Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management

Quantity surveying and commercial management is the discipline that holds construction projects together financially and contractually. Where architects design and engineers solve technical problems, quantity surveyors and commercial managers ensure that projects are economically viable, that costs are planned and controlled, that contracts are correctly drawn up and administered, and that the commercial risks inherent in building are properly understood and managed. The discipline sits at the intersection of the built environment and the business world, requiring both technical knowledge of construction and strong skills in finance, law, negotiation, and professional communication.

The programme at Nottingham Trent University is a four-year degree that includes a foundation year, giving students who do not yet meet the standard entry requirements the academic grounding and study skills needed to succeed at degree level. Following the foundation year, you will study the core content of quantity surveying and commercial management, covering cost planning and control, procurement and tendering, contract law and administration, project management, and the use of building information modelling and other digital tools that are increasingly standard in the industry. Commercial management modules develop your understanding of business strategy, risk management, and the financial structures that underpin construction projects of different types and scales.

Professional skills, including communication, report writing, and working in teams, are developed throughout the programme alongside the technical content.

Graduates from this programme are well placed to enter the quantity surveying and commercial management profession directly, working with consultancies, contractors, developers, or in-house for organisations managing construction programmes. The professional pathway typically leads towards chartered membership of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, which is the primary professional qualification in the field. Beyond practice, graduates work in project management, facilities management, development finance, and public sector construction procurement.

With experience, senior commercial and managerial roles open up, along with opportunities in international markets where UK-qualified surveyors are in demand. Postgraduate study is available for those who want to specialise in areas such as dispute resolution or project management.