Getting a Construction Management Degree
Construction management is in high demand. Candidates who have a master’s or bachelor’s degree are highly sought-after. These specialized degrees give you the technical knowledge to interact with design professionals, such as engineers and architects as well as the management skills to oversee the skilled tradesmen who perform the actual building work.
A typical construction degree curriculum begins with an exploratory core and then moves on to more specific construction courses that provide the necessary technical knowledge to build a building from scratch. Additionally, you can study advanced engineering concepts like modeling and analysis of structures. Many programs also offer the chance to gain practical experience working on real projects with local companies or taking part in a student design competition.
In certain courses, you’ll be collaborating with other students to develop, conceptualize and present a construction idea before an expert panel of judges during your senior year. This is a great opportunity to expand your professional network and gain experience. It can also lead to a job offer before graduation.
You can also choose to specialize in one particular field such as civil engineering, green building, sustainability, or construction and materials technology. The programs that specialize prepare you for careers in research and development, design, or estimating and cost control. Doctorate degrees in construction management are typically three to five years long and contain a significant amount of research for your dissertation. Some programs offer teaching assistantships as well as graduate assistantships to help you pay for your tuition.
