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Quantity Surveying with Art and Design Foundation Year

Course details
  • BSc (Hons)
  • 4 Years
  • Full-time including foundation year
  • 21/09/2026
  • Undergraduate
Course location
Main Site
Awarded by:
Solent University

Course summary

COURSE OVERVIEW
To help get you up to speed, the Design Foundation Year provides all the creative, technical and study skills needed for entry onto a degree-level art, built environment, design or fashion course. Upon completion, you'll be able to progress onto the BSc (Hons) Quantity Surveying degree here at Solent.

The vocationally-focused undergraduate degree delivers all the knowledge and skills you'll need to start a career as a quantity surveyor in construction: from estimating to win a project bid, to analysing cash flow, and effectively managing contracts.

Throughout the course, you'll build a sound knowledge and understanding of the role of cost management professionals in construction, as defined by the professional bodies, and its application in different contexts within the built environment.

At the heart of the course is the development of your problem-solving skills, providing you with the knowledge to provide sound and justified cost management advice and guidance in a variety of different formats. To aid this, you'll be encouraged to develop your technical writing and presentation skills throughout the course.

This course sits alongside an already well-established portfolio of built environment courses with outstanding credentials, and strong links to industry.

While work experience and placements are not mandatory to the course, students are strongly encouraged to complete it where possible. Using our industry links, the course team will endeavour to provide a range of suitable opportunities for you over the duration of your course, in between formal study periods.

WHO IS THIS COURSE FOR?
Solent’s Design Foundation Year is perfectly suited to students who may not be from an art-, design- or fashion-related background or whose qualifications do not meet the admissions requirements of their chosen course.

The BSc (Hons) Quantity Surveying degree is ideally suited to students who have a general interest in construction and who want to specialise in cost management. Applicants should have a logical approach to thinking and have an eye for detail.

WHAT DOES THIS COURSE LEAD TO?
Upon successful completion of this degree, graduates will be able to commence a career in cost management in the construction industry. Typical roles for graduates would include assistant quantity surveyor, assistant commercial manager or assistant contracts manager.

Modules

Foundation year - Core modules

Group Design Project
Industry Awareness
Design Visualisation 
Industry Skills
Personal Development Planning
Degree-related Project

Year 1 - Core modules

Legal and Statutory Requirements
Construction Practice
Construction Science and Materials
Innovating the Construction Project
Principles of Quantity Surveying
Technology of Buildings

Year 2 - Core modules

Construction Management
Economics and Financial Management
Quantity Surveying Practice
Estimating and Tendering
Technology of Complex Buildings
Sustainability

Year 3 - Core modules

Contracts Management
Commercial Management
Contemporary Quantity Surveying Practice
Project Evaluation and Development
Research Project

How to apply

Apply by
14 January

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
QS03
Institution code:
S30
Campus name:
Main Site
Campus Code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Foundation

International applicants

For information about applying to Solent as an International applicant, please visit https://www.solent.ac.uk/how-to-apply/entry-requirements/help-for-international-students

Open days

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

UCAS Tariff - 48 points

From A-levels, a BTEC Extended Diploma at PPP or BTEC Diploma at MP or equivalent. We welcome applicants from a diverse range of backgrounds. Applicants who are not in possession of the minimum entry requirements but are able to demonstrate aptitude, enthusiasm and motivation will be considered on an individual basis and may be admitted subject to satisfactory interview and/or portfolio. Please contact us for further details.

A level - DD

From a minimum of two A levels

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - PPP

AS

In combination with other qualifications

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - MP

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Foundation Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - M

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (first teaching from September 2016) - D

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)

In combination with other qualifications.

Pearson BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF) - PPP

Pearson BTEC Diploma (QCF) - MP

Pearson BTEC 90-Credit Diploma (QCF) - MM

Pearson BTEC Subsidiary Diploma (QCF) - D

Pearson BTEC Certificate (QCF)

In combination with other qualifications

Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (last awarded Summer 2024) - A

Extended Project

In combination with other qualifications.

OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma - PPP

OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma - MP

OCR Cambridge Technical Subsidiary Diploma - MM

OCR Cambridge Technical Foundation Diploma - MM

OCR Cambridge Technical Introductory Diploma - D

OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate - D

OCR Cambridge Technical Certificate

In combination with other qualifications.

AQA Level 3 (Foundation) Technical Level (360 glh) - D

AQA Level 3 Technical Level (540 glh) - MM

AQA Level 3 Technical Level (720 glh) - MP

AQA Level 3 Technical Level (1080 glh) - PPP

T Level - P

Pass grade (D or E)

English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)6with a minimum of 5.5 in each of the four components

Contextual admissions

Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.

We understand that each student is unique. At Solent we encourage individuality and have adopted a balanced approach to Admissions, by considering exam results alongside portfolios / interviews or auditions.

Our contextual offer scheme allows offers below our standard academic entry criteria to those who have faced challenges which has impacted their performance and predicted higher grades, by taking into account additional selection criteria such as a strong portfolio, interview or audition.

Learn more on the Southampton, Solent University website

Historical entry grades data BETA

This section shows the range of grades students (with UK A-Levels or Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas) who received offers were previously accepted with (learn more). It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place. Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.

Not enough data available

We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

LocationFeeYear
England£9790Year 1
Northern Ireland£9790Year 1
Scotland£9790Year 1
Wales£9790Year 1
Channel Islands£9790Year 1
Republic of Ireland£9790Year 1
International£19081Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.

Additional fee information

No additional fees or cost information has been supplied for this course, please contact the provider directly.

Sponsorship information

Solent University offers a number of bursaries, grants and scholarships. For more information, please visit https://www.solent.ac.uk/finance/grants-bursaries-scholarships/bursaries

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