• Undergraduate
  • Apprenticeship

Chartered Surveyor (Building Surveyor)

BSc (Hons) Level 6
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Overview

Overview

Developed in partnership with employers, the BSc (Hons) Building Surveying (Chartered Surveyor Degree Apprenticeship) course has been mapped to Chartered Surveyor(degree) Apprenticeship Standard. It is fully accredited by Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) reflecting highest industry standards.

The objective of the course is to develop specialist skills and knowledge relating to all aspects of buildings, from inception, feasibility, design and construction to their strategic and tactical management, defect diagnosis, repair, refurbishment and conservation.

The course matches the needs of industry through innovation to real-life building practice, building pathology, construction technology, and the legal framework for industry, risk management and building surveying practice. It also encompasses conservation, conversion, and adaptation of existing built environment.

Embracing innovations of the future, the course structure supports the development of a sustainable society for the twenty-first century and beyond.

It combines academic study with the application of professional skills and competencies and is taught through a combination of academic study and project work. Skills and knowledge developed during this course sets up a firm background for a successful career as a Building Surveyor.

The course is suitable for anyone working with Chartered Surveyor Practices, Building Consultancies, Local Authorities, Valuation and Law firms or Property development and management companies.

While elements of the degree will be studied during time at work, the majority of your tuition delivered in form of day release by University of West London academic staff. During this time, you will also be able to meet one-to-one with your academic mentor. In addition to studying, these occasions will provide opportunities for you to spend time socialising with your peers.

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Select a start date below to see relevant course information:

Start date:

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Why choose an apprenticeship?

Why choose an apprenticeship?

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As a level 6 student about to graduate I have found the course extremely insightful and feel it has aptly prepared me to enter the working world, with specialisms of knowledge in all areas of building surveying. Both the modules and lecturers were highly engaging, with ongoing support throughout the course. I would highly recommend studying building surveying at UWL.

 

Jack Kenny
Accreditations and partners

Accreditations and partners

Fully accredited by Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

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Employers we work with

Employers we work with

The BSc (Hons) Chartered Surveyor (Building Surveyor) degree apprenticeship has been developed in partnership with a select group of esteemed employers.

While studying on this programme, significant parts of your learning will take place at work and will contribute to your overall degree. As a Degree Apprentice, you will be a fully salaried employee, with all the benefits this brings. You’ll be working as part of a team with real responsibility giving you hands-on, vocational training every day. At work, you will be supported in your role by both your line manager and mentor.

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Logo of Northampton Partnership, an engineering company
Logo of Anstey Horne, a UK engineering company
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Requirements

Requirements

Requirements for apprentices

The Chartered Surveyor Degree apprenticeship programme does not follow the standard UCAS application process.

You must be in employment with a relevant company to undertake the Chartered Surveyor Degree Apprenticeship.

In addition, for standard entry the following applies:

  • 112 UCAS tariff points (2017 UCAS Tariff) or an equivalent level of attainment through recognised qualifications not included in the UCAS tariff
  • or minimum of three A2 levels at Grade C or higher or their equivalent 
  • or Level 3 apprenticeship in a construction or property related discipline
  • or A current RICS Associate qualification
  • and GCSE Grade C/4 or above in English and Maths        

You will also be considered if you have the following educational background:

  • Progression or Advanced Diploma in Construction and the Built Environment
  • Progression or Advanced Diploma in Engineering.
Additional Requirement Information

A levels (level 3), normally in a minimum of two subjects, plus A*-C or 9-4 GCSE qualifications (Level 2) in English and Maths. Applicants with no formal qualifications will also be considered on an individual basis.

English and maths only: If you do not have evidence of these qualifications, then we strongly recommend you achieve these before you start the apprenticeship.

For applicants living in London*, we have free courses - see information here:

Open the door to new career possibilities with our free courses in Maths and English (uwl.ac.uk)

*You must be able to meet the eligibility criteria.

If you have an overseas qualification, we will check this for its UK equivalency during your application and let you know what you may need to do to meet the requirement

Eligibility

All apprenticeships starting from 1 August 2021:

Eligibility is subject to Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) Apprenticeship Funding Rules. Over the duration of the apprenticeship, you must meet the eligibility requirements in place at the time, including:

  • Have the right to work and study in England
  • Spend at least 50% of your working time in England; and
  • Are a UK citizen and have been ordinarily resident for the last three years in the UK or meet one of the following immigration statuses:

UK and Irish Nationals: have been ordinarily resident in the UK or EEA for the three years before the first day of the start of the apprenticeship.

EEA nationals: have either pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme; and have been ordinarily resident in the EEA, Gibraltar, or the UK for at least the previous three years before the first day of the start of the apprenticeship.

*Non-EEA nationals: you are eligible if you have permission from the UK government to live in the UK, (not for educational purposes) and have been ordinarily resident in the UK for at least the previous three years before the first day of the start of the apprenticeship.

* You must meet the UK government’s eligibility criteria for apprenticeship funding: 

Where an applicant for an apprenticeship does not hold a UK passport as a British citizen, these requirements state that you must have an immigration permission in the UK that allows you to study and will cover the length of the whole apprenticeship in full without you needing to extend your visa or immigration permission during the apprenticeship.

Please check the guidance for further clarification, particularly for information on:

  • Family members of UK and EEA nationals
  • Individuals with certain types of immigration status and their family members
  • Asylum seekers
  • Other immigration status.

You can also contact the Student Admissions Team admissions@uwl.ac.uk if you require further clarification.

Course detail & modules

Course detail & modules

The objective of the course is to develop specialist skills and knowledge relating to all aspects of buildings, from inception, feasibility, design and construction to their strategic and tactical management, defect diagnosis, repair, refurbishment and conservation.

Compulsory modules

  • Construction Technology 1

    This module will introduce you to concepts of building technology, from site investigation to foundations to the structure of low-rise buildings. You will also study finishes and primary service provision, including gas and electricity services.

  • Building Regulatory Control

    This module is designed to give you an understanding and appreciation of building regulations and town and country planning legislation that affect the building industry. You will be able to investigate the effects of the legislation upon construction projects. You'll also gain essential knowledge and skills regarding health and safety.

  • Professional Practice (work-based)

    This module is designed to provide the students with the basic construction and academic skills that they will need to both complete the course and back up their work. It ranges from basic skills in numeracy, literacy and IT through to drawing skills and surveying techniques used in construction.

  • Design Procedures and Procurement

    This module is designed to give the student an overview of the building design construction and operation process combined with various stakeholders and professionals involved, and procurement methods. It covers the detail of each stage in the RIBA Plan of Work, and the sequences of the stages in a construction project with different procurement approaches. The module also tackles tendering and cost estimating methods, techniques and skills.

  • Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Building Information Modelling (BIM)

    On this module, you will train to use computer aided design (CAD). You will start by learning to use basic AutoCAD functions to produce 2D building design drawings, including floor plans, elevations and sections. Then you will progress to applying AutoCAD Revit to produce more complicated and complete design drawings, including 3D views and assembly and part details.

Compulsory modules

  • Construction Technology 2

    This module will allow you to develop your knowledge and understanding of building technology, focusing on the consequences of science on building design and sustainability. Your studies will also cover multi-floored construction and a greater depth of services.

  • Building Pathology

    This module investigates building pathology in the context of professional practice, enabling students to critically appraise the building surveying process. It develops students’ ability to recognise, analyse and remedy building defects in a range of scenarios. It provides an understanding of inspection, testing and monitoring techniques to ensure the most appropriate diagnosis and reporting of building defects, leading to reasoned advice and suitable recommendations that take account of professional and ethical factors.

  • Construction Law

    During this module, you will have the opportunity to develop your awareness of how the law applies to all aspects of construction.

  • Building Surveying, Conservation and Adaptation

    On this module you'll gain an understanding of how to examine a property with a view to converting or adapting it. The module will also give you the chance to enhance your skills in developing plans and specifications for converting or adapting existing buildings.

  • Built Environment Company Review (work-based)

    This module is intended to provide an overview and study of the accessibility in your company. It looks at working practices of your company and principal materials used within the company. The focus is on understanding the company’s structures, policies and contracts.

Compulsory modules

  • Integrated Design and Construction Project (work-based)

    This module allows you to analyse a work-based project. This analysis will be related to the course in order to give greater considerations of several course areas such as developing presentation and communication skills.

  • Environmental Science & Building Services

    This module will provide you with knowledge about Environmental Science to help understand concepts and principles of heat and thermal insulation, air movement and ventilation, moisture and condensation, noise and sound insulation, natural and artificial light with various types of lighting design. You will also look at building services and how these are integrated in the design of buildings.

  • Maintenance Management

    On this module you will have the opportunity to critically examine the role of maintenance management and inspection in the life cycle design of the built environment. On completion of the module, you will be able to provide evidence of reasoned advice and prepare a maintenance management plan.

  • Construction Economics and Finance

    On this module you'll learn the basic principles of economics, resource allocation, determining price and the factors that affect production. You will critically examine the economic effects of organisational practices and financing on the construction industry.

Compulsory modules

  • Sustainable Technologies for Building

    You will investigate the effects of sustainable practices on construction projects and their application on real projects. In particular, your studies will focus on sustainable building technologies.

  • Contract Administration

    On this module, you will study and analyse the contract administration factors that apply to project delivery and facilities management. This module will take a detailed look at contract provisions from the bottom up, looking at their practical applications.

Compulsory modules

  • Dissertation

    This module provides students with an opportunity to develop research skill commensurate with an honours title whilst investigating an area of construction to give a greater insight into the industry.

Teaching & learning

Teaching & learning

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You will benefit from the following:

  • Taught by academics with a guest speaker input from practising surveyors.
  • Conduct practical land surveying and building measurement surveys
  • Use laboratory and computer suites where you will conduct tests on materials, learn about Ground Penetrating Radar and Building Information Modelling (BIM) techniques
  • Use industry standard software such as AUTOCAD, Revit and SAPs
  • Attend field trips such as construction sites and conservation and refurbishment projects
  • Attend a range of CPD seminars led by industry professionals.
  • Use state-of-the art library facilities at the St. Mary’s Road site.
  • Have access to university’s student services and modern Sports and recreational facilities as well as events organised by Students' Union.
  • Work on multi-disciplinary projects with peers from construction project management and architectural design technology.
  • Build a network of peers during your time at the university.
  • Get a Personal Tutor and specialist Apprenticeship tutor at the University.

Special resources available:

  • Concrete and Soil Laboratories
  • Farringdon Centre for Non-Destructive testing
  • State-of-the art Library facilities
  • Specialist architectural studio with computer suite
  • Specialist software
  • Specialist Surveying equipment.

Teaching methods on this course include:

  • lectures
  • seminars
  • computer-based tutorials
  • laboratories
  • workshops
  • practicals.
test

Student support for this course

Apprenticeship Support Link Tutor (ASLT):

You will be allocated an Apprenticeship Support Link Tutor (ASLT), who is an academic member of our staff. He/she will work with you, the employer and the Workplace Mentor throughout the programme, providing continuity and a single point of contact for academic and administrative matters.

Personal Tutor:

You will have an assigned Personal Tutor, who will provide pastoral support to you.

Workplace visit:

There will be regular liaison between us and employers to monitor and support you and you will receive a minimum of 2 workplace visits per semester up to 6 per calendar year. 

Central Student Services:

Dedicated Student services teams provide a range of services from Academic Support to Welfare and Well-being.

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Study mode

You will attend one full day a week for ‘off the job’ training at the university for 32 weeks every year. During the rest of the weeks in the year, you will still be expected to spend 20% of the time studying or training away from the normal working environment.

University attendance:

  • Semester 1: 16 weeks
  • Semester 2: 16 weeks
Teaching hours
  • Year 1      Tuesday: 9am to 6pm
  • Year 2      Thursday:  9am to 6pm
  • Year 3      Wednesday: 9am to 6pm
  • Year 4      Monday: 12 noon to 4pm
  • Year 5      Monday: 9am to 1pm
A student and a tutor a looking at the laptop in the library during their academic workshop session

How you will be assessed

You will be assessed through:

  • closed book exams
  • problem-based coursework and professional style reports
  • e-portfolios
  • group presentations
  • work-based project
  • practical work.
Costs & fees

Costs & fees

Costs for apprentices

Although there are no tuition fees payable by you as an apprentice, additional costs may be incurred which are outside of the apprenticeship levy funding. Please discuss additional costs directly with your employer.

Costs for employers

For employers, the costs of training your apprentice will usually be covered by the apprenticeship levy. Find out more about how apprenticeship funding works.

Teaching staff

Teaching staff

Indira Chauhan

Indira Chauhan

Indira has considerable industrial experience in the design and construction of building and infrastructure projects. Working in Academia since 2006, Indira has been teaching various undergraduate courses in Building Surveying, Construction Project Management/Architectural Design and Technology at the School of Computing and Engineering. She is currently Head of Subject for Built Environment and Architectural Technology and Course Leader for BSc (Hons) Building Surveying and Chartered Surveyor Degree Apprenticeship courses. She leads modules such as Building Pathology, Building Structure and Materials, Construction Technology and Dissertation projects. She is currently an external examiner at the University of Derby and at Leeds Beckett University.

Indira is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She is also a full member of multiple professional bodies such as the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) and the Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (CICES).

As a Chartered Engineer (CENG) and a Chartered Surveyor (MRICS), Indira promotes industry-academia engagement by organising regular CPD seminars for students.

Indira has considerable industrial experience in the design and construction of building and infrastructure projects. Working in Academia since 2006, Indira has been teaching various undergraduate courses in Building Surveying, Construction Project Management/Architectural Design and Technology at the School of Computing and Engineering. She is currently Head of Subject for Built Environment and Architectural Technology and Course Leader for BSc (Hons) Building Surveying and Chartered Surveyor Degree Apprenticeship courses. She leads modules such as Building Pathology, Building Structure and Materials, Construction Technology and Dissertation projects. She is currently an external examiner at the University of Derby and at Leeds Beckett University.

Indira is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She is also a full member of multiple professional bodies such as the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) and the Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (CICES).

As a Chartered Engineer (CENG) and a Chartered Surveyor (MRICS), Indira promotes industry-academia engagement by organising regular CPD seminars for students.

Study & career progression

Study & career progression

A group of students working in the Faringdon Centre

Following a successful completion of the course, you can also progress on to a master’s degree and doctoral studies in Building Surveying.

Career progression

On completion of the BSc (Hons) Building Surveying (Chartered Surveyor Degree Apprenticeship), you will be eligible to register as a Chartered Surveyor with RICS on completion of your End Point Assessment carried out by RICS. On completion of the Apprenticeship and achieving a Chartered Membership of RICS, you will be able to provide professional services as a: building surveyor; commercial property surveyor; residential property surveyor; planning and development surveyor; valuation surveyor; or a project management surveyor.

You will be able to find roles as a Chartered Building Surveyor in:

  1. Chartered Surveyor Practices
  2. Local Authorities
  3. Valuation and Law firms
  4. Property Development and Management firms
  5. Building Consultancies
  6. Facilities Management
  7. Specialist Contracting Firms
Contact us

Contact us

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Janet Rowson, Director of Apprenticeships

Please get in touch with Janet Rowson to find out more about working with the University of West London as a training provider.

Please get in touch with Janet Rowson to find out more about working with the University of West London as a training provider.

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