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.

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).

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

Richard Latham

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.

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.