Building Surveying

Building surveying is the professional discipline concerned with the condition, performance and value of buildings throughout their life cycle. Building surveyors advise on construction, maintenance, repair, renovation, conservation and compliance, working across both the built heritage and new development. The role requires a combination of technical knowledge about construction materials, building systems and pathology, alongside legal, contractual and management skills that allow surveyors to advise clients, manage projects and resolve disputes.

At Sheffield Hallam University, this part-time programme provides a thorough grounding in the full breadth of the building surveying profession. It includes a sandwich year and a work placement, which are particularly valuable for a practice-based discipline where professional experience is central to developing competence and confidence. You will study building pathology, construction technology, building conservation, project management, design, contract law, property law and professional practice, gaining the knowledge base to assess buildings in different conditions and contexts.

The part-time structure allows you to develop your professional skills while managing other commitments, which for many building surveyors means working in the industry while studying, so that academic and practical learning reinforce one another directly.

Graduates go on to careers in building surveying, property management, quantity surveying, project management, facilities management, construction consultancy and building conservation across the public and private sectors. Many pursue professional qualification with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, and programmes of this kind are typically aligned to RICS accreditation pathways. Postgraduate study and continuing professional development are common features of a surveying career.