Are you interested in gaining a Master's qualification that develops your professionalism in effectively managing construction projects? This two-year MSc will give you transferable skills in project management and specialist knowledge about construction projects.

The course covers how to plan construction projects, how to manage supply chains, how to keep people working together, and how to use Building Information Modelling (BIM) for a more efficient construction process.

Strong demand for construction project managers means there will be significant opportunities for you to take up a well-paid, challenging and international career. The course is aligned with the academic requirements of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) and accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

The Advanced Practice semester in your second year, provides you with the opportunity to undertake a Live Project (including the possibility of live research project work with staff), for one semester as part of your programme. This experience gives you the opportunity to apply skills and knowledge acquired during the taught part of your programme and to acquire new skills and knowledge in an alternative learning environment. Specific learning will be defined in a personal learning contract.

Accredited by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), having been judged to meet the CIOB Education Framework. Prospective members holding these qualifications have full academic exemption and may enter CIOB membership without the requirement for an Individual Assessment.

Research

If you take this option, you will be assigned to our Architecture and Built Environment Research Group. There is every possibility that you may contribute to published research and therefore you may be named as part of the research team, which would be a great start to a research career.

Study Abroad

We have exchange agreements with universities all over the world, including partners in Europe, Asia, the Americas and Oceania. If you take the Study Abroad option you will spend a semester at one of these partners, continuing your studies in English but in a new cultural and learning environment. Please note that this option may require you to obtain a visa for study in the other country.

The course is particularly aimed at people with at least some background in the construction industry. If you have a different background you may wish to consider our MSc Project Management.

Our teaching methods include lectures, small group seminars, workshops, master classes, and field visits. As this is a Masters course there is a significant element of independent learning and self-motivated reflection.

You’ll undertake a Masters project that will hone your skills in evaluating and applying research techniques and methodologies. The topic of the project will reflect your own unique interests.

Assessments are designed to give feedback as well as to monitor your level of achievement. The assessed projects will enable you to test your skills in ways that relate to current industrial practice. Specific assessment methods include assignments, written reports, exams, group presentations and debates.

Your Advanced Practice semester will be assessed on a pass/fail basis and as such, it does not contribute to the classification of your degree. However, when taken and passed it is recognised both in your transcript as a 60 credit Advanced Practice Module and in your degree title.

You’ll be taught by tutors whose wealth of practitioner and research expertise adds to the richness of the delivery of the course. Their expertise, combined with their on-going active research, will provide an excellent foundation for your learning.

The high quality of Northumbria’s research in Information Sciences is shown by the fact that 90% of our research impact has been judged to have very considerable reach and significance (Research Excellence Framework 2014).

Our reputation for quality is reflected by the range and depth of our collaborations with industry partners. These collaborations and links help inform our curriculums and ensure input from practitioners via guest lectures and master classes.

Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) is embedded throughout the course with tools such as the ‘Blackboard’ eLearning Portal and electronic reading lists that will guide your preparation for seminars and independent research. Our use of lecture capture software will help you revise challenging material.

You’ll have access to industry-standard software such as Microsoft Project, Asta Powerproject, IBM SPSS and NVivo. You will have access to the most up-to-date versions of Autodesk BIM software and other BIM-related learning materials including the ‘White Frog’ system.

The 24/7 University Library achieves some of the highest levels of student satisfaction in the UK and has held the Cabinet Office accreditation for Customer Service Excellence since 2010. It has excellent digital resources with over 100 databases for independent learning as well as half a million electronic books and another 500,000 print books.

To facilitate group projects there are dedicated student working spaces, such as ‘The Hub’, an area that is well equipped for meetings and working with IT. The Zone is another area that’s popular with students undertaking group work or individual study.

As a Masters student you’ll develop your research skills to a new and higher level. Your research supervisor will support you in your final independent research project, where you choose to produce either a research paper or a dissertation. Your supervisor will provide guidance from its development through to completion.

Northumbria’s strong research ethos is an essential aspect of how you will develop as a critical, reflective and independent thinker. Your project-based learning will benefit from the research activities of the teaching team.

Our specialist interests include information management, process improvement strategies, lean construction, project-driven organisations, innovation diffusion, 4D planning and scheduling, and construction project management. Northumbria University is particularly known for working on Building Information Management (BIM).

The course meets a particular need for professional education in construction project management. Many of the modules involve field visits and guest lectures, allowing you to understand the processes being used to manage construction projects and to talk with experienced managers. This will give you extra insights that increase your competitive edge.

The course has the additional credibility of being accredited by the Chartered Institute of Building. This will make it easy to demonstrate that you meet the academic requirements for chartered status.

The Advanced Practice semester may help you develop a track record of achievement that will help you stand out from other job applicants.

A two-year Masters course, like this one, may carry particular weight with employers. They’ll understand that you’ll have a deeper understanding of topics as well as more hands-on practical experience.

When it comes to applying for jobs, our Careers and Employment Service offers a range of resources as well as support that’s available online and on a one-to-one basis.

This course will open up opportunities in management roles in construction-related organisations, particularly internationally-driven contracting companies. Past graduates have gone on to work for companies such as Arup, Arcadis, BAM Construct UK, BDP, Bouygues Construction, Carillion, Kier Group, Laing O’Rourke, Mace, Mott MacDonald, Ryder Architecture, Sir Robert McAlpine, Skanska and Turner & Townsend. Job roles have included BIM coordinators, design managers, digital engineers, directors, management consultants, project managers and technical specialists.

The course could also lead you to a postgraduate research degree such as an MPhil, PhD or Professional Doctorate. If you decide to start up your own business, it’s good to know that the combined turnover of our graduates’ start-up companies is higher than that of any other UK university.

Whatever you decide to do, you will have the transferable skills that employers expect from a Masters graduate from Northumbria University. These include the ability to tackle complex issues through conceptualisation and undertaking research, the ability to contribute to new processes and knowledge, and the ability to formulate balanced judgements when considering incomplete or ambiguous data.