Building Surveying

Building surveying sits at the heart of the construction and property industries, concerned with the condition, performance, and value of buildings across their whole life cycle. Building surveyors assess defects and advise on repairs, manage construction and refurbishment projects, advise on procurement and contract administration, and provide professional guidance on the compliance of buildings with legal and regulatory requirements. It is a profession that combines technical knowledge of how buildings are constructed and maintained with the commercial and management skills needed to deliver complex projects on time and within budget.

The part-time Building Surveying programme at the University of the West of England, Bristol allows you to study while managing other commitments, making it well suited to those who are already working in a related field or who need the flexibility that part-time study provides. The programme includes a sandwich year, a year abroad, and work placement options, giving you structured opportunities to gain professional experience and to see how building surveying is practised in different contexts, including internationally. These experiences are valuable both for developing practical competence and for building the professional networks that matter in a discipline where relationships with clients, contractors, and other professionals are central to effective practice.

You will study the technical dimensions of construction technology, building pathology, and materials alongside the professional and commercial aspects of the discipline, including project management, contract law, and the regulatory frameworks governing building design and maintenance.

Graduates typically pursue professional status with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, moving into roles as building surveyors in private consultancies, local authorities, housing associations, NHS trusts, property companies, and major contractors. Career progression leads to project leadership, specialist practice in areas such as conservation or dispute resolution, and management roles within property and construction organisations.