Major: Construction Management
In 1961, construction crews started working around the clock to build
But those cement trucks didn’t show up by themselves, and neither did the construction crews. Behind the scenes were construction managers, the people who coordinated the entire effort. If you major in construction management, you’ll learn all you need to fill their shoes.
Construction management students learn the skills needed to manage, coordinate, and supervise construction projects from start to finish, including scheduling, budgeting, and managing materials and people.
Did You Know?
- Construction managers oversee projects of every type, from houses to highways.
Are You Ready To...?
- Learn the art of project scheduling
- Estimate construction costs
- Study materials and methods
- Learn construction laws
- Develop supervisory skills
It Helps to Be...
Interested in the way things are built. You’ll also need a head for math and science and the ability to multi-task. In construction management, you’ll juggle many responsibilities.
College Checklist
- Is the program accredited by the American Council for Construction Education?
- Does the school offer a two-year associate’s degree or a four-year bachelor’s degree?
- Do the instructors bring substantial field experience to the classroom?
- Is there a chapter of Sigma Lambda Chi (the construction honor society) on campus?
- What kinds of hands-on experiences are provided? Is there an internship program?
Did You Know?
- George Washington was president while the White House was being built, but he never got to live in it.
Course Spotlight
Crunching numbers may not sound much like construction work, but nothing gets built before a budget is in place. That’s why construction estimating is a required course. You’ll learn, step-by-step, the complex process of computing costs for everything from building materials to labor. You’ll practice looking for clues in floor plans and you’ll get a handle on competitive bidding.
