Bachelor of Science in Construction Management

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Houston

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Science in Construction Management at the University of Houston is a four-year, on-campus program that combines construction, business, and engineering to prepare students for professional roles across commercial and industrial construction. Students develop skills in construction materials and methods, estimating, scheduling, project management, contracts, safety, site development, project controls, and emerging construction technologies, with options to focus on Process and Industrial Construction or Commercial Construction.

Curriculum structure

First Year: Students build their construction foundation through CNST 1361 – Construction Management I, CNST 1301 – Construction Materials & Methods or CNST 1325 – Process & Industrial Construction, and CNST 1330 – Graphics I or CNST 1315 – Project Drawings & Graphics. Mathematics, writing, government, and history courses complement the technical curriculum and establish the communication and analytical skills needed for later construction-management study.

Second Year: Students move into technical construction systems and project documentation through CNST 2321 – Mechanical & Electrical Systems or CNST 2325 – Process & Industrial Subsystems, CNST 2341 – Construction Documents or CNST 2345 – Contract Documents for Capital Projects, and CNST 2351 – Construction Estimating I. Calculus, statistics, physics, economics, and effective communication further strengthen the quantitative and business knowledge required for construction projects.

Third Year: The curriculum becomes increasingly applied, covering CNST 3301 – Construction Equipment & Methods, CNST 3331 – Construction Planning & Scheduling, CNST 3351 – Construction Estimating II or CNST 3365 – Cost Estimating for Capital Projects, and CNST 3372 – Soil Mechanics and Foundations. Students also complete CNST 3185 – Construction Experience, CNST 3155 – Construction Materials & Testing, CNST 3265 – Construction Layout & Site Development, and construction safety coursework.

Fourth Year: Students integrate their knowledge through advanced subjects such as CNST 4331 – Construction Management II or CNST 4335 – Capital Projects Development, CNST 4341 – Project Controls or CNST 4385 – Field Operations for Capital Projects, and CNST 4220 – Comprehensive CM & Emerging Practices. The final year also covers CNST 4302 – Construction Law & Ethics, structural construction through CNST 4311 – Structural Steel & Timber Construction or CNST 4315 – Steel Construction, and reinforced concrete and building codes.

Focus areas: Process and Industrial Construction; Commercial Construction; estimating; scheduling; contracting; project management; data analytics; Building Information Modeling (BIM); artificial intelligence; remote sensing; VR/AR.

Learning outcomes: Written and oral construction communication; safety planning; cost estimating; project scheduling; construction-document analysis; materials and equipment analysis; multidisciplinary teamwork; electronic construction-management technology; surveying and construction layout; project delivery; risk management; accounting and cost control; quality control; project controls; construction law and ethics; sustainable construction; structural behavior; mechanical, electrical, and piping systems.

Professional alignment (accreditation): The Bachelor of Science in Construction Management is accredited by the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE). The University of Houston states that the program has been ACCE-accredited since 2010, and its current institutional accreditation listing shows the Construction Management BS accredited by ACCE through 2028.

Reputation (employability rankings): The University of Houston reports a 90%+ employment rate upon graduation, a $70,000 average starting salary, and 100% of students completing internships before graduation; the program also reports that 100% of graduates are certified as Associate Constructors (AIC). The university's Construction Management page additionally states that the program is ranked #3 in Texas and #38 in the U.S.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The Bachelor of Science in Construction Management at the University of Houston combines construction, business, and engineering education with practical exposure to estimating, scheduling, project management, BIM, data analytics, AI, remote sensing, and VR/AR. Students are required to complete an approved internship involving real construction-management functions, while industry partnerships, project-based coursework, and access to construction-management technologies help connect classroom learning with professional practice.

Students gain practical experience through:

Required industry internship: Every undergraduate Construction Management student must complete an approved internship before graduation, including at least 400 hours of verifiable work experience in areas such as supervisory field operations, estimating, scheduling, cost control, or contract administration.
Construction-management software: Course assignments incorporate modern construction-management software, supporting practical skills in project estimating, scheduling, cost management, and related workflows.
BIM and digital construction: UH Construction Management specifically includes Building Information Modeling (BIM), AI, remote sensing, and VR/AR in its specialized coursework, giving students exposure to current digital approaches used in construction.
BIM applications: Official UH course materials document hands-on BIM work using tools including Autodesk Revit, Autodesk Navisworks, Assemble Systems, and RS Means for modeling, clash detection, visualization, estimating, and construction coordination.
Project-based teamwork: Construction-management coursework includes multidisciplinary team activities in which students develop construction project cost estimates, schedules, safety plans, proposals, and presentations, applying construction-management skills as members of project teams.
Field and project exposure: Official course materials document field trips and class projects, including construction-focused work involving steel and timber structures, constructability, BIM, and project execution planning.
Industry professionals: The program is supported by 15–20 industry professionals serving as part-time instructors, who bring real-life project experience into the classroom.
Industry connections: UH maintains strong construction-industry partnerships, and the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) Student Chapter provides opportunities to develop construction knowledge, professional skills, and industry connections.
Construction project-management environment: University of Houston’s Facilities/Construction Management department uses PMWeb, its official construction program-management software, to manage RFIs, submittals, construction-document reviews, daily reports, change management, and invoicing—providing a university-level example of contemporary construction project workflows.
Campus construction projects: UH’s Campus Construction Services manages renovations, laboratory and office projects, and infrastructure upgrades, using collaborative project planning, scope development, cost and schedule management, and construction execution.
Civil Infrastructure Systems Management Lab: Construction Management faculty research includes the Civil Infrastructure Systems Management Lab, with research interests covering big data, artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, and infrastructure asset management.
Construction Management concentrations: Students can choose between the Process and Industrial Track and the Commercial Construction Track, allowing practical learning to align with different areas of construction practice.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Construction Management are prepared for careers across commercial, industrial, and highway/heavy construction, with the University of Houston specifically identifying roles such as project manager, construction manager, superintendent, field engineer, scheduler, estimator, and project controls specialist. The program reports a 90%+ employment rate upon graduation, 100% internship participation before graduation, and an average starting salary of $70,000.

Typical career roles: Project Manager, Construction Manager, Construction Estimator, Field Engineer.

Career development and industry opportunities:

University career services: The Cullen College of Engineering Career Center connects students with employers through career fairs, networking events, workshops, job postings, and eCONNECTION, its career-management system. Recent engineering career fairs have attracted 200 companies, 653 employer representatives, and 2,197 students.
Employment outcomes: The UH Construction Management program reports 90+% employment upon graduation, $70,000 average starting salary, and 100% of students completing internships before graduation. It also reports that 100% of graduates are certified as Associate Constructors (AIC).
Industry partnerships: The Construction Management Industry Advisory Board (IAB) includes business, community, and technical leaders and actively supports internship and graduate hiring, mentoring, curriculum development, scholarships, and applied research. The board meets three times a year to strengthen connections between UH and the construction industry.
Industry-supported opportunities: In 2025–26, the Construction Management Industry Advisory Board awarded $92,000 in scholarship funding to 50 CM students, while continuing its involvement in student recruitment, curriculum development, and research initiatives.
Employer connections: UH’s engineering career network lists construction and engineering employers recruiting Cullen students, including Kiewit, Fluor Corporation, Dashiell Corporation, Austin Industrial/Commercial, and MAMMOET.
Long-term accreditation value: The B.S. in Construction Management is accredited by the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE). UH states that the program has held ACCE accreditation since 2010, while ACCE is recognized by CHEA for four-year construction, construction science, construction management, and construction technology programs.
Graduation and professional preparation: The program combines construction, business, engineering, and digital technology and offers Commercial Construction and Process & Industrial Construction tracks, preparing graduates for professional employment and continued graduate study.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the bachelor’s degree, students can progress to the Master of Science in Construction Management at the University of Houston, which develops advanced capabilities in estimating, scheduling, contracting, project management, risk analysis, decision-making, sustainability, quality management, leadership, and BIM. The M.S. is a 30-hour graduate program available in online and in-person formats and is designed to prepare graduates for advanced leadership positions in construction and careers in academia.