FdSc Residential Estate Agency

Right from your first year, you will gain grounding in work-related situations as well as academic study before developing a deeper understanding of the key issues in your second year. You will be assessed through field reports, research projects, examinations, case studies, portfolios, presentations and practical skills.

Timetables

The teaching sessions will take place in Swindon and are timetabled on Mondays and Tuesdays. This allows you to fulfil other commitments you may have, such as work, family and interests. Wednesday afternoons are normally reserved for sports and societies activities.

Modules

Each module is worth a specified number of credits. Each credit equates to 10 hours of total study time. Total study time includes scheduled teaching, independent study and assessment activity.

Full-time students normally take modules worth 60 credits per 15 week semester but this can vary depending on your elective choice. Part-time students taking proportionally fewer credits per semester. All students take a total of 120 credits per level and 240 credits for the foundation degree as a whole. The overall grade for your foundation degree is based on marks obtained for modules taken at level 4 and level 5 (weighted 30:70) accordingly.

The modules available for this degree are shown below. They may change for your year of study as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Year one

• 1550 Valuation 1: Explain the factors which underpin value in the property market
• 1551 Principles of Marketing: Explore the theories which underpin marketing and learn how to put these into practice
• 1553 Property Markets Transactions and Analysis: Analyse property markets to review trends and performance
• 1554 Land and Property Economics: Develop an understanding of basic macro and micro economic concepts in land and property markets
• 1555 Law for Estate Agency: Understand, identify and apply how the English legal system is organised and administered in the context of estate agency work.
• 1556 Business Informatics: Learn how to apply key business concepts in practice to improve management processes
• 1557 People and Organisations: Discover the theories behind organisational behaviour
• 1558 Academic and Practical Skills: Learn and try out a range of practical skills used in the land and farming sectors

Year two

• 2500 Professional Sales Practice: Examine the role of the salesperson and the skills required for effective sales activity
• 2501 Financial Management: Explore how business finance affects the corporate planning process
• 2502 Valuation 2: Identify and use the appropriate method of valuation to meet a range of client requirements and different property types
• 2503 Residential Property Management:  Examine the role of the managing agent in protecting and enhancing the value of a client’s property
• 2504 Surveying, Inspection and Measurement: Undertake a building inspection report,  including advising on the condition of properties and the identification of common building defects
• 2505 Work Based Learning Project: Gain practical experience via a work placement to prepare for professional practice
• 2506 Property Agency and Marketing: Advise on a marketing strategy for a property and how an agency will enable it
• 2507 Business Strategy: Examine how organisations analyse their competitive environment, formulate objectives, determine their competitive strengths and weaknesses, generate and select appropriate strategies, determine the necessary organisational structures, and implement their corporate plan

Disclaimer information

The University has established various rules and regulations that you must agree to and follow if you accept an offer to study with us. View our full disclaimer notice.

We pride ourselves on being able to help our students acquire the skills they need to foster their initiative and creativity as responsible global citizens. Our graduates have gone on to pursue careers within companies worldwide and within the following roles:

• Estate Agent
• Letting Agent
• Account Manager
• Sales Manager
• Property Project Manager
• Property Management

We have links with a wide range of businesses, through our professional contacts, local Growth Hub, Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise partnership and 175 years of successful Alumni.

Typical offers

Required: GCSE minimum five GCSEs at Grade C/4 including English Language and Mathematics (or Maths Numeracy for Welsh applicants) plus satisfactory level 3 qualifications:

• A-Level: (example grades CD) – minimum of 56 UCAS tariff points (points to include at least one full A-Level or equivalent qualifications)
• C&G Advanced Technical/BTEC - Level 3 Extended Diploma (1080) at Merit-Pass-Pass
• International Baccalaureate: 24 points
• Access to Higher Education: 45 credits at level 3 of which minimum of 15 must be awarded at Merit or higher. (Pass in Functional Skills level 2 are accepted in lieu of GCSE English & Mathematics)

Other level 3 qualifications will be considered.

Visit the UCAS website to calculate your UCAS Tariff points from the qualifications and grades achieved.

Flexible entry

The University welcomes interest from applicants who may not have the standard entry requirements. A wide range of qualifications and experience are accepted in order to join University degree programmes. The University always considers evidence of personal, professional (APL) and educational experience, (APEL), which show an ability to meet the demands of their intended programme of study.

Further information

Alternative entry routes are available for a range of other qualifications. Prior experience is also considered, subject to approval by the programme manager and admissions staff.

Read more general information about our entry requirements.

International students will also need to achieve IELTS Academic or equivalent at the appropriate level for your programme of study. English language requirements for international students.

For any further help, please contact our admissions team:  

• Email: admissions@rau.ac.uk
• Telephone: +44 (0)1285 889912

2025-26 Applicants

For the academic year 2025-26 the tuition fees for this course are: 

For part-time study, please contact admissions@rau.ac.uk for further information.

Please also refer to the funding your time at university page.

Tuition fees may be subject to an inflationary increase each year as set out in our Access and Participation Plan.

If you are an Irish national you can check if you meet the requirements for Home Fees. Please visit the UKCISA website and consult the pdf guide “England HE – who pays Home Fees”. First check category ‘3 years in Republic of Ireland/UK/Islands, settled in UK’ or ‘Brexit temporary offer for courses starting before 2028: Irish citizens with residence in Europe or overseas territories’. You will possibly need to be fee assessed when you submit an application for study to the RAU.

Scholarships

The University offers a wide range of generous fee waivers and bursaries. To find out more about the these, please visit the bursaries, awards and scholarships page.