The Department of Construction Management offers graduate study leading to the Master of Science degree. The graduate program provides an environment that supports graduate students in their development of knowledge necessary to enhance professional practice and apply research to management decisions that impact organizations in an emerging global economy.  The master’s program is an advanced curriculum designed to allow students to tailor a portion of the requirements to meet individual interests and goals.

The Department of Construction Management at CSU is a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) program.

Our faculty members pursue research opportunities by maintaining a close association with the needs of the regional, national, and global Architecture/Engineering/Construction industry. In pursuing this research, the faculty has identified core research areas that span research, teaching, and outreach activities and provide a common ground for interaction between faculty and students. As the demands of the industry change over time, these research areas may evolve and additional areas may be established. 

Current research areas include:

  • Construction Education and Workforce Development
  • Construction Technology (e.g. Virtual Design and Construction)
  • Infrastructure Systems
  • Project Delivery and Management
  • Sustainability and Resilience

The learning outcomes of this program are:

  1. Students will identify research problem(s), develop research question(s), design research methodologies, collect and analyze data, and interpret research results as components of scientific research.
  2. Students will develop critical thinking skills needed to conceive, develop, test, and refine scientific ideas and hypotheses.
  3. Students will communicate the results of their original research in a clear and well-organized manner both in written (proposal and thesis) and verbal (thesis and oral defense) format. 
  4. Students will write manuscript(s) for submission to a refereed scientific journal or a conference based on their research. 
  5. Students will develop expertise in one or more fields of construction management at which the student can successfully function in the profession (either academia or industry).

Each construction management graduate student must complete a final project of professional quality to demonstrate their capability in their area of interest and their readiness for professional practice. The final research project is original work, involving a substantial degree of independent research and analysis. The research project results are presented as either a Thesis (Plan A) or Professional Research Paper (Plan B). Each student will work with their advisor to determine if a thesis or a professional paper is more appropriate. Each graduate student is required to submit an article to a journal or proceedings approved by the adviser prior to graduation.

The goal of the program is to provide graduate students with skills related to advance construction management problem-solving. To attain this goal, the CM department encourages students to perform research that contributes to industry practice or the broader construction knowledge.

Learn more about the Construction Management program on the Department of Construction Management website.

Effective Fall 2019

Core Requirements - Required of All Students
CON 502Research in Construction Management I3
CON 503Research in Construction Management II3
CON 511Project Procurement and Preconstruction3
CON 512Post-Award Construction Management3
CON 521Sustainable Building & Infrastructure Systems3
CON 699Thesis6
Electives 19
Program Total Credits:30

A minimum of 30 credits are required to complete this program.

1

With approval by advisor.  A minimum of one CON graduate elective course is required (other than CON 695).  A maximum of 3 credits of CON 695 are allowed.