Bachelor of Construction (Construction Economics)

Summary

The role of the Quantity Surveyor is diverse: evaluating subcontractor tenders and making recommendations to clients, managing construction costs and cash flows during the construction phase, and negotiating and agreeing on final project accounts. With a Bachelor of Construction (Construction Economics), you gain the skills to contribute to this exciting industry. Develop the technical skills and applied knowledge to ensure that construction projects are delivered to agreed budgets. Learn to undertake estimating and cost planning and prepare tender documentation. In this programme you’ll learn about construction practice, team management, cost planning and advanced estimating techniques, tendering, and design management.

Highlights

• Great preparation for a career as a consultant quantity surveyor, a quantity surveyor, or a commercial manager for a construction company. These roles may lead to project management, company ownership, and other senior management positions.
• Gain a thorough grounding in all aspects of the construction industry.
• Learn and apply industry-standard software, including CostX, Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology, and Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) processes.
• Close links with industry: our advisory boards include experts who keep us up-to-date with industry trends, relevant legislation, and local, global, and environmental issues.
• Learn from experienced lecturers who are working or are working in the construction industry.
• Meet and hear from guest lecturers who are leaders in their field.
• In your final papers, you’ll undertake a major industry research project where you can integrate what you’ve learned with practical experience.
• Following your shared compulsory papers (first 3 semesters), you’ll choose your major* from Property Development, Construction Economics, or Construction Management. This allows you to get a good understanding of the general field first before you choose your direction.
• *You may choose to achieve a double major with slightly more coursework.

Study Option

This programme offers both full-time and part-time study pathways to fit different lifestyles. In the final year of the programme, each course requires only four on-campus classes, providing added flexibility regardless of your chosen mode of study.

Qualification pathway

Once you’ve completed this programme you’ll receive a Bachelor of Construction (Construction Economics). As a graduate of this programme, you’ll be eligible to become an accredited member of the following registered bodies:

• The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
• The New Zealand Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NZIQS)
• Pacific Association of Quantity Surveyors (PAQS)

Recommendation on studying full-time

Studying full-time is like doing a full-time job. You might only be in lectures and workshops for 16 hrs a week, but you are expected to spend another 24 hours a week on self-directed study, quizzes, re-reading lecture content, and working on assignments. That makes 40 hours.

We recognize many of you want or need to work whilst you are studying, but we would not recommend you to do any more than part-time study if you have a full-time job and don’t let your working hours overlap with your lecture times.

Career Options

• Commercial manager,
• Construction quantity surveyor,
• Consultant quantity surveyor,
• Project manager,
• Property financial adviser

Annual Tuition Fees

Domestic/NZ students

$9,400

(Approximate fees only - includes GST but excludes the Compulsory Student Services Fee (CSSF) levy. Your final study costs depends on a number of factors including the courses you select to study. View options for funding your study and fees-free eligibility)

International students

$26,415 (NZD) (approximate fees for 120 credits) Save upto $2,000 (NZD) with Unitec International Study Grant 2026.Terms and conditions apply.

Semester Dates

Sem 1 2026: 23 Feb – 28 Jun

Sem 2 2026: 20 Jul – 22 Nov

For course and class timings, refer to the specific course webpage.

For StudyLink purposes, please ensure your application states your earliest course start date.

“I want to help make a difference for others, in the same way the scholarship helped me.”

Downloads and resources

Programme regulations - Bachelor of Construction (Construction Economics) [Software in U...