Building Surveying student

Course details

UCAS Code

BS24

Year of entry

2024

Duration

3 YRS (FT) 5 YRS (PT)

UCAS Tariff

80-112

Institution Code

G53

Location

Blended Learning, Wrexham

Course Highlights

Tailored

to your needs with the ability to select an optional module in year 1

Develop

the expertise needed to be recognised within a vibrant and challenging construction industry

Top 10

in the UK for teaching quality (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024)

Why choose this course?

The BSc (Hons) Building Surveying course will focus on a wide range of key industry areas equipping you with the skills required to working in one of the largest employment sectors in the United Kingdom.


This course:

  • Sets you up for a career in building surveying which is part of one of the largest employment sectors in the United Kingdom.
  • Will extend your knowledge and understanding of how existing buildings are recorded, assessed and often refurbished as a tangible financial asset. 
  • Is catered towards those who have identified building surveying as an area of interest, or those who have worked in the construction and renovation sector previously.
  • Equips future building surveyors with the knowledge to measure, assess, re-organise and refurbish existing buildings of varying size and complexity.

Key course features

  • Further opportunities to directly engage with industry through conferences, guest lectures and visits to refurbishment projects to observe surveying, re-design, and site operations in practice.
  • A wide-ranging industry-standard digital resources available for use on- and off-campus.
  • Lectures are delivered in consecutive blocks as far as possible, to ensure flexible study time away from University.
  • A variety of teaching and learning methods are used to ensure that technical content is applied to typical building surveying scenarios.
  • The Built Environment subject area is part of the Faculty of Art, Computing and Engineering (FACE) and therefore content benefits from association with arts, computing, engineering and renewable energy subject disciplines.

What you will study

The first year of the BSc (Hons) Building Surveying programme comprises seven core modules and one optional module that combine to provide an informed introduction to the range of aesthetic, functional, legal and environmental considerations that contribute to the measurement, assessment and refurbishment of buildings and infrastructure.

Year 1 (Level 4)

MODULES

  • Building Surveying 1 (Core)
  • Digital Technologies in Drawing and Modelling (Core)
  • Digital Technologies in Surveying (Core)
  • Legal Principles, Compliance and Liability (Core)
  • Science and Materials (Core)
  • Construction Technology (Core)
  • Professional Practice 1 (Core)
  • Architectural Design Technology 1 (optional)*
  • Construction Management 1 (optional)*
  • Civil Engineering Design (optional)*
  • Quantity Surveying 1 (optional)*

*One to be selected

Year 2 (Level 5)

The second year of the Programme builds upon the first through modules that explore important technical and procedural considerations in the practice of building surveying. Building Services considers the importance of ensuring that buildings function comfortably for users in terms of the internal environment through essential services such as lighting, power, air handling, emergency fire warning/suppression systems and mechanical conveyance, and Procurement and Contract Practice addresses the ways in which building appraisal and refurbishment projects are commissioned and implemented towards completion and use.  

MODULES

  • Building Surveying 2
  • Modern Methods of Construction
  • Building Services
  • Procurement and Contract Practice
  • Commercial Management
  • Professional Practice 2 

Year 3 (Level 6)

The final year of the programme provides an opportunity to research a particular area of interest in Individual Research Project, and to identify and develop a significant building surveying proposal in Major Project.  All nineteen modules combine to engage students in their chosen field of study and are intended to encourage confidence and enthusiasm in the development of their expertise.  

MODULES

  • Project Management
  • Design for Climate Resilience
  • Individual Research Project
  • Professional Practice 3
  • Major Project

[Part-time study will comprise combinations of these modules over a five year period, though a Higher National Certificate or Higher National Diploma in a construction-related subject may carry exemptions at Levels 4 and/or 5, subject to approval by the University.]

The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the programme that will take the form of either core or option modules. Modules are designated as core or option in accordance with professional body requirements and internal academic framework review, so may be subject to change.

The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the programme that will take the form of either core or option modules. Modules are designated as core or option in accordance with professional body requirements and internal academic framework review, so may be subject to change.

Entry requirements & applying

To enrol on the BSc (Hons) Building Surveying programme, applicants will normally be expected to have previously achieved one of the following as a minimum:

  • Successful completion of a Foundation Year at Level 3 in a discipline considered appropriate by the Programme Team; or
  • 80-112 UCAS tariff points (200-280 pre-2017); or
  • A BTEC National Certificate or Diploma; or
  • Membership of a construction-related professional body at a level deemed appropriate by the programme team. 
     
    Applications from candidates who do not satisfy the standard entry criteria identified above are welcome and will be expected to demonstrate through interview that they have the potential to succeed on the programme. 

Candidates who are employed within the construction industry and have sufficient appropriate experience are also welcome, though diagnostic assessment prior to admission will be considered in order to measure academic capability, particularly in mathematics and English or Welsh.  

International applicants whose existing qualifications are outlined by the National Academic Recognition and Information Centre (NARIC) as being equivalent to the relevant UK entry qualification are also welcome. All applicants whose first language is not English or Welsh will be expected to demonstrate English language proficiency; European applicants are able to provide this evidence in a number of ways (further details), including IELTS; International applicants require a UKVI Approved Secure English Language Test (SELT) (further details).

Teaching & Assessment

Modules are delivered using a variety of teaching and learning techniques, including traditional lectures, practical ‘hands-on’ activities, tutorials and group discussions, laboratory work, construction site-based observation and peer appraisal. The main priority is to ensure that students feel comfortable within the academic learning environment and feel able to contribute to the discussion of subject matter within any class, tutorial or other learning activity that forms part of their studies – teaching and learning is fundamentally a two-way process within which student opinion is vitally important.

A range of assessment methods are used within the programme to simulate the sorts of written, practical, visual and oral communication skills that are expected of building surveyors; written reports, the practical use of technical equipment, visual presentations, laboratory analyses, in-class tests, examinations, coursework and oral presentations are all important ways in which students can demonstrate their understanding. The types of assessment selected for each module have been chosen to best-suit the nature of the technical content in each subject, and collectively provide a range of opportunities for students to demonstrate their interest, enthusiasm and interpretation of content during their studies. 

In terms of particular assessment needs, the University’s Inclusion Services department can provide appropriate guidance and support should any students require reasonable adjustments to be made to assessment processes because of a recognised prevailing disability, medical condition, or specific learning difference. 

Career prospects

The BSc(Hons) Building Surveying degree provides a qualification that is recognised as a comprehensive, informed and valuable measure of the ability of the Wrexham University graduate in the measurement, appraisal and refurbishment of buildings. Opportunities for building surveyors exist within the construction industry in many varied contexts, from recent developments to heritage and refurbishment projects of all scales and types – developing a career as a building surveyor can therefore lead to many rewarding experiences, not least due to the fact that no two building projects are the same, and that building surveyors are likely to spend as much time on site as they are at their desks. These circumstances mean that a career in building surveying can often be challenging, particularly rewarding, but never routine. 

The BSc (Hons) Building Surveying qualification will therefore provide a sound basis upon which to develop a career in the professional and technical aspects of measuring, appraising and renovating  buildings in a range of contexts. Graduates of the programme can therefore work towards establishing themselves as building surveyors, building consultants and inspectors, not least because of the experience and understanding gained whilst following the BSc(Hons) Building Surveying programme at Wrexham University.      

Fees & funding

You do not have to pay your tuition fees upfront.

The fees you pay and the support available will depend on a number of different factors. Full information can be found on our fees & finance pages. You will also find information about what your fees include in the fee FAQs.

All fees are subject to any changes in government policy, view our undergraduate fees.

Accommodation

If you’re looking for a place to stay while you study then take a look at our accommodation pages to get more information on your options, including our on-campus halls of residence Wrexham Village.