About this course
- Entry year: 2012/13
- Course code: K461
- Applications: Full-time: UCAS
- Level: Undergraduate
- Tariff points: 300
- Department: Construction and Property
- Campus: Frenchay
- Duration: Three years full-time, four years sandwich, five years part-time by day release.
- Delivery: Full-time, part-time day release, sandwich.
Part-time applicants please see 'How to Apply' section to download an application form.
- Study Abroad: Yes
- Programme leader: Andrew Ellison BA(Hons) MRICS
Introduction
The ownership, use and value of property shape the lives of individuals and organisations. It influences, and often determines, where we live, work, shop, and spend our leisure time. The BSc(Hons) Property Investment and Management course examines how property is used by people and organisations.
Property has many uses. It can be seen as an investment, which produces a rental income and capital gain, as accommodation in which to live or to carry out a business, or as security for a loan or mortgage. You may have been involved with the purchase or sale of a property (your family's home perhaps) and know that it needs to be valued to establish the price at which it will be offered on the market. Property also needs to be valued for other reasons, such as to assess its investment value, to estimate its value as an asset in company balance sheets, for taxation purposes or to consider the feasibility of development of land for homes, shops, offices, warehouses, factories or refurbishment of obsolete buildings.
Through this course you will learn how to value, develop and manage property and to appraise portfolios of property investment.
"The course benefits from a very professional team of staff who are highly committed to the course and its advancement." Garry Hicks BSc FRICS ACI ARb, Director in charge at Bristol, Chesterton International Property Consultants
Course update
We previously offered two closely-related property management courses:
- BSc(Hons) Business in Property
- BSc(Hons) Property Management and Investment
The courses have now been merged to form a single course BSc(Hons) Property Investment and Management, within which will be modules that cover the breadth of the two current courses.
Student's view
Interview with a graduate
"I have worked for Donaldsons Chartered Surveyors since graduating from UWE. During that time I have gained experience in various departments including Valuation, Investment and Shopping Centre Management. Having worked in a variety of departments, I have had the opportunity to put into practice and build upon the theory I learnt at UWE. My work currently involves the day to day management of three shopping centres on behalf of a corporate client, including: leasing units, rent reviews, lease renewals, setting of service charge budgets, dealing with tenant issues and management of centre staff. In the course of my work I am required to visit the centres on a regular basis, report to the client and advise them on issues arising at the centre and how to increase the value of their property. My chosen career has proved demanding and challenging, but most of all, rewarding." Yzanne Donaldsons, Chartered Surveyors.
Structure
Content
In the first year (full-time) or first and second years (part-time) you will obtain a sound foundation in the basic principles of real estate appraisal, law, economics, planning and building construction. The second year (full-time) or third and fourth years (part-time) builds on this, introducing property management, development economics and business studies and finance, and prepares you for the academic rigour which you will be expected to demonstrate in the final year through your dissertation.
In addition to core subjects, you select optional modules in the second year, from a choices which enable you to pursue specific interests in European, environmental, business or technological issues. A European Property module is studied in the final year, and includes a field trip (subsidised by the Department but you make a contribution to the cost). In recent years we have visited Berlin, Vienna, Leipzig, Frankfurt and Prague.
The Department's inter-professional approach includes projects where you will work with students from other professional within the built environment. This encourages mutual respect and understanding of the professions which you are likely to be working with during your career, and helps you to develop and practise the skills of presentation, negotiation, communication, and delegation.
Teaching and learning
Teaching methods are varied depending on the module; lectures, project work and tutorials all have a part.
The teaching staff provide a friendly, enabling environment for learning. They are also actively engaged in research or professional practice, ensuring that you learn directly from the latest academic and business developments.
Student representatives sit on a wide range of committees, where they can influence discussions and decisions which affect your learning experience.
Study time
The course may be studied either full-time (with or without a sandwich placement year) or part-time by day release, and you may switch between modes if your circumstances change. The day release course is designed to take five years but may be extended if necessary.
Some students start with a year full-time, then complete the course with a further three years part-time, so that they can work to support themselves, and gain valuable work experience. Many employers will pay the fees and give time off for part-time students.
Assessment
Assessment is achieved through a balance of coursework and examinations. Examinations are held in either January or May/June. Coursework will be a variety of essays, reports, surveys, design projects or teamwork progress tests.
You are encouraged to do 'formative work' to prepare for assessments: this does not count towards your marks but the feedback which you receive will help you to improve your performance. Support is available for students who have difficulties with numeracy, IT, literacy and study skills.
Special Features
Professional accreditation
The course is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and satisfies the academic requirements for full membership of the RICS. On successful completion of the course you are required to spend a minimum of two years in practice, and pass an Assessment of Professional Competence (APC). Details of RICS membership requirements can be found at www.rics.org.
In order to become a member of the RICS, you must complete the Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) which involves two years professional experience. Your placement can enable you to complete one year of your APC which means that you could become a member of the RICS only one year after graduation, which increases your appeal to potential employers.
Student success stories
UWE student Shahaid Hussain, wins Bristol Property Agents' Association's (BPAA) Student of the Year 2011 award.
Placements
If you are doing the full-time course, you may spend your third year in a placement to gain practical experience, and to qualify for a 'sandwich' degree. The integration of a placement into courses is highly favoured by employers, and you will normally be paid by your placement employer.
A placement connects university with work, allowing you to consolidate your knowledge and skills by applying them in a professional situation in the real world. This experience will also enrich and focus your final year studies. A year's income is also useful to many students. We offer support and guidance to help you find a placement, and you will be visited by a tutor who will also be available if you have any problems.
Study facilities
A range of specialist facilities are provided by the Faculty. A suite of computer rooms support software for word processing, data analysis and spatial enquiry. They provide access to e-mail and internet, including Faculty and University websites which enable you to use a vast number of specialist electronic journals and publications, and resources provided by lecturers to support their modules.
A Project Room provides space for students to work on individual and group assignments, together with a range of materials and equipment. An audio-visual group provides support for photography, digital imaging, filming and sound recording.
You may also use the well equipped laboratories for spatial analysis (including mapping and Geographical Information systems) and surveying technology, each with specialist technicians supporting both teaching and research.
The Department is based in a large modern building, to which a new set of studios and teaching rooms (designed by a member of the Department) have recently been added:
"The Studios are more of a textbook than a building, an object lesson in functional and sustainable design. They are to function as a learning tool and provide an opportunity for research through their construction, the use of innovative materials and performance monitoring," Royal Institute of British Architects Journal, September 2002.
Careers/further study
Typical employers of graduates are the large national and international firms of property consultants, smaller general practice surveying firms and estate agents, office, retail and industrial businesses, central and local government and property development companies. If you gain employment with one of the large national and international firms of Chartered Surveyors you may go on to specialise in one sector of the market such as retail, industrial or commercial, or in one activity such as investment, development or agency. You may also begin your career in the Valuation Office of the Inland Revenue, or some graduates join the estates departments of local authorities and public bodies.
The course will also equip you for careers in other fields, in particular business management or law, with the advantage of an understanding of the management and law relating to property - arguably the most significant asset for most organisations.
Graduate destinations
Find out what our graduates are doing six months after graduating- includes examples of careers, employers and further study. Download a PDF from graduate destinations.
Key employer partnerships
The course is supported by a group of employers who contribute towards resources used in teaching, offer sponsorship and placements to students, and who are keen to employ our graduates. Find out more about our real estate consortium.
Creating employable students
UWE places strong emphasis on employability and skills development at every level. Through work placements, volunteering, study abroad and UWE initiatives which nurture talent and encourage innovation, students gain valuable real world experience and graduate with diverse career opportunities and a competitive place in the job market.
See great graduate prospects for further information.
Be inspired
Read about how James's interest in property led to his career path.
Useful links
UWE - careers in property
Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
The UWE careers service provides guidance and support throughout your studies in addition to useful resources, CV checks, career coaching and details of current job vacancies.
Entry
Typical offers
- Tariff points: 300
- GCSE: Maths and English Language at grade C or above required.
- Specific subjects: None specified
- Access: Achievement of the Access to HE Diploma; achievement of level 2 credits in Maths and English Language.
Advice on typical offers
In addition to the 'typical offer' given here, please read the general information about entry requirements.
On the course, you will learn how to undertake property valuations using a range of mathematical techniques including statistical analysis, so you need to be comfortable with using maths and must have at least a grade C in GCSE Maths.
Fees
Full-time
For more information on fees please visit our money matters page.
Part-time
The fees for the academic year starting in September 2012 for part-time students are £750 for each 10 credits. Credits are the measure of an amount of study, and part-time students will normally study around 60 credits in the first and second years, 75 credits in the third and fourth years and 90 credits in the fifth year.
You pay the fees one year at a time. You can pay all the fees at the start of the year or you can pay in instalments over the first three to six months each year. For more information on payment of fees please visit our money matters page. You can also now take advantage of the fees loan from the Government.
You or your employer can, if you wish, pay some of the fees with the rest coming from the Government fees loan. If you decide to do this, we recommend that you apply for the maximum fees loan as early as possible, because it can take a while to be processed and it is easier to reduce the fees loan later (when you know how much you or your employer wish to pay) than it is to increase the fees loan.
How to apply
Please see the general information about applications. Please apply online.
We welcome applications from students without the conventional entrance requirements but who do have substantial relevant work or other experience and whose motivation and skills would enable them to succeed on the course.
Students with disabilities
We welcome applications from people with disabilities.
Following is a list of the types of activities that the course normally involves. We are committed to supporting students with disabilities, and wherever possible we will make reasonable adjustments to these activities to enable students with disabilities to successfully complete the course. We encourage applicants to disclose any disabilities or support needs in their application forms, so that we can offer information, advice and support. There is a Disability Service at UWE Bristol and a Disability Support Co-ordinator in the Faculty.
- Use a computer
- Read and produce drawings, plans and maps
- Visually inspect buildings and locations, including physical movement around and through buildings and locations
- Participate in field courses or activities away from the University
- Measure distances and sizes of buildings, materials or sites
- Team working and negotiation
- Take part in discussions and presentations
Open days
We run open days throughout the year, when you can meet lecturers and current students, see the facilities and resources that we offer, and visit the student accommodation.
For further information regarding the course, you are welcome to contact: Andrew Ellison (Course Leader) Andrew.Ellison@uwe.ac.uk or the Admissions team admissions@uwe.ac.uk +44 (0)117 32 83333.
For further information
Page last updated 14 December 2011