Bachelor of Construction Management at University of Nebraska-Lincoln

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 four 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 are 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.
 

The construction management curriculum embraces a course of study in:

1. Construction project management from pre-design through commissioning.
2. Project life-cycle and sustainability.
3. Health and safety, accident prevention and regulatory compliance.
4. Law, contract documents administration and dispute prevention and resolution.
5. Materials, labor and methods of construction.
6. Finance and accounting principles.
7. Planning and scheduling.
8. Cost management including plan reading, quantity take offs and estimating.
9. Project delivery methods.
10. Leadership and managing people.
11. Business and communication skills.

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.
 

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 above student outcomes have been approved by the ABET Applied and Natural Science Accreditation Commission for use beginning with the 2019-20 academic year, and have been adopted by the faculty of The Charles W. Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction.