Construction Management

The curriculum is summarised in a number of key subject areas as follows:

Management & Leadership: skills are central to the role of the Construction Project Manager, with the over-arching aim of this course to elevate the management and leadership skills of existing site management professionals. These skills are specifically dealt with in the following modules: Project Programming Management (advanced Project Management skills); Value Management (recognising and delivering value on projects); Quality and HRM (managing people and quality on projects); Professional Practice (professional development) and Construction Management Practice (health, safety & well-being, innovation, change management and leadership skills development); Construction Collaboration Technology (managing information and teams using BIM technologies).

Financial & Legal: in managing complex projects, the Construction Manager is required to have an understanding of the broader financial and legal implications associated with their work. These modules enhance the learner’s knowledge of contemporary development appraisal and contractual issues to ensure project delivery meets with the relevant client and statutory requirements.

Research: the three research-related modules afford the learner the opportunity to explore a topic of interest to them via an applied action research approach, based on problem(s) identified at work. The Applied Research Methods module allows the learner to develop their library and information management skills and to prepare a Research Proposal upon which to base their Dissertation, which is executed in the Dissertation Part 1 and 2 modules. Part 1 mainly focusses on the development of a robust Literature Review, while Part 2 centres on conducting primary research and compilation of the Dissertation submission. 

Year 1

Semester 1	Semester 2
Applied Research Methods	Dissertation Part 1
Project Programming Management	Construction Law
Development Economics	Quality & HRM
Construction Collaboration Technology	Professional Practice

Year 1

Semester 1	Semester 2

M is a mandatory subject - E is an elective subject

Year 2

Semester 3	Semester 4
Dissertation Part 2
Construction Management Practice
Value Management

Year 2

Semester 3	Semester 4

M is a mandatory subject - E is an elective subject

Year 3

Semester 5	Semester 6

Year 3

Semester 5	Semester 6

M is a mandatory subject - E is an elective subject

Year 4

Semester 7	Semester 8

M is a mandatory subject - E is an elective subject

Applicants who have completed a minimum full NQF Level 7 programme in Construction Management or in a cognate area of study in the built environment.

Graduates of other disciplines, with construction experience, may be considered under the RPL Policy.

Recognition of Prior Learning

Where candidates do not currently meet the formal academic entry requirements (set out on each course information page) they may be able to advance their application using the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) mechanism. RPL allows candidates to make a case that they do meet entry requirements through a combination of formal certified learning and learning through experience (most typically work experience). RPL applications must be made by filling out (please type) the Springboard RPL form and submitting it along with supporting documents such as academic certificates and transcripts etc.

English Language Competency

Applicants whose first language is not English must submit documentary evidence of meeting the required standards of competency in English language. 

The BSc (Hons) in Construction Management is a part-time qualification specifically aimed at those currently working in a Site Management role who aspire to progress to a Project Management position.

Building upon SETU's long-standing position as an innovator in Construction Management (CM) education, it seeks to address an acknowledged regional and national skill shortage specifically relating to Construction Management. It has been developed in collaboration with local and national construction companies, the South East Regional Skills Forum and the Construction Industry Federation. The National Skills Bulletin 2020 suggests that “the nature of tasks associated with construction operations is likely to undergo substantial change, driven by both new technologies/materials and a demand for green construction and climate change mitigation.”

The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has only served to expedite these changes and reinforce the critical role which Construction Managers play in delivering increasingly complex projects. The importance of information technology has come to the fore, with collaborative technology solutions being adopted by Construction Managers to engage with the myriad of specialists and professionals who can no longer visit site for coordination meetings. The ongoing Covid-19 challenges have driven significant change in the manner construction projects are scheduled and delivered.

In attempting to keep personnel numbers low on sites, there has also been an increasing focus upon the use of Building Information Modelling, lean practices, modular construction methods and innovations in sustainability. With such ever-increasing demands from clients and society in general, construction companies now recognize the importance of life-long learning for their employees, particularly the value in holding recognized academic and professional qualifications. Such qualifications now form an important part of how these companies win new work, being assessed as part of the tendering and procurement process.

In terms of professional qualifications, Chartered Construction Manager has been recognized as a professional designation since 2013 and is awarded by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), the leading global professional body for building professionals.