University surveying courses

If the university lifestyle appeals to you and you want to study a subject leading to a fast-paced, high-tech career, then a surveying-related degree could be ideal for you.

With hundreds of RICS-accredited degree courses covering land, property and construction available at UK universities, there's a surveying course suited for you – no matter where you want to study or what your career ambitions are.

But what is an RICS-accredited degree? Whether you’re looking to study for a master’s in quantity surveying, take a building surveying degree or gain chartered surveyor status, the RICS works in partnership with universities to ensure that each course is accredited to the professional industry standards. This means that successful completion of an accredited RICS degree will be recognised by employers as a benchmark of quality.

Surveying at university: a variety of topics

Whether a full-time, part-time, online or distance-learning degree suits you best, surveying-related university courses are hugely varied and cover many subjects. These include:

environment and sustainable development
real estate management
building surveying
geospatial science
commercial property
construction management
spatial planning
city planning and design
urban studies
architectural technology
city and regional planning
property investment
management consultancy.

Some examples of particular surveying modules include:

design principles and surveying skills
law: pre-and post-contract procedures
residential construction, refurbishment and maintenance
commercial and industrial technology
science and materials
building pathology
defect and structural appraisal.

“I read political science as an undergraduate, so the jump to property was seen to be outlandish. My political background, however, has consistently proven to be a good foundation. I opted for an MSc in Real Estate Management as I was confident it would equip me with the skills and knowledge to succeed.”

Sahar Rezazedeh

Senior commercial surveyor, CBRE

Undergraduate degrees

A surveying degree course will enable you to create high-tech solutions for the built environment, develop sustainable cities and address climate change. You will concentrate on global issues such as urbanisation and material shortages and search for solutions to 21st-century challenges.

This means there are a wide range of undergraduate university surveying courses. Examples include:

BA (Hons) Planning and property development
BA or BSc, Construction management
BSc, Building technology
BSc (Hons), Quantity surveying and commercial management
BSc, Environmental management and technology.

You can search and view a full range of RICS-accredited undergraduate degrees on RICS Courses.

Entry requirements for a surveying degree will depend on the course you choose, but typically you will need two or three A levels, or equivalents such as Scottish Highers or an International Baccalaureate. The choice of surveying course and institution will affect the requirements with some favouring maths qualifications, while biology, chemistry and physics A levels or equivalents may be useful to have.

Postgraduate degrees

If you already have an undergraduate degree, you can take a master’s in surveying to become part of a global profession with a huge variety of exciting, well-paid career opportunities. Entry requirements vary, but you will require a degree in any subject. Applicants with other qualifications or relevant professional experience may be considered on merit.

Examples of surveyor postgraduate courses include:

MSc, Real estate management and valuation
MSc, Facilities and maintenance management
MBA, Construction and project management
MSc, Environmental science and management
MSc, Quantity surveying.

To find a full list of RICS-accredited postgraduate surveyor courses visit RICS Courses.

“I chose to study Estate Management at university because its format of a three-year sandwich course really appealed to me. As a surveyor, the work is extremely sociable. You’re constantly dealing with a whole range of people and that’s certainly one of the benefits of the job.”

Andrew Milne

Development surveyor, Henry Boot Developments

RICS-accredited courses offer a benchmark of quality

With hundreds of RICS-accredited degrees available, covering land, property, construction and the built environment, there's a course suited to you – no matter where you want to study or what your career ambitions are. Arrangements such as hours of study and the number of classes will also vary from one university to another.

Whether you’re looking to study for a master’s in quantity surveying, take a building surveying degree or contribute towards a more sustainable future, RICS works in partnership with universities to ensure that each course is accredited to professional standards. This means that successful completion of an accredited RICS degree will be recognised by employers as a benchmark of quality and help you achieve chartered status.

Is my degree RICS accredited?

If you went through the dedicated RICS courses website or used another platform which stated ‘RICS-accredited’ in the title of your programme, your degree will be accredited. If your degree is not RICS-accredited but you wish to become a chartered member, you can study for an accredited master’s that will qualify you to take the Assessment of Professional Competence (APC).

Benefits of an RICS-accredited surveying degree

Working in a regulated sector, companies in the built environment look to hire professionals with the right credentials. But there are other key benefits of getting an RICS-accredited degree to begin your surveying career, as outlined below.

Fast track your progress towards chartered status: if you’re new to surveying or hold less than five years’ relevant experience, an RICS-accredited degree can give you a head start in completing the APC.
Open doors to global career opportunities: for those who want to live and work abroad, surveyors are much-needed professionals and an RICS accreditation is internationally recognised in hundreds of countries.
Access RICS global networking opportunities: successful completion of an RICS-accredited degree means that after becoming a member, you’ll be able to connect with other surveying professionals at events and on global platforms like RICS Matrics.
Earn a higher salary than non-qualified professionals: the RICS 2019 Rewards and Attitudes Survey found that qualified professionals earned a base salary 38% higher than their counterparts. This supports the suggestion that those with RICS accreditation are seen as the best when it comes to professional surveying expertise.

Learn more about the benefits of RICS membership.

RICS Students: free study help and networking opportunities

RICS is the thought leader across land, property, construction and infrastructure with a wealth of information to help your studies.

RICS student status provides free study help and networking opportunities meaning you’ll be able to excel on your course and enhance your progress towards becoming a future business leader. It's free and is available to full- and part-time students, as well as apprentices.

Join now