BSc (Honours) Building Surveying

Study Mode Full-time
Year of Entry 2024/25
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BSc (Honours)

Building Surveying

Learn how to refurbish existing buildings and develop new ones as an environmentally minded building surveying professional on our highly respected, practice-focused course.

Everything you need to know...

  • Pound sign

    What is the fee?

    Home: £9,250 per year (£1,200 for placement year)
    International/EU: £16,655 per year (£1,200 for placement year)

  • Time

    How long will I study?

    3 / 4 Years

  • Location

    Where will I study?

    City Campus

  • Bookmark

    What are the entry requirements?

    112-120 UCAS points

  • Checkmark

    What is the UCAS code?

    K230

  • Date

    When do I start?

    September 2024

  • Avatar

    Placement year available?

    Yes


Employability

100% of our graduates are in work or further study fifteen months after graduating, with 100% in highly skilled employment or further study (2020/21 Graduate Outcomes Survey).

Course summary

  • Experience all forms of the profession, from surveying techniques and building technology to appraisal and conservation.
  • Learn how to design, manage and advise on new and refurbished building projects.
  • Tackle current industry challenges, such as sustainable design and redevelopment.
  • Get out of the classroom and explore diverse projects, with field trips in the UK and Europe.
  • Work on real-life briefs with industry experts and practising surveyors at prestigious organisations.

Discover everything you need to know about the building surveying profession – including building pathology, construction technology, building conservation, project management and design.

Accredited by
  • Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB)
  • Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)


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How you learn

Student View
Watch student Rebecca Sleight talk about what it’s like to study this course.

All our courses are designed around a set of key principles based on engaging you with the world, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive.

As one of the longest-running Building Surveying courses in the UK, our tutors are highly regarded throughout the industry. Not only are they experts in their field, but they also have strong connections within the profession, giving you a headstart in your career. At every level of the course, you’ll have the opportunity to engage with professionals and diverse buildings, places and communities – both locally and globally.

As the course progresses, you’ll explore the latest trends in the sector. You'll also learn how to apply your skills to real-world challenges, such as the need to balance economic, social and environmental goals in the name of ‘sustainable development’. 

You learn through:

  • Lectures and seminars
  • Technical workshops 
  • Industry visits
  • Field trips 
  • Independent study 
  • Practice-based learning
  • Group work
  • Work placements

Key themes

You’ll learn the fundamental skills of how to inspect, appraise, propose, negotiate, problem solve, innovate and plan in relation to the full life-cycle of buildings and places – from their creation and use, through to their replacement. 

Core modules cover surveying skills and techniques, building technology, building pathology, conservation and heritage, dilapidations, law, sustainability and resilience, economics, property development and climate action. 

In your final year, you’ll research a topic of your choice, enabling you to master the investigation, data analysis and reporting skills you’ll need in professional practice. 

This combination of practice-focused learning and contemporary industry issues will make you stand out to employers, preparing you to leave us a confident graduate, ready for your next challenge. 

Course support

At every level of study, students are given the opportunity to thrive, culturally, personally and professionally. Throughout your learning journey, you’ll experience a range of dedicated support, such as:

  • Access to our unique student support triangle to help with your personal, academic and career development.
  • Access to our Skills Centre with one-to-ones, webinars and online resources, where you can get help with planning and structuring your assignments.
  • Free access to office and studio space, expert workshops, freelance opportunities and a vast business network ready for you to tap into.

Course leaders and tutors

Simon Hollis
Simon Hollis
Senior Lecturer

Simon Hollis

Watch Richard Kebell talk about this course.

Applied learning

Your course has been designed to embrace real-world challenges and provide you with the practical skills and knowledge to be successful. 

Work placements 

You’ll have the opportunity to arrange a year-long work placement before your final year. This gives you valuable work experience to prepare you for your future career and allows you to graduate with an Applied Professional Diploma to add to your CV. 

We put a big focus on applied learning, and you’ll get lots of real-world experience on this course, which in turn will heighten your employability when you graduate. 

Live projects

This course boasts some great hands-on, practical experience. In each year of study, you’ll work on real projects, responding to briefs set by employers, and interacting with building surveying professionals. This could include investigating and profiling an employer, or working with students from other courses to creatively address environmental issues. 

You’ll also have the chance to work with our estate partners on campus development projects. Not only could you help us meet our environmental targets, but you can also have a direct impact on how our University will look.

Field trips  

In the first year of the course, you’ll take a field trip to a UK town or city (at no additional cost). Previous destinations have included Durham, Newcastle, Edale and Matlock Bath.

In your second year, there will be an optional overseas field trip to a European city (for which additional cost contributions may be required). Previous destinations have included Lisbon and Berlin.  

Networking opportunities  

Property is all about people. We’ll help you build a network of professional contacts by hosting networking events with employers. You’ll also be introduced to high-profile industry leaders through guest lecturers and masterclasses. 

We have a range of notable Built Environment alumni to take inspiration from – including Louise Brook-Smith OBE, the first female president of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

Competitions 

Our graduates are often nominated and win the RICS Young Surveyor of the Year award, such as Josh Weston who is our most recent winner.

Each year we select and mentor a female student to participate in The Association of Women in Property’s Student Award. Our course nominees compete against participants from a wide range of universities and disciplines from across the UK and often qualify for the regional and national finals. 


Future careers

This course prepares you for a career in:  

  • Commercial building surveying 
  • Residential surveying 
  • Project management 
  • Building control  
  • Fire engineering 
  • Property development 
  • Heritage and conservation 
  • Loss adjusting 
  • Sustainability 
  • Other built environment professions 

Previous graduates of this course have gone on to work for

  • Atkins
  • CBRE
  • Crawford
  • Cushman and Wakefield
  • Eddisons
  • Faithful & Gould
  • Independent consultancies
  • Knight Frank
  • Lambert Smith Hampton
  • Local authorities
  • Malcolm Hollis
  • Michael Dyson Associates
  • Rider Levett Bucknall
  • Savills
  • Workman LLP

Where will I study?

You study at City Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.

City Campus

City Campus is located in the heart of Sheffield, within minutes of the train and bus stations.

City Campus map | City Campus tour 


City Campus map
Location

Howard Street
Sheffield
S1 1WB

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Adsetts library

Adsetts Library is located on our City Campus. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.

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Learn more about your department

Natural and Built Environment Facilities Tour

Take a look around the natural and built environment facilities at Sheffield Hallam University with lecturer Camila Bassi.

Equipment and facilities

We’ve invested over £100m in new facilities to help you study how and when you want. This means 24-hour libraries and study spaces designed by our students. 

You will have access to a variety of learning spaces for both independent study and collaboration, plus industry-standard equipment and software to enable you to learn the tools and techniques you’ll use in the world of work.

On this course you may work with:

  • Kykloud, AutoCAD and Autodesk Revit
  • IT labs and our Adsetts Learning Centre
  • 42 Howard Street, a Georgian terraced house on campus used for interactive teaching

Entry requirements

All students

UCAS points

  • 112-120

This must include at least 64 points from two A levels or equivalent BTEC National qualifications. For example:

  • BBC-BBB at A Level.
  • DDM in BTEC Extended Diploma.
  • Merit overall from a T level qualification.
  • A combination of qualifications, which may include AS Levels, EPQ and general studies.

You can find information on making sense of UCAS tariff points here and use the UCAS tariff calculator to work out your points.

GCSE

  • English Language or English Literature at grade C or 4
  • Mathematics at grade C or 4

• Access - at least 45 credits at level 3 and 15 credits at level 2 from a relevant Open College Network accredited course

• foundation degree - advanced entry - for direct entry to year two you must have a Foundation degree in a related subject, with an average score of 60% across the highest level modules.

• advanced entry - for direct entry to year two you must have a minimum of all merits on all H2 level units in a construction related HND/HNC, not including key or common skills. Compensation for a pass in one H2 unit with a distinction in another H2 unit is permitted.

If English is not your first language, you will need an IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in all skills, or equivalent.

We consider other qualifications from the UCAS tariff. Applicants with alternative qualifications or a combination of qualifications and work experience are also considered. We welcome applications from people of any age. Please contact us for further advice.

Meeting the qualifications on the entry criteria does not guarantee you a place. You should ensure that you submit a personal statement and reference as these are considered as part of the selection process. Guidelines on personal statements and references can be found on the UCAS website.

Additional information for EU/International students

If you are an International or non-UK European student, you can find out more about the country specific qualifications we accept on our international qualifications page.

For details of English language entry requirements (IELTS), please see the information for 'All students'.


Modules

Module and assessment information for future years is displayed as currently validated and may be liable to change. When selecting electives, your choices will be subject to the core requirements of the course. As a result, selections may be limited to a choice between one of two or more specified electives in some instances.

Important notice: The structure for this course is currently being reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment are all likely to change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Once the changes have been confirmed, updated module information will be published on this page.

You will be able to complete a placement year as part of this course. See the modules table below for further information.

Year 1

Compulsory modules

Module
Credits
Assessment
 Fundamentals Of Buildings & Materials
Credits 40
Assessment Coursework(50%) , Exam(50%)
 Introduction To The Built Environment
Credits 20
Assessment Coursework(100%)
 Practical Surveying Skills
Credits 20
Assessment Coursework(100%)
 Sustainability, Law And Economics
Credits 40
Assessment Coursework(50%) , Exam(50%)
Year 2

Compulsory modules

Module
Credits
Assessment
Construction Technology And Safety
Credits 40
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Contract Administration
Credits 20
Assessment Coursework(100%)
 Property Inspection And Remediation
Credits 40
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Resilient Built Environments
Credits 20
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Year 3

Compulsory modules

Module
Credits
Assessment
Placement
Credits -
Assessment
Final year

Compulsory modules

Module
Credits
Assessment
Building Surveying Professional Practice
Credits 40
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Heritage Conservation & Climate Action Retrofit Project
Credits 40
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Research Methods
Credits 20
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Research Project
Credits 20
Assessment Coursework(100%)

Fees and funding

Home students

Our tuition fee for UK students starting full-time undergraduate study in 2024/25 is £9,250 per year. These fees are regulated by the UK government and are therefore subject to changes in government policy. During your placement year you will pay a reduced fee of £1,200.

If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.

International students

Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting full-time study in 2024/25 is £16,655 per year. During your placement year you will pay a reduced fee of £1,200.

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Financial support for home/EU students

How tuition fees work, student loans and other financial support available.

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Additional course costs

This link allows you to view estimated costs associated with the main activities on specific courses. These are estimates and, as such, are only an indication of additional course costs. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.

Additional costs for Construction, real estate and surveying courses (PDF, 245.9KB)

Legal information

Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.

 

How do I apply?

Apply now via UCAS

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Why not come to our next open day? Open days are the perfect place to talk to staff and students, visit our campuses and get all the information you need. Alternatively, feel free to ask us a question.

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Teaching

We are Gold rated in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) for the outstanding quality of our teaching and student outcomes

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Accommodation

We guarantee to find you an affordable place to live that’s close to campus and comes with all bills included

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Employment

95% of our UK graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduating (2020/21 Graduate Outcomes Survey)

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