School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering

BSc (Hons) Building Surveying

BSc (Hons) Part-time 5 years, Full-time 3 years

Train for one of construction’s most in-demand careers — and graduate ready for chartership. This RICS, CIOB and CABE-accredited degree gives you the technical knowledge, professional skills and hands-on site experience to qualify as a Chartered Building Surveyor.

Train for one of construction’s most in-demand careers — and graduate ready for chartership. This RICS, CIOB and CABE-accredited degree gives you the technical knowledge, professional skills and hands-on site experience to qualify as a Chartered Building Surveyor.

Award
BSc (Hons)
Start date(s)
14 September 2026
UCAS Code
K230
Course specifications
Course length
Part-time (5 years),Full-time (3 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 surveyors are in short supply. RICS’ own research places building surveying among the professions facing the most acute skills shortages in the UK, and around nine in ten surveyors say a lack of trained colleagues is already affecting their part of the industry. Choose this course and you’re not just getting a degree — you’re training for a career the industry urgently needs filled.

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 course is taught by lecturers and practitioners who still work in the industry, and much of it happens around real buildings rather than only in the lecture theatre. That hands-on, practitioner-led approach is what sets it apart.

  • ‘Defect trails’ — guided site visits led by lecturers and practising surveyors, examining real building defects and failures first-hand, not just in photographs.
  • Modern surveying technology: hands-on experience with drones and laser surveying equipment, plus VR and AR tools now used across the profession.
  • Fully functional industrial laboratories for testing materials and construction methods.
  • Real-life case studies, not hypotheticals — including live examples of the conversion and adaptation of existing buildings, one of the fastest-growing areas of the profession.
  • Cross-discipline group projects with students from other built environment courses (construction management, quantity surveying, architecture), mirroring how real project teams work.
  • Based at our Springfield site, a £120m facility built specifically for the next generation of construction professionals.

What happens on the course?

The course builds in three stages — from core construction principles in Year 1 through to specialist, chartership-ready practice by Year 3 (the content is the same whether you study full-time over 3 years or part-time over 5).

Year 1 — Building the foundations

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 — Developing technical depth

This is where the discipline sharpens. 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 — 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, researching a building surveying topic of your own choosing in depth.
Running throughout

  • 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 — reflecting how surveyors actually work
  • A curriculum mapped directly to RICS' Assessment of Professional Competence, so you graduate with a head-start on chartership

Employability on the course

A degree accredited by RICS, CIOB and CABE is one of the most direct routes into a career as a Chartered Building Surveyor — and the sector needs you. Government housebuilding and infrastructure targets, combined with an ageing chartered workforce, mean demand for qualified surveyors continues to outstrip supply.

  • A direct route to chartership: your degree maps to RICS' Assessment of Professional Competence (APC), so once you've gained relevant industry experience you're on a clear path to MRICS 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.
  • Employability built in, not bolted on: professional development and professional practice modules run alongside your technical learning in every year of the course.
  • 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!

  • Accreditation that counts: RICS, CIOB and CABE accreditation satisfies the academic requirements for full professional membership — you'll just need relevant industry experience and to pass the RICS Assessment of Professional Competence.
  • 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 3 years or part-time over 5 — including the option of a dedicated placement year via our Sandwich Placement course.
  • An established, respected course: recognised by local and regional employers, with a course team that includes practising surveyors and CIOB and RICS professionals.
  • A rounded, practical curriculum: designed to cover the full breadth of skills and knowledge building surveyors need across both residential and commercial sectors.
  • Support that goes beyond teaching: from The Gateway's advice service to dedicated support for mature and part-time students balancing study with work or family life.

By the time you graduate, you'll be able to:

  • 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 using recognised research methods
  • Communicate confidently — through meetings, presentations, written reports and sketches — and work effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team

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

GCSE English and Maths at grade C+/4 or equivalencies plus

  • 96 UCAS points
  • A Levels - grades CCC / BCD
  • BTEC L3 Extended Diploma or OCR Cambridge L3 Technical Extended Diploma - grades MMM
  • Access to HE Diploma (60 credits) of which a minimum of 45 must be at Level 3 (96 UCAS point equivalence, minimum 45 credits at merit)
  • T Levels with an overall grade of Pass and a minimum grade of C in Core.

Use the UCAS Tariff calculator to check your qualifications and points

Students must usually have studied for a minimum of two years post GCSE level. However, we will consider applications from mature students who do not have two years of post-16 study, where they have relevant work experience. Please see http://wlv.ac.uk/mature for further information.

If you've got other qualifications or relevant experience, please contact The Gateway for further advice before applying.

International entry requirements and application guidance can be found at http://www.wlv.ac.uk/international/apply

English language requirements also apply.

Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB)

"Accredited by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), having been judged to meet the CIOB Education Framework. Prospective members holding these qualifications have full academic exemption and may enter CIOB membership without the requirement for an Individual Assessment."

Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE)

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

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)

Accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) for the purpose of graduate membership.

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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