In Short
This program prepares you for advancing your careers in construction management. Select from two options: Thesis or Special Project. Prepare yourself for upper management roles across the construction industry.
- Be able to manage complex construction projects and enhance your decision-making processes
- Provide pathways to advance into the field of construction management from related disciplines and/or prior construction experience
- Provide employers with a well-educated and skilled workforce, capable of performing valuable construction management services and ready to serve in managerial and leadership positions
- Contribute to scholarly activity in the discipline
Starting Fall 2024, earn your master's degree in as little as three semesters. Learn more about our M.S. in Construction Management.
Degree Overview
In this program you will learn the tools, practices, and strategies of construction management, including the relationship between estimating and budgeting for projects, materials, and method. You will also evaluate quality control and equipment management and the implications of construction law, contracts, and risk management in decision-making for different types and sizes of construction projects.
Candidates with a graduate degree in construction management qualify for senior positions in the industry. The best construction management master’s degree produces construction managers with advanced project management and leadership skills specific to the field.
The mission of the Construction Management program is to provide professionals with the comprehensive academic and technical skills necessary for them to meet the needs of regional, national, and global industries.
Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) through Portfolio Option
The Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) through portfolio option allows students the opportunity to have their industry experiences evaluated as educational experiences and credited toward a graduate degree. If a student meets PLA credit criteria requirement or has an active Certified Construction Manager license, they can substitute 3 credits for a graduate elective course. The criteria for 3 credits PLA are:
- Industry experience: Minimum of six years of construction professional experiences (as a Responsible-In-Charge (RIC) role of minimum 4 years). (evidence: need resume and letter of references)
- Teaching experiences (Optional): Minimum of two years experiences in high school (evidence: need a letter of appointment from administration)
- Skills acquired from documented professional enhancement or development workshops (at least 100 hours), seminars and other training programs (evidence: need certificates or award letters) Optional
- Evidence of leadership, services, and examinations (minimum of one year)
- Community service (evidence: documents with minimum of one-year service)
- Activity within professional organizations
- Relevant experience gained via outside activity
- Proficiency or competency examination other than those required and/or applied elsewhere with a candidate’s degree program (evidence: need a record of the exams) (optional)
Military service courses, tests, professional specialties (evidence: need a record of the military discharge and tests documents) (optional)
Learn more about the program from the faculty and staff of the School of Graduate, Online and Continuing Education by watching this information session.
Career Opportunities
- Construction manager
- Project manager
- Coordinator
- Construction business development manager
- Senior level executive member
- Others: Senior estimators, senior schedulers, safety specialists
Total Credits
30 credits
Time Frame
While you can complete the program in three semesters, you have six years to complete the program.
Curriculum and Other Information
Suggested Plan of Study, Construction Management, MS
The online M.S.C.M. program is comprised of advanced courses in construction management with two plan options: Plan 1 (Thesis Option) and Plan 2 (Special Project Option); for a total of 30 credits.
Students must be admitted and confirm their intent to enroll in order to register for these 15 week courses. If students are able to pass courses as per suggested plan of study, they will be able to graduate within three semesters.
- Students will learn the planning and management of critical aspects of the construction process.
- Students will learn the tools, practices, and strategies of construction management, including the relationship between estimating and budgeting for projects, materials, and method.
- Students will also evaluate quality control and equipment management and the implications of construction law, contracts, and risk management in decision-making for different types and sizes of construction projects.
- Candidates with a graduate degree in construction management qualify for senior positions in the industry. The best construction management master’s degree produces construction managers with advanced project management and leadership skills specific to the field.
- To be considered for admission to M.S. in Construction Management program, applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree with a minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.8 in construction management, civil engineering, civil engineering technology, industrial technology, architecture, or related programs. Applicants holding other bachelor degrees with appropriate, related work experience will be considered for admission on an individual basis.
- Have coursework or equivalent documented professional experience in cost estimating, planning, & scheduling and project management.
- Suggested: Have at least one-year relevant construction management experience.
- Submit a completed, official graduate application, accompanied by official transcripts (in English) of all previously completed undergraduate and graduate course work;
- International applicants whose native language is not English must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A minimum score of 550 on the written exam, or 79 on the internet version of the exam is required.
Still have questions? We're here to help!
We know you're busy, so we've given you a few different options to conveniently get the answers you need. You can…
- Email an enrollment counselor gce@fitchburgstate.edu or call 978.665.3182
- Attend an Information Session
- Watch a webinar