Quantity Surveying

Quantity surveying is the profession concerned with the financial management of construction projects. A quantity surveyor is responsible for estimating costs, procuring contracts, managing expenditure, and ensuring that building projects are completed within budget and to the required quality. The role requires a blend of technical knowledge, commercial acumen, and professional judgement, and quantity surveyors work across every stage of a construction project, from initial feasibility and design through to completion and final account.

This programme at Anglia Ruskin can be studied part time, typically over five years, covering the same academic content as the full-time equivalent but structured to accommodate students who are working or have other commitments. This makes it particularly suitable for those already working in the construction industry who wish to formalise and extend their knowledge while continuing in employment. You will study the principles of cost planning, procurement, contract law, project management, building technology, and professional practice, developing the technical and commercial skills that underpin competent quantity surveying practice.

Quality surveying graduates typically work for main contractors, specialist subcontractors, quantity surveying consultancies, and client-side project management organisations. The profession is in consistent demand because every construction project, whatever its size, requires someone to manage its financial dimensions. Chartered membership of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors is the recognised professional standard, and the degree provides the academic qualification needed to pursue that route.

Roles in cost management, project management, contract administration, and commercial management are the natural career destinations, with experienced quantity surveyors often moving into senior leadership and partner-level positions within their organisations.