Quantity Surveying
Quantity Surveying is the professional discipline concerned with the financial and contractual management of construction projects. Every building that is constructed involves complex cost planning, procurement decisions, contract administration, and financial control, and quantity surveyors are the professionals who manage these processes from inception through to final account. They advise clients on project costs and budgets, prepare bills of quantities and tender documents, assess and manage contractor claims, and ensure that the financial and contractual aspects of a project are handled with accuracy and integrity.
In a sector where projects regularly involve tens or hundreds of millions of pounds, the work of quantity surveyors is central to both commercial success and professional accountability.
At the University of Reading, this three-year full-time programme includes a foundation year, making it accessible to students who want a more gradual introduction to the technical and commercial content of the degree. The programme also includes a sandwich year and work placement, giving you direct professional experience with a quantity surveying practice or construction company before completing your final year. Reading has one of the most respected built environment faculties in the UK, with strong research credentials and deep connections to the construction and property industries.
You will study measurement, cost planning, procurement, contract law and administration, financial management, and project management, building the technical skills and professional knowledge that the RICS's Assessment of Professional Competence requires.
Graduates pursue careers in quantity surveying practices, construction companies, project management consultancies, and public sector clients including NHS trusts and local authorities. Most go on to complete the RICS APC to achieve chartered status. Some continue to postgraduate study in construction law, project management, or commercial management.
The profession offers genuinely strong graduate employment prospects.