Study Building degrees, Why & How To Study

CONTENTS

1. What’s Building?

2. What Building degrees can you study?

3. What do you need to get onto a Building degree?

4. What topics does a Building degree cover?

5. How will you be assessed?

6. Why study Building?

7. What do Building graduates earn?

8. What jobs can you get as a Building graduate?

9. What are the postgraduate opportunities?

10. Similar subjects to Building

11. Have any questions?

What’s Building?

A Building degree covers the study of building materials, techniques, building economics, management, quantity surveying and property development, among other aspects. A degree in this subject area could equip you with a broad knowledge of construction and surveying, ready to take on a wide range of careers.

What Building degrees can you study?

Undergraduate degrees in Building include:

• Architectural Technology BSc
• Building Services Engineering BEng
• Construction Management and Surveying BSc
• Construction Project Management BSc
• Interior Architecture BA

Degrees may have an integrated foundation year. Year in placement or year abroad available.

What do you need to get onto a Building degree?

Entry requirements will depend on the university, ranging from 88–141 UCAS tariff points. Qualifications may include:

• A Levels: BBB–CCD
• BTECs: DDM–MMM
• Scottish Highers: ABBBB–BBCC
• International Baccalaureate: 30–26

Good subjects to have studied include:

• Maths or a science at A Level (or equivalent)
• Good grades may be required in maths or physics at GCSE (or equivalent)

Experience that would look good on your application:

• Work experience or shadowing jobs in a related area, such as in an architectural practice, planning department or construction company
• Reading more about the business or careers of interest on the websites of professional bodies or in construction business magazines

Other requirements for this subject include:

• Pass in the practical element of science, if taken at A Level

What topics does a Building degree cover?

Modules for courses in this subject cover a range of subjects, from construction management to architectural technology and engineering services. They could include:

• Construction science
• Construction technology
• Economics for construction and engineering
• Management in the built environment
• Construction contract law
• Design integration
• Digital design and modelling
• Architectural design and technology
• Construction engineering technology
• Fluid mechanics
• Control systems and mathematics
• Theory including thermodynamics
• Mechanical engineering
• Electrical and lighting systems

How will you be assessed?

 Courses are assessed in a variety of ways, depending on the module and degree:

• Case studies
• Coursework
• Exams
• Portfolios
• Presentations
• Project work

Why study Building?

A degree in Building could carve the way for an exciting graduate job with a strong starting salary.

Career-specific skills:

• Management skills in the effective coordination and delivery of building projects
• Knowledge and specific skills in areas of construction technology and engineering

Transferable skills:

• Problem solving
• Digital literacy
• Critical and analytical thinking
• Team working

Professional accreditation:

• Degrees in architectural technology may be accredited by the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT)
• Construction management degrees may be accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) or Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (CICES) and the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), providing a pathway to membership
• Engineering degrees may be accredited by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) or Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE), leading towards Chartered Engineering (CEng) status

What do Building graduates earn?

Building graduates can expect a starting salary of £20,000–£28,000, depending on the career they enter.

An experienced architectural technologist could earn from £35,000–£40,000, or £45,000 on average for those with chartered status. Or an expert BIM manager could achieve £45,000–£70,000, with the highest earnings to be found in London and the South East.

A senior building services engineer could earn up to £55,000, while a construction manager could have a base pay of £80,000. Those with professional qualifications or chartered status earn the most.

What jobs can you get as a Building graduate?

As you'd expect, the job opportunities that arise from a Building degree are largely based in the construction industry – or at the very least, dealing with the physical world.

• Assistant architecture technologist
• BIM manager or coordinator
• Building control surveyor
• Construction manager
• Construction planner
• Contract manager
• Design manager
• Facilities manager
• Project manager
• Site engineer

What are the postgraduate opportunities?

Examples of taught master’s and research degrees at postgraduate level include:

• Building Design Management MSc
• Building Technology PhD
• Concrete Structures MSc
• Construction Management MSc
• Asset Management & Development MSc

Similar subjects to Building

If you’re interested in the built environment, you could also consider these subjects:

• Architecture
• Civil Engineering
• Geography & Environmental Science
• Town & Country Planning and Landscape Design

Have any questions?

If you’ve got any questions about studying Building, you can email our experts at ask@thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk. We’ll be happy to hear from you!