Built environment refers to the interdisciplinary field comprising the design, construction and management of artificial structures and spaces. It covers residential and corporate buildings, parks and public transport structures.
It places focus on profitability and sustainability as well as human experience and welfare. A qualification in built environment is a great foundation for careers in construction, architecture or building surveying and will give you scope to work in many settings.
Prospective students of the built environment will need to be self-motivated team players with an aptitude for maths and physics. Degrees related to built environment include architecture, building surveying, civil engineering, construction management, human geography and planning, landscape architecture, structural engineering, urban planning and property development.
Degrees in the built environment typically take three to four years at the undergraduate level, depending on your study destination, degree and study mode. Common degrees for students hoping to study the built environment include:
1. Architecture
2. Building surveying
3. Civil engineering
4. Construction and the built environment
5. Construction management
Built environment qualifications can be obtained as a diploma, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and even a PhD. The areas covered within your built environment course will depend on which specific degree you study.
However, many will allow you to tailor your studies to your interests through module selection. Examples of topics you may study when learning about the built environment include:
1. Construction economics
2. Construction modelling
3. Environmental design
4. Interior design
5. Safety management
6. Surveying
7. Sustainability
8. Structural design
9. Town planning
Some specialisations within the built environment include:
1. Architectural design
2. Planning and development surveying
3. Urban design and planning
4. Real estate development
5. Sustainability within construction
6. Transportation management
To study the built environment abroad, you must meet basic entry requirements. These will vary between universities and courses, but generally speaking, most undergraduate degrees in subjects related to the built environment (e.g. architecture) require:
1. Three A-Levels (or equivalent qualification)
2. Grades equivalent to BBB at A-Level / International Baccalaureate score of 32 points (this requirement will vary considerably depending on your degree)
3. An A-Level in maths, physics or art may be required, depending on the specific degree. To study built environment at the postgraduate level, you will typically need a 2:1 in a related undergraduate degree.
You will also need to meet the language requirements of your specific degree. To study architecture, for example, a common prerequisite is an IELTS overall score of 6.5 with no band score lower than 6.0 or an equivalent qualification. Before you apply, remember to check that your prospective university will accept your existing qualifications.
If you want to study built environment as an international student, why not explore some of the top institutions for degrees relating to the subject? According to the QS World University Rankings by subject, the best universities for degrees in architecture and built environment are:
1. University College London (UK)
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA)
3. Delft University of Technology (Netherlands)
4. ETH Zurich (Switzerland)
5. Manchester School of Architecture (UK)
Do you dream of studying for a built environment qualification in Australia? The best Australian universities for architecture and built environment, according to the QS World University Rankings by subject, are:
1. University of Melbourne
2. Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University
3. University of Sydney
If you hope to study in the USA on a built environment course, the best universities for architecture and built environment, according to QS World University Rankings by subject, are:
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2. Harvard University
3. University of California, Berkeley
With the global population increase and constantly evolving regulations surrounding construction, built environment graduates will not usually struggle to find a job. Depending on your specific degree, careers may have a focus on design or construction and may involve research, fieldwork or consultancy work.
A built environment qualification may also give you scope to work on exciting, pioneering construction projects and/or on an international scale. Careers in built environment usually include a reasonable pay package. Starting salaries in construction management in the UK, for example, are typically around GBP 26,000 to GBP 33,000. At the most senior levels, you may earn as much as GBP 85,000.
To achieve chartered status, which is an option within industries such as architecture or construction management, you will need to ensure your course is accredited by a relevant professional body. For example, the Royal Institute of British Architects in the UK.
Some of the jobs you can fulfil with your degree, or are related to built environment include:
1. Architect
2. Building conservation officer
3. Building control officer
4. Building surveyor
5. Construction manager
6. Property developer
7. Town planner
Common employers for those with a built environment qualification include:
1. Architecture firms
2. Charities and charitable trusts
3. Construction companies
4. Governmental organisations
5. Local government
6. Real estate companies
