Building Surveying

Building surveying is a professional discipline concerned with the design, management, maintenance and condition of buildings across their entire life cycle. Building surveyors advise clients on construction projects, dilapidations, refurbishments, planning applications, building pathology and defect analysis. They need expertise in design and construction technology, property law, contract management and project delivery, combined with the practical ability to inspect and assess buildings of all ages and types.

It is a profession with a clear vocational pathway, typically leading to chartership with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

At Leeds Beckett University this programme is offered part-time, making it accessible to those who are working in the construction or property sector alongside their studies. The programme is accredited by the RICS, meaning it is recognised as a qualifying route to chartership. It includes a sandwich placement year, a year abroad and embedded work placement opportunities, giving you a combination of structured professional experience and international exposure alongside your academic development.

The typical entry tariff for this programme is around 104 UCAS points. You will develop skills in design principles, building law and legislation, construction technology, project management, building pathology and the surveying of both residential and commercial properties.

Building surveying graduates work in consultancy practices, construction companies, local authorities, housing associations and large commercial property owners. The RICS accreditation of the degree provides a direct route to the Assessment of Professional Competence, which leads to MRICS membership, one of the most respected professional designations in the built environment. Career paths include building pathology, dilapidations work, contract administration, project management, facilities management and work within planning and conservation.

Postgraduate study in building surveying, construction law or project management is a further option for those who wish to develop advanced expertise.