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Construction Management, B.S.

Construction Management, B.S.

What is a BS in Construction Management?

Construction Management Degree

The construction management curriculum at Florida Tech combines practical business skills with vital engineering know-how. The program prepares undergraduates to enter the field of construction as competent and confident construction managers, who organize the construction workforce, order the materials, schedule the construction activities, manage the costs and quality, and coordinate the project through completion.

A construction management degree is different than civil engineering or architecture, which focus on design and planning. Construction management is a business-oriented major for students interested in project management, construction, and land development.

Whether you want to be a construction manager or an entrepreneurial contractor, a construction management degree from Florida Tech develops a strong background in engineering and experience in business and project planning. Students majoring in construction management are also eligible for entrance into Florida Tech's FastTrack MBA program.

Gain Practical Experience

The construction management degree curriculum was developed in response to direct input from construction industry experts to prepare students to enter the workplace for both vertical (building) and horizontal (highway and civil) construction technical, managerial, and communication skills. The College of Engineering works closely and maintains relationships with many local engineering and construction companies, and as a result, students have access to a large network that provides a wealth of resources and internship opportunities.

For example, you’ll complete a senior design project towards your construction management degree in collaboration with a team of your peers. Together, you’ll conceptualize, design, and present a construction project that fulfills a real-world need. You’ll present your project to industry leaders and employers, and may compete in international competitions. This gives you practical experience, an expanded professional network, and perhaps even a pre-graduation job offer.

Why Pursue a BS in Construction Management at Florida Tech?

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Get the facts about graduate studies at Florida Tech

You have two graduate study opportunities:

  1. On Campus
  2. Download the Grad Guide!

  3. At an Education Center near you
  4. Get the Education Center Brochure

You have three graduate study opportunities:

  1. On Campus
  2. Download the Grad Guide!

  3. At an Education Center near you
  4. Get the Education Center Brochure

  5. 100% Online
  6. Learn more about Florida Tech Online

You have two graduate study opportunities:

  1. On Campus
  2. Download the Grad Guide!

  3. 100% Online
  4. Learn more about Florida Tech Online

You have two graduate study opportunities:

  1. At an Education Center near you
  2. Get the Education Center Brochure

  3. 100% Online
  4. Learn more about Florida Tech Online

The academic environment at Florida Tech fosters collaboration among students and faculty members. Students receive necessary guidance and mentoring, and join with fellow students to solve problems that bring real-world experience into the learning process. As a result, students enter the workforce with a practical set of skills and on-the-job training.

FastTrack Master's Degree Program

Undergraduate students majoring in construction management with a GPA of 3.4 or higher are eligible to enter Florida Tech's FastTrack MBA program. Under the FastTrack program, students can take two graduate courses during their final undergraduate year which count toward both their BS and their future MBA. Participants will have already completed two of the ten courses required for an MBA. This program is another way Florida Tech gives students a competitive advantage.

Experienced Faculty Who Are Professionals in the Industry

Being one of the best construction management schools in the country, our faculty works hard to create interactive learning opportunities. For example, students benefit from our knowledgeable faculty members who are proven professionals with more than 60 years of experience in industry. Industry partners and the Construction Industry Advisory Board (CAIB) help develop curricula, internships, and field experiences that enrich student classroom experience and train them to be better equipped for a job. These partners also search for opportunities to involve students in actual construction experiences such as the recent participation in an Extreme Home Makeover project in Cocoa, Florida.

Another reason Florida Tech is considered one of the best construction management schools is its campus facilities. Florida Tech construction management students share facilities with other engineering disciplines in the F.W. Olin Engineering Building, a state-of-the-art facility fully equipped with labs and tools needed for engineering studies. The Applied Computing Center and Academic Support Center located in Evans Library offer further assistance to ensure student success.

Located in the Heart of Florida’s Fastest-Growing Region

Florida Tech is the perfect place for a Construction Management degree. The university is surrounded year-round by booming construction projects that provide excellent field trips for construction management students throughout their coursework. Because of the university's relationships with local builders and engineering firms, students compare their solutions and plans with an actual building, road, or other project.

The 130-acre campus is located on the Space Coast (so named because of the presence of NASA and the Kennedy Space Center on Cape Canaveral just north of us), minutes away from the Indian River Lagoon, the most diverse estuary in North America.

The area has the fifth largest high-tech workforce in the country, with more than 5,000 high-tech corporations and government and military organizations located nearby. This workforce also provides an abundance of internship and employment opportunities.

Florida Tech is just over the causeway from the Atlantic Ocean with its 72 miles of beautiful beaches, and a short trip to the Florida Keys or the Orlando theme parks. We also have a rich campus life that includes a wide range of intramural and collegiate sports, clubs, and social activities.

Build Lasting Professional Relationships through Campus Organizations

Beyond the classroom, construction management degree majors build leadership and professional experience through internships, networking with members of our Construction Industry Advisory Board (CAIB), and participation in academic organizations, student government, and over 100 other campus-wide student organizations.

Construction management students can join our student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). As members of one of Florida Tech’s most active societies, students can take part in construction competitions including concrete canoe and steel bridge.

Our students can also join the Society of Women Engineers, a group that promotes both female engineers and the engineering field in general through lectures and meetings.

How Will a BS in Construction Management Prepare Me for the Future?

Peerless Study and Internship Opportunities

Florida Tech students have a wide range of choices for construction management internships at area construction companies, consulting firms, and other local businesses. Faculty members seek constant interaction with industry partners to develop construction management internships that augment the classroom experiences of students and prepare them for future jobs.

Some companies and organizations that provide construction management internships include:

  • Bechtel
  • Brown and Root
  • Burgoon Berger Construction
  • Camp, Dresser & McKee
  • Carter & Burges, Inc.
  • City of Palm Bay
  • Creech Engineers, Inc.

If they choose, students can complete construction management internships every summer of their academic career at Florida Tech.

  • In the summer after their first year at Florida Tech, students learn basic construction skills including masonry, concrete work, foundations, formwork, excavation, and heavy equipment utilization.
  • The following summer, students move on to more advanced tasks including assisting an office engineer with plans and specifications, researching contract terms and conditions, procuring, and inspecting materials and participating in quality control inspections on site.
  • Our students culminate their construction management internships between their junior and senior year working alongside a construction project manager to assist with budget and schedule control, preparation of progress payments, change order preparation, estimation, negotiations, safety, and similar project management functions.

What Can You Do with a BS in Construction Management?

Get Recruited Upon Graduation

The construction industry is less susceptible to economic factors than other careers. History shows that no matter the economic climate, construction continues to be in demand and there is always a demand for new homes, businesses, remodeling, and improvements to infrastructure.

The CAIB of Florida Tech prepares students to enter the field of construction. Employers who have recruited Florida Tech graduates include:

  • Bechtel
  • Brown and Root
  • Creech Engineers, Inc.
  • Excel Construction
  • Jones Edmonds Engineering
  • Lane Construction Corp.
  • Mead Construction Inc.
  • NASA
  • PBS&J Construction Services Inc.
  • Turner Construction
  • WELBRO Building Corp.
  • Woodruff Construction Company

Career Outlook

The Occupational Outlook Handbook, published by the US Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The handbook provides information about specific jobs including median annual pay, working conditions and job outlook, among other things.

Construction managers will be needed as the level and variety of construction projects expand due to population and business growth and as technology and increased specifications change for construction methods and standards.

Career options include:

  • Architect
  • Architectural and engineering manager
  • Civil engineer
  • Cost estimator
  • Landscape architect

Graduate and Doctoral Programs

After receiving their construction management degree, many of our students go to graduate school (often at Florida Tech) for their MBA. Students graduating from the construction management program are well positioned to enter the field of construction with little to no additional on-the-job training, prepared to start their careers as project managers and/or entrepreneurs.

A degree in construction management offers exciting career options. A large percentage of Florida Tech College of Engineering graduates enter ultimately attend graduate school. Approximately 80% of College of Engineering seniors receive job offers prior to graduation.

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