RICS Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) Final Assessment Submission and Interview Syllabus

Final Assessment Submission and Interview syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Final Assessment Submission and Interview in RICS Assessment of Professional Competence (APC), not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Structuring the APC Submission

   4 topics

   • Choosing the appropriate pathway and competencies
     • Mandatory, core and optional competency selection
     • Levels 1, 2 and 3 attainment
   • Summary of experience and competency narratives
   • Case study selection and scope
     • Identifying a problem, options and reasoned conclusion
   • CPD record and lifelong learning
2. 2

   Evidence, Diary and Documentation

   4 topics

   • Logbook and diary record-keeping
     • Day-to-day experience and recording hours
   • Demonstrating progression across competency levels
   • Referencing examples and confidentiality
   • Counsellor and supervisor sign-off
3. 3

   The Final Assessment Interview

   4 topics

   • Interview format and the assessment panel
     • Chairperson's introduction and presentation
     • Questioning on competencies and case study
   • The case study presentation
     • Ten-minute presentation structure
   • Questioning technique and answering strategy
   • Demonstrating ethics, judgement and reasoning under questioning
4. 4

   Assessment Outcomes and Professional Conduct

   4 topics

   • Assessment criteria and the marking process
   • Referrals, feedback and reattempt routes
   • Ongoing CPD and chartered obligations
     • Mandatory 20 hours CPD per year
   • Maintaining competence and lifelong professional development

Final Assessment Submission and Interview flashcards for RICS Assessment of Professional Competence (APC)

23 of 50 cards from the Final Assessment Submission and Interview deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What does APC stand for in the RICS qualification framework?

   Assessment of Professional Competence — the RICS process by which candidates demonstrate the competence and experience required to become a chartered surveyor (MRICS).

2. What is a 'pathway' in the RICS APC, and why is choosing the right one important?

   A pathway is a defined route aligned to a surveying specialism (e.g. Building Surveying, Quantity Surveying, Valuation). It dictates the mandatory, core and optional competencies a candidate must achieve, so choosing one that matches your day-to-day work is essential to gathering valid experience.

3. Into which three groups are RICS APC competencies divided?

   Mandatory competencies (professional/ethical/business skills common to all), Technical Core competencies (specific to the chosen pathway), and Technical Optional competencies (selected from a pathway-defined list).

4. What are the three attainment levels for RICS APC competencies, and what does each represent?

   Level 1 — knowledge and understanding; Level 2 — application of knowledge and understanding (practical doing); Level 3 — providing reasoned advice, depth of knowledge and giving professional/strategic advice.

5. How does the principle of 'progression' apply to APC competency levels?

   Each level is cumulative: Level 3 includes Levels 1 and 2, and Level 2 includes Level 1. A candidate must demonstrate genuine progression from understanding, to doing, to advising — not jump straight to advising without the underpinning.

6. What is the typical minimum duration and amount of structured training for the RICS APC structured training route?

   A minimum of 24 months of structured training and at least 48 months (about 4,000 hours) where prior experience applies, with the candidate recording at least the RICS-required minimum diary hours over the period.

7. What is the 'Summary of Experience' in the APC submission?

   A set of competency narratives (typically 1,500 words per technical competency at the required level) in which the candidate explains, in their own words, the experience that demonstrates achievement of each competency at the declared level.

8. What writing style and person should be used in the Summary of Experience narratives?

   First person ('I did…'), describing the candidate's own actions and reasoning rather than the team's, using concrete project examples to evidence the declared competency level.

9. What is the word count and purpose of the APC Case Study?

   A 3,000-word document (excluding appendices) describing a real project the candidate was personally involved in, used to demonstrate the practical application of competencies and the candidate's reasoning, problem-solving and advice on a key issue.

10. What makes a good case study topic for the APC?

    A project with a genuine 'key issue' or problem the candidate personally resolved, of suitable complexity, recent (usually within the last 24 months), and one the candidate knows in depth so they can defend decisions under questioning.

11. What are the typical required sections of an APC case study?

    Introduction, the candidate's approach (options considered, analysis, decision-making), and a conclusion — often with appendices of supporting evidence — focused around a key issue rather than a project diary.

12. What does CPD stand for and how many hours per year does RICS require during the APC?

    Continuing Professional Development — a minimum of 48 hours of CPD per year, of which at least half (the formal portion) should be structured/formal learning relevant to the candidate's role.

13. What is the difference between formal and informal CPD?

    Formal CPD is structured learning with clear objectives and outcomes (courses, seminars, structured e-learning, conferences); informal CPD is self-directed learning such as private reading, on-the-job learning or discussion. RICS requires at least 24 of the 48 hours to be formal.

14. What is the purpose of the diary and logbook in the APC?

    The diary/logbook records training hours and the development of competencies over time, providing an auditable record that demonstrates progression and that the minimum training period and hours have been met, signed off by the supervisor and counsellor.

15. In APC supervision, what is the distinction between a 'supervisor' and a 'counsellor'?

    The supervisor is the day-to-day line manager overseeing work and signing off diary entries; the counsellor takes overall responsibility for the candidate's development, verifies competence and signs off the final submission. Both should ideally be RICS members.

16. Why is confidentiality important when referencing project examples in APC documents, and how is it handled?

    Candidates often use real, commercially sensitive projects, so they must anonymise client/site identities where required and may need client consent. The RICS panel treats submissions confidentially, but the candidate remains responsible for not breaching client confidentiality or NDAs.

17. What must a counsellor confirm when signing off a candidate's final APC submission?

    That the candidate has completed the required training period and hours, achieved all declared competencies to the stated levels, met CPD requirements, and that the submission (summary of experience, case study, CPD record) is the candidate's own genuine work.

18. What are the main documents that make up the final APC submission?

    Summary of Experience (competency narratives), the Case Study, the CPD record, the candidate's diary/logbook of training, and the supervisor/counsellor sign-off — plus personal/contact and pathway declaration details.

19. What is the standard format and duration of the RICS APC final assessment interview?

    A formal interview, typically lasting about 60 minutes, conducted by a panel (usually a chairperson plus one or two assessors), including a candidate case study presentation followed by questioning on competencies and ethics.

20. Who sits on the APC assessment panel and what is the chairperson's role?

    The panel comprises experienced RICS-assessor members — usually a chairperson and one or two assessors. The chairperson manages the interview, ensures fairness and timekeeping, asks questions, and leads the panel's consensus decision.

21. What is the standard length and content of the APC case study presentation at interview?

    A 10-minute presentation (no slides/visual aids permitted in the standard format) summarising the project's key issue, the options considered, the candidate's recommendation and the outcome — leading into panel questioning.

22. Roughly how is the APC final interview time typically allocated?

    About 10 minutes for the candidate's case study presentation and around 50 minutes of questioning across the case study, the candidate's declared competencies, CPD and professional/ethical issues.

23. What questioning technique should a candidate use to structure answers under panel questioning?

    Listen carefully, answer the actual question concisely with a relevant real example, demonstrate reasoning at the competency level claimed, and if unsure say so honestly rather than bluffing — then bridge to related knowledge.

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