Quantity Surveying
Full-time
Part-time
Distance Learning
One year
Two and a half year
Two and a half year
January 2025
In a nutshell
Quantity surveyors plan and manage the procurement and financial aspects of construction projects. With great career prospects and the chance to manage built environment projects and teams, our popular Quantity Surveying postgraduate degree can put you on a fast-track to career success.
Delivered with full-time, part-time, and distance learning pathways, and accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), our course is recommended for both legal, business or geography graduate and existing industry professionals professional seeking a move to quantity surveying.
Led by an experienced academic and practice-based team, our course will provide you with a solid knowledge base in areas such as procurement, risk management, contracts and commercial management. You will also be introduced to BIM and lean techniques that are influencing the way built environment projects are managed and delivered.
International applicant? Please check international intakes for the latest information and application dates.
Start your MSc Quantity Surveying study journey
Register for our next Open Day where you can learn more about the course, tour our campus and meet the tutors
You will:
- Build the skills to effectively manage risk and administer construction contracts
- Understand how to organise and plan procurement and successfully manage construction project costs
- Gain awareness of the sustainable modern construction methods and processes that can help determine project costs
students accepted
Course accreditations
This is for you if...
you are a knowledgeable construction or built environment professional seeking additional qualifications to facilitate a career move into quantity surveying
you are a graduate from a law, business or finance background looking to focus your skills in a new area
You are a built environment professional looking to cement your knowledge in quantity surveying with a recognised qualification for career progression
All about the course
Course delivery
Our Quantity Surveying postgraduate course is delivered through a range of industry-focused modules. The 180-credit MSc award comprises eight taught modules plus a research-based project. The 120-credit PgDip comprises eight taught modules. The 60-credit PgCert award comprises four specified taught modules.
The course starts every January and September. You can choose to study full-time or part-time on campus, or part-time via distance learning:
- as a full-time student, you will complete four 15-credit taught modules in each of the first two trimesters on campus. In the final trimester, you will complete a research-based project worth 60 credits
- as a part-time student, you will complete two 15-credit modules in each of the first four trimesters on campus. Across two additional trimesters, you will complete a research-based project worth 60 credits
- as a distance learning student, you will complete two 15-credit taught modules in each of your first four trimesters. Across two additional trimesters, you will complete the dissertation online, with tutor support
Learning experience
There are few better places in the UK to study the built environment. Located at the heart of the UK's largest property and construction market outside of London, our expert academic team can draw on close industry partnerships and live local case studies that enrich your learning experience.
If you are studying on campus, you can take advantage of our proximity to Manchester city centre for site visits, study projects and networking. Distance learning students will experience our Collaborate Ultra virtual learning environment, supported by real-time and on-demand interactive sessions.
As you develop your quantity surveying knowledge, you will learn about techniques and process used to manage procurement, contracts, risk and finance. You will be able to identify what it takes to successfully manage project teams and apply BIM and lean processes. You will also strengthen your research and analytical skills by completing a dissertation on a topic of your choice. Learn more about the current course modules in the section below.
Course team
The Quantity Surveying postgraduate programme is delivered by an academic team with extensive research and subject knowledge. The team is part of a global built environment community with prominence in shaping construction industry best practice.
Course leader: John Forde
Contracts Management and Practice
- Standard Forms of Contracts and Sub-contracts- JCT, FIDIC, ECC/NEC, GC Works etc
- Contractual mechanisms and procedures at various stages of the contract
- Contract Clauses- issues of time extensions, contract price and variations
- Commercial management of contracts: Interim payments, sub-contract and supplier agreements
- Conflict avoidance and management procedures
Procurement
- Strategic procurement in construction
- Procuring design and construction services – examining alternative strategies for procuring consultants and contractors
- Procurement frameworks – understanding alternative contractual frameworks within which relations between organisations are formed
- Partnering strategies within construction procurement
- Supply chain management – examining ‘supply'
Financial & Commercial Management
- Finance in the construction industry
- Approaches to estimating
- Tendering and bidding
- Payments
- Financial control
Quantity Surveying Practice
- Budgeting and order of cost estimating
- Cost planning
- Quantification and costing
- Tendering process and procedure
- Whole life costing
Value and Risk Management
- Value management in construction projects
- Theory and applications Risk, hazard and uncertainty
- Risk management systems and frameworks
- Value and risk assessment/analysis
- Emerging processes and practice
Sustainable Construction Process and Technology
- Foundations/Substructure
- Superstructure. - domestic
- Superstructure - commercial
- Environmental sustainability and services
- Pre-manufactured solutions incorporating off site construction and assembly/modern methods of construction
Process Management in Construction
- Construction process and project process models
- Process analysis and modelling
- Construction innovation and process improvement
- Project planning tools and techniques
- Project resource management and control
BIM and Digital Transformation in the Built Environment
In this module, you will develop a systematic and critical understanding of data structures and standards essential for data exchange, and explore various technological tools for constructing sustainable buildings. You will gain expertise in effective communication with project stakeholders and demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of information management processes and data collection, collation and storage methodologies. Additionally, you will critically appraise collaborative built environment processes, recognising the benefits of adopting software for collaborative projects.
Dissertation
This module allows you to develop a research proposal with clear aims and objectives related to your study. You will undertake a critical analysis of existing research and engage in various forms of recognised research in order to produce a sustained, sophisticated, and logical argument in the form of a written dissertation.
Please note that it may not be possible to deliver the full list of options every year as this will depend on factors such as how many students choose a particular option. Exact modules may also vary in order to keep content current. When accepting your offer of a place to study on this programme, you should be aware that not all optional modules will be running each year. Your tutor will be able to advise you as to the available options on or before the start of the programme. Whilst the University tries to ensure that you are able to undertake your preferred options, it cannot guarantee this.
School of Science, Engineering and Environment
Rising to the challenge of a changing world, our postgraduate courses are designed to shape the next generation of urbanists, scientists, engineers, consultants and leaders.
Driven by industry, and delivered by supportive programme teams, you can develop the knowledge and skills to take your career potential further.
ENERGY HOUSE
The way UK energy is supplied and consumed is changing fast. Consumers and small businesses will soon be able to generate, store, share, buy and sell their energy as the government encourages the transition to a greener economy.
Through commercial and grant funded research, Salford's world-class Energy House laboratories help businesses understand how effective their products and services are in lowering consumers’ carbon footprint and reducing energy bills.
INDUSTRY COLLABORATION AND RESEARCH
When you start this degree course with Salford, you are joining a community making a difference in industry, our local region and in our wider society.
Many of our academics and technicians who support your course also lead collaborative, interdisciplinary, high-impact work in a range of local and global built environment issues and challenges.
Discover how you are part of something bigger.
What about after uni?
EMPLOYMENT
This course is designed to prepare you for a rewarding career as a quantity surveyor. You will graduate with a recognised qualification ready to take advantage of exciting opportunities either in the UK, or overseas in Asia, Europe, or the Middle East.
Quantity surveying graduates secure roles in a wide range of public and private sector organisations, including construction companies, project management consultancies, and government departments. Today, our quantity surveying alumni can be found in roles at leading engineering and construction organisations, including Lend Lease, Kier, Laing O'Rourke, Gardiner and Theobald, and Balfour Beatty.
FURTHER STUDY
You might also choose to take your subject interest further with postgraduate research. Our Centre for Urban Processes, Resilient Infrastructure and Sustainable Environments is home to PhD and Research Master’s opportunities exploring how we can enhance our built environments at local, national and international scales.
Explore our Doctoral School to learn more about research training, support and opportunities.
Career Links
- We have excellent links with the local, national and international architecture, engineering and construction industries. These networks provide context for your studies and help inform our curriculum development.
- We invite industry guest lecturers from the built environment to share their insight and expertise with you. We also organise site visits with local construction industry companies - if you are a full-time student on campus, this will help you to visualise what you learn and apply it to a real-world context.
What you need to know
APPLICANT PROFILE
The course is recommended for graduates from a broad range of subject areas, including the arts, sciences, law or business, as a gateway to a future quantity surveying career. This course is also relevant for current professionals who want to formalise their existing skills with an accredited qualification.
No prior knowledge of quantity surveying, property or construction is required, however, quantity surveying is a broad and challenging field, so it is important that you are prepared for the scope of the learning material.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS
All of our courses are taught and assessed in English. If English is not your first language, you must meet our minimum English language entry requirements. An IELTS score of 6.0 (no element below 5.5) is proof of this, however we do accept a range of equivalent qualifications.
Read more about our English language requirements, including information about pathways that can help you gain entry on to our degree courses. If you do not have the English language requirements, you could take our Pre-Sessional English course.
INTERNATIONAL APPLICATIONS
Please check international intakes for the latest information and application dates.
COURSE ACCREDITATION
The full masters award is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Accreditation enables exemption from some academic entry requirements.
Undergraduate degree
Applicants must have a minimum of a second class honours degree (2:2).
International student entry requirements
We accept qualifications from all around the world. Find your country to see a full list of entry requirements.
Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL)
We welcome applications from students who may not have formal/traditional entry criteria but who have relevant experience or the ability to pursue the course successfully.
The Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) process could help you to make your work and life experience count. The APL process can be used for entry onto courses or to give you exemptions from parts of your course.
Two forms of APL may be used for entry: the Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning (APCL) or the Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL).
For more information or enquires about this scheme, please contact: AdmissionsSEE-PGT@salford.ac.uk
How much?
| Type of study | Year | Fees |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time home | 2025/26 | £9,800.00per year |
| Full-time international | 2025/26 | £17,000.00per year |
| Part-time | 2025/26 | Calculated on a pro rata basis |
| Distance learning | 2025/26 | £1,635 per 30 credit module |
Additional costs
You should consider further costs which may include books, stationery, printing, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits.
International student scholarships
If you are a high-achieving international student, you may be eligible for one of our scholarships. Learn more about our latest international scholarships.