Online Degrees for Building Inspectors: Program Information

Individuals who want to pursue careers to ensure the structural integrity of buildings and enforce building codes and standards may consider a career as a building inspector. Training to become a certified building inspector is available at certificate and associate degree levels, and much of the curriculum can be completed online.

Overview of Training to be a Building Inspector

Building inspectors perform a number of job duties from examining the overall safety of a building to its structural quality. An online degree in building inspection teaches students about industry standards, inspection equipment, and inspection guidelines, and provides students with the knowledge they need to identify problems and recommend solutions. Inspectors take exams to become certified in their area of specialization.
An associate's degree in this field may be completed in a hybrid format, with some or most courses available online. Associate's degrees generally take two years worth of credits to teach students about construction practices and materials, building codes and safety standards, in addition to providing students with general education courses in other subjects, such as English.

Information about the Program and Requirements

Associate of Applied Science in Building Inspection Technology degrees are usually pursued by individuals who already have experience in the building trades. The program will likely include an internship completed locally; many schools will award academic credits for the experience.
Students planning on completing some or all of their courses online will need a computer with an Internet connection and may need to meet technical requirements, such as having Mac OS X or Windows XP, in addition to meeting requirements such as new versions of Internet Explorer, Firefox or Safari.

Popular Associate's-Level Courses

Coursework in an associate's degree in building inspection technology covers general education courses, such as business communication and college level writing courses, in addition to courses focused on building inspection. Students taking online courses can access and submit coursework through the school's website, which can include lectures and assignments, in addition to communicating with instructors and other students via e-mail, chat and discussion boards.

Fire Safety Systems Course

Students learning about fire safety systems learn about the National Fire Prevention Guidelines. Additional topics include field inspections and fire suppression system design.

Structural Plan Review Course

A course in structural plan review teaches students the different techniques used to review building plans, and may place an emphasis on specific building materials. Students also learn different equations used to calculate structural forces.

Land Use Course

Students taking a course covering land use learn about different uses and zoning regulations for properties. Additional topics cover municipal ordinances and the proper channels for enforcing them.

Non-Structural Plan Review Course

A course covering non-structural plan reviewing covers the methods used to review different types of structures. Topics also examine types of construction, fire safety and occupancy classification.

Career Information

In 2008, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projection for job growth for building inspectors was that it would grow at a faster-than-average rate of 17% in the public and private sector between 2008 and 2018, with the best opportunities for those who have experience in different areas, such as architecture or construction (www.bls.gov). As of 2010, the median salaries for construction and building inspectors ranged from $39,494 to $56,496, according to Payscale.com.