Bachelor of Construction (Quantity Surveying)
Course details
About the course
About the programme
Take a leading role in the construction industry.
You'll be in high demand as a construction professional and have the technical, work-ready skills to price and manage construction projects and challenge the status quo to improve processes and drive efficiencies.
You'll have a range of career opportunities. You can work as a project manager, quantity surveyor, estimator or contract administrator. Graduates can also join professional bodies such as the New Zealand Institute of Quantity Surveying (NZIQS).
With experience, you may become a senior project manager, site manager or quantity surveyor, a commercial or divisional manager, or operate your own consultancy. With further study, you could specialise in the field of construction law and dispute resolution.
What you'll learn
- Budgeting and financial administration of construction projects, including whole life-cycle costing
- Law, contracts and contractual risk analysis
- Planning and managing of construction projects
- Site logistics and project management (managing time, costs, quality and client satisfaction)
- People management and negotiation skills, and
- Construction business management.
You'll study this programme through a blended learning delivery. This includes face-to-face teaching, online study, work experience and student-managed learning.
Studying part-time
We understand that studying full-time isn't always possible. You can study this programme part-time, over six to seven years.
Entry requirements
Entry
Entry requirements
Academic requirements
For those under 20
NCEA Level 3 including:
- 14 credits at Level 3 or above in each of three NZQA approved university entrance subjects, and
- 10 literacy credits at Level 2 or above, made up of:
- 5 credits in reading, and
- 5 credits in writing, and
- 12 numeracy credits at Level 2 or above, made up of:
- specified achievement standards available through a range of subjects OR
- package of three numeracy unit standards (26623, 26626, 26627- all three required).
For those over 20
- You must supply evidence of industry experience and/or alternative relevant qualifications.
- Provisional entry is possible.
International equivalence
To enter Otago Polytechnic's undergraduate certificates, diplomas and degrees, you need to have achieved a secondary school qualification that is equivalent to New Zealand's NCEA levels (National Certificate of Educational Achievement).
This information is available by country on our Equivalent academic entry requirements page.
English Language requirements
If English is not your first language, you must provide:
- New Zealand University Entrance OR
- Overall Academic IELTS 6.0 (academic, no band score lower than 5.5) achieved in one test completed in the last two years, OR
- Acceptable alternative evidence of the required IELTS (see here for internationally recognised proficiency tests and proficiency outcomes for international students).
If you need to improve your English Language skills, we offer a wide range of English programmes.
Please note: Graduates of the New Zealand Diploma in Construction (Level 6) (Construction Management) (Quantity Surveying) will be credited the courses they have completed up to a maximum of 240 credits.
Don't meet the entry requirements?
If you don't meet the requirements to enter this programme, our bridging programme is the perfect option (this is advertised as the bridging option into our engineering diploma but is a highly suitable pathway into this degree as well).
Alternatively, you could complete the New Zealand Certificate in Construction Trade Skills (Level 3) (Carpentry).
Got a diploma and already working in the industry?
If you already hold a diploma in Quantity Surveying or Construction Management, you could get credit recognition toward the third year of this degree and study part-time to complete it alongside your employment from anywhere in New Zealand.
The remaining degree courses can be studied through a combination of online learning and by attending contact courses in Dunedin over a two-to-three year duration.
Recognised diplomas
- Otago Polytechnic New Zealand Diploma in Construction (Quantity Surveying): you can get direct entry to Year 3 of the Bachelor of Construction (Quantity Surveying).
- Diploma in Quantity Surveying or Construction Management from any other NZ institution: you can enter Year 3 of the Bachelor of Construction (Quantity Surveying), but you'll have to do up to four Year 1 and 2 courses.
This degree is accredited by the New Zealand Institute of Quantity Surveyors and will make you eligible for Graduate Membership status.
Want your existing skills recognised?
If you have extensive knowledge and skills due to practical experience in this area, please ask us about our recognition of prior learning process. You may have already gained credits towards this qualification and could achieve it in a shorter timeframe. Please email [email protected] or call 0800 762 786.
About the provider
If you want to get a job and build a great career, Otago Polytechnic is a smart choice.
We’re known for offering the highest quality, hands-on training that helps students succeed. Our graduates are confident, skilled, and ready to work from day one. And, employers love that.
We’ve earned the highest ratings from the New Zealand Government for our teaching and support. Our flexible study options make it easier for you to learn in a way that suits your life.
At Otago Polytechnic, you’ll gain practical skills, real-world experience, and the confidence to make a real impact - in your career and in your community.