BSc (Hons) Surveying and Mapping Sciences
Course overview
Start date
September 2021
Subject area
Built Environment and Construction
Attendance
Full-time
Part-time
Learning
On campus, dual delivery
Course summary
Surveying involves the precise measurement of spatial data - information that’s crucial to a huge range of construction projects, on land and offshore.
On large building projects, surveyors are the first on site to establish the basic measurements and the last to leave, checking everything is in the right place.
Surveyors are also in high demand, and this course will give you the skills to take advantage of a worldwide employment market.
We have superb links with industry and run a regular programme of guest speakers. You’ll also visit major projects in London - one of the world’s most dynamic construction areas.
You’ll undertake a 50-50 split of academic and practical work. This will involve fieldwork projects, including a residential scheme at the end of your first year, and classroom and laboratory exercises.
You’ll also be able to apply for student membership of the Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors - an international qualifying body dedicated to the regulation, education and training of surveyors working in civil engineering.
Return to campus: dual delivery
In a Covid-secure environment, enjoy learning on our state-of-the-art campuses and flex between online delivery
Find out morePlacement
Optional placement year available
We’re one of only two institutions in the UK that can offer you a Surveying and Mapping course at undergraduate level and our students gave us high marks across the board in the 2014 National Student Survey.
Surveyors command very high salaries – and they’re in short supply, both on land and offshore. Most of last year’s graduates had the choice of at least two jobs offers.
This course is very popular among international students from countries where precision in measuring boundaries and buildings is an integral part of property sales.
Franklin Nubila
Surveying and Mapping Sciences, BSc (Hons)
UEL was the only university that offered what I actually wanted to study. It was definitely the place to be and I am where I am today thanks to UEL. Studying there could not have been bettered. The staff are dedicated and the students hospitable and friendly.
Fees and funding
Tuition Fee Loan
You can apply for a loan to cover the cost of your tuition fees, which will be paid directly to UEL. There are no up-front fees required. Repayment only starts after you finish your course and are earning over £25,000. If you haven’t finished repaying your loan after 30 years it will be automatically cancelled.
To apply visit gov.uk/student-finance
Maintenance Loan
You can apply for a loan to help with living costs such as food, travel and accommodation. How much you can borrow depends on where you live and study, and whether you are currently on welfare benefits. The maximum loan you can apply for is £12,729.
To apply visit gov.uk/student-finance
Supplementary Grants
The government also offer the following additional support:
- Parents' Learning Allowance
- Adult Dependants' Grant
- Childcare Grant
- Disabled Students’ Allowance
- All nursing and many allied health students on courses from September 2020 will receive a payment of at least £5,000 a year from the government.
For further information visit gov.uk/student-finance or contact Student Finance England.
All students will receive:
Bursaries Schemes for which you can apply
- Care Leaver and Foyer Bursary - up to £1,500
- Progression Bursary - up to £2,000
- Engagement Bursary - up to £2,000
- Hardship Bursary - up to £2,000
- Helena Kennedy Foundation - £1,500
- Going Global – awards range from £300 - £700
Scholarships Schemes for which you can apply
- Vice Chancellor Scholarship - up to £27,750 over three years
- Dean Scholarship - up to £13,500 over three years
- Civic Engagement Scholarship - £1,000
- EU Scholarship (EU Only) - £1,000
- ELSEF Scholarship - £1,000
- UTC Scholarship - £1,500
- Sports Scholarships - up to £6,000
There are a number of external organisations that offer financial help to
students. Please see the list below list to view additional support options.
Alternatively, you can visit the Scholarship Search website.
Please note that the University of East London is not responsible for
the content of these external sites and is not associated in any way
with the funding schemes and their application processes.
The Student Money Advice and Rights Team (SMART) are here to help you navigate your finances while you are a student at the University of East London.
We can give you advice, information and guidance on government and university funds so that you receive your full funding entitlement.
Email: study@uel.ac.uk
Phone: 020 8223 4444
You don't need to pay this up front.
EU, EEA and Swiss Nationals starting a course in September 2021, will no longer be eligible for Home fees. However, such nationals benefitting from Settled Status or Citizens' Rights may become eligible for Home fees as and when the UK Government confirms any new fees regulations. Further information can be found at UKCISA.
Tuition fees are subject to annual change. Fees for future years will be published in due course.
Tuition Fee Loan
You can apply for a loan to cover the cost of your tuition fees, which will be paid directly to UEL. There are no up-front fees required. Repayment only starts after you finish your course and are earning over £25,000. If you haven’t finished repaying your loan after 30 years it will be automatically cancelled.
Maintenance Loan
Part-time students can access maintenance loans from Student Finance England.
From academic year 2018/19, part-time students can access maintenance loans from Student Finance England.
You can apply for a loan to help with living costs such as food, travel and accommodation.
Part-time students need to study their courses at a rate of at least
25% of an equivalent full-time course in each academic year.
For further information visit gov.uk/student-finance
We appreciate that finance is one of the key considerations when you are applying to university. That's why alongside your Government loan, you can apply for scholarships to help towards your finances. We have invested over £2 million worth of scholarships to financially assist new students, starting in September 2019. If you are awarded a scholarship you don't need to pay it back.
All students will receive:
Ebooks
Bursaries Schemes for which you can apply
Scholarships Schemes for which you can apply
There are a number of external organisations that offer financial help to
students. Please see the list below list to view additional support options.
Alternatively, you can visit the Scholarship Search website.
Please note that the University of East London is not responsible for
the content of these external sites and is not associated in any way
with the funding schemes and their application processes.
The Student Money Advice and Rights Team (SMART) are here to help you navigate your finances while you are a student at the University of East London.
We can give you advice, information and guidance on government and university funds so that you receive your full funding entitlement.
Email: study@uel.ac.uk
Phone: 020 8223 4444
Price per 30 credit module.
EU, EEA and Swiss Nationals starting a course in September 2021, will no longer be eligible for Home fees. However, such nationals benefitting from Settled Status or Citizens' Rights may become eligible for Home fees as and when the UK Government confirms any new fees regulations. Further information can be found at UKCISA.
At UEL, we understand that studying in another country is a big financial commitment. If you apply early for an undergraduate, you may be entitled to a scholarship of up to £3,000.You can find out more about the international scholarships here.
The Student Money Advice and Rights Team (SMART) also run an Emergency International Fund to assist international students in hardship.
You can contact our SMART team on 02082233333 or study@uel.ac.uk
As part of the Tier 4 student visa requirements, UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) estimate that you will need £1,265* per month to cover your living costs. It includes expenses for accommodation, food and drink, travel within London, text books, entertainment, clothing, toiletries and laundry. Most Tier 4 students are required to show they have sufficient funds to cover the first nine months of the course before they start- a total of £11,385- in addition to the tuition fees. You can find more information about the specific requirements of the Tier 4 student visa here. The amount that you will spend can vary depending on your lifestyle. The UKCISA International Student Calculator can help you plan and manage your money. Please make sure you also factor in the fees for the visa application and immigration health surcharge when budgeting.
* Please note the Immigration Rules are subject to change and this figure is likely to be increased by UKVI year on year. Please therefore check our ISA pages for more information at the time of preparing your visa application.
Deposits and paying by instalments
International students are required to pay a deposit prior to being issued a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS).
Your remaining balance will be paid in five monthly instalments over your first term. The first of these instalments must be paid when completing your enrolment on arrival at UEL. Please follow the payment instructions here.
After the required payment has been made, you will be asked to complete the online International Student Reply Form to confirm your acceptance of our offer and of our terms of admittance and fees policy.
Our International team at UEL are available for advice and guidance on studying in London, fees, scholarships and visa requirements.
Email: international@uel.ac.uk
Entry requirements
- September 2021
-
Degree
96
New UCAS Points
Access to HE Diploma (QAA approved) with 60 credits overall and 45 credits at Level 3
Overall IELTS score of 5.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking (or recognised equivalent).
If you do not meet the academic English language requirements for your course, you may be eligible to enrol onto a pre-sessional English programme. The length of the course will depend on your current level of English and the requirements for your degree programme. We offer a 5-week and an 11-week pre-sessional course. Find out more here.
Level 2 equivalences such as Level 2 Functional Skills in English / Maths, Level 2 Key Skills in Communication / Application of Number and Level 2 Adult Literacy / Adult Numeracy
Please note that some courses require applicants to meet the entry requirements outlined on the course page. Our pre-entry Information Advice and Guidance Team are able to provide further advice on entry requirements and suitability for study.
What you'll learn
You’ll learn the techniques required to produce the reliable spatial data on which all construction tasks depend.
You won’t just be measuring. You’ll be analysing data, presenting it and managing it. And of course re-measuring… just to be sure.
The course involves a range of ways to map geographical features. You’ll learn about land surveying and geodesy, which involves taking into account the earth’s curvature when you are measuring large areas.
Other fields of study will involve photogrammetry – the science of making measurements from photographs – laser scanning, remote sensing, and hydrographic surveying, typically investigating the seabed.
We’ll also introduce you to cadastral surveying, which combines technical and legal knowledge to establish boundaries.
The modules you’ll take include land and construction surveying, legal and regulatory framework, computer programming, data acquisition and 3D modelling, engineering surveying and sea surveying.
All match the required standards of the Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (ICES).
What you'll study and when
We consistently review our courses to ensure we are up-to-date with industry changes and requirements from our graduates. As a result, our modules are subject to change.
- Found – all core
- Year 1 – all core
- Year 2 – all core
The extra placement year means it will take four years to complete your studies, instead of three.
- Year 3 – all core
How you'll be assessed
Assessment is
undertaken in various modes such as written assignments, laboratory reports, project
reports and examinations. Assessment
tasks are spread across the year to make the workload manageable.
Feedback is provided within 15 working days in line with
UEL’s assessment and feedback policy.
Course specification Foundation year specification
How you'll learn
With more than 60 years' experience, surveying is one of the longest established areas of teaching within the University of East London.
Most of our students on this course work part-time in the profession, including during the summer break, while they’re studying. This is usually on a paid basis.
Throughout your studies you’ll undertake a number of small projects, usually based on practical work. Your final year will include a project involving independent research and study of a technical subject.
This project will be supervised by a member of staff with an interest in the field and will normally include some laboratory work or the analysis of a specific surveying problem. Throughout, you’ll be working with the very latest surveying equipment and software.
Each term, we’re visited by around 20 local industry professionals – known as the Industrial Advisory Board (IAB) – to update us on changing requirements for graduates. They also supervise final-year projects, when they’ll be looking out for likely candidates to recruit for jobs.
This course also has regular contact with Fugro UK, the offshore surveying and exploration company, Plowman Craven, one of the UK’s biggest land surveyors, and other major construction companies such as Skanska and Costain.
Guided independent study
We are investing in key areas beyond your studies including our career services, library and well-being, to be available both face-to-face on campus and online with many of these available 24/7. We have new, modern library facilities on both campuses offering inspirational environments for study and research. Libraries contain resources in print and digital formats, a range of study spaces and dedicated librarian who can assist with your learning.
Academic support
Students are supported with any academic or subject related queries by an Academic Advisor, module leaders, former and current UEL students.
If you need a bit of extra help with certain skills such as academic writing, maths or IT, our Skillzone and English for Academic Purposes we offer workshops, drop-in sessions and one-to-one appointments to help our students achieve their potential. You can receive advice and guidance on all aspects of the IT systems provided by the university from our IT Service Desks located on all three campuses.
Our Student Support hubs in Docklands and Stratford feature centralised helpdesks to cater for your every need. UEL provides also support and advice for disabled students and those with specific learning difficulties (SPDs).
Workload
Each year you will spend around 300 hours of timetabled learning and teaching activities. These may be lectures, workshops, seminars and individual and group tutorials. Contact hours may vary depending on each module.
The approximate percentages for this course are:
Year 1: scheduled teaching – 300 hours; guided independent study – 900 hours.
Year 2: scheduled teaching – 300 hours; guided independent study – 900 hours.
Year 3: scheduled teaching – 300 hours; guided independent study – 900 hours.
The size of classes can vary depending on the nature of the course, module and activity. This can range from large groups in a lecture theatre setting, to smaller groups taking part in seminars and collaborative work. You will receive your personalised timetable at the beginning of the academic year dependent on your course.
Who will teach on this course
Who will teach on this course
The teaching team includes qualified academics, practitioners and industry experts as guest speakers. Full details of the academics will be provided in the student handbook and module guides.
Your future career
This course has a superb record in getting graduates into employment.
Likely UK destinations include the Highways Agency, Network Rail, Thames Water and local authorities.
The emphasis placed internationally on precision measurement of boundaries in property sales means surveyors are hugely valued worldwide.
Many overseas students who graduate from this course return home to work in their government land survey departments.
Other graduates have moved into UK companies specialising in surveying land for new houses or roads.
The course is also a route into forensic surveying, which establishes precise data for use in court cases. You might be involved in checking measurements following a serious road accident, or attending a serious crime scene, such as the aftermath of bomb explosion.
Your knowledge of hydrographic surveying will equip you for worldwide employment opportunities in the fields of offshore gas and oil exploration.
These skills are also required for tasks such as searching for aircraft which have disappeared over the ocean. The search in the Pacific for a missing Malaysian Airlines plane in 2014 involved hydrographic surveyors.
Recent UEL graduates in Surveying and Mapping Sciences have gone on to land jobs with FUGRO, Plowman Craven, Ordnance Survey, Scopus, Survey Solutions and Crossrail.
Explore the different career options you can pursue with this degree and see the median salaries of the sector on our Career Coach portal
