Dec 30, 2024  
2023-2024 Graduate Catalog 
    
2023-2024 Graduate Catalog This is not the most recent catalog version; be sure you are viewing the appropriate catalog year.

Construction Management [M.S.]

Location(s): In-person/hybrid


The Master of Science in Construction Management (CM) program provides students with the advanced knowledge and skills to prepare students for leadership management levels in the construction industry. The CM major reflects the current needs and trends in the construction industry. Click here to watch a short video about this program.

Learn

Coursework is structured to teach students advanced construction management skills needed to prepare students for leadership positions. This program focuses on practical management techniques for small to large and heavy construction projects and how to scale the management techniques to suit the size and type of the projects.

The program requires students to learn Construction project financial planning and estimating, scheduling, advancement, contemporary issues in construction technologies, productivity, and additional topics of choice covering construction management, control, and sustainability. In addition, the program provides flexibility to meet a diverse job market. It requires students to take at least one course in engineering and quality management programs and two courses in one of the following tracks: management and finance, quality management, and project risk management.

The construction management major requires students to choose a project or a thesis option. The thesis option is recommended for students who are considering pursuing a Ph.D. degree or aim to work in research and development in the construction management field.

Opportunities

Graduates are well prepared to lead construction management projects that include residential, commercial, and heavy/civil contracting; and/or pursue a doctorate in construction management or a related field. The demand for construction managers is very high and expected to grow 11% from 2020 to 2030, as stated by the US Bureau of Labor Statics and considered one of the best construction jobs listed in the US World and News Report.

This is a STEM-designated program (see OPT Extension).

 

Program Admission


Admit Terms and Deadlines

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis; students may start the program in the Fall or Winter. See Application Deadlines.

Minimum Graduate School Requirements

For full admission, applicants must have 1) Earned a four-year baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or an equivalent degree from a non-U.S. institution, 2) a minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.7 on a 4.0 scale, or 3.0 in the last half of the undergraduate program. Conditional admission may be available to applicants not meeting minimum admission requirements.

Required Prerequisite Coursework

Students without the prerequisite of the graduate-level courses or who do not have a construction background and a keen interest in pursuing the MSCM degree are encouraged to consider the Construction [Graduate Certificate]  as appropriate preparation. The 18 credit hours of graduate-level courses completed for the CCNS are directly transferable to the MSCM degree.

Alternatively, if the CCNS path is not for them, students may choose to complete the undergraduate construction management courses that incorporate the required background requirements. These courses include:

Application

Your application will be submitted using GradCAS, a Centralized Application Service (CAS) hosted by Liaison. After reviewing the admission requirements, please review the application instructions  and select the appropriate application. 

Domestic Applicants Domestic applicants are required to submit only the transcript from the institution granting their bachelor’s degree if either of the following criteria is met: 1) Lists 30 or more credit hours with an overall GPA of 3.0 or over OR 2) Lists 60 or more credit hours with an overall GPA between 2.7 and 2.99. Within the application, follow the instructions to submit an official transcript. The University may ask applicants to submit additional transcripts after applying.

International Applicants Before applying, applicants must review the international application/process deadlines at emich.edu/international as they may differ from general program requirements.

For additional information regarding the application process, please see Graduate Admissions or International Admissions.

 

School Information


Visual and Built Environments 211P Sill Hall, 734.487.2490

Paul Majeske, Interim Director

Advisor Information


Suleiman Ashur, PhD120 Sill Hall, 734.487.1832

Degree Requirements: 30 hours


The Master of Science in Construction Management program requires the completion of 30 hours of coursework to be distributed among required core courses and elective courses.

Restricted Elective Courses: 9 hours


Capstone: 9 hours


Choose one option from the following.

Option I - Project Development: 9 hours


  • Required Course: 3 hours

    Courses may replace the project with the approval of the advisor and the Program Coordinator.

  • 3 hrs Project Execution & Report
  •  

    Project Management Electives: 6 hours

    Choose a minimum of six credit hours from the “Project Management Electives” list below. 

Option II - Thesis: 9 hours


A candidate completes original research under the supervision of a guidance (thesis) committee. This research must be suitable for publication, written in a form acceptable to the Graduate School, and defended in an oral examination.

Project Management Electives:


Critical Graduation Information


Each graduate student is responsible for fulfilling the requirements or equivalents of the Eastern Michigan University catalog in force at the time of their initial registration or a subsequent catalog, including the one in effect at the time of their graduation.

Master’s degree requirements must be completed within six (6) years of first enrollment in the master’s degree program.

In the event a student does not complete the master’s degree requirements within six years of the date of their original registration, the student may be required to have their credits re-evaluated by the academic department(s) of their degree in keeping with catalog requirements in force during the year of their graduation.

The following are minimum requirements for all master’s degrees awarded by Eastern Michigan University. Some programs require more than the minimum in one or more areas below.

  • A master’s degree must require a minimum of 30 credit hours.
  • No more than six credits of independent study courses and no more than 12 credit hours of special topics and independent study courses combined may be applied to a graduate degree.  
  • Residency Requirement:
    • For students admitted to master’s degree programs of 36 or fewer required hours, at least 24 new graduate hours beginning the semester of acceptance and enrollment into the degree program must be earned at EMU. The remaining program requirement hours may be met through transfer or prior degree credit (EMU or elsewhere). 
    • For students admitted to master’s degree programs of 37 or more required hours, at least 30 new graduate hours beginning the semester of acceptance and enrollment into the degree program must be earned at EMU. Minimum degree hours must still be met for graduation. The remaining program requirement hours may be met through transfer or prior degree credit (EMU or elsewhere).
    • Residency and enrollment in multiple programs: Students enrolled in multiple master’s/specialist degree programs must have 24 unique credit hours in each degree program.
  • Only credits from one completed graduate certificate may be applied to a master’s or specialist degree in a relevant field of study, as determined by the Graduate School and with the approval of the degree-granting academic department, and be included in the residency hours above.
  • Students must maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA in all graduate-level courses taken at EMU and in their program of study to remain in good academic standing and be eligible for graduation. Students do not need to be registered for classes during the semester of graduation.
  • The Graduate School does not permit the use of undergraduate courses (499 and below) to meet degree requirements on graduate programs of study.
  • Some master’s programs require a thesis; others require a special project or internship; others require students to pass a final exam. See the Graduate School website for Thesis and Dissertation Manuals, all forms, and information about research and human subject approval. Every completed thesis or dissertation must be submitted to Digital Commons. Any form of graduate student work submitted to Digital Commons must first be approved by a faculty advisor and the Graduate School.