Bachelor of science in construction management

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Wayne State University

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Science in Construction Management (B.S.C.M.) at Wayne State University prepares students to coordinate construction projects from planning through delivery, with emphasis on project management, estimating, scheduling, safety, building codes, construction methods, computer applications, and business management. It suits students interested in careers such as project management, estimating, scheduling, site supervision, facilities management, green construction/LEED, or construction business ownership, with opportunities for co-ops and internships during the academic year and summer.

Curriculum Structure:

Year 1: Students establish their mathematics, science, communication, and technical foundations through subjects such as MAT 1800 Elementary Functions, CHM 1020 Survey of General Chemistry, and PHY 2130 Physics for the Life Sciences I. They also begin developing an understanding of construction-related technical areas through required lower-division preparation such as Introduction to 2D and 3D CAD and Soils and Foundations.

Year 2: Students move into core construction management concepts with CMT 3010 Introduction to Construction Management, CMT 3000 Construction Estimating and Bidding, and CMT 3020 Residential and Commercial Land Development and Design. The curriculum also introduces professional responsibilities through CMT 3030 Construction Safety Management, CMT 3040 Building Codes, and ET 3870 Engineering Economic Analysis.

Year 3: Students develop more advanced technical and managerial capabilities through CMT 4050 Construction Methods, CMT 3080 Advanced Computers in Construction, and CMT 3070 Introduction to Green Construction. Business knowledge is strengthened through courses such as CMT 3050 Construction Accounting and Financial Management and CMT 5030 Facilities and Management Principles, connecting construction operations with financial and facilities management.

Year 4: The final stage focuses on managing complex construction activities through CMT 5060 Planning and Scheduling, CMT 5070 Mechanical and Electrical Systems in Buildings, and the culminating CMT 4200 Senior Project. Students integrate estimating, scheduling, construction methods, safety, technology, business, and professional communication into their final academic work, completing the 120-credit B.S.C.M. degree.

Focus Areas: Construction project management, construction estimating and bidding, residential and commercial land development, construction safety, building codes, green construction, advanced computers in construction, construction methods, planning and scheduling, mechanical and electrical building systems, facilities management, accounting and financial management.

Learning Outcomes: Project planning, cost management, time and schedule management, construction safety, quality management, contract awareness, construction estimating, construction methods, computer applications, building-code knowledge, financial management, professional ethics, and construction project coordination.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation): Institutional accreditation: Wayne State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The official 2026 accreditation listing does not identify a separate specialized accreditation for the B.S. in Construction Management, so no additional program-specific accreditation is stated on the university's current accreditation page.

Reputation (Employability Rankings): Official career alignment: Wayne State identifies construction-management graduates as working in roles including project managers, superintendents, estimators, schedulers, and green construction/LEED specialists, and notes that many professionals in the construction industry operate their own businesses. A current program-specific QS, Guardian, or other employability ranking is not stated on the official program page.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Students in the B.S. in Construction Management at Wayne State University gain practical experience through construction estimating, project planning, scheduling, field operations, computer applications, and a team-based senior capstone. The program specifically incorporates MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, Revit/BIM, Primavera P5, and other construction-management software, while Wayne State’s College of Engineering provides dedicated teaching, computing, materials, soil mechanics, roadway and building materials, structural modeling, and research laboratories. Co-op and internship opportunities are also available during both the summer and academic year, giving students opportunities to connect their coursework with professional construction practice.

Practical opportunities and facilities include:

Construction software: CMT 3080 Advanced Computers in Construction provides practical experience with MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, handheld devices for data acquisition, and Revit for Building Information Modeling (BIM).
Scheduling tools: CMT 5060 Planning and Scheduling uses Primavera P5 for construction scheduling, including critical-path methods, resource management, cost management, and project reporting.
Project administration software: Construction-management coursework has included Excel, Expedition, and Prolog for project and contract administration.
Team-based capstone: CMT 4200 Senior Project is a team-based capstone in which senior students apply their construction-management skills, knowledge, techniques, and concepts to a project.
Construction field experience: CMT 4050 Construction Methods examines actual construction practices, processes, and equipment from project conception through final delivery, while CMT 5050 Construction Field Operations covers equipment characteristics, job-site safety, and field management.
Internships and co-ops: The B.S. program explicitly provides co-op and internship opportunities during the summer and academic year, allowing students to gain industry experience alongside their studies.
Soils and foundations laboratory: Wayne State’s College of Engineering lists a dedicated soil mechanics laboratory, supporting practical study relevant to construction foundations and site conditions.
Roadway and building materials laboratory: Students have access to facilities for roadway and building materials, providing a practical environment connected to construction materials and infrastructure.
Structural modeling facilities: The College lists structural modeling laboratories among its specialized engineering facilities, supporting experimentation and applied engineering work.
Materials testing and processing: Dedicated materials testing and processing laboratories are available for instructional and research purposes across the College of Engineering.
PACE Teaming Center: The PACE Teaming Center supports interdisciplinary project work connected to real-world engineering problems, providing a collaborative environment relevant to project-based learning.
Engineering Technology facilities: The Engineering Technology Division occupies a dedicated approximately 24,000-square-foot facility at 4855 Fourth Street with laboratories and classrooms, including a teaching machine shop.
Engineering computing facilities: The College provides dedicated computer graphics, design, and personal-computing hardware and software, supporting technology-based engineering coursework and projects.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The B.S. in Construction Management prepares graduates for professional roles involving project planning, estimating, scheduling, safety, contracts, and construction operations. Wayne State specifically identifies career paths including project manager, superintendent, estimator, scheduler, and green construction/LEED specialist, while also noting that some graduates may pursue construction-business ownership.

Typical career roles: Project Manager, Construction Superintendent, Construction Estimator, Construction Scheduler

Career development and employment opportunities:

Career Services: Wayne State’s Career Services supports students through career advising, internships, micro-internships, networking, career planning, and resources for the transition from college to employment.
Internships and co-ops: The Construction Management B.S. specifically provides co-op and internship opportunities during both summer and the academic year, allowing students to gain industry experience alongside their studies.
Career platforms: Students can use Handshake to find internships and employment opportunities, while Parker Dewey provides paid micro-internships generally ranging from 5–40 hours.
Engineering employment exposure: Wayne State reports that approximately 8 out of 10 engineering students complete at least one internship or co-op before graduation, and that nearly 40% of engineering graduates reported finding employment through an internship or co-op. These figures are for the Engineering College broadly and are not specific to Construction Management.
Industry-connected environment: Wayne State’s Detroit location places engineering students near a broad base of employers, while the university's career resources provide opportunities to connect with employers through career fairs, internships and networking.
Employment statistics and salary: Not specifically stated by Wayne State for the B.S. in Construction Management in the official program sources reviewed, so a program-specific salary figure or employment rate should not be inferred from unrelated Wayne State programs.
University–industry partnerships: The university provides employer connections through career fairs, internships, co-ops and micro-internships; however, the official Construction Management B.S. page does not identify specific construction companies as formal program partners.
Accreditation value: Wayne State University holds institutional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission. The official university accreditation listing does not identify a separate specialized accreditation for the B.S. in Construction Management, so program-specific professional accreditation is not stated in the current official accreditation information.
Graduation outcomes: The program requires a minimum of 120 credits, and Wayne State specifies that students must meet university general education requirements and maintain the required academic standards to graduate. The university does not publish a Construction Management-specific graduate employment rate on the official program page.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the B.S. in Construction Management, students can continue into Wayne State’s M.S. in Construction Management, available in both traditional in-person and online formats. The master's program provides advanced study of the management and technical aspects of construction and requires 30 credits, including 15 credits of required core courses and 15 credits of electives; eligible traditional students may also apply up to 6 credits of Graduate Industrial Internship toward electives.