
Building Surveying with a Foundation Year - BSc (Hons)
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Looking to become a Building Surveyor? Our BSc (Hons) Building Surveying with Foundation year degree. matches the needs of industry, based on real-life building practice, building pathology, construction technology, and the legal framework for industry, risk management and building surveying practice....
- Level Foundation
- Study mode Full Time
- Location City Centre
- Award BSc (Hons)
- Start date September 2023
- Fees View course fees
- School School of Engineering and the Built Environment
- Faculty Faculty of Computing, Engineering and The Built Environment
Overview
Looking to become a Building Surveyor? Our BSc (Hons) Building Surveying with Foundation year degree. matches the needs of industry, based on real-life building practice, building pathology, construction technology, and the legal framework for industry, risk management and building surveying practice.
Much of your learning will be hands-on, you’ll carry out survey work using a range of equipment and you will also be provided with the latest CAD software.
The course is founded on the core competencies of the Building Surveying profession, preparing you to pursue your journey to full professional chartership.
About the Foundation Year
The Foundation Year course option enables you to study for our BSc (Hons) degree over an extended full-time duration of four years by including a Foundation Certificate (year one of four). The Foundation Certificate provides a broad study programme that underpins the follow-on degree. In order to progress to the next year of your degree, it is necessary to achieve a pass in all of the modules of the Foundation Certificate.
What's covered in this course?
The course not only encompasses the conservation, repurposing and adaptation of the existing built environment, but also embraces innovation, preparing you to contribute to the success of the profession and supporting the development of a sustainable society for the twenty-first century and beyond.
During this course, you will develop a range of academic and technical skills relevant to the building surveying profession. As in industry itself, this course demands a broad range of technical and creative skills.
We focus on the core technical knowledge, such as building pathology, construction technology and sustainability, as well as the legal framework knowledge required for a career in building surveying.
As the industry changes and adopts new approaches, by working with our industry partners gives you the opportunity to learn about the innovative changes impacting the industry today.
The course aims to produce building surveyors with a well-rounded ability to mix technical, creative and business skills, ready to join an equally fast-moving built environment. You will therefore be industry-ready and can look forward to a fulfilling and enjoyable career as a building surveyor.
Since graduation, I further developed my career at Greggs PLC where I secured a shop designer position, but my degree qualification has enabled me to pursue my building surveying career at Davis Langdon where I am now a Graduate Building surveyor.
Craig Chatwin, Graduate
Why Choose Us?
- Accredited course - Accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB).
- Industrial placement year option - Gain desirable employability skills and work experience with the option of an industrial placement year, that will take place between your second and final year of the course.
- Site visits and industry talks - These opportunities enhance your learning experience and help explain how to gain employment within the built environment world.
- State-of-the-art facilities - You will be based at our Millennium Point campus in City Centre, where our facilities have undergone a £6.5 million investment to provide you with the very best learning experience.
- Flexible course - This course is available to be studied full-time or part-time to suit you.
- We are an Autodesk Training Centre (ATC) - This national and international recognition will give you access to on-campus training by certified Autodesk instructors, providing you with digital skills that will be highly sought after by employers. Autodesk applications play an important part in supporting the digital transformation of Architecture, Engineering and Construction.
Open Days
Join us for an on-campus Open Day where you'll be able to explore our campus and facilities in person. Booking for the next event isn’t open yet. Register your interest below and we’ll email you as soon as booking goes live.
Next Open Day: March 2023
Entry Requirements
These entry requirements apply for entry in 2023/24.
All required qualifications/grades must have been achieved and evidenced at the earliest opportunity after accepting an offer to help confirm admission and allow for on-time enrolment. This can also include other requirements, like a fee status form and relevant documents. Applicants can track their application and outstanding information requests through their BCU mySRS account.
We accept a range of qualifications, the most popular of which are detailed below.
Essential | ||
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BB or 80 UCAS tariff points from A/AS Level with a minimum of 2 A Levels |
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Level 2 qualifications | ||
GCSE |
GCSE English Language or English Literature and GCSE Maths at grade C/4 or above. If you do not have these or are not undertaking them, we accept other Level 2 equivalents, or we may ask you to pass BCU's GCSE equivalency tests. |
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Irish Leaving Certificate (Ordinary Level) |
See level 3 entry under Irish Leaving Certificate for full details. |
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Scottish National 5 |
English Language or English Literature and Maths at grade C or above. If you do not have these or are not undertaking them, we accept other Level 2 equivalents, or we may ask you to pass BCU's GCSE equivalency tests. |
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Plus one of the following Level 3 (and above) qualifications | ||
A level and Advanced VCE |
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T Level |
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Access to HE Diploma |
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Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate - Skills Challenge Certificate (first teaching September 2015) |
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Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Diploma – Core (awarded until 2016) ESW/KS Combined component |
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International Baccalaureate Diploma |
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Irish Leaving Certificate (Highers) |
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Other qualifications | ||
If you have a qualification that is not listed in the table please refer to our full entry requirements on UCAS. Further guidance on tariff points can be found on the UCAS website. |
Additional information for EU/International students | ||
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Please see your country page for further details on the equivalent qualifications we accept. In additional to the academic entry requirements listed above, international and EU students will also require the qualifications detailed in this table. |
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IELTS |
6.0 overall with 5.5 minimum in all bands If you do not meet the required IELTS score, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English courses. Please note that you must have a Secure English Language Test (SELT) to study on the pre-sessional English course. More information. |
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International Baccalaureate Diploma (or equivalent, including internationally accredited Foundation courses). |
1. For students who complete the full IB Diploma: a total of 14 points or above from three Higher Level Subjects. 2. Students who do not complete the IB Diploma will be considered on the basis of their IB Certificates. Students must have grade 5 in Maths (Standard Level) |
International students who cannot meet the direct entry requirements can begin their degree studies at Birmingham City University International College (BCUIC).
Additional Requirements
As part of the application process you will be invited to attend an applicant visit day where you will undertake a short one-to-one interview with an academic member of staff. This is your chance to show us how passionate you are about the subject and it will help us make a decision on your application.
This will provide you with more information about the School and your course. In addition, it will give you a chance to meet and our staff and students to gain a better understanding of what it is like to be a student here.
Fees & How to Apply
UK students
Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
Award: BSc (Hons)
Starting: Sep 2023
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 4 years
- £9,250 in 2023/24
- Apply via UCAS
International students
Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
Award: BSc (Hons)
Starting: Sep 2023
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 4 years
- £13,980 in 2023/24
Guidance for UK students
UK students applying for most undergraduate degree courses in the UK will need to apply through UCAS.
The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) is a UK organisation responsible for managing applications to university and college.
Applying through UCAS
- Register with UCAS
- Login to UCAS and complete your details
- Select your course and write a personal statement
- Get a reference
- Pay your application fee and submit your application
Course in Depth
Foundation Year
In order to complete this course you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits).
The Built Environment is a complex, unpredictable and unique in its own way. This module aims to provide an introductory platform towards understanding the elements and factors that influence the built environment, which support shaping the context of built environment. This module will also walk you through different built environment professions.
Within the built environment, many traditional and modern techniques are being incorporated in order to cope with the nature and functional requirements of a building. This module aims to draw focus upon high level elements that are present in every building including building structure, enclosure, materials and environmental factors. Building on the knowledge that you developed from “Built Environment Context and Practice”, this module compliments the importance of different professions within the built environment
The use of numbers within the built environment is inevitable, unavoidable and impactful in many ways. This module aims to provide an overview over the use of quantitative methods within the built environment and their relationship to different scenarios and identifying their value allowing you to develop the necessary foundation skills. This module acts as a preparatory stage in terms of both enhancing and developing your mathematical and quantitative abilities before commencing to Level 4. It also develops your awareness of the quantitative-related matters within different professions.
The use of computing and technology have become an essential part in our daily routines. This module aims to focus on many of the daily utilised computing technologies such as ICT, programming, graphics and effective use of visualisation tools. It then draws the attention towards built environment computing technologies, demonstrating how different professions utilise it to communicate, exchange and interpret information. Regardless of the built environment profession that you aim to specialise in, this module embeds computing technology-related knowledge that will support you at different levels during your degree.
Academic and personal study skills are essential elements which should be applied in order to be successful in Higher Education. This module aims to help you in developing basic research skills, academic writing and reflection skills. These skills are inevitably important and will support your transition to the higher education levels of study associated with your chosen degree programme.
During the journey within higher education, developing your independent study is an essential skill to support shaping the knowledge to become more useful and applied within practice. This module aims to provide you with necessary skills and tips that should support you to work independently within your discipline and to successfully apply project management tools and techniques to a mini project related to your subject discipline.
First Year
In order to complete this course you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits).
This module introduces, for all of the built environment professions, a range of concepts relating to the technology of construction. It provides you with an understanding of modern and sustainable methods of construction. We use the example of low rise residential construction as it is relatively straightforward and allows us to introduce and explore these issues appropriately.
Digital construction is an integral component of contemporary design, development and maintenance of modern residential development. Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology is at the forefront of the progressive movement towards total digitalisation of the built environment.
Environmental and materials science is an important area of study for all disciplines involved with the design, planning, developing and management of the built environment. This module encourages you to consider how the properties, structures and performance of materials influence why buildings and structures function. You will be encouraged to consider how these properties impact construction from a design and practical use perspective. This module will therefore enable you to develop innovative solutions for more robust, resilient, safe and sustainable buildings and structures.
This module explores how key ‘actors’, including professional bodies, landowners, developers, investors, politicians, members of the public, and the state, etc. influence the development of the built and natural environment.
This module is delivered to all of the undergraduate programmes in the built environment disciplines and provides you with the basic legal concepts and principles you will need throughout your professional career.
This module will support the Architectural Technology and Building Surveying courses and aims to:
- Provide you with a broad based study of Architectural Technology together with the personal qualities of observation, analysis, judgement and communication appropriate for the profession.
- Provide you with a clear understanding of how their decisions regarding technology, materials and design impact on the environment.
- Provide you with the ability to communicate effectively using appropriate technical language and drawings associated with the practice of Building Surveying.
- Provide you with an understanding of the whole life structure and fabric of the built environment.
Second Year
In order to complete this course you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits).
This module builds on your foundation of knowledge gained around residential technology in the Built Environment Technology 1 module at Level 4 (or any other accepted prior learning) and develops your understanding of commercial construction techniques and methods, it will also provide you with an understanding of modern and sustainable methods of commercial construction. Relevant Building Regulation, Health Safety and Welfare legislation will also be reviewed concurrently.
The benefits of automation and digitalisation have steered government reforms globally towards embedding digitalization throughout architecture, engineering, construction and operations sectors. For example, the UK government’s strategy ‘Digital Built Britain 2025’ is an ambitious plan to digitise these sectors. This strategic vision has similarly been enacted via the BIM Level 2 mandate to extend digitized design, construction and asset handover for commercial developments.
Against this backdrop, this module aims to provide a foundation for you to successfully develop a Digital Execution Plan (DEP), understand BIM processes, develop commercial project documentation, and achieve interdisciplinary understanding of roles and responsibilities on a single simulated commercial project.
This module will develop your intellectual appreciation of the theory and practice of Facilities Management and Building Information Modelling (BIM) and how these subjects contribute to the successful design, specification and management of existing buildings. You will develop skills in critical thinking and problem solving to make well informed decisions at both design and operational stages within the commercial built environment.
This module develops your ability to assess the needs of clients. It provides a broad based study of Architectural Technology (AT) and Building Surveying (BS); combining the personal qualities of observation, analysis, judgement and their ability to communicate effectively using appropriate technical language and drawings associated with professional practice.
The module covers the basic requirements for property professionals engaged with the existing built environment to appreciate varying needs to clients in relation to property, to identify methods of construction, appraise the condition of a building, and make recommendations to achieve client’s aims. The module is designed to give you the opportunity for practical application of your learning to a relevant case study.
This module supports the Architectural Technologists’ and Building Surveyors’ need for specialisms and will see you focus on specialist professional development and allow you to build on the Level 4 Design and Surveying Skills module (or other approved study) to extend both your specialist CAD skills of computer aided drawing and contextualisation, and to develop further your building design and presentation skills.
The module introduces advanced applications to develop and explore sustainability, urban streetscapes and building forms. It will also allow you to engage with current image creation/transformation software to create advanced display material. You will be provided an opportunity to implement professional skills appropriate to design and surveying, particularly sustainable design and then implement design decisions and focus on professional display using 2D and 3D formats.
Final Year
In order to complete this course you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits).
The module is designed to enhance your existing skills in the core technical competencies of building surveying: building pathology, inspection, & legal and regulatory compliance as applied to commercial and industrial buildings.
This module will focus on extending and providing appropriate evidence of your professional skills and development. Within an applied socially responsive framework, you will examine a range of issues related to the client, the site, planning, financial/development appraisal, design technology, legal and regulatory, health and safety etc. These will be covered in conjunction with other professional courses or your own discipline as appropriate, given that all built environment professions and recent reports such as the Farrell Review place increasing stress on interdisciplinary understanding and working.
This is a design-led module, allowing you to implement and practice advanced design skills in response to a small-scale design project. This module is underpinned by a series of lectures relating to the history and theory of urban and architectural form and design; and time is also devoted to studio-based and lab work that helps develop and enhance your design enquiry and creative drawing / model-making skills. The module also encourages you to explore the wider role of, and connections between, design theory & practice, governance, planning and how innovative design strategies might be used to resolve complex issues associated with contemporary urban challenges.
This module will provide you with a foundation of knowledge and practice to establish and execute the BIM process, facilitate its adoption, and achieve site survey data to execute multiple BIM data developments for a client representative. The project development will focus a specified building. The assessment builds on your ability to conduct a professional site survey, develop as-built BIM data for a client, and drawing outputs from site survey and independent desk studies.
The purpose of the module is to enable you to undertake a sustained, in-depth and research-informed project exploring an area that is of personal interest to you. In agreement with your supervisor, you will decide upon your topic which will take the form of a practical outcome (artefact) with accompanying contextual material. The main consideration when choosing your topic is that it must be aligned to the programme you are studying, and you should consider the relevance of this topic to your future academic or professional development.
At this level, you will be expected to work independently but you will receive additional one-to-one support from your supervisor, who will be familiar with your chosen topic area. As you progress on the module, extra support will be available and this may take the form of group seminars, workshops and online materials that will help to develop your project.
Download course specification
Download nowJust like the building surveying industry, this course will require you to develop a demandingly broad range of technical and built environment knowledge.
The assessment methods used reflect the course philosophy, with a particular focus on the ability to produce consistent work in line with the high standards and competencies RICS expects.
The first year of the BSc focuses on developing your fundamental skills and knowledge in the residential area of the built environment. You will explore the traditional areas of the built environment gaining an insight into how your future role is relevant to it. You will be introduced to the innovations of a modern construction project through the Building Information Modelling (BIM) environment, the requirements of the law and an understanding of the key technology relating to residential built environments.
Your skills will be developed further in your second year, with specialist modules and more challenging projects. You will learn more about commercial technology and surveying practice and experience working collaboratively with students from other courses. You will also develop specialist skills in building pathology, advanced design skills and facilities management. Your level of understanding of the built environment will increase as you start to learn about commercial structures within the built environment.
Your final year will see you refine your skills and realise your full potential. You will undertake surveys and prepare for your RICS Accreditation of Professional Competence through a series of events which are designed to prepare you for your first steps in industry.
Employability
Enhancing your employability skills
Our graduates have a thorough skillset, understanding complex legal issues, building design, contract administrative procedures, building maintenance and business systems.
Engaging with industry and gaining work experience during your studies is essential if you are going to be taken seriously in the job market. Getting work experience in building surveying can be challenging, so we encourage you to be agile and engage with the broad range of opportunities available. We support you through our virtual learning environment, Moodle, where we have a dedicated page which is regularly updated with potential opportunities for experience, placement opportunities and employment offers for students at all levels of your degree.
The University is eager to recognise students have made the effort to gain industry experience and stand out from the typical graduate, and thus it offers a range options for you to get extra awards and recognition for your work in industry.
You have the option undertake an assessed sandwich year between your second and third year, which will provide you with valuable work experience and give you the real-life skills you need.
The University has a Graduate+ programme, an extracurricular awards framework that is designed to augment the subject-based skills that you’ve developed throughout the programme with broader employability attributes, which will enhance your employability options upon graduating.
Placements
There are a range of opportunities for student to gain industry experience, examples of student activities include:
- Working part-time for a building surveying practice
- Doing a placement year between the second and third year of the course
- Working directly for clients
International
Birmingham City University is a vibrant and multicultural university in the heart of a modern and diverse city. We welcome many international students every year – there are currently students from more than 80 countries among our student community.
The University is conveniently placed, with Birmingham International Airport nearby and first-rate transport connections to London and the rest of the UK.
Our international pages contain a wealth of information for international students who are considering applying to study here, including:
- Explore some of the good reasons why you should study here.
- Find out how to improve your language skills before starting your studies.
- Find all the information relevant to applicants from your country.
- Learn where to find financial support for your studies.
Facilities & Staff

Our Facilities
The facility our students value most is not actually on campus, but is the location of the campus in the heart of Birmingham’s Eastside opposite the new High Speed 2 station construction, and minutes from dozens of fascinating live projects within the city centre.
Birmingham as it changes constantly on our doorstep really is our ‘living lab’. By simply looking out the window of our classrooms you’ll be able to witness live projects as they’re happening around us. You’ll constantly be inspired by dozens of fascinating case studies just from walking from the station to the campus.
The facilities on offer to our students reflect the work environment you will enter as you start your career. Learn more about what we have to offer below.
Our staff
Paul Laycock
Senior Lecturer
Paul is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Engineering and the Built Environment and Course Director for BSc (Hons) Architectural Technology.
More about Paul