Students interested in the fast-paced world of construction management have the option of earning associate, bachelor’s, master’s and even doctoral degrees in construction management. Students can also complete shorter certificate programs in construction management.
Most students will pursue certificates or bachelor’s degrees after gaining experience in the field, but those who choose to pursue a master’s degree in construction management often have bachelor’s degrees in an unrelated field and want to improve their job prospects by getting graduate-level training specifically in construction management. Those earning construction management degrees at the doctoral level are not as common and most pursue career opportunities in research or go on to teach construction management at the college level, rather than a job in the field, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Employers are more and more often expecting their construction manager candidates to have at least a bachelor’s degree in construction management or related areas like civil engineering or construction science, according to the BLS. Employers find that the additional preparation in communication and construction-related computer applications that comes out of a bachelor’s degree education is beneficial to the construction manager’s ability to successfully do their job. A degree in construction management also familiarizes people with plans, specifications and the legal aspects of contracts and building regulations.
Construction management is not as straightforward as it used to be before the onset of modern technology, new requirements for "green" construction and architecture that truly pushes the envelope. Because of the increasing complexity involved in modern construction processes, focused education in construction management has become necessary to prepare students for an ever-evolving industry.
Another reason degrees in construction management are important is because many connect students to internships and allow students to use them as college credit. These internships are the key to landing a construction management job if you don’t have much supervisory experience in the construction field.
More than 105 institutions of higher education offer bachelor’s degree programs in construction management or something similar to it, and about 60 offer master’s degree programs in those areas, according to the BLS. Online degree programs are also picking up speed as schools work to provide online education options for working adults who need to continue gaining valuable experience in construction while they earn their degree.