Quantity Surveying Online Degree Pathway

Quantity Surveying Online Degree Pathway

This Course at a Glance

• First step towards becoming a fully qualified Quantity Surveyor
• Get on your way to becoming RICS accredited
• Internationally recognised online alternative to Year 1 and 2 of university
• Complete Year 3 at London Metropolitan University
• Flexible online study instead of in-person lectures
• Save on expensive living costs associated with on-campus study
• Accelerate your way to a degree in quantity surveying

Achieving a degree in quantity surveying will lead you towards an RICS accredited role as a quantity surveyor. With our online degree pathway, which consists of the first and second years of an Honours degree, removing in-person lectures and restrictive timetables, you have the option to complete Year 1 and Year 2 within 12 months.

About Your Online Degree Pathway

This online degree pathway in quantity surveying comprises of 240 credits and serves as a virtual substitute for completing the first and second years at a traditional university. Enrolling with us will accelerate your progression to the final year of your degree, which can be studied at one of our partnered universities.

Our online degree pathway is accredited by the Skills and Education Group Awards and can help learners achieve accreditation from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

What Will You Learn?

Crafted to guide learners into a career in quantity surveying, this online degree pathway emphasises the development of core capabilities. It delves into the legal aspects of construction, as well as the economic structures and organisation and management skills required in the role.

Once you have grasped the knowledge of quantity surveying, you’ll move on to the next level, developing the know-how you’ll require to perform your future role.

The course will take you through contract practice, tenders and estimating costs, as well as construction management. By enrolling in this course, learners can cultivate the skills sought after by organisations worldwide.

University Progression

Upon the successful conclusion of your first and second years with us, you are assured of receiving an admissions letter allowing you to finalise your undergraduate degree's third year at our partnered university, the London Metropolitan University. A prestigious establishment in the UK that boasts the following achievements:

• Ranked in the top 10 UK universities for teaching quality and student experience (2024)
• Named in the list of top 50 UK universities for graduate salaries (2024)
• Featured in the top 20 UK universities for student support (2024)

The top-up course provided by the university will lead you towards RICS accreditation.

Study for a Degree Without Expensive Fees

If you're eager to kickstart your degree without the burden of loan fees, consider enrolling in our Quantity Surveying Online Degree Pathway, covering Year 1 and Year 2. This programme is tailored for individuals who prefer not to commit to full-time on-campus studies and are hesitant about shouldering nearly £30,000 in tuition fees. Offering a home-based alternative to the initial two years of university study, this programme provides the flexibility of online learning.

With the convenience of online education, you can break free from the constraints of fixed classes and timetables, allowing you to swiftly advance through course materials. This newfound flexibility empowers learners to expedite their journey to the final year of university compared to the traditional campus-based study.

A More Affordable Alternative

Recent changes in student finance regulations mean that university graduates will now face a doubling of their student loan repayments. This comes in addition to the requirement to start repaying their student loans once they earn an annual salary of £25,000, a decrease from the previous threshold of £27,660.

As inflation and interest rates rise in the UK amid the ongoing cost of living crisis, university graduates find themselves adversely affected. For the 2022/23 academic year, there was a looming risk of student loan interest rates reaching 12%, adding further financial strain on students.

Given the current economic uncertainty, a university graduate may find themselves burdened with an average student loan debt of £42,900, with average annual tuition fees standing at £9,250. According to YouGov, 37% of people perceive current tuition fees as unfair, prompting many to seek alternative options.

At learndirect, we provide an affordable alternative that covers the first and second years of a degree at a fraction of the cost compared to the traditional route. It's important to note that upon completing our online degree pathway, students will be required to pay the chosen university for the third year of their course.

Your Living Costs Won’t Be Affected

Enrolling in our Quantity Surveying Online Degree Pathway enables you to conveniently finish the initial two years of your degree from the comfort of your home, sparing you from the extra costs typically linked with on-campus university study. This eliminates the necessity for student housing expenses and travel costs, providing you the flexibility to study at your own pace and seamlessly integrate it into your lifestyle. Therefore, if you are currently employed, you won't need to sacrifice your work commitments for university life.

Modules

Year 1 covers the following units:

Unit 1: Construction Economics

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Know the national and international political and socio-economic environment in which construction takes place
• Be able to understand and apply economic theories to construction markets with particular reference to supply, demand, value, price, and cost
• Understand the different types of business organisations found in the construction industry and their sources of finance and analyse financial performance using standard accounting reports
• Be able to understand and produce financial reports for a construction company including budgets, cashflow, profit and loss, and balance sheets

Unit 2: Construction Law

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Know the legal and regulatory frameworks within which the design and construction of buildings takes place
• Know the law of contract by applying the law to various construction scenarios and developing advice for the parties involved
• Know the law of torts by applying the law to various construction scenarios and developing advice for the parties involved
• Know the law of property by applying the law to various property scenarios and developing advice for the parties involved

Unit 3: Construction Technology 1

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Know the process of site investigation and how it affects the design and construction of lowrise residential buildings
• Know the key characteristics of different construction materials and explain how they can be used in the structure, fabric, components and finishes of low-rise residential buildings
• Know the key characteristics of different building services installations of low-rise residential buildings
• Understand the main regulatory and legal frameworks that affect the design of construction of lowrise residential buildings
• Understand the issues of sustainable construction and global warming and the use of non-carbon based, renewable energies and how these impact on the design and construction of buildings

Unit 4: Design Project

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Know the various roles involved with the design and construction of buildings together with the professional knowledge and skills required
• Be able to prepare a feasibility study and design brief for a project on a prescribed site
• Be able to design a residential building that addresses the design brief prescribed site and produce digital information for the proposed design
• Be able to prepare a specification of materials and workmanship for the proposed project

Unit 5: Measurement 1

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Be able to undertake a survey of a small site and produce a digital representation of the site
• Be able to undertake the setting out of a simple building
• Be able to prepare quantities for a lowrise residential building including the elements of substructures, walls, floors, roofs, finishes, components, and external works including drainage
• Understand the various cost models appropriate for preparing estimates of the cost of low-rise residential buildings

Unit 6: Organisation and Management

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Know how corporate business is planned and executed and explain the primary roles and functions in the process
• Understand the importance of effective communication on construction projects and explain the organisational structures and methods of communication that are used in various circumstances
• Know the theories of teamwork and leadership and explain the factors that affect the effective functioning of teams
• Know the issues of ethics and diversity in the context of construction and explain processes that can be deployed to address them

Year 2 covers the following units:

Unit 1: Construction Management

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Be able to schedule construction operations and create a programme of work for a simple building
• Be able to evaluate and use industry standard software to prepare construction programmes for various complex buildings
• Be able to prepare reports on the health and safety implications associated with proposed construction works including the preparation of risk assessments and method statements
• Be able to evaluate the use of digital technology and its impact on construction performance, components and processes

Unit 2: Construction Technology 2

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Know the key characteristics of different construction materials and explain how they can be used in the structure, fabric, components and finishes of complex buildings
• Know the key characteristics of different building services installations of complex buildings
• Understand how performance requirements of building elements and emerging technologies inform technical innovation and development of new materials and processes for complex buildings
• Understand the main regulatory and legal frameworks that affect the design of construction of complex buildings

Unit 3: Contract Practice

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the principal forms of procurement and prepare reports on the choice of procurement for specific projects
• Understand the standard forms of contract and supporting documentation and prepare reports on the appropriateness of their use
• Be able to prepare financial control statements appropriate for use during the progress of a project
• Be able to prepare appropriate statements of final accounts at the end of a project

Unit 4: Financial Management 1

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Know the principal models of tendering including supporting documentation and preparing reports on tender evaluation
• Be able to prepare calculations for unit rates for inclusions in tenders based on quantities and reports on tender adjudication and bidding strategy for various scenarios
• Understand the relationship between design and cost for construction work
• Be able to prepare approximate estimates, cost plans and budget forecasts for various types of construction projects

Unit 5: Measurement 2

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Be able to prepare quantities for complex buildings including the elements of substructures, walls, floors, roofs, finishes, and components
• Be able to prepare quantities for complex buildings systems including water, electrical, heating and ventilation, waste soil and drainage

Unit 6: Quantity Surveying Project

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Be able to prepare reports providing appropriate advice to clients regarding procurement and tendering strategies for a complex project
• Be able to prepare approximate estimates for alternative schemes and make recommendations to the client
• Be able to prepare detailed quantities for a part of the chosen scheme together with appropriate tender documentation
• Be able to compile pricing documentation based on unit rates and detailed quantities and prepare a report on bidding strategy for the tenderer
• Be able to prepare interim valuations, forecast of final cost, valuation of variations and statements of final accounts

Entry Requirements

Prior to enrolling, you will need the following qualifications:

GCE A-Level or equivalent, or an appropriate school leavers certificate deemed by Skills and Education Group Awards to be of a similar level.

You’ll also need to possess an appropriate level of English.

For individuals whose first language is not English, we recommend the following English language proficiency standards or an approved equivalent for this qualification:

IELTS: A score of 6 or higher

• Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR): Achieving at least B2 level
• Cambridge English Advanced (CAE): Scoring 162 or above
• Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic: Achieving a score between 42-49

Minimum Age Restriction 

18

Average Completion Timeframe

This qualification typically takes learners an average of 18 months to complete.

Assessment Requirements

There are no exams included in this study programme, instead, you will complete several written assignments.

Course Fees

All course fees, inclusive of all payment plans including our Premium Credit Limited option, must be settled before certification can be ordered.

*You will have access to the course for 24 months.

There are no exams included in this online degree pathway, instead, you will complete several assignments and develop a portfolio of evidence for each unit.

SEG Awards

Upon successful completion of this online course, you will have achieved the following globally recognised qualifications:

• SEG Awards Level 4 Diploma in Quantity Surveying (610/2941/5)
• SEG Awards Level 5 Diploma in Quantity Surveying (610/2942/7)

Skills and Education Group Awards offer qualifications and assessments which are regulated by CCEA, Ofqual and Qualifications Wales. They are driven by delivering a high-quality and trusted service to Centres and learners, so that everyone gets the education they deserve.

Skills and Education Group Awards offer qualifications and assessments which are regulated by CCEA, Ofqual and Qualifications Wales. They are driven by delivering a high-quality and trusted service to Centres and learners, so that everyone gets the education they deserve.

By securing this qualification, you will be on the path to becoming an RCIS accredited Quantity Surveyor. This will enable you to take responsibility for managing costs and ensuring that construction projects are completed within budget. You’ll have the skills and knowledge to estimate costs, prepare tender documents, and manage the financial elements of construction projects.

While this is a logical step in your career, the skills you obtain could also take you down the following career paths:

• Construction Estimator
• Project Manager
• Contract Administrator
• Cost Consultant
• Facilities Manager
• Real Estate Development

Frequently Asked Questions