Bachelor of Science Virtual Design and Construction

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Purdue University West Lafayette

Program Overview

Purdue University’s Bachelor of Science in Virtual Design and Construction is designed for students who want to shape the digital transformation of the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry through BIM, digital modeling, AI, reality capture and virtual project coordination. The program combines construction knowledge with emerging technologies, preparing students to design buildings and infrastructure virtually, coordinate complex projects, create digital twins and apply tools such as drones and laser scanning.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students begin by developing the technical foundations needed to communicate and model construction projects, including Introduction to Construction Graphics, where 2D construction documentation progresses into 3D modeling. The early curriculum establishes AEC documentation standards and introduces students to the digital workflows used to represent buildings before construction.

Year 2: Students progress into Modeling for BIM, learning how materials, processes and construction documentation are translated into 3D modeled solutions. The curriculum increasingly connects modeling with construction problem-solving and the coordination of information across an AEC project.

Year 3: Students build more advanced commercial-construction capabilities through Building Information Modeling for Commercial Construction, focusing on jobsite planning, trade coordination, visualization and communication. Coursework includes practical activities such as collision detection reports, construction animations and professional presentations, connecting BIM models with real construction coordination.

Year 4: Students consolidate their VDC capabilities through advanced BIM/VDC applications, project coordination and emerging construction technologies, with the program emphasizing the ability to design and coordinate major projects in virtual environments. Students can also complement their major through Purdue Polytechnic minors, student organizations and global experiences such as study abroad.

Focus areas: Building Information Modeling (BIM), Virtual Design and Construction (VDC), construction graphics, 3D modeling, commercial construction coordination, digital twins, artificial intelligence, drone technology, laser scanning, virtual project environments, visualization and construction technology.

Learning outcomes: Students develop the ability to create and interpret digital construction models, coordinate AEC project information, identify clashes through virtual models, communicate construction information visually, use emerging digital technologies and apply BIM/VDC processes to real construction problems.

Professional alignment (accreditation): Purdue identifies the program as an undergraduate major offered by the Bowen School of Construction at West Lafayette; the official program page does not state a separate program-specific professional accreditation for the B.S. in Virtual Design and Construction.

Reputation (employability rankings): Purdue’s official program page identifies industry connections and potential employers including Jacobs, JE Dunn Construction, Holder Construction, Pepper Construction, EMCOR Group, Rosendin Electric and others, demonstrating direct alignment with construction, engineering and digital-construction employers.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Students in Purdue University’s Bachelor of Science in Virtual Design and Construction gain practical experience by using digital models and emerging construction technologies to plan, coordinate, and visualize buildings and infrastructure before they are built. The program combines BIM, 3D modeling, virtual environments, drones, laser scanning, digital twins, and artificial intelligence with hands-on construction experience in Purdue’s specialized facilities. Students also work with industry-oriented technologies and can develop experience that connects directly to modern AEC workflows.

Practical learning opportunities include:

BIM & 3D Modeling: Students progress from 2D construction documentation to 3D modeling through courses such as Introduction to Construction Graphics and Modeling for BIM.
Commercial BIM Projects: Building Information Modeling for Commercial Construction focuses on jobsite planning, trade coordination, visualization, collision-detection reports, construction animations, and professional presentations.
Digital Construction: Students design buildings and infrastructure virtually, coordinate projects in virtual environments, create digital twins, and explore AI applications for construction problems.
Drones & Laser Scanning: The program specifically provides experience with flying drones and using laser scanners to capture real-world conditions for digital construction workflows.
Trimble Technology Lab: The West Lafayette lab provides surveying equipment, software, and hardware for construction layout and surveying, with computer access available to construction management technology students outside scheduled class hours.
Virtual Reality: Purdue’s construction technology research includes virtual design and construction, mixed reality, 3D laser scanning, and drone applications, giving students exposure to emerging digital construction methods.
Lennar Foundation Construction Lab: Students can gain hands-on experience assembling and disassembling houses, constructing masonry walls and concrete forms, testing materials, and constructing a two-story steel structure using current construction tools and technology.
Digital Fabrication & Construction Technology: Purdue’s construction facilities combine physical construction activities with technology-based learning, allowing students to connect digital models with real construction processes.
Industry Experience: Purdue identifies industry partnerships and employers including Bowen Engineering, Holder Construction, Jacobs, JE Dunn Construction, and Pepper Construction, while the program is designed around real-world AEC workflows.
Internships: Purdue highlights internship experience as an important route into VDC careers; a Purdue graduate working as a VDC Engineer specifically credits the program’s internship-hour requirement and experience with construction software as valuable preparation for employment.
Study Abroad: Purdue Polytechnic students can participate in global experiences that provide exposure to the international construction and technology marketplace.
Research & Innovation: Purdue’s construction research covers BIM, virtual design and construction, construction sensing, smart construction, analytics, simulation modeling, and mixed reality, creating opportunities to connect undergraduate learning with research activity.
Career & Industry Engagement: Purdue Polytechnic provides student organizations and industry-facing opportunities, while the Bowen School of Construction hosts career events connecting students with construction employers.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Purdue’s Bachelor of Science in Virtual Design and Construction is designed to prepare graduates for technology-driven roles across the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry, with training in digital models, BIM/VDC workflows, drones, laser scanning, digital twins and AI. The program’s combination of applied technology and industry exposure can lead to roles such as VDC Engineer, BIM/VDC Coordinator, BIM Modeler and Virtual Construction Specialist; Purdue specifically lists employers including Bowen Engineering, Holder Construction, Jacobs, JE Dunn, Pepper Construction, The Hill Group, Gaylor Construction and Rosendin Electric.

Career preparation:

Career Services: Purdue Polytechnic provides career fairs, internship support, job-search resources and access to the Center for Career Opportunities’ Career Research Portal, including industry-specific job boards and internship resources.
Internships & Co-ops: Polytechnic supports structured internships and cooperative education, allowing students to work with employers and apply classroom knowledge to professional projects.
Industry Engagement: The Bowen School of Construction maintains partnerships with companies such as Autodesk, Hilti, Trimble, DPR Construction, Turner Construction and AECOM, providing connections to current construction technologies and professional practice.
Employment Network: Purdue’s VDC program identifies potential employers across general contracting, mechanical and electrical construction, including Bowen Engineering, Holder Construction, Jacobs, JE Dunn, Pepper Construction, EMCOR Group, Gaylor Construction, Rosendin Electric and Power Design.
Employment Outcomes: Purdue reports that 88% of the 138 May 2025 graduates in the Bowen School of Construction reported placement information. This is school-level data, not a VDC-specific employment rate, so Purdue does not state that the 88% figure represents VDC graduates alone.
Salary Information: Purdue’s official employment-outlook page for its related Construction Management graduate program reports a $140.2K median advertised salary based on Lightcast data for July 2022–July 2023; Purdue does not publish a VDC-specific undergraduate salary figure on the VDC program page.
Industry Experience: Purdue highlights real-world technologies and workflows in VDC, including designing buildings and infrastructure virtually, coordinating large projects, flying drones, laser-scanning existing conditions, creating digital twins and applying AI to construction problems.
Long-Term Professional Value: The VDC degree develops specialized digital-construction capabilities while placing students within Purdue’s Bowen School of Construction, whose industry partnerships, applied learning and construction-focused resources provide a pathway into the evolving digital AEC workforce.
Graduate Outcomes: Graduates can continue into advanced construction and technology education at Purdue, including the MS in Construction Management Technology, MS in Construction Management, MS in Engineering Technology, and PhD in Technology.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the B.S. in Virtual Design and Construction, students can pursue Purdue’s MS in Construction Management Technology or MS in Construction Management to deepen their expertise in construction leadership, management and technology. Students interested in broader applied research can also progress toward Purdue’s MS in Engineering Technology or PhD in Technology, depending on their academic and research goals.