Minor in Construction Management

The minor program in construction management consists of coursework in the construction industry. It is intended to familiarize students in related fields, such as architecture, real estate marketing, commercial building, and organization, with the skill necessary to propose construction methods, theories, and practices through scheduling, cost estimating, engineering design, and project management courses.

The minor in Construction Management offers students from various disciplines the opportunity to further their career opportunities through an understanding of sustainable construction, material properties, structures, building codes, and project management. Each student participant will learn disciplinary specific content knowledge to strengthen their own core competencies. Each class will be cumulative and will include core content, professional ethics and behavior, writing, communication, and professional presentation.

Students from all majors are invited to Minor in construction management. The program is designed for engineering and non-engineering undergraduate students who desire a course of study that will prepare them to start a career in the construction industry and afford them the opportunity to create their own path to success.

Curriculum

The curriculum of existing courses as outlined below is designed to expose students to progressively more complex materials. The minor requires 15 credit hours and a grade of C or better in all classes in the minor.

The following courses (12 credit hours) are mandatory to complete the minor:

  • AREN 2300 Building Materials and Construction (3)
  • CVEN 3380 Construction Safety and Environment Management (3)
  • AREN/CVEN 3450 Construction Cost Estimating (3)
  • AREN/CVEN 4470 Construction Management (3)

Elective Courses:

Students are allowed to take at least 3 credit hours of engineering courses. These courses should be selected in conjunction with a faculty advisor.

  • AREN/CVEN 3480 Introduction to Virtual Design and Construction
  • AREN/CVEN 3490 Construction Scheduling (3)
  • AREN 4370 Construction Law and Ethics (3)

Admission requirement for Construction Management Minor

  • Students from all majors are invited to Minor in Construction Management
  • Maintained an overall GPA of 2.5 at the end of the sophomore year
  • If courses selected have prerequisites, these must be satisfied

Program map

AREN 2300 Building Materials and Construction (3) (Fall Semester). A study of the materials and construction methods used in the building construction industry. Codes, standards, and guidelines that regulate the manufacture, use as a building component, and installation requirements are included. The course covers the use of sustainable and energy conserving products in the construction of building systems. Sophomore, AutoCAD, and Revit competency.

AREN/CVEN 3450 Construction Cost Estimating (3) (Spring). Study of the state-of-the-art principles, practices, and techniques related to construction cost estimating including quantity takeoff, pricing of materials, classification of work, labor, overhead, specifications, and bid procedures. Both residential and light commercial applications are addressed. An introduction to contracts and types of bids is provided. Familiarization with computer estimating software applications is included. Pre-requisite: AREN 2300 Building Materials and Construction and Junior standing.

AREN/CVEN 3490 Construction Scheduling (3) (Fall). To introduce the student to effective methods of planning, scheduling, monitoring, and controlling construction projects including development of critical path networks (CPM & PERT), Gantt bar charts and construction cost control and reporting practices. This class includes critical path method techniques, planning, logic, baseline scheduling and updating, diagramming and analysis of project schedules. The students will also learn how to use the software tools to accurately prepare and analyze the project schedule and to effectively communicate the schedule. The most up-to-date computer software available for scheduling is used. Pre-requisite: Construction Cost Estimating.

CVEN 3380 Construction Safety and Environment Management (3). This course focuses on the principles and practices of safety within the construction industry. This course introduces OSHA policies, procedures, and standards, as well as construction safety and health principles. Students will gain an understanding of the regulations, best practices, and risk management strategies necessary to create a safe working environment on construction sites. The course will cover topics such as hazard identification, safety planning, safety regulations, and emergency response. Pre-requisite: Junior Standing

AREN/CVEN 3480 Introduction to Virtual Design and Construction (3) (TBD). Study of the state-of-the-art principles, practices, and techniques related to Virtual Design and Construction (VDC). Both building and heavy construction projects are addressed. Students use 3D BIM models and other VDC technology to digitally plan out all aspects of a construction project, from estimating costs to scheduling and risk management. Pre-requisite: AREN 2300 Building Materials and Construction.

AREN 4370 Construction Law and Ethics (3) (TBD). This course explores the legal principles and regulations that govern the construction industry. It covers various aspects of construction law, including contract formation, construction disputes, project management, and relevant regulations. Students will gain an understanding of the legal framework that underpins construction projects and develop the skills to analyze and navigate legal issues in the industry. The course aims to equip students with the knowledge and ethical reasoning needed for a successful career in construction. Pre-requisite: Junior Standing.

AREN/CVEN 4470 Construction Management (3) (Spring). Refers to the process of managing a team of design and construction professionals for the purpose of delivering construction and engineering services to a client. This means performing this service to deliver the project within budget and schedule constraints, while maintaining the prescribed level of quality and safety defined for the project. This course intends to increase student’s technical knowledge of advanced project management concepts, but also will strive to assist them in taking a proactive leadership role in identifying and improving planning, design, construction, and post construction stages of a project and/or program. Pre-requisite: Junior standing and consent of instructor.