UDBDSVFY - BSc (Hons) Building Surveying (including foundation year)

Skilled Building Surveyors are in high demand both in the UK and globally. The BSc (Hons) Building Surveying with Foundation Year at the School of the Built Environment at London Metropolitan University is designed to provide you with a solid foundation in the key areas of Building Surveying, preparing you for a successful career in the Construction and Property sectors.

The Foundation Year (Level 3) ensures that students who may not have a background in construction or related fields are equipped with the essential knowledge and skills required for further study. You will explore topics such as Project Management, Construction Technology, Building Pathology, and the Built Environment, all aimed at developing both your technical expertise and management skills. The course also integrates key themes of sustainability and equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), ensuring that learners are equipped to contribute meaningfully to a more inclusive and sustainable built environment.

The BSc (Hons) Building Surveying with Foundation Year is specifically designed for students who have the potential to study BSc (Hons) in Building Surveying but do not meet the entry requirements to apply directly for this degree. It provides an alternative route into higher education, particularly for candidates who do not have traditional qualifications, such as mature students who have been out of education for a while or those who cannot meet the entry requirements for a standard three-year undergraduate degree. The Foundation course is aligned with the University’s Education for Social Justice Framework, with an emphasis on developing students’ essential study skills, problem-solving abilities, and technical knowledge in a socially responsible context.

As a student on our course, you will have the opportunity to engage in authentic learning and assessment on real-world projects, working with established national and international organisations operating within the construction and property sectors. You will also be encouraged to consider how EDI and sustainable practices are integrated into these projects. Live and completed project visits will help you experience first-hand the challenges and opportunities of a career in Building Surveying, while promoting inclusive and environmentally conscious design thinking.

The emphasis on real-world and authentic assessment means that, throughout the course, students will have the opportunity to showcase their achievements to industry and employers. They will also contribute to solving challenges posed by these assessments. In modules such as Level 3 Academic Research Skills and Professional Development, and Level 6 Sustainable Built Environments, you will be able to select project locations, offering the chance to explore global perspectives on sustainability and diversity. This promotes critical engagement with how cultural, ethnic, and national differences shape responses to climate and social challenges within the Built Environment.

Assessment types will be varied, and modules such as Level 6 Inclusive Teamwork and Leadership and Level 5 Building Pathology and Refurbishment will include assessment choice. You may agree with your module team on formats such as in-person presentations, recorded talking head videos, or narrated PowerPoint presentations. This flexibility supports different learning styles and accessibility needs.

The programme places significant importance on robust technical knowledge and the ability to provide strategic advice. Several modules require you to fulfil a complex brief, taking into account multiple factors including sustainability, regulatory compliance, and client needs. The curriculum emphasises the science of construction, material specification, and detailing, enabling you to understand your role within the wider Built Environment sector. The course also highlights the ethical, legal, and environmental responsibilities of Building Surveyors in promoting inclusive and sustainable development.

Formative assessment is key to your progression, providing impactful feedback that will directly benefit your future submissions. These opportunities are embedded throughout the course and include scheduled events such as studio workshops and one-to-one feedback discussions with tutors.

The course adopts a blended learning approach, combining classroom-based teaching with flexible, technology-enhanced delivery. Our Virtual Learning Environment provides access to course materials including lectures, recordings, reading lists, and links to industry databases. Through the library, you’ll also access e-books, journals, and online Construction resources. This digital approach is designed to reflect the evolving demands of professional practice and ensure you graduate with strong digital literacy.

You will also be introduced to artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI (gen-AI) tools, both for academic research and for their application in the Built Environment. You will learn how to responsibly use AI platforms to support your academic research skills, reading, and writing, and also design solutions such as Revit AI features for design analysis, optimisation, and building performance simulation. Training will include how to critically assess AI-generated outputs, cite appropriately, and engage in independent inquiry, thereby enhancing your critical thinking, academic integrity, and professional judgement.

Many of the 30-credit modules have been proposed as semester-long, including Level 4 Construction Technology and Building Services, Level 4 Materials Science and Structural Principles, Level 5 Advanced Construction Technology and Structures, and Level 5 Environmental Science and Sustainability. This delivery mode allows time for meaningful student engagement with lab-based activities such as materials testing, structural component analysis, and site visits, with a particular focus on sustainable construction practices and adaptive reuse of buildings.

London Metropolitan University’s commitment to social justice and the transformative power of education is central to the learning and teaching on this course. We aim to remove arbitrary barriers to learning and ensure that all students can access and succeed in higher education. Our learning environment is designed to be inclusive and reflective of the diversity of our student community. Through the curriculum and co-curricular activities, we actively promote student voice, belonging, and engagement.

By the end of the course, you will be equipped with a wide range of transferable and technical skills to thrive in a fast-evolving, sustainability-driven Construction sector. You will also be prepared to think critically about the role of innovation, inclusion, and technology, including AI, in shaping the future of the Built Environment.

The need for expert design, planning, and management of Construction projects is a key strategic objective for every organisation operating, developing, and owning Built Environment assets across the globe. Building Surveying connects conceptualisation, innovation, and the realisation of a building or structure. Building Surveyors’ expertise lies in technology, buildability, functionality, and performance of the design. They consider materials, inventive processes, production methods, and sustainability, while ensuring compliance with legal, statutory, and regulatory requirements. Moreover, Building Surveying has a significant impact on the technological, environmental, social, economic, cultural, and political aspects of both the natural and built environments. It ensures that a building or structure is designed to be fit for its intended use and inclusive for all by meeting the needs of end users. Design solutions address health and safety, welfare, ethical concerns, and social well-being for those utilising the building or space, with a particular emphasis on fostering Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in all design processes.

The aim of the BSc (Hons) Building Surveying with Foundation Year is to provide students with a fundamental understanding of the principles, challenges, and practices that underpin the Built Environment sector. The Foundation programme will be offered in the full-time mode of delivery for the BSc (Hons) Building Surveying.

The Foundation Year is designed to bridge the gap for students who may not have a background in Construction, Surveying, or related fields, ensuring they gain the essential knowledge and skills required to progress onto the full degree programme. You will explore topics such as Construction Technology, Building Pathology, Sustainability, Project Management, and the Application of AI and Generative AI (Gen-AI) in Building Surveying. These areas are aimed at developing both your technical and practical expertise while emphasising how innovation and technology can drive sustainable outcomes in the Built Environment. The Foundation Year is an integral part of the course, preparing you for the academic challenges of higher education while equipping you with a broad understanding of the sector and fostering the essential study and problem-solving skills needed for your future career in Building Surveying.

Building Surveyors are skilled in tackling complex, challenging projects and play a key role in the success of a building project. They are highly motivated and active individuals who are creative thinkers, expert planners, and problem solvers, with excellent people skills. They have a wide skill base which includes project planning and execution, construction technology, health and safety, building legislation, business, and communication skills. As professionals in a dynamic and fast-evolving field, Building Surveyors are also expected to incorporate AI and gen-AI tools into their practice. This includes using AI for predictive analysis, project management optimisation, and leveraging gen-AI for designing more efficient and sustainable building solutions, thus ensuring they can meet the growing demands for technological and sustainable development.

The aim of the course is therefore to develop Building Surveyors who have the requisite knowledge, skills, and behaviours, to ensure that the design, planning, and delivery of construction projects are achieved to low-carbon standards while creating social value. Sustainability and EDI will be embedded throughout the course, with students encouraged to develop solutions that not only meet environmental standards but also promote inclusive and equitable built environments. The course will ensure that students understand the role of Building Surveyors in addressing climate change, improving energy efficiency, and contributing to resilient, sustainable communities.

The course will embrace cutting-edge Building Surveying methods and techniques, mobilising the latest technologies, including AI and gen-AI, within authentic project scenarios. This will ensure the learning experience of all our students is one through which they become highly employable professionals, capable of leading ethical and sustainable project delivery within a low-carbon world. The integration of AI tools, such as AI-driven BIM (Building Information Modelling), and gen-AI for design optimisation and decision-making processes, will provide students with the ability to critically engage with and apply these technologies to real-world challenges. By doing so, they will contribute to the advancement of sustainable and inclusive practices within the Built Environment sector.

This course is designed to prepare students for the demands of a rapidly evolving profession by integrating sustainability, EDI, and advanced technological tools into the learning experience. Upon completion, students will be well-equipped to meet the challenges of the Built Environment sector, contribute to innovative, low-carbon design solutions, and advocate for inclusive, diverse, and socially responsible practices in Building Surveying.

On successful completion of this course, you should be able to:

1. demonstrate confidence, resilience, ambition, and creativity, and act as inclusive, collaborative, and socially responsible practitioners/professionals in your discipline, promoting Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in all aspects of practice.
2. communicate effectively in a number of different written, digital, and oral formats considering diverse audiences and inclusive communication strategies.
3. critically engage with a broad range of Built Environment subject area, social responsibility, and sustainability topics.
4. evaluate the contributions of diverse stakeholders, including communities, towards achieving and maintaining a sustainable and inclusive built environment.
5. critique the technology and innovations underpinning the design, construction, and performance of the built environment, with consideration of environmental impact and social equity.

6. appraise the contributions of design, materials, construction technology, and innovation, as well as engineering elements, processes, and practices towards a sustainable and inclusive built environment.
7. propose appropriate solutions to complex problems relating to the built environment, accounting for regulatory, legal, social, risk management, environmental, and professional body frameworks.
8. formulate proposals using data collected from activities, including laboratory experiments, design activities, site surveying, case studies, site visits, and research including primary and secondary sources in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
9. engage in research and develop proposals for sustainable and socially responsible practice in the Built Environment.
10. demonstrate the ability to communicate complex information in an appropriate, inclusive and accessible manner.
11. generate effective solutions to unfamiliar and/or complex problems that address environmental, social, and technological challenges.
12. discuss Equality, Diversity, and Inclusivity, Health and Safety, and Wellbeing in the Built Environment and identify examples of the implementation of ethical, inclusive, and sustainable change and practice.
13. evaluate personal self-development and practice, and create plans for personal, professional, and ethical development.
14. competently use technology to support the resolution of complex issues and challenges within Building Surveying, incorporating sustainable and inclusive design strategies.
15. critically evaluate and apply theory to produce solutions to facilitate successful building-surveying-specific activities with consideration of cultural sensitivity, environmental sustainability, and social inclusion.
16. use appropriate Building Surveying methodologies to assess the feasibility of projects, justify your advice, and specify the work required.
17. formulate a response to a complex problem in an area specific to building surveying, embedding principles of sustainability, EDI, artificial intelligence (AI), and social responsibility.

Subject Benchmark Statement: Land, Construction, Real Estate and Surveying. April 2024.

The overall strategy for assessments in the Foundation Year is designed to support students in developing both their academic skills and practical understanding of architectural technology. A range of assessment methods, including formative and summative assessments, will be employed to ensure that students can demonstrate their learning at various stages throughout the year. These assessments will include project-based tasks, written assignments, group activities, and individual reflective journals. The emphasis will be on continuous feedback, allowing students to engage in self-reflection and track their progress. This approach ensures that students not only acquire the necessary knowledge but also develop the skills needed for independent learning, problem-solving, and professional growth.

Assessments will be inclusive and accessible, and promote decolonisation and diversification to aid critical thinking and awareness of how different perspectives on issues relating to diversity in ethnicity, culture, and nationality can impact the work of a Building Surveyor. This will be achieved twofold; firstly, through using case studies from across the globe to bring to the students’ attention the challenges facing Building Surveyors when working in different countries and cultures, and, secondly, by project choice allowing students to choose where in the world they locate their projects, which will encourage contributions from students with diverse backgrounds, allowing them opportunities to draw upon, express, and see the value in their different and varied personal experiences.

Placing an emphasis on real-world and authentic assessment means that throughout the course, students will be asked to demonstrate critical thinking and awareness of how different perspectives on issues relating to diversity in ethnicity, culture, and nationality can impact the Building Surveyor.

The course uses a variety of assessment methods, and modules are generally assessed using more than one type of assessment. Some modules will include assessment choice, whereby students can agree with the module team the format of the presentation, which, for example, could be live in-person, a recorded talking head video, or a recorded PowerPoint presentation with commentary. If recorded, then there will be a scheduled opportunity for Q&A.

The course assessments will allow students to evidence their knowledge of the course core learning materials, their intellectual and problem-solving abilities, their awareness of the impact of issues relating to diversity in ethnicity, culture, and nationality of a Building Surveyor, and the skills they have gained during the course. Each module will provide an opportunity for formative assessment, which will be provided ahead of any summative submissions to enable students to learn and benefit from this feedback, improving their overall performance. The delivery of formative assessment will be different across modules and may sometimes form part of a timetabled seminar or class session.

In modules where enquiry-based learning is used, industry-inspired scenarios will form the basis of the assessment, sometimes using a live project as the vehicle for the assessment.

Assessment types will include:

Debates: Group debates will be conducted around a particular topic or subject area. A proposition will be offered and defended within the group context. These are often used as the vehicle for formative feedback sessions and occur during scheduled workshops.

Essays: A focused piece of writing in which the student is required to inform or persuade through argument, explanation, narrative, or description.

Portfolios: Typically, a portfolio brings together several related pieces of work, which together form the basis of a response to a set problem.

Projects: These will be based on a scenario that relates directly to the construction industry and will require an objective solution to the problem that has been set.

Presentations: These may be live (face-to-face or online) or recorded and could include video. Whether the presentations are synchronous or asynchronous, there will be an opportunity for live Q&A scheduled into the assessment timetable.

For the Applied Research Project module, the assessment is based on a substantial, individual piece of research conducted by the student. Throughout the project, formative feedback and guidance will be available to all students through their work with their supervisors, including opportunities for 1:1 supervision meetings.

In broad terms, the assessment strategies adopted on the course will require students to provide evidence of the following:

Analysis – have key concepts been understood and the relationship between them articulated?

Integration of theory and practice – has evidence from both academic research and professional practice been effectively related to each other, and have theoretical concepts been appropriately applied to practical situations?

Critical thinking – has information been used in a critical way rather than simply reproduced and accepted as fact?

All assessment briefs will provide students with a clear and unambiguous guide to the assessment requirements and the applied marking criteria. Assessments will be spread across the whole academic year to minimise assessment bunching and any feedback issued will be done so in a timely manner, which, where applicable, will help inform subsequent submissions.

All students are required to submit assignments via through Turnitin links via relevant WebLearn sites. These are marked and made available to second markers and external examiners in all cases, and all students are informed of these procedures through module discussions as well as during induction undertaken by the Course Leader.

A 15-credit work-based learning module is available as an option at Level 6. The work-placement activity needs to take place during the period between Week 1 of your Level 5 Summer Semester and Week 4 of your Level 6 Spring Semester. This is to give you sufficient time to prepare your coursework submissions once your work-placement is completed. Exact dates will be issued to you in advance. Students who wish to take the module will receive advice from the course team regarding the support available to them to secure an opportunity before the end of Semester 2, ahead of the Summer from when they are able to undertake the placement. The module will require the student to produce a piece of reflective work based on their placement experience, and further details can be found in the module descriptor.

Standard University Academic Regulations apply. All modules pass on aggregate.

Preparatory Certificate (60 credits at L3)
Preparatory Diploma (120 credits at L3)
Certificate of Higher Education (120 credits at L4)
Diploma of Higher Education (240 credits, minimum 120 at L5)
BSc (Ord) (300 credits – 120 credits at Level 4, 120 at Level 5 and min 60 at Level 6)

The BSc (Hons) Building Surveying including Foundation Year course is designed to equip students with a strong grasp of the fundamental concepts and academic skills essential for their academic progression in building surveying.

The Foundation Year feeds into various subject pathways within the School of the Built Environment, providing students with a broad introduction to the field of Building Surveying. As in many academic disciplines, acquiring this basic knowledge is crucial, and students will primarily gain it through the course material, including online resources, complemented by their own independent research. However, it is understood that this foundational knowledge alone will not be sufficient to develop the high-level intellectual skills expected at degree level. To address this, the course incorporates extensive use of problem-based learning, a pedagogical approach that enhances critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, providing students with an opportunity to apply these fundamentals in practical scenarios within Building Surveying.

In problem-based learning, students from the Foundation Year will be presented with real-world building surveying scenarios that offer multiple possible solutions, allowing for a variety of responses. Students will reflect on learning and feedback, drawing on existing knowledge and developing independent learning skills, while identifying areas where further learning is needed. Staff members act as facilitators throughout this process, offering guidance and support. Tasks are completed through both group and independent study, fostering skills in analysis, evaluation, and synthesis, with a particular focus on Building Surveying. Students collaborate, utilising the wide array of resources available to them to explore the problems presented, enhancing their understanding of both theory and practice within the Foundation Year.

This student-centred approach in the course encourages students to take responsibility for planning their research, formulating solutions, and communicating their findings, all while emphasising project-based and interdisciplinary learning. The carefully designed scenarios ensure that there is no single correct answer, reflecting the complexity and varied nature of challenges faced by Building Surveying professionals. Through these activities and the accompanying feedback, students gain a deeper understanding of the material, simultaneously developing their social, cultural, and employability skills, which are essential foundations for their future success in the field.

Both in regular class activities and through module assessments, students will receive feedback, which they are encouraged to reflect upon and learn from. Opportunities for synchronous and asynchronous feedback will be available, and at every level of study, including the Foundation Year, students will be required to maintain a weekly Professional Development Journal (PDJ). This reflective journal will serve as part of the assessment process and provide students with an opportunity to reflect on their learning, identify knowledge gaps, and track their progress. This approach mirrors industry practices, where professionals are expected to maintain records of their Continuous Professional Development (CPD), a practice that students on the Foundation Year will begin to develop early on.

The Foundation Year feeds four subject pathways in the School of the Built Environment. In their initial year students gain the skills and subject knowledge for study at Level 4 at London Metropolitan University, or other HE institutions. Employability and career development skills are built into the course.

Building Surveying is one of the widest areas of Surveying practice. Chartered Building Surveyors are involved in all aspects of property and construction, from supervising large mixed-use developments to planning domestic extensions. This varied workload can include everything from the conservation and restoration of historic buildings to contemporary new developments. Building Surveyors work in most Real-Estate markets including residential, commercial, retail, industrial, leisure, education, and health. Consequently, there is a wide variety of opportunities for Chartered Building Surveyors to work across the Commercial, Private, and Public Sectors. Many Chartered Building Surveyors work for property consultancies, public sector organisations, real-estate-owning clients, contractors, and in a number of specialist niche areas such as insurance, rights to light, and party wall matters.

The School of the Built Environment has a range of industry-linked postgraduate courses available on a full-time and part-time basis in construction, engineering, project management and real estate. These courses would be ideal for postgraduate progression:

Construction Project Management - MSc
Global Human Resource Management - MA
Project Management - MSc
Quantity Surveying - MSc
Real Estate - MS

In addition to the University's standard entry requirements, you should have:

• 48 UCAS Points
• GCSE English Grade 4/C or Level 2 Functional Skills in English
• GCSE Mathematics Grade 4/C or Level 2 Functional Skills in Mathematics
• Applications from students who are taking higher qualifications not on the UCAS tariff calculator or have relevant work experience in the construction industry are welcome and will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.