MSc Construction Project Management (Professional Placement)

COURSE IN DEPTH
 

Master's
 

In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 180 credits):

Construction Law and Contract
20 credits

This module seeks to help the students understand and evaluate construction contracts, their application and execution, as well as the legal aspect of construction. The module is designed to make the students develop a systematic understanding of the knowledge and critical awareness of the issues and opportunities for the management of construction projects. It also seeks to make the student aware of and appreciate the conflicting interests within construction projects and the need to manage such interests effectively. To be able to manage such interests, the module prepares the students to be aware of the legal and organisational factors at play in the construction industry and the methods available for managing/resolving disputes that may occur during the execution of projects.

Sustainable Construction
20 credits

The programme philosophy seeks to respond to a changing employment market and to the changing requirements of the construction industry. Its aim is to give you a broad yet rigorous grounding in the fundamentals of organising and managing construction projects. This module is consistent with this philosophy as it discusses the reality of construction activities which have a long-lasting effect on the environment therefore sustainable and environmentally sound construction methods and innovative management practices are needed. 

Project Management Methods
20 credits

This module explores various methods of project management within the context of construction. It explores the practical aspects of the development and construction process and in particular, those areas over which a Project Manager would expect to have some control. Themes such as specifications, programming, costing, stakeholder, risk and project control are addressed towards providing practical solutions. This module focuses on the practical skills needed for a project manager to effectively manage a construction project.

Business Management
20 credits

This module seeks to provide students the opportunity to critically examine and analyse topical business management issues in a construction organisational context. Through business management techniques and contemporary case studies, students will explore strategic and operational business issues in the construction environment such as economics, accounting and finance, market development, corporate social responsibility, resource and knowledge management, etc. This module develops students’ contextual awareness and competencies in business management so that they can better manage their projects and are ready to progress in their career. 

Integrated Project Delivery
20 credits

This module takes a production process view of design, construction and operation enabling students to appreciate developments in effectiveness and efficiency and how these can be managed. This will consider concepts such as transformation, flow and value creation to understand the notion of integrated project delivery. 

Innovation in Construction
20 credits

This course is seeking to create effective, efficient and creative managers of construction projects from design right through to occupation. Innovation is a key aspect of this both in managers’ ability to conceive of new approaches but also to implement series of improvements and to cope with disruption. The module takes a ‘learning approach’ to innovating considering this at both the system level and the individual level. 

Individual Master’s Project (Dissertation)
60 credits

The purpose of the module is to enable you to undertake a sustained, in-depth and research-informed Level 7 project exploring an area that is of personal interest to you. In agreement with your supervisor, you will decide upon your topic which will take the form of a practical outcome (artefact) with accompanying contextual material. The main consideration when choosing your topic is that it must be aligned to the programme you are studying and informed by the research strategy of your school, and you should consider the relevance of this topic to your future academic or professional development.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.

Award: MSc Starting: Sep 2022
Full Time 18 Months (Professional Placement) £17,930 in 2022/23

Enhancing your employability skills

This course is fully accredited by both The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). All their required competences / learning outcomes are covered in this course.

We have a very close working relationship with our accreditation professional bodies RICS and CIOB. We have annual partnership meetings with them to steer the development of our course. You can participate in regional events such as seminars and site visits as a student member to not only get updated industry knowledge but also network with the practitioners. 

We also work very closely with our industrial partners such as Willmott Dixon, Galliford Try and Birmingham City Council. They are not only actively involved in our course development, teaching and assessment but also contribute in various ways as guest speakers, as well as offering site visits, summer placements, research projects and employment.

Opportunity

Students from this course have worked with lecturers on two SAP (Student Academic Partnership) projects. They have used audio and video recordings to capture alumni’s learning experience and have engaged overseas alumni in the internationalisation of the curriculum through the collection of project case studies.

There is also an e-mentoring system in place: we can assign a previous student who has successfully completed this course with a similar background to mentor another student electronically (by email, telephone and social media).