Building Surveying

Building surveying is the professional discipline concerned with the condition, maintenance, adaptation, and value of the built environment. Building surveyors assess buildings for defects and structural issues, advise on repairs and refurbishments, manage construction contracts, provide project management services, and offer specialist advice on matters including planning, access, sustainability, and historic building conservation. It is a profession with a broad scope that combines technical knowledge of how buildings are constructed and how they perform with the commercial and project management skills needed to deliver building-related work on time and within budget.

At London South Bank University, which has been educating building professionals for over a century, this four-year programme includes a foundation year providing additional preparation for students who need it. A sandwich year in industry and a work placement are both built in, reflecting the profession's strong emphasis on practical experience alongside academic learning. Graduates of similar programmes have secured roles at engineering and surveying firms and local authority building departments.

The strong industry connections LSBU maintains throughout the programme provide a meaningful bridge from academic study to professional employment.

Graduates typically pursue the path to Chartered Surveyor status through the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, and the degree provides strong preparation for the Assessment of Professional Competence that leads to MRICS qualification. Building surveying graduates work in private practice, local authorities, housing associations, NHS property services, and the private commercial property sector. The breadth of the profession means that graduates can specialise over time in areas such as dilapidations, conservation, contract administration, or project management.

Many also pursue postgraduate study or professional development alongside their early careers.