Construction management programs are offered at all degree levels including associate, bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees. Associate degree programs provide students with the fundamental education in construction management, and the degree often serves as a jumping-off point for positions in construction management. A bachelor's degree in construction management provides instruction to prepare students to successfully manage all parts of construction environments and take on various managerial roles. Master's degree programs in construction management prepare students for more advanced management positions in the construction industry. The programs provide in-depth education and offer thesis and nonthesis options. A doctorate in construction management enables professionals to demonstrate expertise in the field. The programs involve extensive research, core and elective courses and a dissertation on a construction management topic.
Specific construction management curricula vary by institution, but each degree level usually requires similar courses. Associate degree programs typically require students to complete courses in building construction techniques and materials, construction safety and supervision, construction cost estimation, basics of reading blue prints and principles of management and leadership. Common required courses for bachelor's degree programs include principles of management, construction methods and materials, financial accounting, safety of job sites and quality control and assurance. A master's degree in construction management usually involves a combination of classroom instruction with on-site learning experiences. Coursework may include construction management, construction engineering, labor relations and contract law. A doctorate degree in construction management requires a vast amount of research and a combination of core and elective courses such as construction information systems, construction management advanced topics, legal issues in construction and construction contracts.
The American Council for Construction Education (ACCE) is the main accrediting agency that accredits construction programs of colleges and universities around the United States. It is a private, nonprofit organization that strives to endorse, support and accredit superior construction education programs that meet specific criteria and standards. It currently grants accreditation to associate and bachelor's degree programs in construction management. Accreditation procedures include by-laws, ACCE policies, accreditation standards and criteria and manuals for preparing for self-evaluation.
The "U.S. News & World Report" nationally ranks various schools that offer construction management programs. Stanford University, Northwestern University and the University of California, Berkeley, are all ranked in the top 25 schools. The Civil and Environmental Engineering department at Stanford University offers a Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering with concentration on construction engineering and management. Northwestern University's Engineering department offers a Master of Science in Project Management with specialization in construction management. The University of California, Berkeley's, continuing education branch, UC Berkeley Extension offers sustainability courses in construction management (see Resources). The C-School Blog, a weblog covering events in construction management around the United States, names Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia, as number one, while the World Ranking Guide names the Lawrence Technical University in Detroit, Michigan, as its first choice, followed by Burns School of Real Estate and Construction Management at the University of Denver.