Master of Science in Construction Management Degree Plan
The Construction Management Master's degree program provides the knowledge and skills essential for successful leadership positions in the construction industry. The
curriculum focuses on both fundamental knowledge and advanced topics. Fundamental courses include estimating, scheduling, contracting, and project management and
advanced courses include best practices, risk management, computer applications in construction, sustainability and green construction, quality management and Six-Sigma,
as well as leadership. Our graduates are prepared to work in the construction industry and in academia.
M.S. Construction Management (31 hours)
Core Courses: (7 hours)
CNST 6100: Construction Management Seminar
TECH 6360: Experimental Design and Analysis
TEPM 6301: Project Management Principles
Required Courses: (18 CNST hours)*
CNST 6305: Construction Management Principles
CNST 6310: Construction Contract Administration
CNST 6320: Cost Analysis & Bidding
CNST 6330: Project Planning & Management
CNST 6340: Best Practices in the Construction Industry
CNST 6350: Decision Making & Risk Management
CNST 6355: Quality Assurance in Industrial Construction
CNST 6360: Computer Applications in Construction
Management
CNST 6365: Quality Control in Industrial Construction
CNST 6370: Quality Mgmt. & Six Sigma in Construction
Management
CNST 6380: LEED and Green Construction Principles in
Construction Management*
CNST 6390: Leadership for Construction Managers
Research: Choose Project (CNST6396) or Thesis
(CNST6399) (6 hours)
*Requires faculty approval.
Hours
7
1
3
3
Hours
18
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
Hours
6
Core Course Descriptions
CNST 6100: Construction Management Seminar
Cr. 1. (1-0). Prerequisites: None. This course covers areas of interest in
Construction Management. Students are introduced to research methods and
fields available in the MS program.
TECH 6360: Experimental Design and Data Analysis
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: MATH 1432, TMTH 3360 or equivalent. Standard
experimental design and the corresponding data analysis techniques. Application
of the computer for data analysis tools including standard statistics application
programs. Emphasis on interpretation of data sets resulting from experimentation
in the fields of electronics, manufacturing, and construction management.
TEPM 6301: Project Management Principles
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: Technical undergraduate degree or consent of graduate
faculty advisor. Overview of project management for technology-intensive
workplaces. The basic tools of project management, including breakdown
structure, scheduling, contracting, earned value analysis, and risk management,
are described, as well as the elements that are critical to a technical project’s
success.
Course Descriptions for Construction Management (CNST) courses
(Choose 18 hours):
CNST 6305: Construction Management Principles
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor. Principles
common to construction management processes. Basic techniques for project
control skills.
CNST 6310: Construction Contract Administration
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor. Issues of
administering construction contracts including: purpose of contract documents,
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legal hierarchy, interrelationships, liabilities, communications challenges,
establishing chain of commands, warranties, and progress/final payments.
CNST 6320: Cost Analysis and Bidding
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor. Preparation
of parametric and definitive estimates, cost forecasts and variances, bid analysis,
and use of estimating software.
CNST 6330: Project Planning and Management
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor. Planning
and scheduling techniques, including: bar charts, CPM network, resource loading
and leveling, cost and schedule integration, time-cost tradeoff, schedule reduction,
probabilistic scheduling, PERT and Monte-Carlo simulation.
CNST 6340: Best Practices in the Construction Industry
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor. Current
issues in the construction industry, including best practices developed at the
Construction Industry Institute (CII) and critical issues facing the construction
industry.
CNST 6350: Decision Making and Risk Management
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor. Decision
making, risk analysis, quantitative analysis, and application of quantitative
methods to construction projects' environment.
CNST 6355: Quality Assurance in Industrial Construction
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor. Concepts
and structure of quality assurance, quality management systems, and statistical
methods used in industrial construction projects.
CNST 6360: Computer Applications in Construction Management
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor.
Development of Relational Databases, Building Information Modeling (BIM), 4D
schedule visualization, and construction simulation.
CNST 6365: Quality Control in Industrial Construction
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor. Concepts
and applications of various quality control methods, design codes, and
specifications used in industrial construction.
CNST 6370: Quality Management and Six Sigma in Construction
Management
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor. Concepts,
standards, and tools of quality management with emphasis on the Six Sigma
methodology for construction projects.
CNST 6380: LEED and Green Construction Principles in Construction
Management*
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor. Green
construction methods and benefits in applying the Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design (LEED) principles.
* This course satisfies the education requirement to sit for the LEED Green Associate
certification exam.
CNST 6390: Leadership for Construction Managers
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor. Leadership
theories and styles, motivation and management of a diverse construction
workforce, and ability to succeed in a global/international market.
Course Descriptions for Master’s Research
CNST 6396: Master’s Project
Cr. 3. (3-0). Master’s project. May be repeated for six semester hour credits.
CNST 6399: Thesis Research
Cr. 3 (3-0). May be repeated for six semester hour credits.