Yearbooks

Programme: BSc Quantity Surveying

Kindly take note of the disclaimer regarding qualifications and degree names.
Code Faculty
12132023 Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology
Credits Duration NQF level
Minimum duration of study: 3 years Total credits: 371 NQF level:  07
Contact:
Mr DJ Hoffman
[email protected]
+27 (0)124202551

Programme information

Quantity surveying is the science that delivers specialised financial and contractual services and advice to clients in the building and construction industry, as well as in related industries. The quantity surveyor is an independent and professional consultant who works with architects, consulting engineers, and the building contractor, in order to protect the interests of the client, while at the same time also looking after the interests of the contractor and subcontractors.

The student could enter the building or construction industry as a candidate quantity surveyor after he/she has completed the three-year degree. Such qualification, however, would not allow the person to register as a professional quantity surveyor without acquiring additional qualifications. After completing the honours programme the opportunities become far wider, and application can be made for registration as a professional quantity surveyor with the South African Council for the Quantity Surveying Profession, after further assessment and furnishing of evidence, in compliance with the prescribed competencies. Employment opportunities in the building and construction sector, government departments, in the property sector, banks and manufacturing industry exist for such registered quantity surveyors. Most, however, work in the private sector where they become employees/ partners/ directors of quantity surveying practices, or open their own practices.

The examinations for the BScHons degree in Quantity Surveying are approved by the Minister as prescribed examinations in terms of the stipulations of the Quantity Surveying Profession Act (Act No. 49/2000), as well as by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

Admission requirements

  • The following persons will be considered for admission: candidates who are in possession of a certificate that is deemed by the University to be equivalent to the required Grade 12 certificate with university endorsement; candidates who are graduates from another tertiary institution or have been granted the status of a graduate of such an institution; and candidates who are graduates of another faculty at the University of Pretoria. 
  • Life Orientation is excluded when calculating the APS. 
  • Grade 11 results are used in the conditional admission of prospective students. 
  • A valid qualification with admission to degree studies is required.
  • Minimum subject and achievement requirements, as set out below, are required. 
  • BSc (Quantity Surveying) is a selection programme.
  • Tuition will be presented in English only.

Minimum requirements

Achievement level

English Home Language or English First Additional Language

Mathematics

Physical Science or Accounting

APS

NSC/IEB

AS Level

NSC/IEB

AS Level

NSC/IEB

AS Level

5

C

5

C

4

D

30

* Cambridge A level candidates who obtained at least a D in the required subjects, will be considered for admission. International Baccalaureate (IB) HL candidates who obtained at least a 4 in the required subjects, will be considered for admission.

Other programme-specific information

Please Note: Students with Maths 4, should take STK 113 and STK 123 (instead of STK 110) during their first year of study and STK 120 during their second year of study.

The degree is awarded if all the prescribed modules have been passed.

Promotion to next study year

Promotion to the second semester of the first year and to the second year of study

  1. A newly registered first-year student who failed all the prescribed modules for the programme at the end of the first semester shall not be readmitted to the School for the Built Environment in the second semester.
  2. A student who complies with all the requirements of the first year of study, or has at least obtained 110 credits, is promoted to the second year of study.
  3. A student who has not obtained at least 70% of the credits of the first year of study after the November examinations must reapply for admission should he/she intend to continue with his/her studies. Written application must be submitted to the student administration of the School for the Built Environment no later than 12 January. Late applications will be accepted only in exceptional circumstances after approval by the Dean and conditions of readmission as determined by the admissions committee shall apply should first-year students be readmitted.
  4. Students who have not passed all the prescribed modules of the first year of study, as well as students who are readmitted in terms of (c) must register for the outstanding modules of the first year.
  5. A student who is repeating his/her first year, may, on recommendation of the relevant head of department and with the approval of the Dean, be permitted to enrol for modules of the second year of study in addition to the first-year modules which he or she failed, providing that he or she complies with the prerequisites for the second-year modules and that no timetable clashes occur. The number of credits per semester for which a student registers may not exceed the prescribed number of credits per semester by more than 16 credits.

Promotion to the third year of study

  1. A student who complies with all the requirements of the second year of study, or has at least obtained 230 credits, is promoted to the third year of study provided that no first year module(s) are outstanding.
  2. The Dean may, on the recommendation of the Head of Department, allow a student, who qualifies for promotion to a subsequent year of study, but who has not passed all the modules of that year, to carry over those modules to the next or a later year.
  3. The number of credits per semester for which a student registers may not exceed the prescribed number of credits per semester by more than 16 credits and the prerequisites must be met.
  4. A student who complies with all the requirements for the degree with the exception of one year module or two semester modules, in which a final mark of at least 40% has been obtained, may be admitted to a special examination in the module(s) concerned, at the start of the ensuing semester.
  5. On the recommendation of the Head of Department, in exceptional circumstances deviation from the abovementioned stipulations, may be approved by the Faculty Executive Committee, provided that no timetable clashes occur.

Pass with distinction

The degree is conferred with distinction on a student:

  1. if no module of the second and third study year was repeated and a weighted average of at least 75% was obtained in one year in all the modules (excluding JCP 201), of the final study year;
  2. the degree programme was completed within the prescribed three study years, and the final study year modules were passed on first registration without any supplementary or special examinations.

Minimum credits: 126

Fundamental modules

Core modules

  • Module content:

    The structure of the building industry and the role of building disciplines and related parties. Content from Humanities and social sciences 120 to introduce students to a variety of texts and encouraged them to understand themselves as products of – and participants in – different traditions, ideas and values.

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  • Module content:

    Students are introduced to design aspects in the built environment by doing basic technical drawings of simple building structures with appropriate detail sketches.

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  • Module content:

    Principles, methods and materials used in best practice in the construction of single-storey buildings up to wall plate height.

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  • Module content:

    Principles, methods and materials used in best practice in the construction of single-storey buildings from wall plate height to completion including finishes and external work. Introduction to alternative practices and materials for sustainability.

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  • Module content:

    This module deals with the core principles of economics. A distinction between macroeconomics and microeconomics is made. A discussion of the market system and circular flow of goods, services and money is followed by a section dealing with microeconomic principles, including demand and supply analysis, consumer behaviour and utility maximisation, production and the costs thereof, and the different market models and firm behaviour. Labour market institutions and issues, wage determination, as well as income inequality and poverty are also addressed. A section of money, banking, interest rates and monetary policy concludes the course.

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  • Module content:

    This module deals with the core principles of economics, especially macroeconomic measurement the private and public sectors of the South African economy receive attention, while basic macroeconomic relationships and the measurement of domestic output and national income are discussed. Aggregate demand and supply analysis stands core to this course which is also used to introduce students to the analysis of economic growth, unemployment and inflation. The microeconomics of government is addressed in a separate section, followed by a section on international economics, focusing on international trade, exchange rates and the balance of payments. The economics of developing countries and South Africa in the global economy conclude the course.

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  • Module content:

    Sanitary services; soil and waste drainage for simple, multi-storey and multi-purpose buildings; local sewage by-laws; construction of all types of sewage and sanitary fittings.

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  • Module content:

    Sanitary services; hot and cold-water supply to simple and multi-storey buildings; local by-laws; water reticulation to town development; different hot-water systems; water purification systems; water and energy saving.

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  • Module content:

    Introduction to quantity surveying, mensuration; interpretation of drawings, methodology of measuring, working up processes, general instructions, measuring of simple building elements.

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  • Module content:

    Design; basics (forces, moments, equilibrium, reactions, stress, strain); materials; loads; pin-jointed trusses; tension members.

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  • Module content:

    Beams (shear force and bending moment, bending and shear stresses, design of standard beams in steel, concrete and timber, section properties, lateral restraint); compression members; combined axial and bending; deflection.

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  • Module content:

    *Students will not be credited for more than one of the following modules for their degree: WTW 134, WTW 165, WTW 114, WTW 158. WTW 134 does not lead to admission to Mathematics at 200 level and is intended for students who require Mathematics at 100 level only. WTW 134 is offered as WTW 165 in the second semester only to students who have applied in the first semester of the current year for the approximately 65 MBChB, or the 5-6 BChD places becoming available in the second semester and who were therefore enrolled for MGW 112 in the first semester of the current year. 
    Functions, derivatives, interpretation of the derivative, rules of differentiation, applications of differentiation, integration, interpretation of the definite integral, applications of integration. Matrices, solutions of systems of equations. All topics are studied in the context of applications.

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Minimum credits: 121

Core modules

  • Module content:

    Advanced application of construction technology for the erection of multi-storey, steel reinforced concrete structures as well as steel portal frame construction. Bulk excavations for the creation of deep basements including lateral support through piling systems and other retaining wall structures to prevent embankment failure. Introduction to construction management principles and the effect thereof on the construction process in terms of time, cost and quality. Management of temporary site works, applying formwork design principles, building equipment and earth moving machinery required in advanced construction technology.

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  • Module content:

    Material study of metals and materials. Study and development of sensitivity for and the philosophy of industrial safety, accident prevention and total loss control safety risk management in the construction industry.

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  • Module content:

    The development of an understanding of the South African Law of Property and statutes relating to immovable and real rights; the acquisition of rights over land in South Africa; forms of land tenure; possession and occupation of immovable property, survey of land, registration of rights over immovable property, servitudes, real and personal securities, subdivision of land zoning regulations.

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  • Module content:

    *Only for BSc (Mathematical Statistics. Construction Management, Real Estate and Quantity Surveying) and BEng (Industrial Engineering) students.
    Purpose and functioning of financial management. Basic financial management concepts.  Accounting concepts and the use of the basic accounting equation to describe the financial position of a business. Recording of financial transactions. Relationship between cash and accounting profit. Internal control and the management of cash. Debtors and short-term investments. Stock valuation models. Depreciation. Financial statements of a business. Distinguishing characteristics of the different forms of businesses. Overview of financial markets and the role of financial institutions. Risk and return characteristics of various financial instruments. Issuing ordinary shares and debt instruments.

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  • Module content:

    Introduction to the principles of indoor comfort. Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems. Installation and operation of lifts and other mechanical services. Fire detection and protection.

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  • Module content:

    Theory of electricity; regulations of electricity-supply authorities; electrical installations; distribution of electricity.

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  • Module content:

    Measuring of simple buildings and simple building elements, and external works. Abstracting and billing.

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  • Module content:

    This project-orientated module is a form of applied learning which is directed at specific community needs and is integrated into all undergraduate academic programmes offered by the Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology. The main objectives with the module are as follows:
    (1) The execution of a community related project aimed at achieving a beneficial impact on a chosen section of society, preferably but not exclusively, by engagement with a section of society which is different from the student's own social background.
    (2) The development of an awareness of personal, social and cultural values, an attitude to be of service, and an understanding of social issues, for the purpose of being a responsible professional.
    (3) The development of important multidisciplinary and life skills, such as communication, interpersonal and leadership skills.
    Assessment in the module will include all or most of the following components: evaluation and approval of project proposal, assessment of oral and/or written progress reports, peer assessment in the event of team projects, written reportback by those at which the project was aimed at, and final assessment on grounds of the submission of a portfolio and a written report.

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  • Module content:

    Water reticulation; sewerage reticulation; stormwater reticulation; roads.

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  • Module content:

    Descriptive statistics:
    Sampling and the collection of data; frequency distributions and graphical representations. Descriptive measures of location and dispersion.
    Probability and inference:
    Introductory probability theory and theoretical distributions. Sampling distributions. Estimation theory and hypothesis testing of sampling averages and proportions (one and two-sample cases). Supporting mathematical concepts. Statistical concepts are demonstrated and interpreted through practical coding and simulation within a data science framework.

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  • Module content:

    Students can only get credit for one of the following modules: STK 120 or STK 121 or STK 161.
    Analysis of variance, categorical data analysis, distribution-free methods, curve fitting, regression and correlation, the analysis of time series and indices. Supporting mathematical concepts. Statistical concepts are illustrated using simulation within a data science framework.
    This module is also presented as an anti-semester (quarter 2) module. This is a terminating module.

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  • Module content:

    General surveying; instruments, their handling and adjusting; surveying systems and simple calculations; determining of levels; setting out of the works; tacheometry and plotting; scales, planimetry; areas and volumes; construction surveying; aerial photography.

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Minimum credits: 124

Core modules

  • Module content:

    Introduction to law. General principles of the law of contract. Specific contracts: purchase contracts; letting and hiring of work; employment contracts. Agency. General aspects of entrepreneurial law.

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  • Module content:

    Concepts, principles, history, current trends in settlement, shelter and integrated living environments; role of housing in society; statutory policy and planning frameworks and paradigms; housing delivery options; housing development management; financing and property rights options; housing types and densities; housing product, norms and standards; management and maintenance of social housing stock; housing needs assessment and post-occupancy evaluation; consumer education and protection.

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  • Module content:

    Management theory; basic principles of production management, lists of materials; pricing; payment certificates; final accounts; contract price adjustments; application of computer-based measuring programmes.

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  • Module content:

    Erection and construction of specialised building components and finishes. Acoustics. Material study of plastics, glues, rubber, mastics, bonding agents, fibre cement, bituminous products, sealers, epoxies and waterproofing.

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  • Module content:

    Thermal properties of insulation systems and construction materials. Review of current development and construction practice; alternative construction technologies; innovation in construction; technical evaluation of innovative construction materials and methods; life cycle costing and life cycle analysis; the National Building Regulations.

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  • Module content:

    *Only for BCom (Financial Sciences, Investment Management and Law) and BSc (Construction Management , Quantity Surveying and Real Estate) students.
    Framework and purpose of financial management; understanding financial statements; analysis of financial statements for decision making; time value of money; risk and return relationships; business valuation; short-term planning; current asset management.

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  • Module content:

    Cash flow calculations; the investment decision and the study of financial selection criteria in the evaluation of capital investment projects; the cost of capital; determination of capital requirements and the financing of a business to maintain the optimal capital structure.

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  • Module content:

    Principles of illumination; illumination installations; lightning security; security systems; communication systems. Multimedia installations.

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  • Module content:

    Measuring of concrete structures, precast concrete, structural steelwork, waterproofing, advanced brickwork, rubble walling, stone masonry, plumbing and drainage and electrical work. Theory of monetary allowances in bills of quantities. Abstracting and billing.

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  • Module content:

    An introduction to the principles of construction contract law and an overview of standardised conditions of contract for the built environment.

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  • Module content:

    Introduction to sustainable development and general sustainable construction principles, processes and technology. Sustainable practices on the construction site. Relevant regulations and voluntary programmes, including an introduction to ‘Green Star’ rating. Introduction to the principles of lean construction and BIM.

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The information published here is subject to change and may be amended after the publication of this information. The General Regulations (G Regulations) apply to all faculties of the University of Pretoria. It is expected of students to familiarise themselves well with these regulations as well as with the information contained in the General Rules section. Ignorance concerning these regulations and rules will not be accepted as an excuse for any transgression.

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