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BSc Building Surveying
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UCAS code
K230 -
A level offer
BBB -
Year of entry
2026/27 -
Course duration
Full Time: 3 Years
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Year of entry
2026/27 -
Course duration
Full Time: 3 Years
With BSc Building Surveying you will analyse building performance and material lifecycles to establish the cause and effect of building defects.
Why choose BSc Building Surveying at Reading?
We're one of the UK's top-ranking universities for teaching and research in the built environment:
- 1st for Architecture, Building and Planning in the Daily Mail University Guide 2026
- 2nd for Building in the Complete University Guide 2026
- 4th for Building in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026
- 99% of our students said teaching staff are good at explaining things (National Student Survey 2025, 98.6% of responders from the School of Construction Management and Engineering).
This course is designed to prepare you for a successful career in building surveying. You will benefit from the School of Construction Management and Engineering's strong links with industry and the surveying profession.
Additionally, the degree is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). (Accreditation is reviewed periodically. Successful completion of courses accredited by CIOB and RICS satisfies the academic requirements for membership of CIOB and RICS).
Flexible course options
As with all of our surveying and construction courses, the programme structure provides an opportunity to explore a range of construction-related disciplines prior to specialising in the final year. You will be able to transfer onto other courses, such as BSc Quantity Surveying or BSc Construction Management, at the end of your second year if you wish to do so. A particular emphasis is placed on transferable skills and University of Reading graduates are renowned for rapid progression to senior positions within professional firms.
Placements
Our successful placement scheme establishes a balance between outstanding academic achievements and relevant industrial experience. Between your second and final year you have the option to carry out a paid industrial training placement, which can vary in length from 4 to 16 weeks.
You don’t have to make placement choices before enrolment as your experience and exposure to industry during the second year will help shape your decision. Completing a placement not only provides you with an insight into industry, but is also a valuable opportunity to get to know a range of industry professionals and build your professional network.
Scholarships
As part of the cohort joining the BSc Building Surveying course in 2026, you will have the opportunity to secure an annual £1,000 scholarship for each of the three years of the undergraduate degree (subject to conditions).
For more information, please visit the School of Construction Management and Engineering's website.
Your learning
Your first two years are designed to give you a comprehensive understanding of the disciplines which underpin construction management and the surveying professions. This will include subjects such as economics, law, professional practice and building technology.
Recurring themes throughout the course include the application of digital technologies, from working with hand-held tablets to the use of aerial drones for roof surveys. There is an especially strong focus on project work and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Furthermore, we place significant importance on employability and you will have the opportunity to network with industry professionals throughout the course.
The final year of the BSc Building Surveying course is designed to provide you with the technical and practical skills needed for the inspection and analysis of buildings. You will also complete a dissertation on a research topic of your choice and a building surveying project, in which you will survey a building in need of repair and refurbishment and will produce a viable recommendation of proposed work for a client.
Additionally, you can explore areas of interest through optional modules on subjects such as green innovation, construction contract law, and modern languages.
Our community
Community has always been, and continues to be, at our heart. Our community encompasses students, staff and alumni, as well as our partners and industry supporters, both locally and globally.
We offer a network of global contacts, thanks to our industrial and professional relationships across the world. This network, complemented by the skills and expertise provided by our courses, has helped our graduates achieve great things.
There is a diverse, supportive and inclusive student and staff body within the School of Construction Management and Engineering, and we value the breadth of perspectives this brings to our learning community.
We foster strong staff-student relationships and take the time to get to know you as an individual to understand your unique aspirations, motivations and needs. You will be assigned an academic tutor who will help guide you throughout your studies, enabling you to make the most of your university experience.
Research with real-world applications
Our team have a wide range of expertise and international experience in research, industry and policymaking related to the built environment. They are engaged in infrastructure projects and work to influence policy around the globe.
100% of our research is of international standing (REF 2021, combining 4*, 3* and 2* submissions – Architecture, Built Environment and Planning) and 100% of our research impact has been classed as outstanding or very considerable (REF 2021, combining 4* and 3* submissions – Architecture, Built Environment and Planning).
Many members of staff within the School are active in research and consultancy. This ensures that the course reflects not only the very best of current practice, but also the latest developments in areas such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) and sustainability.
Placements
Placements can be located anywhere in the UK. With most national surveying and construction firms having regional offices, the proximity of the University of Reading to London makes it easy for you to commute for summer placements.
Typical placement organisations include large multi-disciplinary consultancy firms offering building surveying and quantity surveying experience, as well as construction companies with their own in-house estimators and construction managers. You can also choose to work within smaller practices and organisations, covering a wide range of services within the built environment.
Our dedicated placements officer will advise and support you in finding the ideal placement, writing a CV and developing your interview skills. Placements and study abroad opportunities are subject to availability and eligibility guidelines.
Study abroad
You also have the opportunity to spend your second year abroad, studying at our University of Reading Malaysia campus. Whilst in Malaysia, you will study the same modules as your peers in Reading.
On your return to Reading, you will enter your final year, enabling you to still graduate within three years with a professionally accredited degree. This is an excellent opportunity to experience a different culture and engage with our global community, helping you to prepare for a career on a global scale.