Overview

Built for people

Real estate is a people-focused industry. For professionals to succeed in this field, they need to communicate, engage stakeholders, build relationships effectively, and possess a strong commercial awareness. These competencies make them a crucial asset, both to their employers and their clients.

UCEM’s real estate apprenticeship provides apprentices with the skills, training, and industry knowledge they need to become valued contributors to the real estate sector. Upon successful completion of this apprenticeship, students will become a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS).

Reasons why degree is for you

Apprentices will:

Be knowledgeable in the latest sustainability practices

Become Chartered on successful completion of this apprenticeship

Build a well-rounded foundation of knowledge applicable to various specialisms

Acquire the expertise and language to confidently work across many disciplines

About this apprenticeship

What can you expect?

This Level 6 Chartered Surveyor Degree Apprenticeship offers either a BSc (Hons) Real Estate Management or MSc Real Estate qualification as part of the apprenticeship. The route taken depends on previous qualifications held by the individual. See our entry requirements for more details. Both have different durations, but the end point assessment is the same.

End-point assessment

This apprenticeship provides apprentices with the knowledge, skills and behaviours to meet the requirements of the end point assessment (EPA), the RICS Assessment of Professional Competence (APC). The APC pathways available as the end-point-assessment (EPA) are:

* These pathways require the employer to fill some of the knowledge gaps for apprentices. Talk to our Business Development Team for more information.

More information about the EPA can be found in this RICS Apprenticeship Handbook.

Course accreditations

Structure

Degree award

On successful completion, students will be awarded:

  • BSc (Hons) Real Estate Management

or

  • MSc Real Estate

and

  • Apprenticeship Completion Certificate

Delivery structure

Development of the required knowledge, skills and behaviours for all apprenticeships happens through a combination of workplace training provided by the employer and off-the job training provided by UCEM.

The undergraduate route apprenticeship is 360 credits, plus an End Point Assessment (EPA) whereas the postgraduate route is 180 credits.

The employer must be able to provide their apprentices with relevant workplace experience for the requirements of the EPA to be met.

Modules you will study

Undergraduate

Year 1

Introduction to the Built Environment 1

Appreciate how legal, political and social issues shape our sector and its role in the economy. Understand the project lifecycle and the RIBA Plan of Work. Identify the industry’s stakeholders and professions and your chosen profession’s key responsibilities in meeting client objectives.

Introduction to Sustainability

Explore the causes of climate change and the challenges of sustainable development, with particular focus on the construction and property sector. Examine the relationship between property and the environment along with the criteria used to measure sustainability in relation to finished construction projects.

Professional and Business Practice

Gain an understanding of the organisational structures within the sector. Appreciate the role of business planning and the accounting concepts that support decision making. Consider the importance and benefits of client management, professionalism, ethical practice and diversity in the workforce.

Construction Technology 1

Establish a foundation knowledge of buildings, the environment and technology, also considering them from a sustainability perspective. Develop your communication skills and construction literacy with real-world examples of construction projects, including traditional masonry and roof construction.

Year 2

Introduction to Regulatory and Built Environment Law

Dive into the legal and regulatory requirements that relate to the construction and property sector, along with the legal environment in the context of planning, design and occupation and health and safety as it relates to both design and construction activity.

Property Economics

Apply basic economic theory to the four dimensions of property and construction sector activity: the market, the public policy, the temporal, and the spatial dimensions. Develop your analytical skills and recognise the relevance of economic analysis to property-related issues.

Property Law

Learn the principles of land ownership (freehold and leasehold), including the acquisition and protection of third-party rights. Gain an understanding of common law and the statutory rules that govern the landlord and tenant relationship and develop an analytical approach to legal problem-solving.

Year 3

Planning Practice and Policy

Examine the role and purpose of planning and key planning principles and policies relating to housing, town centres, transportation, retailing and the countryside, with consideration given to social, economic and environmental aspects of sustainability.

Valuation in Practice

Develop within a practice context, your understanding of the comparative, investment, profits and depreciated replacement cost methods of valuations. Explore the means of analysis, yield selection and risk considerations required by valuers.

Development Process and Appraisal

Examine the process of developing land and the factors that determine what can be developed. Undertaking authentic tasks, expand your understanding of valuation methods, such as residual appraisal and discounted cashflow, to reflect these factors in the valuation of development land.

Property Agency and Marketing

Dive into the practice, principles and dynamics of estate agency and property marketing, focusing on residential and commercial property markets in England and Wales. Explore the client-agent relationship, company account analysis, the logic of location theory and how the sale price is determined.

Year 4

Commercial Property Management

Examine the role that commercial property plays for both an investor and an occupier, considering the sustainable management strategies of property owners and how the commercial property manager helps develop and implement these strategies.

Investment Appraisal and Portfolio Management

Develop your ability to understand and analyse investments, so you can recognise property as an investment asset within the overall spectrum of other investment categories. Building the practical skills that will enable you to make informed investment decisions for clients.

Workbased Research Project

Develop your research skills in the context of the built environment, your workplace and your chosen career path. Reflect on your learning and knowledge by relating the practicalities of a case study to the academic concepts and ideas that underpin it.  Demonstrate your professional competence.

Applied Valuation

Apply valuation principles to more complex situations and explore rental growth explicit valuation concepts. Understand both the theoretical and practical limitations in valuing property and its environments and how these affect value.  Consider professional ethics and the impact of sustainability.

Statutory Valuations

Gain the knowledge and skills needed to carry out valuations for statutory purposes, specifically for compulsory purchase and compensation and taxation. Develop an understanding and expertise in both of these disciplines to provide appropriate and reflective advice and valuations to clients.

Postgraduate

Course Leaders

Undergraduate
Matthew Smith

BSc MRICS Cert Ed MEd FHEA

Matthew Smith is a chartered surveyor with 12 years of professional practice with commercial, residential development and healthcare property. He has experience of valuation, agency, development and investment appraisal as well as compulsory purchase and insolvency. He also has a keen interest in building technology and proptech.

Postgraduate
David Hourihan

MSc Prop Inv, FSCSI, FRICS, FHEA

David Hourihan qualified as a chartered surveyor in 1994 while working in Ireland. There he specialised in the sales, lettings and acquisitions of commercial property in Dublin.

In 2002 David moved to England and worked for a number of nationwide and international property companies on the asset management of a variety of properties including shopping centres, retail and leisure parks, industrial estates and offices across the United Kingdom.

Online learning

The future of study

1 2 3 4 5

Flexible study

Balance your study, work and home commitments, all while working towards your career goals

e-Library access

Full access to a comprehensive and valuable e-library with a wealth of resources to support your studies

Interactive

Study using a diverse range of interactive, modern and dynamic learning resources

Expert-led

Learning activities that have been designed by UCEM tutors and subject matter experts

Stay connected

Learn alongside a diverse community of students from all over the world

Time commitment and study breakdown

Studying two modules per semester requires an expected time commitment of 15-20 hours per week. If you study only one module per semester, the weekly time commitment will be less, depending on the module’s credit size. Most modules are typically 20 credits.

45

Directed study time (%)

25

Self-directed study time (%)

30

Assessment study time (%)

Support

For your studies

Entry

Qualifications required

Undergraduate entry

Academic requirements

96 UCAS tariff points or equivalent;

OR

  • Completed an Advanced Apprenticeship in Surveying or an Advanced Apprenticeship in Construction Technical through which a Construction and Built Environment Diploma with a minimum DD profile was obtained or through which a Construction and Built Environment Extended Diploma with a minimum MMM profile was obtained, or an equivalent qualification;

OR

  • A current Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Associate qualification (AssocRICS) and be in relevant employment;

OR

  • Successfully completed the UCEM BSc Access module programme;

English and mathematics requirements

GCSE Grade 4 (or C) or above in English and Mathematics or equivalent qualification

Requirements of the apprenticeship

  • Apprentices must have the right to work in England and meet the Education and Skill Funding Agency (ESFA) residency status requirements
  • Spend at least 50% of their working hours in England
  • Be 18 years or over at the start of the programme and be directly employed in a job role that will enable the requirements of the apprenticeship to be achieved

Find out more about how apprenticeships work

Providing evidence

Evidence is required in the form of certificate or statements. You should send photocopies that have been verified by someone in a professional occupation.

Applications are assessed in accordance with the UCEM Code of Practice on Admissions and Recognition of Prior Learning.

Postgraduate entry

Academic requirements

A Bachelor’s Degree with honours at lower second standard (2:2), or equivalent;

OR

  • A Bachelor’s Degree, or equivalent, plus experience in a relevant field;

OR

  • A Level 5 qualification as defined by Framework for Higher Education Qualifications for England, Wales and Northern Ireland (FHEQ) plus 5 years’ relevant experience;

OR

  • A professional qualification plus 5 years’ relevant experience;

OR

  • Successfully completed the UCEM Postgraduate Access programme at the first attempt.

English and mathematics requirements

GCSE grade 4 (or C) or above in English and mathematics

Requirements of the apprenticeship

  • Apprentices must have the right to work in England and meet the Education and Skill Funding Agency (ESFA) residency status requirements
  • Spend at least 50% of their working hours in England
  • Be 18 years or over at the start of the programme and be directly employed in a job role that will enable the requirements of the apprenticeship to be achieved

Find out more about how apprenticeships work

Providing evidence

Evidence is required in the form of certificate or statements. You should send photocopies that have been verified by someone in a professional occupation.

Applications are assessed in accordance with the UCEM Code of Practice on Admissions and Recognition of Prior Learning.

SDG's

Sustainability

Sustainability

How does this apprenticeship align?

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is the United Nation’s economic, social and environmental plan to achieve sustainable development. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) are central to this ambition, and must therefore be a critical part of built environment curriculums.

UCEM is currently undergoing an evaluation of how SDG’s relate to modules. This will be updated shortly.

Key information

Apprentices and employers

Time commitment for apprentices

The academic element of the apprenticeship requires 15-20 hours of study a week, based on studying two modules per semester. This is for a typical 20 credit module.

Time commitment for employers

You will need to provide your apprentice with the equivalent of one day off a week to study and to ensure that their job role enables them to fulfil the requirements of the apprenticeship.

Funding

The programme meets the criteria of the Chartered Surveyor Degree Apprenticeship standard. Levy paying organisations can use their levy for the fees below. Non-levy payers will need to secure apprenticeship funding from the government.

Undergraduate route: £28,000. Eligible organisations are able to use their levy fund for £27,000 of this fee.

Postgraduate route: £25,000. Eligible organisations are able to use their levy fund for the entirety of this fee.

Why choose UCEM?

UCEM is a leading university for the built environment, providing flexible and accessible supported online education to all. Our commitment to become the most sustainable university in the world has led us to develop the way we teach, operate, and collaborate with others to ensure that sustainability is integrated into everything that we do.

Our apprenticeship offering is constantly growing to keep up with the demands of the sector. We are proud to have gained a reputation with our clients and industry partners for the excellent support we provide apprentices and employers.

  • Rated 13th in the top 50 apprenticeship providers, Rate My Apprenticeship
  • The largest provider of Chartered Surveyor apprenticeships, Gov.uk
  • 'Good' Ofsted rating, 2021
  • 91% of apprentices agreed that UCEM gave relevant training to help them perform their job better, ESFA
Case Studies Slide 2
Online learning is
the future

Find out how it's right for you and your studies.

Application process

For employers

If you’re interested in developing your workforce with this apprenticeship, then please get in touch with our Business Development Team who will be able to guide you through the application process and support with any queries. Find the right apprenticeship candidate for your role through UCAS Talent Finder.

For prospective apprentices

If you are considering an apprenticeship but are not currently employed, you will need to search for an apprenticeship before applying.

Application deadlines

Spring 2025

Undergraduate route – 24 February 2025

Postgraduate route – 10 February 2025

Autumn 2025

Undergraduate route – 25 August 2025

Postgraduate route – 11 August 2025

Contact us

To find out more about working with us you can email businessdevelopment@ucem.ac.uk or call one of our team.

You can also fill out the contact form below and someone will get back to you:


Meryl Bonser

Director of Business Development

+44 (0)7557 384942

Martin Cawley

Associate Director of Business Development

+44 (0)7747 030777