Building Surveying BSc(Hons)

Course structure

Through a shared first year across our construction and building courses, you will gain a thorough introduction covering key aspects of the industry.

Core modules become more tailored to building surveying from your second year. In your final year you apply what you have learned to more complex projects and have the freedom to choose option modules in areas that interest you most.

You will learn through lectures, tutorials, seminars, laboratory practicals and coursework. You will also take part in fieldwork, site visits, surveys and workshops, both individually and in groups, often with peers from related courses.

You also have the option to enrol on this course part-time, giving you more flexibility in the way you choose to study.

Year 1

In your first year you will explore fundamental elements relating to the industry.

Modules

• Introduction to the Built Environment

  This module will introduce you to the roles of construction professionals throughout the lifecycle of construction projects. You will research the design, construction and operation of buildings with a particular focus on your chosen discipline, widening your perspective of the processes involved at each stage and the statutory regulations that must be complied with. You will also take part in a residential field course, where you'll work in teams to gain an appreciation of the construction process and the different roles within this.

• Building Technology and Design

  This module will introduce you to the fundamental principles and techniques of architectural drawing and design, building technology and construction. This module is formed of practical guided workshops where you will be introduced to an industry standard CADD drawing package and learn how to use it to best deliver a set of skills which are essential in professional practice.

• Indoor Environment and Building Services 1

  This module will introduce you to environmental science of heat, light and sound in the context of domestic buildings and to building services. You'll develop an appreciation of services provision to meet the comfort criteria of domestic buildings and an awareness of smart control and sustainable services design.

• Land and Construction Surveying

  This module will introduce you to the equipment and methods used in both land and construction engineering surveying. The module will provide you with a thorough grounding in both the theoretical and practical aspects of surveying and covers a range of surveying topics from basic measurement of heights, distances and angles, to setting out coordinate positions on site. As a result of the nature of the content, there is a focus on practical skills with much of the delivery taking place in a practical setting.

• Construction Materials

  This module covers basic material science relating to construction materials such as timber, steel, concrete, masonry, polymers, bituminous materials, etc. You will develop an understanding of commonly used construction materials and evaluate the performance of different materials and to identify a variety of failure types. You will have the opportunity to test some of the main properties of basic construction materials, through laboratory sessions.

Year 2

In your second year, you will build on the knowledge and skills you have gained in your first year and begin to explore aspects of building surveying in more depth.

Modules

• Building Surveying Professional Practice
• Cost and Contract Administration
• Construction Methods and Technology
• Indoor Environments and Building Services 2
• Building Surveying
• Building Information Modelling (BIM) 

Placement year

A placement year offers an excellent opportunity to gain work experience, build a professional network, increase your confidence, develop existing skills and discover new ones. The experience also significantly enhances your CV.

Students have been on placement in organisations including Johnson Gillies Chartered Building Surveyors and Building Consultants, Baily Garner LLP and Portsmouth City Council. 

Final year 

In your final year you will develop and complete your individual research project. You will also choose from option modules, giving you flexibility to specialise in areas that interest you most.

Modules

• Advanced Building Surveying
• Honours project
• Building Pathology and Life Care

Option modules*

• Construction Risk and Financial Analysis
• Project Planning and Analysis
• Principles of Sustainable Construction
• Environmental Impact Assessment
• Waste Management and the Circular Economy

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

Building Information Modelling (BIM) 

At Brighton, you will have the opportunity to learn Building Information Modelling (BIM). The industry standard BIM application is widely used in the UK construction industry to manage and deliver building construction projects from concept to completion. Gaining skills and experience in BIM, as part of your studies, can help to give you a professional advantage when you graduate.

You will begin to develop your knowledge and skills in BIM by gaining a comprehensive understanding of modelling a building in a 3D environment, applying contractual requirements and learning about the building lifecycle. 

You will then have the opportunity to further investigate BIM's capabilities. The UK government currently states that all publicly-funded projects must now meet the BIM protocol, which has resulted in a push for a fast adoption of BIM in the industry, meaning there will be a growing demand for professionals who have BIM experience.

International requirements

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Course fees

If you choose to take the professional placement (sandwich) year offered on this course you will pay a reduced fee during this year. Our fee for the professional placement year is £1,230 for home students and £2,060 for international students. This fee may be subject to small increases, in line with inflation.

Info

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2019–20.

Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and are subject to an annual increase of no more than 5% or RPI (whichever is the greater). The annual increase for UK/EU students, who are subject to regulated fees, will increase no more than the statutory maximum fee.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full-time or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

What's included in the fee?

When costs such as health or DBS checks, or use of specialist materials are incurred as a mandatory requirement of the course they are included in your tuition fee.

You may incur additional costs depending on the optional modules or activities you choose. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. Before you apply check with the school that provides your course using the contact details in the Find out more tab (at the end of this page) for advice about what is included and what optional costs you could face so you can budget accordingly.

See our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as further information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Local area

Campus where this course is taught

Accommodation

Maps

Accommodation

University building

Moulsecoomb campus map