MS in Construction Management
A Master's in Construction Management combines technical knowledge with management skills to effectively tackle the challenges of contemporary construction projects.
Should You Get a Master’s in Construction Management?
A construction management master’s degree helps turn professionals into leaders with responsibilities in project management and site management. As a student, you will develop the multidisciplinary skillset required of effective senior construction managers and supervisors. You will focus on advancements in construction practice, practical business decision-making and leadership skills relevant to construction operations.
The MS in Construction Management is an ideal program for those looking to advance careers in the construction industry or transition from another field into construction management. The comprehensive degree will provide a deep understanding of the forces that shape the industry from regional, national, and global perspectives. Develop essential entrepreneurial and team-building skills that are crucial for career progression, with a curriculum designed to equip you with advanced knowledge and practical experience, so you are prepared with the ability to take on large-scale projects confidently.
Delivery
Curriculum and Requirements
You will earn a Master of Science in Construction Management by completing a total of 45 credits. This includes a core of 6 required courses (18 credits), elective courses (21 credits), and 6 credits of a culminating experience capstone project in construction management.
Graduate advisors will consult with you regarding your choice and scheduling of core and elective courses. Visit the Drexel Catalog for more information or learn more about our admissions requirements.
Areas of Specialization
You can develop skills and knowledge through electives in the following areas:
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Construction Project Management
Construction organizations are challenged to meet ever-increasing owner demands, tighter project delivery times, and increasing regulation of the built environment. Successful leaders need to effectively manage risk while traversing through the changing technical, economic, and regulatory environments. The highly competitive environment of construction operations requires that project managers effectively navigate through many daily challenges with excellent construction management skills.
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Real Estate
Gain critical training in creating, maintaining, and building environments for living, working, and entertainment purposes. The coursework prepares you for entrepreneurial and managerial positions in real estate with insights into the issues in the real estate development process and the unique perspective of the industry.
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Sustainability and Green Construction
Take on the daunting task of delivering a built environment in harmony with the natural environment. Sustainable development integrates the decision-making process across the project team, so that every decision is made with a focus on the greatest long-term benefits. Become skilled with various global rating systems for sustainable construction, including LEED certification, in order to achieve a high-performance building program. Explore concepts essential to green construction and become a skilled practitioner that leads an organization’s significant efforts and investment and puts them into practice.
Why choose Drexel for your MS in Construction Management?
The Drexel Construction Management master's is delivered online for the convenience of students working full-time. The coursework is specifically designed by field experienced faculty and industry advisors to be practice-focused, with opportunities for internships and experiential learning. Learning has an immediate impact in the workplace, as classes challenge and engage through experiential components and highly interactive classroom content.
The master's degree in construction management prepares graduates to apply critical thinking and analysis to take on the demands of the job. You will excel in your career through enhanced technical and managerial skills, application of learned scientific methodologies and and the injection of creativity and innovation into the process. By the time you graduate, you will have opportunities to grow a robust professional network and be ready to lead teams successfully in this dynamic and exciting field.
Christine Fiori, program director, explains how an MS in Construction Management prepares you to advance your construction career.
The Engineering Leadership and Society department seeks to educate a new generation of construction, science, technology and engineering professionals that are prepared to address global, societal and industry challenges. Our programs aim to provide well-rounded and ethical instruction that infuse the ability to employ the principles of transformational leadership. The focus is to equip you with the tools for finding sustainable and achievable outcomes to solve for highly complex challenges.
Faculty
Drexel places a high value on industry connections and experience or at the forefront of teaching.
Christine M. Fiori
Clinical Professor and Program Director for Construction Management
Department Head, Engineering Leadership and Society
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Xi Wang
Assistant Teaching Professor in Construction Management
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Drexel Online
Drexel University was one of the first to offer academics of the highest caliber in its online format. You will build the same impressive network and have all the access to resources that an on-campus student enjoys. The technology and class design has been refined to provide a rewarding and highly engaging experience. Learn more.
Career Opportunities in Construction Management
A graduate degree in construction management will improve your competitiveness in the marketplace, opening doors to higher-level positions. Your career path can advance to directing and supervising in roles such as project managers, coordinators, estimators, schedulers, developers, builders and many others. The deep Drexel network of professionals in the field, including graduates from the program who have gone on to start consulting and construction firms in the Philadelphia area and beyond. Many others hold prominent positions in public utilities, government or business.
Overall, employees with graduate degrees can earn up to 28% more than bachelor’s degree holders over the course of their career. The outlook for construction management jobs is very good, with demand for employment expected to grow over 8% through 2029, much faster than the national average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
When a concussion from a car crash knocked him out of the NFL, James Starks (MS Construction Management ’18) began building a second career around his Drexel degree.
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