Engineering Construction Management

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Description

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction

Construction management (CNST) is a complete undergraduate degree program available to students within the Charles W. Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction located at Nebraska Hall on the Lincoln City Campus and at the Peter Kiewit Institute (PKI) on the Scott Campus in Omaha. Construction is one of the largest and most diversified industries in the country, accounting for approximately 4.5% percent of the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP). The key professional in this vast enterprise is the “constructor,” a term given to leaders and managers in the construction industry who are responsible for planning, scheduling, and building the projects designed by architects and engineers. These highly-specialized efforts are indispensable in meeting the country’s growing need for new structures, infrastructure and environmental controls that are of high quality and cost effective, efficient and sustainable.

Construction firms vary in size from large corporations to small proprietorships and partnerships. These are often classified according to the kind of construction work they do—general contractors, heavy and highway contractors, specialty contractors—including mechanical and electrical—and residential builders and developers. Many firms engage in more than one category of work. Some larger companies incorporate the architectural and engineering design functions as part of their role as a design/build firm. Collectively, constructors manufacture our entire built environment—buildings for housing, commerce and industry, highways, railroads, waterways, airports, power plants, energy distribution systems, military bases and space center complexes. Thus, the construction management field is broad, requiring a unique educational background for its professional practitioners.

Although the range of construction activities appears wide and diverse, the general education requirements for construction management are universal regardless of a particular firm’s area of specialization. Since construction is primarily a business enterprise, the graduate must have a sound background in business management and administration as well as an understanding of the fundamentals of architecture and engineering as they relate to project design and the actual construction process in the field. Professional expertise lies in the fields of construction science, methods and management. Working knowledge of structural design, mechanical and electrical systems, methods and materials, soil mechanics and construction equipment is also essential.

ABET Curriculum Requirement

Graduates of the construction management program will have the knowledge and technical, administrative and communication skills, necessary to succeed in the construction industry. To successfully complete the program, students must be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills to deliver construction projects with respect to scope, schedule, budget, quality, safety, and sustainability. Topics covered through the course of study include:

  1. Construction project management from pre-design through commissioning;
  2. Risk management including identification, analysis, and mitigation;
  3. Cost estimating including types, levels, and accuracy;
  4. Financial management including budgeting, cost control, and forecasting;
  5. Schedule management including development, forecasting, and planning;
  6. Contract administration, legal requirements and delivery methods;
  7. Project sustainability including materials, methods of construction;
  8. Construction systems and constructability analysis;
  9. Leadership including business, communication skills, and behavioral awareness;
  10. Labor and workforce planning and management;
  11. Construction health and safety, accident prevention, and regulatory compliance;
  12. Advancements in construction technology.

Program Educational Objectives

The following is a list of the Construction Management Program Educational Objectives (PEO) that graduates are expected to attain within a few years of graduation:

  1. Develop construction project objectives and plans, including delineation of scope, budget and schedule.
  2. Select project participants and set performance requirements.
  3. Maximize resource efficiency through judicious procurement and management of labor, materials and equipment.
  4. Implement and complete construction activities through coordination and control of scheduling, contracting, estimating and cost control.
  5. Develop effective communication protocols and mechanisms for resolving conflicts associated with the construction process.
  6. Ensure quality and safety through design, measurement, analysis and control.

Educational standards and criteria were established by the construction faculty of The Charles W. Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction and approved by the Construction Industry Advisory Committee (CIAC) and ABET, the accrediting agency for the construction management program at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

Professional Admission Requirements

Before applying for admission to the construction management degree program, students must complete 28 semester hours, including the following courses with a C or better: MATH 106, PHYS 151 or AGST 109 or PHYS 211, ENGR 10 or ENGR 30 and at least one of ENGL 150, ENGL 151 or ENGR 220,  STAT 218 or CNST 112. Additionally, a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 is required. 

Articulation Agreement with Metropolitan Community College

Metropolitan Community College students enrolled in the Associate in Applied Science (AAS) Construction Management (CBCMO) degree program are eligible to transfer up to 60 hours of qualified course credit to the Bachelor of Science in Construction Management at UNL program. AAS can complete the BSCM degree in as little as two years. See an advisor for more information regarding transfer eligibility and course requirements.

College Requirements

College Admission

College Entrance Requirements

Students must meet both the University and College of Engineering entrance requirements.  The following includes both the University and College of Engineering entrance requirements.

Students must have high school credit for (one unit is equal to one high school year):

  1. Mathematics – 4 units: 2 of algebra, 1 of geometry, and 1 of precalculus and trigonometry
  2. English – 4 units
  3. Natural sciences – 3 units that must include 1 unit of physics and 1 unit of chemistry (chemistry requirement waived for students in construction management or computer science)
  4. Foreign language – 2 units of a single foreign language
  5. Social studies – 3 units
  6. Students having a composite ACT score of 28 or greater (or equivalent SAT score) will be admitted to the College of Engineering even if they lack any one of the following: trigonometry, chemistry, or physics. Students without test scores who are missing a full unit of trigonometry/pre-calculus/calculus or chemistry or physics will be evaluated through College Review.
  7. Students having an ACT score of 19 or less in English (or equivalent SAT score) or a grade lower than B in high school English, must take ENGL 150 Writing and Inquiry or ENGL 151 Writing for Change.

A total of 16 units is required for admission.

Engineering requires that student performance meet one of the following standards: composite ACT of 24, SAT of 1180, ACT Math subscore of 24, SAT Math subscore of 580, or a 3.5 cumulative GPA. 

 

Any domestic first-year student who does not gain admission to Engineering but does gain admission to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) will be reviewed through College Review. College Review is conducted through the College Review Committee which considers factors beyond standardized testing. Any first-year student who is not admitted through college review is placed in Pre-Engineering (PENG) with the Exploratory and Pre-Professional Advising Center (Explore Center). Students in the Explore Center can transfer to the College of Engineering once college admission requirements are met.  

Students for whom English is not their language of nurture must meet the minimum English proficiency requirements of the University.  

Students who lack entrance units may complete precollege training by Independent Study through the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Office of On-line and Distance Education, in summer courses, or as a part of their first or second semester course loads while in the Explore Center or other colleges at UNL.  

Students should consult their advisor, their department chair, or Engineering Student Services (ESS) if they have questions on current policies.  

Other Admission Requirements

Students who transfer to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln from other accredited colleges or universities and wish to be admitted to the College of Engineering (COE) must meet COE first-year student entrance requirements, have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5, and be calculus-ready. Students not meeting either of these requirements must enroll in the Explore Center or another University college until they meet COE admission requirements. Students transferring from UNO, UNL, or UNK to the College of Engineering must be in good academic standing with their institution.  

The COE accepts courses for transfer for which a C or better grade was received. Although the University of Nebraska–Lincoln accepts D grades from the University of Nebraska Kearney and the University of Nebraska Omaha, not all majors in the COE accept such low grades. Students must conform to the requirements of their intended major and, in any case, are strongly encouraged to repeat courses with a grade of C- or less. 

Students who were previously admitted to COE and are returning to the College of Engineering must demonstrate a cumulative GPA of 2.5 to be readmitted to COE.

College Degree Requirements

Grade Rules

Grade Appeals

In the event of a dispute involving any college policies or grades, the student should appeal to their instructor, and appropriate department chair or school director (in that order). If a satisfactory solution is not achieved, the student may appeal their case through the College Academic Appeals Subcommittee. 

Catalog Rule

Students must fulfill the requirements stated in the catalog for the academic year in which they are first admitted at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. In consultation with advisors, a student may choose to follow a subsequent catalog for any academic year in which they are admitted to and enrolled as a degree-seeking student at Nebraska in the College of Engineering. Students must complete all degree requirements from a single catalog year. The catalog which a student follows for degree requirements may not be more than 10 years old at the time of graduation. 

Students who have transferred from a community college may be eligible to fulfill the requirements as stated in the catalog for an academic year in which they were enrolled at the community college prior to attending the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.  This decision should be made in consultation with the student’s College of Engineering academic advising team (e.g., ESS professional advisor and the chief faculty advisor for the student’s declared degree program).  The chief faculty advisor has the final authority for this decision. Eligibility is based on a) enrollment in a community college during the catalog year the student wishes to utilize, b) maintaining continuous enrollment of at least 12 credit hours per semester at the previous institution for at least 2 semesters, and c) continuous enrollment at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln within 1 calendar year from the student’s last term at the previous institution.  Students must complete all degree requirements from a single catalog year and within the timeframe allowable for that catalog year. 

Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the construction management program will have:

  1. An ability to identify, formulate and solve broadly defined technical or scientific problems by applying knowledge of mathematics and science and/or technical topics to areas relevant to the discipline.
  2. An ability to formulate or design a system, process, procedure or program to meet desired needs.
  3.  An ability to develop and conduct experiments or test hypotheses, analyze and interpret data and use scientific judgment to draw conclusions.
  4. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
  5. An ability to understand ethical and professional responsibilities and the impact of technical and/or scientific solutions in global, economic, environmental and societal contexts.
  6. An ability to function effectively on teams that establish goals, plan tasks, meet deadlines and analyze risk and uncertainty.

The Construction Management (Bachelor of Science in Construction Management) program is accredited by the Applied and Natural Science Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the commission’s General Criteria and Program Criteria for Construction Management and Similarly Named Programs.