Building Surveying

Building surveying is the professional discipline at the heart of the built environment, responsible for the technical assessment, specification and management of buildings across their life cycle. Building surveyors advise on new construction, existing building condition, repair, renovation, conservation, sustainability and compliance, requiring knowledge that spans construction technology, materials, law, contract management and professional practice. The profession has significant influence over how buildings are built, maintained and transformed, giving practitioners a genuine role in shaping the environments where people live and work.

At London South Bank University, this three-year full-time programme includes a foundation year and a sandwich year with a work placement. The foundation year provides the technical and academic grounding needed before you progress to the full degree, making the programme accessible to students who want to build a solid foundation before specialising. The sandwich and placement elements are particularly important in a practice-based discipline, giving you direct professional experience in surveying firms, construction companies or local authorities and developing the professional competence and judgement that employers expect.

You will study building pathology, construction technology, legal and contract frameworks, project management, property law, sustainability and professional practice. The combination of technical, legal and management knowledge is what defines the profession, and the programme develops all three dimensions progressively. London's rich and diverse built environment, from historic conservation areas to major development schemes, provides an exceptional context for professional learning.

Graduates pursue careers as building surveyors, project managers, facilities managers, property managers and construction consultants. Many pursue professional qualification with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. Further study in building surveying, quantity surveying or construction law is available for those who want to specialise.