Bachelor of Science in Building Construction (BSCI)

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Auburn University

Program Overview

Auburn University’s Bachelor of Science in Building Construction (BSCI) is a four-year, ACCE-accredited program focused on construction management, with specialized study in estimating, scheduling, project management, safety, surveying, sustainable construction, structures, and information technology. It suits students interested in managing construction projects from planning through completion, while developing the technical, business, communication, and field skills needed for careers across the construction industry.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students establish their construction foundation through BSCI 1100 Introduction to Construction, which introduces the construction industry, followed by BSCI 2300 Construction Methods and Materials and supporting mathematics and physics coursework. This year develops an understanding of construction materials, methods, equipment, and the technical principles behind building projects.

Year 2: Students move into technical documentation and structural concepts through BSCI 2200 Construction Documents and BSCI 2400 Structure of Buildings I, learning to interpret working drawings, specifications, shop drawings, and digital 3D models while studying structural behavior. Business subjects such as accounting, economics, and business law also introduce the commercial side of construction management.

Year 3: The curriculum becomes strongly focused on professional construction management through BSCI 3600 Estimating and Costing, BSCI 3660 Preconstruction & Project Management, BSCI 3500 Construction & Information Technology I, and BSCI 4610 Scheduling & Field Operations. Students also study structures, construction safety, mechanical and electrical building systems, and complete BSCI 3300 Field Surveying, a concentrated 10-working-day surveying course.

Year 4: Students apply their accumulated knowledge through BSCI 4350 Construction Project Analysis, BSCI 4500 Information Communication Technology for Construction II, and BSCI 4610 Scheduling & Field Operations before completing BSCI 4990 Building Science Thesis. The thesis is an individual project in which students demonstrate mastery by applying their skills and knowledge to a theoretical construction company and project, supported by a written thesis and oral defense.

Focus areas: Construction management, estimating and costing, preconstruction and project management, scheduling and field operations, construction safety, construction information technology, building structures, mechanical and electrical systems, surveying, sustainable construction, construction law, and construction business.

Learning outcomes: Graduates develop the ability to plan, analyze, estimate, schedule, communicate, and manage construction projects while applying knowledge of construction methods and materials, structures, building systems, safety, sustainability, surveying, project controls, and construction information technology.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation): The Bachelor of Science in Building Construction is ACCE accredited, aligning the program with established professional standards for construction education.

Reputation (Employability Rankings): Auburn’s McWhorter School of Building Science describes itself as one of the oldest, largest, and most respected construction management programs in the United States. Auburn’s published program assessment also recorded strong historical graduate employment outcomes, including 90%–100% placement in many graduating periods from 2014–2018; these figures are historical rather than a current employment-rate claim.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Students in Auburn University’s Bachelor of Science in Building Construction (BSCI) gain practical construction-management skills through estimating, scheduling, project management, safety, surveying, sustainable construction, structures, and information technology applications. The program goes beyond classroom learning through Auburn’s dedicated construction field laboratory, hands-on service-learning projects, construction-site safety training, industry internships/co-ops, and access to specialized engineering laboratories and computing resources. Students can progressively connect construction theory with real projects and professional practices:

Construction Field Laboratory: Robins & Morton Construction Field Lab is a three-acre facility with a high-bay building, four bays, enclosed work areas, 30-foot ceilings, and a professional-style classroom for hands-on construction activities.
Construction Methods: BSCI 2300 Construction Methods and Materials gives students practical exposure to construction materials and methods as part of the BSCI curriculum.
Field Safety: BSCI 3700 Construction Safety uses the field laboratory to provide practical site-safety training and allow students to apply safety controls in a simulated construction-site environment.
Team Projects: BSCI 4360 Construction Field Laboratory places students in teams of ten with a faculty advisor to plan and construct projects addressing needs identified by local nonprofit organizations.
Service Learning: 600 hours of planning and building are completed collectively by each Construction Field Lab team, culminating in a completed community project and presentation of the team's experience.
Hands-on Fabrication: Field Lab construction activities include prefabrication, project administration, foundations, storage structures, and other construction exercises that reinforce classroom instruction through physical work.
Internships: BSCI internships provide students with direct experience in construction companies and project environments; Auburn reports that BSCI students have used internships to gain practical industry experience and transition into professional employment.
Co-op Experience: Construction co-ops place BSCI students with industry employers, including opportunities involving project teams, construction schedules, budgets, plans, and specifications.
Industry Software: Industry-relevant software is available in the Miller Gorrie Center thesis room, with Auburn specifically describing the software and hardware as sophisticated tools needed for students’ senior thesis work.
Surveying: Survey Camp is part of Auburn Building Science’s practical learning opportunities, giving students experience connected to construction surveying and site work.
Structural Testing: Advanced Structural Engineering Laboratory (ASEL) provides access to large-scale structural and geotechnical testing capabilities, including a strong floor and wall, hydraulic loading equipment, data-acquisition systems, and full-scale testing facilities relevant to construction and structures.
Concrete Research: Structural Concrete Materials Laboratory contains more than 5,000 square feet of laboratory space and equipment for preparing and testing concrete, mortar, paste, aggregates, and cementitious materials.
Computing Facilities: Civil and Environmental Engineering Brasfield & Gorrie Computer Lab and College of Engineering computing facilities provide additional technical computing resources within Auburn’s engineering laboratory network.
International Experience: International study opportunities allow BSCI students to gain exposure to global construction practices and construction science.
Professional Environment: McWhorter School of Building Science integrates estimating, scheduling, project management, safety, surveying, sustainable construction, structures, and information technology applications into the BSCI experience.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Bachelor of Science in Building Construction (BSCI) at Auburn University prepares graduates for careers in construction management through training in estimating, scheduling, project management, safety, surveying, sustainable construction, structures, and information technology applications. Graduates can pursue roles such as Construction Project Manager, Estimator, Superintendent, and VDC Manager, with Auburn reporting a 100% placement rate and average starting salary above $70,000 for its Building Science program in a 2024 program report.

Key career and progression opportunities include:

Career Services: BSCI has a dedicated career-services specialist who supports students with career preparation, industry connections, networking, and three BSCI career fairs each year covering internships, co-ops, and full-time employment.
Career Fairs: The Spring 2026 BSCI Career Fair brought 136 companies representing general contractors, specialty trades, and residential contractors, with students completing nearly 200 interviews over the associated recruiting period.
Industry Networking: Students interact with construction professionals through Meet & Greets, class visits, career fairs, competition teams, and student organizations; BSCI's Industry Executive Board also meets with graduating seniors.
Industry Partnerships: Holder Construction is a longstanding BSCI partner and regularly engages students through career fairs and Meet & Greets.
Construction Technology: Auburn's VDC Lab provides students with experience in virtual reality and Building Information Modeling (BIM) and allows construction visualization at a one-to-one scale. Holder Construction and Brasfield & Gorrie have supported the development of this technology-focused facility.
Industry Competitions: BSCI students participate in national and international competitions covering design-build, heavy civil, commercial construction, preconstruction, project management, roofing, electrical, finance, and risk management, providing opportunities to apply classroom knowledge to real construction problems.
Internships & Co-ops: Auburn's Co-op Program specifically identifies Building Science among the disciplines commonly participating in co-ops and provides access to Handshake, career coaching, career fairs, and on-campus interviews.
Current Employer Opportunities: Auburn's career system currently lists construction opportunities with organizations including Winter Construction, Brasfield & Gorrie, Ryan Companies, Gilbane Building Company, and Clancy & Theys Construction Company, covering project engineering, field operations, estimating, preconstruction, safety, and construction management.
Professional Accreditation: The BSCI program is accredited by the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE); Auburn states that the baccalaureate Building Science program was first approved in 1980 and was re-accredited in 2020.
Career Outcomes: Auburn's reported 100% placement rate and average starting salary above $70,000 provide a published indication of the program's recent employment outcomes; the university's Career Outcomes system also tracks post-graduation employment and continuing education through its First Destination Survey.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the BSCI degree, students can continue at Auburn through the Master of Building Construction (MBC), which provides advanced construction education for graduates with undergraduate construction-management/construction-engineering backgrounds and also accepts students changing careers from other accredited undergraduate disciplines. Auburn also offers a Ph.D. in Building Construction for students interested in advanced research and academic or industry-focused careers.