BSc(Hons) Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management
This course is open for applications
Introduction
Gain a strong start to your professional career with accreditation from the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and Chartered Institute of Civil Engineering Surveyors (ICES).
Accreditations and partnerships:
Why study quantity surveying and commercial management?
Managing finance and costs effectively is important throughout the building lifecycle, from inception to completion.
As we build new developments and manage existing ones, demand increases for professionals with the knowledge and skills to manage this process.
The building industry needs people with a good understanding of the commercial aspects of development and construction.
Why UWE Bristol?
BSc(Hons) Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management is a degree that reflects the needs of modern industry.
It's accredited by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the Chartered Institute of Civil Engineering Surveyors (ICES) putting you on course for full membership.
This course is also available on a full-time or part-time basis so you can boost your career prospects if you're already working in the industry.
Develop your knowledge and a range of skills needed for quantity surveying and commercial management. Learn how to place these in a wider business context.
Get free access to RICS events and workshops promoting best practice. Attend regular presentations from visiting professionals, academics and past students so you stay up-to-date with industry challenges.
Learn about different careers and approaches on day and field trips. Gain valuable skills on your placement, which may count as part of the professional development you need to achieve Chartered status.
Graduate ready to take advantage of new opportunities in the construction, civil engineering and property industries.
Where can it take me?
On graduation, you can go into a choice of careers.
These include professional quantity surveying, commercial management, project and facilities management, value and risk management and procurement management.
Malaysian graduates who have not undergone an industrial placement during their study, will be required to undertake at least six months of work experience supervised by a Consultant QS/Professional QS before they can apply to become a Provisional QS (PVQS) with the Board of Quantity Surveyors Malaysia (BQSM).
Structure
Content
The optional modules listed are those that are most likely to be available, but they may be subject to change.
Year one
You'll study:
- Quantity Surveying Practice and Procedures
- Law, Economics and Management
- Environmental Physics and Materials
- Construction Technology and Services.
Year two
You'll study:
- Quantity Surveying Project
- Procurement and Contract Practice
- Construction Technology and Building Services
- Development and Design Economics
- Professional Practice for the Built Environment.
Placement year (if applicable)
If you study on the four year (sandwich) course, you'll spend a year away from the University on a work placement after year two.
See the Placements and Fees sections for more information.
Final year
You'll study:
- International Cost Management
- Commercial Management
- Innovation and Professionalism
- Dissertation.
Plus one optional module from (if you haven't completed a placement):
- Collaborative Practice.
This structure is for full-time students only. Part-time students study the same modules but the delivery pattern will be different.
The University continually enhances our offer by responding to feedback from our students and other stakeholders, ensuring the curriculum is kept up to date and our graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need for the real world. This may result in changes to the course. If changes to your course are approved, we'll inform you.
"My course was industry-led and I learned from lecturers who were still practising cost managers. This ensured I engaged in real-world content that I'd be practising after graduating. I'm now working as a Graduate Quantity Surveyor for AECOM." Beth, Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management graduate.
Learning and Teaching
Our tutors provide a friendly, collaborative environment for learning. They're actively engaged in research or professional practice so you learn directly about the latest academic and business developments.
Learn through a mix of tutor-led and face-to-face classes, student-led and independent study, online study, group projects and by supporting each other's learning.
We encourage you to do formative work to prepare for assessments, e.g. practice tests. This doesn't count towards your marks but feedback will improve your performance.
We can give you support if you have difficulties with numeracy, IT, literacy or study skills.
Develop your communication and presentation skills, IT and numeracy skills, and project and time management skills throughout. Your improved problem solving, critical thinking, analysis, evaluation and innovation skills will help you stand out as a graduate.
Explore relevant legal, economic, management and technology principles and enhance your understanding of the commercial aspects of development and construction.
Learn how to measure and evaluate the costs associated with construction projects and apply your skills and knowledge to real projects and problem-solving scenarios. Question and critique UK practice and procedures and make comparisons with European and international practice.
Get expert help developing your CV and preparing for interviews in our final year Job Bootcamp.
Improve your practical skills through roleplay and employer visits to ensure you graduate ready to succeed in the workplace.
Showcase your work
In your final year, showcase your work to prospective employers and the public at the annual degree show.
For more details see our full glossary of learning and teaching terms.
Study time
Lectures, workshops, seminars, group project work and tutoring make up 12 hours of contact time each week.
We expect you to spend at least another 24 hours studying independently.
Assessment
You should expect mix of coursework and seen and unseen exams, which assess what you know and can do and help you develop the confidence and skills that employers value.
Coursework may include essays, reports, portfolios of drawings or sketches, calculations, lab reports, presentations and projects. In your final year you'll complete a dissertation.
While most coursework involves individual submissions, some modules require teamwork.
Learn more about assessments.
Features
Professional accreditation
This course is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the Chartered Institute of Civil Engineering Surveyors (ICES).
UWE Bristol also holds Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) Accredited Centre Status during the period 2022-2027 and this course is CIOB Accredited during the period 2022-2027, having been judged to meet the CIOB Education Framework. Prospective members holding these qualifications have full academic exemption and once they have gained three to five years' relevant work experience may enter CIOB membership as an applicant to progress towards Chartered Membership without the requirement for an Individual Assessment.
The course is also available on a full-time or part-time basis so you can boost your career prospects if you're already working in the industry.
Placements
Students who get work experience tend to graduate with better degrees. Experience also hones your skills, industry knowledge and professional network, making you highly employable when you graduate.
If you choose the four year (sandwich) course, you'll spend a year away from the University on a work placement after Year two.
Students have worked on placements with some of the top 10 construction contractors and cost consultancy firms in the UK. The majority were offered a position with their placement employer upon graduating.
Fieldwork
Regular site visits and industry field trips in and around Bristol help you consider construction related topics in the field. We also arrange residential field trips, which are subsidised by the School.
Year one
In recent years, the Bristol orienteering exercise takes place during induction week. Local site visits to construction projects may be arranged subject to availability throughout the academic year.
Final year
An international field trip, usually to Berlin, where you will visit a construction site and hear presentations from local industry.
Study facilities
Learn in modern, well-equipped facilities within the School, including award-winning design studios.
Study and collaborate on group assignments in our dedicated Hive lounge and open computing area.
Develop skills in computer-aided design (CAD), project management and building information modelling (BIM) on industry standard software.
Access industry leading resources, specialist journals and publications through UWE Bristol's online portal.
Visualise two-dimensional drawings using modern industry standard drawings and a three-dimensional 'fly through'.
This mix of traditional and highly creative learning environments enables you to learn essential knowledge and real-world skills, standing you in good stead for your professional career.
Learn more about UWE Bristol's facilities and resources.
Take a Virtual Tour of the Construction, Property and Surveying facilities and see what's on offer here for you.
Life
Accommodation
An excellent range of options for all of the Bristol campuses and the city centre.
Bristol
A stunning city for student living with all the qualities to make you want to stay.
Sports, societies and activities
There is more to your experience here than study. Choose to make the most of it and try new things.
Health and Wellbeing
We provide support in the way you need it.
Campus and facilities
Discover our campuses and the wealth of facilities provided for our students.
Careers
Careers / Further study
A shortage of professionals with this combination of knowledge and skills means you'll be in high demand with employers.
You'll have a wide choice of careers to go into. These include professional quantity surveying, commercial management, project and facilities management, value and risk management, procurement management, arbitration and dispute resolution, capital allowances and tax consultancy, property development, construction manufacturing and supply.
Our graduates have gone on to work for construction partners including AECOM, Interserve, Wilmott-Dixon and Balfour Beatty. Others work in the public sector, specifically with local authorities.
Get inspired
Our award-winning careers service will develop your employment potential through career coaching and find you graduate jobs, placements and global opportunities.
We can also help find local volunteering and community opportunities, provide support for entrepreneurial activity and get you access to employer events.
Visit our employability pages to learn more about careers, employers and what our students are doing six months after graduating.
See also:
Fees*
Full-time; Sandwich course
Indicative Additional Costs
Part-time course
Supplementary fee information
*The UK Government recently proposed that tuition fees for Home students will increase by 3.1% to £9,535 from 1st August 2025. This increase is subject to Parliamentary approval and the vote is expected to take place later this year.
Any tuition fee which is impacted by this change will be updated following approval.
Please see GOV.UK for further information.
Your overall entitlement to funding is based on how long the course is that you're registered on. Standard funding is allocated based on the standard number of years that your course lasts, plus one additional year.
You'll apply for funding each year that you study and Student Finance will take into account how long the course is in each year that you apply. So if you register for the four year course and then transfer to the three year course, the number of years you can apply for funding will change. Student Finance will reassess your funding based on how many years you have been in study, not just those years for which you received student finance.
Always seek advice before taking any action that may have implications for your funding.
The honours degree is 360 credits in total. Part-time students generally study between 60 (15 credits x 4) and 90 (15 credits x 6) each year and pay annually for credits taken in that year.
As a part-time UK or EU student you may be entitled to a fees loan from the government.
Learn more about part-time funding.
There are also sponsorship options for employers.
Additional costs
Additional costs are for items you could need during your studies that aren't covered by the standard tuition fee. These could be materials, textbooks, travel, clothing, software or printing.
Entry
Typical offers
- Tariff points: 112
- Contextual tariff: See our contextual offers page.
- GCSE: Grade C/4 in English and Mathematics, or equivalent.
- English Language Requirement:
International and EU applicants are required to have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.0 with 5.5 in each component (or approved equivalent*).
*The university accepts a large number of UK and International Qualifications in place of IELTS. You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades you will need in our English Language section. Please visit our English language requirements page.
- A-level subjects: No specific subjects required.
- EDEXCEL (BTEC) Diploma: No specific subjects required.
For information on required Guided Learning Hours please see our minimum entry requirements page.
- Access: No specific subjects required.
- Baccalaureate IB: No specific subjects required.
- Irish Highers: No specific subjects required.
- Welsh Baccalaureate: We accept tariff points achieved from the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales in conjunction with other Level 3 qualifications.
- Cambridge Technical: No specific subjects required.
- T Levels: No specific subjects required.
Entry requirements
International applicants
For country specific entry requirements please find your country on the country information pages. If you are an international student and do not meet the academic requirements to study this course, you can qualify by completing preparatory study at our International College.
If you are applying to study at UWE Bristol and require additional support to meet our English language requirements, you may be able to attend one of our pre-sessional English courses. Read more about our Pre-Sessional English Programme.
Direct Entry
If you have a Higher National Certificate (HNC), Higher National Diploma (HND) or Foundation Degree in a closely related subject, we may be able to credit you with some of the modules in our course. In particular, if you have an HNC Construction with all Merits in your second year units, you would normally be able to join the Year two of the full-time course, or the Year three of the part-time course. In your application, please give full details of all your qualifications (including modules and units).
Read more about entry requirements.
How to apply
Read more about undergraduate applications.
Read more about international applications and key international deadline dates.
For further information
- Email:
UK applicants
Admissions@uwe.ac.ukInternational/EU applicants
International@uwe.ac.uk - Telephone:
UK applicants
+44 (0)117 32 83333International/EU applicants
+44 (0)117 32 86644