Building Surveying BSc (Hons)
Why choose this course?
On this course, you'll gain detailed knowledge of building maintenance, care, conservation and structure, reflecting the work of a building surveyor. You'll study the business and legal aspects of property and construction. You'll learn how to advise clients of legal and financial implications resulting from the condition of buildings.
You'll examine building designs, poor, good and/or sustainable. You'll use sketching and computer-aided design packages. You'll also examine reasons for constructions and buildings failing, which is a key knowledge base for chartered building surveyors. A major group project and an independent research project will give you the opportunity to showcase your learning.
| Qualification | Attendance | UCAS code/apply | Year of entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| BSc (Hons) | 3 years full time | K261 | 2023 |
| BSc (Hons) | 4 years full time including sandwich year | K230 | 2023 |
| BSc (Hons) | 5 years part time | Apply direct to the University | 2023 |
| Degree Apprenticeship | 5 years part time | Enquire via the KU Apprenticeship Team | 2023 |
Contact the KU Apprenticeship Team
| Location | Penrhyn Road |
Reasons to choose Kingston University
- The course is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and pending accreditation of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB).
- Kingston is actively involved in Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) and can help you in the process of qualifying as a chartered surveyor.
- You can choose a year's work placement. This will put invaluable experience on your CV and give your career a head start.
Professional Accreditation
This course is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and pending accreditation by the Chartered Institution of Building (CIOB). See the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) website and Chartered Institution of Building (CIOB) website for further information.
Becoming a chartered surveyor
The most popular route is:
- complete a degree accredited by the RICS, such as this degree at Kingston University; and then
- successfully complete structured training, which ends in an assessment of your competence to practise (Assessment of Professional Competence (APC)).
We are actively involved in APC, including preparation courses, and several staff members are RICS assessors. This means that Kingston University can help you from the start of your undergraduate degree right through to your registration as a chartered surveyor.
What you will study
You'll study the business and legal aspects of the property and construction industries. You'll learn how to advise clients of legal and financial implications resulting from the condition of buildings. Sustainable building design is also key to this course.
You'll also develop and practice skills for your future career, including: presenting yourself; working in teams; writing reports; debating current topics; applying IT to your discipline; and initiating and executing research projects.
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3/4
Year 1 explores design. You'll examine what makes a building well or poorly designed. You'll use both sketching and computer-aided design packages. You'll study the design process, the relationship of buildings to the environment and the need for design innovation and sustainability.
Core modules
Engineering Design and Professional Practice
30 credits
The principal aim of this module is to provide you with a flavour of what is involved in engineering design and to develop the good academic and professional practice needed to attain professional status. The module introduces the key aspects involved in: planning a project from start to finish, design processes incorporating a sustainability agenda, building an awareness of the interactions across various disciplines, regulatory frameworks and Health and Safety procedures. The module develops good academic and professional practice by developing skills in self-reflection and recording professional development. The basic principles of measurement and manufacturing processes in a workshop and testing environment are also addressed in the module.
Some elements of the module are delivered as part of the personal tutor scheme (PTS). This assists your transition into Higher Education encouraging a sense of belonging within the Faculty and within your discipline. The PTS helps you to develop good academic habits and initiates effective team working within a project management and engineering design framework, as well as developing interpersonal skills in order to enhance your employability.
Structures, Materials and Construction Methods
30 credits
The module introduces you to the fundamentals of structural analysis and mechanical behaviour of a broad range of construction engineering materials. Structural elements such as trusses under equilibrium are studied and the external and internal parameters such as force, moment, stress, strain, etc. are defined and calculated. You will gain knowledge of the analysis of structural components and theoretical and numerical skills that are necessary to design real world structures. Materials testing methods will be used to determine the deformations and failures of the various construction engineering materials. A selection of materials for construction engineering applications, such as concrete, timber, metal, ceramics, polymer and composites, will be studied including their carbon footprint and impact on the environment. The module further introduces construction methods and building elements/features (eg. walls, roofs, finishes and services). You will learn to undertake detailing/drawing of building elements and communicate this effectively in technical reports.
Applied Mathematics and Computing Applications
30 credits
The aim of the module is to provide a background in mathematics and equip you with the mathematical and computing skills essential for solving construction related problems. The module also introduces the use of computing methods in construction engineering for problem solving, visualization and data representation including cost modelling and risk analysis. The mathematics part comprises algebra, trigonometry and statistics.
Construction Management and Site Investigation
30 credits
This module introduces you to the fundamentals of construction management and the analysis of various construction site types with reference to their ground conditions. In order to develop in you an appreciation of the importance of the construction industry, its role in the UK economy will be analysed along with contextual factors that regulate and influence its operation. The role of important players in the construction sector will be examined in the context of procurement and contractual arrangements. Students will develop knowledge of site set-up operations and management. Students will also be introduced to soil mechanics and be able to apply their understanding and knowledge of geotechnics in site surveys and investigations as well as analyse their impact on the construction of permanent structures on the site.
Year 2 examines construction – how and why buildings fall apart. This is a key component of the knowledge base for chartered building surveyors. In the Building Maintenance and Management module you will learn how to keep buildings in use.
Core modules
CAD and Building Science
30 credits
This module introduces you to computer-aided design (the current AutoCAD version) and provides opportunities to gain practice under guidance of CAD and REVIT in order that you may develop proficiency in its use. You will also gain an understanding of the fundamentals of structural behaviour of common building elements and a working knowledge of environmental science principles and material properties. The concept of BIM (Building Information Modelling) will also be introduced during this module. The module is taught by lectures and practical sessions and typically assessed by a design project of practical exercise and individual portfolio which must include structural calculations.
Commercial Construction Technology
30 credits
The module aims to extend your knowledge and skill in construction technology including services from the basic types of construction to framed and more complex commercial structures. By the end of the module you should have developed a critical knowledge of building types, be able to interpret drawings, produce sketches and appreciate the reasons for the selection and use of different construction materials and services solutions.
Contract Administration
30 credits
This module aims to assist you to build on their understanding of the English legal system and law of contract developed at Level 4. You will gain deep and broad knowledge of standard contract forms used in the UK construction industry and the legal duties and responsibilities of the parties involved in construction contracts. The module further extends your critical knowledge and understanding of the contract administration and financial management duties of the quantity surveyor. Although there will be some lectures, the teaching and learning emphasis will be placed on the student developing their core knowledge and associated interpersonal skills through the use of scenarios and workshops and a residential field trip to a European city.
Building Maintenance & Management
credits
The module aims to enable you to appreciate building design related to function and the regulation that controls design decisions. You will develop knowledge of the strategic and practical aspects involved with the effective and efficient management and maintenance of buildings. On a broader level, the module will also consider how a building relates to its location and it will consider the social, economic and environmental consequences of design. You will also develop your skills of building appraisal so that you can diagnose building defects and their causes, including relating to design. The module will cover the principles of setting up and managing maintenance and small improvements works and monitoring and evaluating building performance from both the owner and occupier perspective. It will consider both legislative and financial considerations and the increasing importance of managing carbon and energy as well as being provided with an introduction to the principles of refurbishment. At the end of the module students will take part in a short residential field trip and will undertake work which will be incorporated in module CE6101. The module is taught by lectures, seminars and tutorials.
Year 3 includes workshops and a residential study trip. It culminates in a major group project, along with an independent research project. You will have the opportunity to combine and present all your learning from the course.
Core modules
Building Design and Application
credits
This module integrates knowledge and skills you have previously acquired in the complete suite of modules of this programme. The module provides the opportunity for the advanced practical application of building surveying knowledge and skills via the examination of a particular a typical practice scenario through to detailed proposals regarding a solution to that problem. The module is delivered by keynote lectures and workshops and a short residential study trip. Assessment is by major project and individual reflective essay.
Professional Practice in Context
30 credits
This module builds on the existing knowledge of the law and professional practice gained by students. It develops further the analytical and critical skills of students when encountering legal and professional practice problems. Knowledge of professional liability law is developed, together with other aspects of professional practice, ethical, legal and due diligence requirements. This module also ensures that students have developed a holistic understanding of sustainability as it applies to built environment professional practice.
The Existing Built Environment
30 credits
This module provides you with a critical understanding of heritage in the built environment. You will study the legislative and regulatory protection of heritage assets and explore the current debates surrounding such buildings including the potential and actual conflicts between competing interests. You will deepen their understanding of historic building materials in order that you can advise on appropriate conservation and repair, together with options for adaptation to new uses. The module is taught through lectures, seminars, workshop discussions and visits to heritage buildings and is assessed through case studies and coursework.
Individual Project
30 credits
The individual project is an opportunity to explore a subject of your own choice and to initiate, design and execute a small scale research project under supervision. The work in the project will draw upon material from all modules previously or currently taught and provide a culmination to your degree. Additionally, this allows you to develop and practice your research skills that will be invaluable for the future. You are encouraged to work independently, study a topic in depth, review previous work, collect, and interpret and analyse information. This is also intended to develop your ability to communicate clearly and succinctly orally, graphically and in writing. In undertaking the work you should demonstrate knowledge and competence in reviewing literature and in using one or more of a range of research methods to collect and analyse data and draw well-founded conclusions. To support you a series of workshops will be given along with individual one-to-one supervision to ensure that you are supported throughout the process. Assessment is by submission of an initial formative research statement and summative assessments comprise an interim report, an oral presentation and the completed project.
This module completes the undergraduate personal tutor scheme (PTS). The scheme assists you in your transition to level 6, supporting you in the achievement of your full academic potential. Furthermore the PTS encourages you to be proactive in planning your professional career and/or postgraduate study.
Please note
Optional modules only run if there is enough demand. If we have an insufficient number of students interested in an optional module, that module will not be offered for this course.
Degree apprenticeships
Kingston University is an active member of the Civil Engineering Design Degree Apprenticeship Group, led and managed by Technical Apprenticeship Consortium. Currently this consortium includes a group of large multi-national consulting companies as well as contractors and local governmental bodies with a number of regional educational providers.
The prime function of this Consortium is to define a partnership model through which employers and universities can deliver successful apprenticeship degree programme which integrates Bachelor of Engineering (BEng).
Kingston University had a progression rate of 100% for the 2018/19 academic year!
Entry requirements
Teaching and assessment
Becoming a chartered surveyor
To qualify as a chartered surveyor, you must:
- gain a RICS-approved academic qualification, such as a degree from Kingston University; and
- successfully complete structured training, which ends in an assessment of your competence to practice (APC).
We are actively involved in APC, including preparation courses, and several staff members are RICS assessors. This means that Kingston University can help you from the start of your undergraduate degree right through to your registration as a chartered surveyor.
RICS is the leading source of land, property, construction and related environmental knowledge. The organisation:
- supports 120,000 members worldwide;
- promotes best practice;
- represents consumers' interests; and
- provides impartial advice to society, businesses, governments and global organisations.
Who teaches this course?
The course is taught by the Department of Civil Engineering, Construction and Surveying. Staff have a wide range of experience across research and industry and continue to practise and research at the cutting edge of their discipline.
Our programmes have been designed with your aspirations, needs and abilities in mind, and are aimed at developing your specialist skills, deepening your understanding and offering new insights and perspectives to equip you for a professional career ahead.
Academic staff in the department are bonded in an interdisciplinary team of civil and structural engineers, material scientists, geologists, hydrologists, construction managers, building and quantity surveyors with professional practice and applied research backgrounds. Many of us are nationally and internationally recognised leaders in our areas of specialism and we are frequently invited to undertake high-profile external research and consultancy work.
Having developed our courses with the working world in mind, we offer hands-on student experiences such as testing in our exemplary laboratory facilities in structures, materials, concrete, geotechnics and hydraulics that are used for teaching and research. Knowledge is also gained from field trips for both undergraduates and postgraduates; site visits and industrial placements; employability support via our strong partnerships with industry, professional institutions and learned societies.
Our teaching is engaging and practice-focused and supported by site visits and invited guest lecturers by our industrial liaisons and strong alumni network. Our approach to assessment is project-driven and seeks to equip students with a range of competencies and transferrable skills thus boosting their employability prospects.
Postgraduate students may run or assist in lab sessions and may also contribute to the teaching of seminars under the supervision of the module leader.
Facilities
The campus has grown around the original four-storey main building, which houses many of the important hubs of activity like the main student restaurant, the learning resources centre (LRC), and a host of teaching rooms and lecture theatres.
At the heart of the campus is the John Galsworthy building, a £20million teaching and learning facility. The six-storey complex brings together lecture theatres, flexible teaching space and information technology suites around a landscaped courtyard.
The £9.8million Eadweard Muybridge building also provides spacious specialist laboratories and teaching spaces.
Find out more about the Penrhyn Road campus in the virtual tour.
Library
The Penrhyn Road Library gives you access to a large collection of printed and electronic resources. There are drop-in PC areas, video and DVD facilities, satellite TV and a variety of study spaces zoned for different types of learning activity. The wireless network in the library means you can also work from your laptop or mobile device.
There's also a reading garden, which offers an oasis of calm when you want to get away from it all, plus a Learning Cafe where you can study over a cup of coffee and a snack. Help and information is on hand for students with disabilities or special learning needs.
Find out more about the Penrhyn Road Library in the virtual tour.
Course fees and funding
Additional costs
Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs that are not covered by tuition fees which students will need to consider when planning their studies. Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessment and operating University facilities such as the library, access to shared IT equipment and other support services. Accommodation and living costs are not included in our fees.
Where a course has additional expenses, we make every effort to highlight them. These may include optional field trips, materials (e.g. art, design, engineering), security checks such as DBS, uniforms, specialist clothing or professional memberships.
After you graduate
You'll graduate ready to begin your career in building surveying – a varied and challenging profession with good starting salaries and opportunities for progression and travel.
What our students say
Links with business and industry
Our links with industry and professional bodies mean that your course reflects up-to-the-minute developments.
We make sure that you gain real experience of working for professional clients. Most surveying students undertake a year's work placement in industry, which contributes towards your professional training period.
Placement destinations have included:
- DTZ;
- Savills;
- Franklin and Andrews;
- Grosvenor Plc;
- Jones Lang LaSalle;
- Knight Frank;
- London Borough of Wandsworth;
- Montagu Evans;
- WS Atkins; and
- Lambert Smith Hampton.
You can also gain professional-style experience within the academic curriculum. You might take part in mock hearings and workshops, for example. In the second year you have the chance to go on an overseas residential field trip where you work on a real project. Previous destinations have included Amsterdam, Barcelona and Dublin.
Other examples of our links with industry include:
- a pan-European business challenge - this competition for final-year real estate students involves working with peers from several different EU countries and travelling to places such as Warsaw, Bratislava, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Groningen.
- private views of new developments in the City of London for first-year students - this is thanks to property management company CBRE. Executives from the company have also talked to students on issues such as letting, rents and services.
Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL)
The award of CETL status has enabled us to develop a Centre for Sustainable Communities Achieved through Integrated Professional Education. You benefit from:
- brilliant facilities, including a specialist learning resources centre and a debating chamber;
- a developing alumni network, leading to improved placement and graduate career opportunities;
- exciting opportunities for real projects and consultancy work;
- links with other schools in the University, giving you an understanding of the role built environment professionals can play in developing sustainable communities; and
- teaching informed by the latest research on sustainability.
Key information set
The scrolling banner(s) below display some key factual data about this course (including different course combinations or delivery modes of this course where relevant).
Course changes and regulations
The information on this page reflects the currently intended course structure and module details. To improve your student experience and the quality of your degree, we may review and change the material information of this course. Course changes explained.
Programme Specifications for the course are published ahead of each academic year.
Regulations governing this course can be found on our website.
Changes from 1 August 2022
Up until 31 July 2022, this course was taught in the Faculty of Science Engineering and Computing. For students enrolling from September 2022, the course will be delivered by the Faculty of Engineering, Computing, and the Environment. There will be no impact on the teaching or the award of the degree.