduate with the same qualification and the same career prospects as our direct-entry students.

  • The same route to chartership: your degree is mapped to RICS' Assessment of Professional Competence (APC), so once you've gained relevant industry experience you're working toward the same chartered status.
  • A wide range of career paths: across residential, commercial and heritage sectors, in roles from building surveyor and building control surveyor to project manager, property manager and facilities manager.
  • Strong employer links: we work closely with regional and national construction and property companies to keep the course matched to what employers actually need.
  • A springboard to further study: many graduates progress directly onto postgraduate courses, specialising further in areas such as heritage, sustainability or facilities management.

Course Modules

Potential Career Paths

We work closely with regional and national companies to identify the relevant professional and technical skills required in these specialist industries.

Employment is secured by graduates in a range of organisations both in the UK and overseas.

A high number of graduates continue with us by studying one our postgraduate programmes in order to further specialise their building surveying skills.

Additional Information

Everything you need to know about this course!

  • A genuine way in: our Prepare for Foundation route means a lack of formal Level 3 qualifications doesn't have to be the end of the conversation.
  • A campus built for this industry: you'll be taught at the £120m Springfield Super Campus, Europe's largest construction centre of excellence, in the heart of the West Midlands construction and regeneration sector.
  • Flexibility: study full-time over 4 years or part-time over 8, fitting the course around your life rather than the other way round.
  • Support that goes beyond teaching: from The Gateway's admissions advice to dedicated support for mature students balancing study with work or family life — particularly relevant given many students join this route later or after a career change.
  • An established, respected course: recognised by local and regional employers, leading to the same qualification and career outcomes as our direct-entry Building Surveying degree.

Your foundation year builds the groundwork; the degree that follows builds the profession-specific expertise. By graduation, you'll be able to:

  • Apply core mathematical, scientific and problem-solving skills to real construction and infrastructure scenarios — skills built from your very first term
  • Understand and apply the professional and ethical responsibilities of a building surveyor within the wider built environment
  • Diagnose building pathology — identifying and explaining the causes, mechanisms and consequences of building and material failure
  • Analyse structural and spatial design, and evaluate methods of demolition, deconstruction and refurbishment
  • Apply the principles of facilities and asset management, and core methods of property valuation
  • Evaluate and manage built heritage, balancing conservation with practical use
  • Navigate the legal and contractual frameworks that govern construction — from procurement and tendering to contract administration and dispute resolution
  • Research independently, having planned, conducted and reported on your own dissertation
  • Communicate confidently and work effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team

Location Mode Foundation Year Fee Sep intake Fee Year
Home Full-time N/A £9790 per year 2026-27
Home Part-time £4895 £4895 per year# 2026-27
International Full-time N/A £17600 per year 2026-27

The University is committed to a transparent fee structure, with no hidden costs, to help you make an informed decision. This includes information on what is included in the fee and how fees are calculated and reviewed.


If a tuition fee is not showing, we may not offer this intake for this course. Please check the start date information on the course finder for start dates.

# Undergraduate part-time fees for 50% rate of study

Academic Pathway:-

Typical entry requirement: 48 UCAS points

  • A Levels - grades DD / EEE
  • BTEC L3 Extended Diploma or OCR Cambridge L3 Technical Extended Diploma - grades PPP
  • BTEC L3 Diploma - grades MP
  • Access to HE Diploma (60 credits) of which a minimum of 45 must be at Level 3 (48 UCAS point equivalence, minimum 45 credits at merit)
  • T Levels with an overall grade of Pass and a minimum grade of D or E in Core
  • International entry requirements and application guidance can be found here
  • Use the UCAS Tariff calculator to check your qualifications and points

    Prepare for Foundation Pathway: - We will consider applicants who have not achieved level 3 qualifications if you have a keen interest in this subject area or hold relevant experience. To receive an offer through this route you will be required to successfully attend and pass a Prepare for Foundation event. This is a one-day programme which is designed to assess your keen interest or recent experience in the subject, through a written assessment and a variety of activities. During the event you will have the opportunity to ask questions, be introduced to studying a higher education foundation course and meet staff and fellow students. If you would like more advice and guidance about this admissions pathway, please contact Gateway to discuss and support you making an application to us.

    Other Requirements: Applicants must be 18 years old or above at the start of the course.

    Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE)

    Accredited by the Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE).

    Tuition Fees Loan (Home Fee Status):

    Most students will be able to apply for a loans to pay for these subject to eligibility. To find out more information please refer to the government Student Finance website.

    Changes for EU students:

    The UK government has confirmed that EU students starting courses from 1 August 2021 will normally be classified as having Overseas Fee status. More information about the change is available at UKCISA:

    EU citizens living in the UK with 'settled' status, and Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland, will still be classified as Home students, providing they meet the usual residency requirements, for more information about EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS)


    Self-funding:

    If you don’t want to take out a loan to pay your fees or if you aren’t eligible to receive a loan, you might want to take advantage of the University’s scheme to pay by instalments: See How to pay.

    For more information please contact the Gateway.


    Your employer, embassy or organisation can pay for your Tuition fees:

    If your employer, embassy or organisation agrees to pay all or part of your tuition fees; the University will refer to them as your sponsor and will invoice them for the appropriate amount.

    We must receive notification of sponsorship in writing as soon as possible, and before enrolment, confirming that the sponsor will pay your tuition fees.


    Financial Hardship:

    Students can apply to the Dennis Turner Opportunity Fund.

    for help with course related costs however this cannot be used for fees or to cover general living costs.


    Bursaries and Scholarships:

    In addition the University also offers a range of Bursaries and Scholarships packages

    You can find more information on the University’s Funding, cost, fee and support pages.

    Telephone

    01902 32 22 22

    Email

    enquiries@wlv.ac.uk

    Online

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    How we compare

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    Find out how our course is rated on Discover Uni, the official website for comparing UK higher education courses.

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