Undergraduate Course 

BSc (Hons)

Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management with Foundation Year

Quantity surveyors are highly sought after because they combine financial and business acumen with first-rate technical skills. Featuring a foundation year to give you a strong platform for success, this degree will put you on the path to senior positions in the construction industry.

Built Environments - your questions answered

In the below video, Programme Leader for Civil Engineering, Derek Spalton, answers some of the most frequently asked questions about Built Environments at the University of Derby. 

Derek Spalton, Programme Leader in Civil Engineering.

View Built Environments - your questions answered! video transcript

Foundation Year - helping you to achieve more

Including a foundation year as part of your four-year study programme will give you a head start in your academic and professional life. The foundation year offers the chance to strengthen your skills, knowledge and confidence – with extensive support from our expert staff – before you advance to stage one of your honours degree. It could also be beneficial if you are planning a career change and want to get to grips with aspects of subjects which are new to you.

Our degrees with a foundation year are continuous, meaning that you won’t need to apply again once you have successfully completed the first year.

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If you are looking for a varied and challenging career, our BSc (Hons) Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management is a smart choice. We will equip you with all the skills you need to provide clients with value for money while meeting the strict regulations which govern the construction industry.

A dynamic profession

Quantity surveying entails essential skills related to the planning and procurement of construction activity, including involvement in various parts of the design and construction process. It could be advising a client about this month’s valuation or speaking with an engineer to assess the cost implications of a design solution.

Our new BSc (Hons) Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management programme will help you to develop, enhance and deepen those skills in accordance with latest industry thinking.

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Important industry partnerships

Developed in close collaboration with employers, this course is aligned to professional practice in the construction industry. Our strong industrial links will ensure that your studies are technologically relevant and that you acquire all the knowledge and abilities you need to practise as a quantity surveyor.

A rich learning experience

You will learn through group work, individual assignments, lectures, seminars, site visits, field studies and site/building surveys. All these serve a variety of functions essential to the education of built environment professionals.

Assessment of your project work will be undertaken on a continuous basis, involving either individual or group assessment. Assessment of group work may entail an element of peer group review which will contribute to your overall performance.

You can also get involved with local projects, for example Down to Earth Derby's 'New Commons'. For the last several years we have been working with Down to Earth Derby, on nature-based regeneration and connecting communities with nature and growing food. A major project we are working on at the moment, with the Eden Project, is a community garden on part of Sturgess Fields, a site owned by the University between Kedleston Road and Markeaton Street sites. The plan is to create a New Commons that will be managed with the community. There are opportunities for you to work on this project, designing sustainable buildings and structures.

Markeaton Street, Derby Campus

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Whether it's computing, photography, or engineering, our top-tier facilities — including a new suite of recording studios and a £12 million STEM Centre — provide the perfect setting to excel.

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What you will study

Please note that our modules are subject to change - we review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects.

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Undergraduate Open Days

The best way to find out if studying at Derby is right for you is to experience an Open Day. Get a feel for the city and campus, tour our first-class facilities and see where you could be living.

Book your Undergraduate Open DayBook your Undergraduate Open Day

How you will learn

Real world learning

You will learn through a mixture of lectures, seminars, tutorials, site visits and visits to companies.

How you are assessed

You will be assessed through computer workshops, surveying field work, group work and individual assignments and examinations.

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Helping you reach your full potential

Our Personal Academic Tutoring programme supports your academic journey, helping you achieve your goals and unlock your potential.

Explore the programme

Who will teach you

Martin Adlington

Programme Leader

Martin Adlington wearing blue shirt

Martin Adlington

Martin Adlington is the Head of Civil Engineering, Construction Management and Quantity Surveying, Programme Leader, Senior Lecturer, Assessor and External Examiner with significant experience in all aspects of learning, development an...

View full staff profile

Entry requirements

2025 entry

These are the typical qualification requirements for September 2025 entry.

Contextual offers may apply to students who meet certain criteria.

RequirementWhat we're looking for
UCAS points72
A LevelDDD
T LevelPass
BTECMMP
GCSEGCSE Maths and English Grade 4/Grade C (or above) or equivalent qualification
Access to HEPass Access to HE Diploma with 60 credits: 45 at Level 3 with a minimum of Distinction: 0, Merit: 30, Pass: 15
English language requirementsIELTS: 6.0 (with at least 5.5 in each skills area)

Fees and funding

2025/26

 Full-timePart-time
UK

£9,250 per year

N/A

International

£16,900 per year

N/A

Further information about our fees and support you may be entitled to.

Additional costs and optional extras

How to apply

Please look at our application deadlines before you apply.


UK students

If you are in Year 13 and applying for a full-time undergraduate course (including our joint honours courses), we recommend that you apply through UCAS.

Apply through UCAS

If you are applying to study part-time, or already have your qualifications, or wish to join at Year 2 or 3, you should apply directly to the University.

Apply directly to the University

Careers

Highly sought after due to their financial and business acumen, quantity surveyors often hold very senior positions in industry, local government and central government. You will find that career opportunities also exist in a number of related fields, including the built environment, civil and heavy engineering and the offshore and petrochemical industries.

Quantity surveyors are responsible for the cost of any building project - from initial estimates right through to the final acquisition of materials. Surveying jobs and their associated roles are varied, but generally focussed on providing clients with value for money while adhering to the strict regulations which govern every aspect of the construction industry.

Day-to-day responsibilities include roles inside the office, on the construction site or in meetings with clients and other project personnel. While the very nature of construction work ensures that no two projects are ever the same, a typical work day might involve:

Quantity surveyors may choose to specialise in a specific area of the construction industry and concentrate on areas like property taxation, costing advice, maintenance of existing buildings and application to funding sources.

Getting you career ready

Your degree is only part of your story.

We're here to help prepare you for life after university.

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96%
of UK graduates are in employment or further study.

Top 5
for employability.
Uni Compare Annual Student Review Rankings 2025.

87%
of UK graduates say their current activity is meaningful.

Contact us

If you need any more information from us, eg on courses, accommodation, applying, car parking, fees or funding, please contact us and we will do everything we can to help you.

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Additional information about your studies

Teaching hours

Like most universities, we operate extended teaching hours at the University of Derby, so contact time with your lecturers and tutors could be anytime between 9am and 9pm. Your timetable will usually be available on the website 24 hours after enrolment on to your course.

Course updates

The information provided on this page is correct at the time of publication but course content, costs and other individual course details do change from time to time and are updated as often as possible, so please do check these pages again when making your final decision to apply for a course. Any updated course details will also be confirmed to you at application, enrolment and in your offer letter.

If you are thinking about transferring onto this course (into the second year for example), you should contact the programme leader for the relevant course information as modules may vary from those shown on this page.

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Full-time

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