Engineering

Bachelor of Quantity Surveying

The Bachelor of Quantity Surveying is a four-year programme that prepares students for cost estimation, project economics, contract management and construction cost consultancy. Students study construction technology, measurement, cost estimation, contract administration, project finance, building economics and construction law. The programme combines technical construction knowledge with financial and contractual management for the built environment.

Students develop competencies in quantity surveying, cost estimation, bills of quantities, valuation, contract administration, cost planning, project economics and dispute resolution. They learn to measure construction work, prepare cost estimates, manage project budgets, administer contracts and advise on procurement. The programme covers construction technology, measurement, cost management, contracts and project economics.

In Kenya, quantity surveyors are in demand for infrastructure, housing, commercial development and public works. The University of Nairobi, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Technical University of Kenya and Technical University of Mombasa offer this programme. Graduates find roles in quantity surveying consultancies, construction companies, government departments, real estate developers and project management firms.

Teaching is delivered through lectures, design studios, measurement exercises, site visits and research projects. Students prepare bills of quantities, cost estimates, valuations and undertake industrial attachment. The programme includes a final-year research project.

Graduates pursue careers as quantity surveyors, cost consultants, contract administrators, project cost managers, construction economists and claims consultants. Some work for quantity surveying firms. Others join contractors, developers, government or establish private practices.

This programme is ideal for individuals with strong numerical skills, attention to detail and interest in construction cost management.

Duration: 4 years
Public, up to: Ksh 445,000
Job market: High

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time
Attachment: 3 months
Average class: 35 students
Award: Bachelor

What you study

10 subjects

Construction Technology and Materials
Building Measurement and Quantification
Cost Estimation and Bills of Quantities
Construction Economics and Cost Planning
Contract Law and Administration
Project Management and Finance
Valuation and Property Economics
Construction Procurement
Claims and Dispute Resolution
Research Methods

Modules

12 in the programme

Construction Technology and Materials
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Construction Technology and Materials: Building construction, materials, methods and construction processes Covers construction technology, materials science, and project execution.
Building Measurement and Quantification
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Building Measurement and Quantification: Measurement rules, taking off quantities and standard methods of measurement Covers construction technology, materials science, and project execution.
Cost Estimation and Bills of Quantities
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Cost Estimation and Bills of Quantities: Cost estimation, pricing, bill preparation and cost planning Covers theoretical foundations, practical applications, and industry-relevant skills.
Construction Economics and Cost Planning
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Cost planning, budgets, cost control and life-cycle costing. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment t...
Contract Law and Administration
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Contract Law and Administration: Construction contracts, FIDIC, claims, administration and disputes Examines statutory frameworks, case law, and regulatory compliance in the Kenyan context.
Project Management and Finance
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Project Management and Finance: Project management, finance, cash flow and project economics Covers project lifecycle, resource allocation, risk management, and stakeholder engagement.
Valuation and Property Economics
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Valuation and Property Economics: Property valuation, depreciation, cost benefit and property investment Covers economic theory, market analysis, and policy evaluation.
Construction Procurement
Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore
Construction Procurement: Procurement methods, tendering, contractor selection and contracts Covers construction technology, materials science, and project execution.
Claims and Dispute Resolution
Year 3Semester 33 creditsCore
Claims and Dispute Resolution: Claims preparation, dispute resolution, arbitration and adjudication Covers theoretical foundations, practical applications, and industry-relevant skills.
Advanced Quantity Surveying Practice
Year 4Semester 13 creditsCore
Advanced Quantity Surveying Practice: Professional practice, ethics, consultancy and project management Covers measurement techniques, data analysis, and land information systems.
Building Information Modelling (BIM) for QS
Year 4Semester 23 creditsCore
BIM applications in quantity surveying and cost management. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment te...
Final Year Research Project
Year 4Semester 36 creditsCore
Final Year Research Project: Independent research on quantity surveying and construction economics Involves independent research, data analysis, and scholarly writing under supervision.

Specialisations

Project Cost Management
Specialization in Project Cost Management, preparing graduates for careers such as quantity-surveyor.
Cost Estimation
Specialization in Cost Estimation, preparing graduates for careers such as quantity-surveyor. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.
Contract Management
Specialization in Contract Management, preparing graduates for careers such as quantity-surveyor. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.
Building Economics
Specialization in Building Economics, preparing graduates for careers such as quantity-surveyor. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.
Claims and Dispute Resolution
Specialization in Claims and Dispute Resolution, preparing graduates for careers such as quantity-surveyor.
BIM and Digital QS
Specialization in BIM and Digital QS, preparing graduates for careers such as quantity-surveyor. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.

A day as a student

A typical day combines lectures on construction technology or cost management with measurement studios or site visits. Students may measure building elements, prepare bills of quantities, estimate costs or analyse contracts.

The trade offs

In its favour

High demand in construction and infrastructure
Professional career with consultancy potential
Good earning potential in construction
Practical and numerically focused

Against it

Requires strong mathematics and construction knowledge
Some roles involve site visits and outdoor work
Construction industry can be cyclical
Professional registration requires further experience and exams

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 332 engineering courses

Public363k to 445k

363k at Technical University of Kenya445k at University of Nairobi

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

UoN 445K Yr1 (recmqs.uonbi.ac.ke). TUK 363K (educationnewshub). Private: none confirmed.

Students may access HELB loans and county bursaries. Some construction firms offer internships and sponsorships for quantity surveying students.

Funding options

Higher Education Loans Board (HELB)
LoanKsh 60,000
National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF)
Bursary
County Government Bursaries
Bursary

Scholarships

4 recorded

Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) Loan
LoanKsh 60,000Kenyan
Kenyan students admitted to recognised universities
Higher Education Fund (HEF)
BursaryKenyan
Kenyan undergraduate students placed by KUCCPS in public universities
Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD) Training Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Students in geospatial sciences, GIS and remote sensing
County Government Bursaries
BursaryKenyan
Residents of respective counties

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade: C+
Alternative entry: Relevant diploma or equivalent qualification

English or Kiswahili
C+
Mathematics A/B or any Group II
C+
Physics or any Group II
C
Any Group III, IV or V subject
C+

How you are assessed

4 components

Measurement and Costing Exercises
Coursework40% of the mark
Continuous Assessment Tests (CATs)
Coursework20% of the mark
Final Examination and Project
Coursework30% of the mark
Industrial Attachment Report
Coursework10% of the mark

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE).

Accredited by

Institute of Quantity Surveyors of Kenya (IQSK)
InstitutionalRequired
Commission for University Education (CUE)
InstitutionalRequired

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

5 roles

Quantity Surveyor
High demandKsh 70,000 to Ksh 250,000
Prepares cost estimates and manages construction costs
Cost Consultant
High demandKsh 80,000 to Ksh 300,000
Advises on project costs and budgets
Contract Administrator
High demandKsh 70,000 to Ksh 250,000
Administers construction contracts and claims
Claims Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 80,000 to Ksh 300,000
Prepares and evaluates construction claims
Project Cost Manager
High demandKsh 90,000 to Ksh 350,000
Manages project costs and financial control

Graduate outcomes

Graduates work as quantity surveyors, cost consultants, contract administrators, project cost managers, construction economists and claims consultants in quantity surveying consultancies, construction companies, government departments, real estate developers and project management firms.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

MATLAB
Engineering softwarePrimary
Signal processing and communication simulation.
Atoll
Network planning
Radio network planning and optimisation.
Wireshark
Network analysis
Network protocol analysis.
Microsoft Excel
SpreadsheetPrimary
AutoCAD
DesignPrimary

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Quantity surveying is just about counting materials
Quantity surveying covers cost management, contracts, valuation, risk, procurement and project economics.
Quantity surveyors only work for contractors
Quantity surveyors work for consultancies, developers, government, clients and contractors.
You need to be a builder to be a quantity surveyor
Quantity surveying requires numerical, legal, contractual and financial skills.
Quantity surveying is not a professional career
Quantity surveyors can become chartered professionals and run their own consultancies.