Academic submissions and assessment

For your Summary of Experience, you need to write a brief statement about each of your mandatory and technical competencies to the levels required for the Academic Assessment.

You must reach the required level in a logical progression and in successive stages.

• Level 1 – knowledge and understanding
• Level 2 – application of knowledge
• Level 3 – depth and synthesis of technical knowledge and implementation.
   

Academic Assessment Guide – Page Reference: 3

The individual competencies provide examples of the work you may record against each competency.

To provide context to the levels of writing, typically, you would provide a summary of your work experience. For some competencies, one of your examples may be sufficient; for other competencies, you may need to provide multiple examples – you are aiming to demonstrate to the assessment panel what experience you have gained to meet that competency.

Level 1 – Knowledge and Understanding:

It's important to show, and you will be required to explain, how you have gained the knowledge and understanding for that competency. This would include what learning and or training you have done and when, including on-the-job training and experience.

You should include some brief detail, if necessary, to ensure that the assessor can be confident the education/ training is relevant to the competency. You can also link this to your CPD record.

When writing, consider:

• Phrases such as "I am aware / I understand / I have an understanding of / I am familiar with"
• Because of this training and learning… explain how it has developed your understanding
• Learning, such as online, courses, in-house training, etc. Refer to specific laws, legislations, specific forms or guides that you have gained knowledge in and are relevant to that competence. Briefly state how this impacts you and your college/university
• Provide examples or explain the principles and importance of the learning and competency relevant to your role and position
• How has this training or learning impacted your knowledge, and how has it impacted your business/firm and your day-to-day?
• Where you can reference the examples from your pathway guide and keywords to show relevance.
   

Level 2 – Application of Knowledge:

It's important that you focus on your specific experience in the competency area and provide one or two examples to support your summaries. You are looking to show that you have been able to put your knowledge and understanding into practice.

You should include or refer to projects you have been personally involved in. Describe your own role, explain how your involvement demonstrates your practical competence, and provide specific examples that may include processes used or adopted.

When writing, consider:

• Application of Knowledge – the practical application. Consider phrases such as " I have undertaken / I carried out / I have used / I was responsible for"
• Use of project-specific examples that you personally use/have used and how you have applied your knowledge in those tasks/activities
• Explain and detail the process you have used and adopted to gain an outcome
• The process of how you can undertake the work unsupervised and to the highest standards required
• Refer to specific laws, legislations, specific forms or guides, and how you used these in your role and scope of work
• Reference the examples from the pathway guide and keywords where they are relevant to your work and experience
• Using words that demonstrate specific involvement/management of a situation and subsequently experience.
   

Level 3 – Depth and synthesis of technical knowledge and implementation:

You must focus on your academic experience of providing reasoned advice, that align with the specific requirements of the competency in terms of more complex experience.

Your summaries should be able to explain the professional advice you have given to clients, students and peers. It should demonstrate that you are working with minimum supervision. Make sure the examples provided describe the nature of the advice, the options you considered and the outcome. The advice should be predominantly your individual responsibility rather than collective.

When writing, consider:

• Depth and synthesis of technical knowledge and implementation (Advising). Use phrases such as "I advised / I identified and recommended”
• You can demonstrate how certain processes impact the client college/university. You have examples of where you confidently provided solutions and advice to the client, employer, students or peers
• Highlight any challenge or challenges, how you overcame them, and what advice you gave and why
• Show how you can demonstrate, and reference how you, gave advice on your own
• How your ability to provide advice effectively comes from your experience
• Make sure examples of the advice you provided is relevant to the declared experience and competency
• Benefits/impact of this advice and the resulting outcome
• Refer to the specific laws, legislations, forms or guides provided as examples in the competencies, and how and the use of these have impacted the advice you give.
   

Review the Academic Application Guide and Pathway guidance for more details and types of specific examples to collate your experience. Additionally, your submissions must be reviewed by your counsellor to support the examples written, context and suitability for the Academic Assessment.

Can’t find the Mandatory Competencies in your chosen pathway guide? Download RICS requirements and Competencies guide.

If the competency you select is a level 2 competency, you should ensure you write the summary to cover 1, and if the competency you select is a level 3 competency, you should ensure you write the summary covering levels 1, 2 and 3.

It's important when writing your statements for your Summary of Experience that this is based on your own body of work and not someone else's or a fictitious hypothetical situation.

Word Count

RICS will calculate the maximum 1500 word count for the mandatory competencies and a minimum of 3,000 to maximum 4000 word count for the technical competencies using Microsoft Word. Only the content you add under the column titled Summary of Experience will be included in the word count. This will include and reference to a source or citation.

The word count does not include Titles, names of competencies and level as they appear in the first two columns of the template.

Aim to us a range of 95 to 100% of the allowable word count, without exceeding the limit, this will help you to demonstrate your knowledge and experience showing you have taken the time to craft a well-rounded submission.

On the academic assessment you must provide only four pieces of evidence to demonstrate your activities as an academic. You must select at least one from each of the three lists:

• Teaching options
• Scholarship and research options
• External engagement.
   

Academic Assessment Guide – Page Reference: 4, 6 - Examples of Activities

Important Information

Your four selected pieces of evidence will demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the mandatory, core and optional competencies of your chosen pathway in the context of teaching and research, as well as of professional practice, research ethics and professional ethics.

• All evidence must relate to the competencies of your chosen pathway and at least one item must demonstrate the achievement of a Level 3 core competency from your chosen pathway.
• For evidence associated with course delivery, we suggest a letter from the university confirming your role and the courses you delivered. You can also include an URL linking to the course or course outline.
• For evidence associated with Research papers, please provide links to your published material/journals/articles.
• Total submission length should not exceed 35 pages.

Employment History

All candidates must show their full employment history relevant to their pathway and surveying profession. The purpose is to document your career progression and key responsibilities to demonstrate how your work has contributed to achieving the required competencies.

Minimum years required

• You must provide a of minimum of five years of relevant employment history 

Please visit our page Recording CPD Activities for Candidates for more details.

To apply for your Academic Assessment, you need to send your application form and Assessment submission within the submission window to the relevant email address for your region –

ukiassessmentdelivery@rics.org

americasassessmentdelivery@rics.org

aemeaassessmentdelivery@rics.org

apacassessmentdelivery@rics.org

Visit our page Assessment dates and process for the submission and assessment windows for your region.

Before you submit, use the Academic Assessment checklist to check you have everything you need to prevent this being returned, and your assessment deferred to the next submission window.

Now more than ever, professionalism matters.

You are required to successfully complete the RICS Professionalism module prior to the assessment. The module includes four e-learning modules and a test that all candidates must pass not longer than 12 months before submitting for final assessment to be eligible to submit for Assessment.

In the e-learning modules, you will learn about the five Rules of Conduct, which support positive change in the built and natural environments by promoting and enforcing the highest ethical standards in valuation, the development and management of land, real estate, construction, and infrastructure.

1. Members and firms must be honest, act with integrity and comply with their professional obligations, including obligations to RICS
2. Members and firms must maintain their professional competence and ensure that services are provided by competent individuals who have the necessary expertise.
3. Members and firms must provide good-quality and diligent service.
4. Members and firms must treat others with respect and encourage diversity and inclusion.
5. Members and firms must act in the public interest, take responsibility for their actions and act to prevent harm and maintain public confidence in the profession.
    

As a candidate, you must also pass the Ethics Test, a 20-question multiple-choice test that tests your understanding of what you are learning. Your understanding of professionalism, ethics, and practice will also be tested during the Final Assessment Interview.

Before the Final Assessment Interview

There will be a significant emphasis on the Rules of Conduct, professional practice and ethics in the interview, so you must familiarise yourself with the Rules. Please remember, you can be referred on this area alone.

It will be important to review the Professionalism module again prior to your interview.

Pages to review and understand:

• Rules of Conduct
• Requirements & Support
• Standards and Regulation Board
• Profession & Standards

• Use the link you were sent in your welcome email to access the Professionalism module and ethics test, complete all four e-learning modules and test.
  
• Understand, apply, and give reasoned advice towards all five rules of conduct.
• All candidates will be tested on Ethics and Professionalism in their Final Assessment Interview.

When applying for assessment you are required to provide the details of three Chartered Surveyors.

• Both the proposer and seconders must be Chartered Members of RICS (MRICS or FRICS)
• Your Counsellor may act as your proposer or seconder.
• A minimum of one of your proposers/seconders must be from a different firm or organisation.
  
  

Who can be a proposer or seconder?

MRICS or FRICS members who are willing to propose and recommend you, from personal knowledge and or careful enquiry, to be elected to RICS should you be successful at interview. 

When nominating a member to act as your proposer or seconder, you should first reach out to the Member directly. 

The RICS Team will contact your Proposer and Seconders to confirm that they are willing to act in that role and support you application for assessment.

Best practice: Do not nominate or request support from members you have not previously connected with, have advised a conflict of interest, or randomly selected from the member portal. Candidates may be in breach of misuse of nominated proposer and seconder request and referred to RICS Regulations.

All Academic Applicant Candidates

Academic Applicant Guide – Page Reference: 10, 11

The 60-minute professional interview is conducted by a panel of RICS members who have been trained and selected for this role. At least one will be a trained academic assessor. The assessors will take a holistic view of your training, final assessment submissions, presentation and interview.

Academic Final Assessment Interview (60 minutes)

Approximate timing and structure

10 - Minute Presentation

You will make a ten-minute presentation to the assessment panel. You can use electronic devices and other presentation materials. It is recommended to use a PowerPoint or Keynote compatible with MS Teams.

• Present on any of your four pieces of evidence.
• Try and pick one which highlights your skills as an academic.
• Presentation must go for exactly 10-minutes.
   

• You can use speaker notes to deliver your presentation with any content you share but these are the only materials you can have access to.
• After the questions on your presentation, you are not allowed to access any of the materials and may be asked to show that you have moved the materials out of your sight.
• At no point during the video call are you allowed access to your submission.
   

About the interview and Questioning

The assessors will base the questioning on the law and practice of the country in which your interview is being held; however, some assessors will cover more than one geographical area and where possible this will be considered on the assessment panel. 

The assessors will normally ask you about what you did and about why you took a particular approach. They will also ask about your understanding of the wider issues surrounding your presentation

During the Interview, questions will be asked to demonstrate that you:

• Have applied your theoretical knowledge through academic experience and have transferred your knowledge to students, researchers or consultants.
• Act in accordance with RICS’ Rules of Conduct, possess the highest level of professional integrity and objectivity, and recognise your duties to clients, employers and the community.
• Are a good ambassador for the profession.
• Have a proper understanding of legal and technical matters relevant to your work and the law of the region or country in which you are teaching and where it is relevant to the curriculum or teaching modules.
• Have significant breadth of relevant experience as an academic.
• Meet the competency requirements of your chosen pathway in an academic context.
   

They will evaluate your submission and decide whether you have met the requirements for your chosen pathway. The assessment is holistic, and the trained RICS Assessors will use their judgement, discretion and RICS guidance to reach a balance view based on all elements of the submission.

Additionally, the panel will determine whether you:

• can express yourself clearly in an oral presentation and interview
• can demonstrate, in support of your written submissions, your understanding of the knowledge gained, and competencies achieved
• have an acceptable understanding of the role and responsibilities of a chartered surveyor.
  
  

Under no circumstances must you record, or attempt to record, the video call or interview. Any knowledge or suspicion of your recording, or attempting to record, the video call or interview may result in the interview being terminated and we may refer the matter for further investigation that could result in disciplinary action being taken against you. In addition, your status as an RICS candidate may be impacted including potential removal from the assessment process pending the outcome of the investigation.

Results and outcome

APC Candidate Guide – Page Reference: 15

You will receive your results after 5 working days (7 calendar days).

Pass result: if the outcome is a pass, steps and instructions will be detailed via email for payment, election and fees to MRICS.

Referral result: If the outcome is a referral, you will be sent a referral report within 21 days of the result explaining why the assessors reached this decision.