How you learn

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.

On this course, you'll apply your learning by working on real buildings, projects, live sites and field trips – ultimately leading to a successful career in quantity surveying. You’ll engage with the wider world of construction, exploring diverse buildings, places and communities both locally and globally.

Our academics bring a wealth of cutting-edge knowledge and professional experience into our classrooms. Many of them are chartered surveyors and practising APC assessors, mentors and counsellors who are strongly connected within the profession. At every level of your course you’re able to learn from industry professionals who are at the frontier of their fields. 

You learn through:

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

Key themes

You’ll learn the fundamental skills for a range of quantity surveying roles, covering a broad range of practical topics. These include financial and commercial management, contract administration and practice, conflict avoidance, cost planning, sustainability, procurement and tendering, digital construction technologies and measurement. 

You’ll be able to apply research-based knowledge to real-world challenges – balancing economic, social and environmental goals in the name of ‘sustainable development’. You’ll also work on live industry briefs and collaborative projects – considering the full life cycle of buildings and places, from their creation and use, through to their replacement.

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.

The course also satisfies the academic stage of the journey towards attaining Chartered status with any of our professional bodies noted above and will provide you with a solid foundation to fulfil your potential.

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

Jan Wojturski

Senior Lecturer in Quantity Surveying

I started my professional career as a PQS working in Nottingham. I progressed to become head of Sheffield Office for a nationwide Chartered Quantity Surveying practi … Read more

Applied learning

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

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. 

You’ll apply a wide range of practical abilities and knowledge to real-world situations, developing independent and creative decision-making skills. 

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 quantity surveying professionals. This could include investigating and profiling an employer, or working with students from other courses to creatively address environmental issues. 

Previously, students worked with Laing O’Rourke on a live project. This included mock site meetings, site visits, and guest sessions from the Laing O’Rourke design team, simulating real life challenges encountered. 

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, you can have a direct impact on how our University will look.

Field trips

In the first year of the course, you take a field trip to a UK city (at no additional cost). Destinations previously have included Edinburgh, Manchester and Liverpool. 

In the second year, there’s an optional overseas field trip to a European city, (which may include additional cost contributions). Previous destinations have included Lisbon, Dublin and Berlin.

There may be the chance to undertake a volunteering expedition in Fiji through the Think Pacific programme – an award-winning global experience, working alongside local, Fijian communities.

Networking opportunities 

Construction is all about people. We’ll help you build a network of professional contacts by hosting networking events, guest lecturers and masterclass sessions with leading industry figures.

We have strong connections with a number of construction firms in the region. Through these, you’ll be able to visit live sites and gain valuable professional insights.

Competitions

We actively encourage students to enter competitions. Some of our recent accolades include The Association of Women in Property’s Student Award and the TRADA Timber Challenge, which saw students from UK universities compete to design, cost and engineer the best low-carbon, energy and water-efficient timber community in less than 48 hours. 

• The 2022 Inspirational Student Work Experience Award was won by a student, nominated by their employer while on placement. 
• The 2021 Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Regional Apprentice of the Year award was also won by one of our students.

Future careers

This course prepares you for a career in: 

• Professional consultancy practice 
• Building and civil engineering firms 
• Local authorities 
• Government agencies
• Dispute resolution
• Claims surveying 
• Expert witnessing 
• Mechanical and electrical quantity surveying 
• BIM 
• Sustainability 
• Project management 
• Property development 

We have long-standing relationships with leading companies – previous graduates of this course have gone on to work for: 

• BAM Construct UK 
• Bramall Construction Ltd 
• Balfour Beatty Construction 
• Lendlease 
• Transport for London
• Faithful & Gould 
• Turner & Townsend 
• Volker Rail 
• Henry Boot Developments 
• Network Rail  
• Rider Levett Bucknall
• Vinci
• Kier 
• AECOM 
• Laing O’Rourke
• Sheffield City Council

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 

Location

Howard Street
Sheffield
S1 1WB

Get directions

Adsetts library

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

Learn more

Entry requirements

Fees and funding

• Home students
• International students

Home students

Our tuition fee for UK students starting part-time study in 2024/25 is £4,625 per year (based on studying 60 credits per year). These fees are regulated by the UK government and are therefore subject to changes in government policy.

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 part-time study in 2024/25 is £8,330 per year (based on studying 60 credits per year). This course is not eligible for full-time Tier4 visa sponsorship. International students may apply for part-time Tier4 sponsorship on an individual basis. Please contact Admissions for further advice.

Financial support for home/EU students

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

Learn more

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.