The Core Curriculum

The Construction Management curriculum is aligned and monitored constantly to provide graduates with the best education and experiential learning for a career in professional construction management.

Students can study for three credentials: the full major, an 18-credit minor, or an 18-credit certificate. The major program consists of a foundation of 16–17 credits, a required core of 34 credits, plus 32–33 credits of general coursework, liberal education and writing intensive requirements. On this, students build their desired career path, in one of three tracks: Commercial Construction, Highway/Heavy-Civil Works, or Residential Construction.

Major Status Admission Criteria

  • A minimum of 30 transferable semester credits
  • A 2.5 or better cumulative grade point average
  • Completion of prerequisite courses with a grade of C- or better (or in progress):
  1. Math of Design or Short Calculus
  2. Physics I with lab
  3. CMGT 3011 − Construction plan reading

Preparatory Coursework

Course NumberCourse Name
ACCT 2050Introduction to Financial Reporting
CMGT 3001Introduction to Construction
ABUS 4023WTechnical Writing
COMM 1101Public Speaking
ECON 1101Microeconomics
ABUS 4022WIntroduction to Management

Required Major Coursework

Course NumberCourse Name
ABUS 4013WLegal, Ethical, and Risk Issues for Managers
ABUS 4101Accounting and Finance for Managers
ABUS 4701Introduction to Marketing
CMGT 4011Construction Documents and Contracts
CMGT 4021Construction Planning and Scheduling
CMGT 4022Construction Estimating
CMGT 4031Construction Safety and Loss Control
CMGT 4041WSpecifications & Technical Writing for Construction Pro.
CMGT 4196Construction Management Internship
CMGT 4471Sustainability for Construction Managers
CMGT 4861Construction Management Capstone

Program Tracks

Commercial Construction

This track is focused on commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings. It is the most generalized construction management track for the student hoping to enter the broader construction field as a contractor, subcontractor, or staff member on the owner's side. This track comprises 19 credits, including Building Energy Systems, Building Envelope Design, and Materials and Structures I and II. The Commercial track courses can all be completed with evening coursework.

Commercial Construction Coursework

Foundation Course
Course NumberCourse Name

CMGT 4003

Managing with Building Information Modeling

Required Courses
Course NumberCourse Name

CEGE 3202 

Surveying and Mapping

CMGT 4201

Construction Accounting

CMGT 4542 

Building Energy Systems

CMGT 4544

Materials and Structures I

CMGT 4545

Materials and Structures II

CMGT 4562

Building Envelope Design and Construction

+ 8 Credits Technical Electives

Highway/Heavy-Civil works 

This track benefits students interested in careers in the transportation and highway/heavy-civil works project area by tailoring the elective offerings toward civil engineering construction. It comprises 16 credits, including Transportation Engineering, Surveying, Highway Design, Construction Accounting, and Materials and Structures. Note that some classes are offered only during the daytime.

Highway Heavy and Civil Works Coursework

Foundation Course 
Course NumberCourse Name

CMGT 4003

Managing with Building Information Modeling

Required Courses
Course NumberCourse Name

CEGE 3201

Transportation Engineering

CEGE 3202 

Surveying and Mapping

CEGE 4201

Highway Design

CMGT 4201

Construction Accounting

CMGT 4545

Materials and Structures II

+ 11 Credits Technical Electives

Residential Construction

This track enables students to specialize in residential single or multifamily projects and expand their building science basis specifically to housing applications, while maintaining a strong management orientation. It comprises 22 credits, including Systems Approach to Residential Construction, Advanced Residential Building Science, and Building Testing and Diagnostics. Note that some classes are offered only during the daytime.

Residential Construction Coursework

Foundation Courses
Course NumberCourse Name

CMGT 4003

Managing with Building Information Modeling

CMGT 4544

Materials and Structures I

Required Courses
Course NumberCourse Name

CMGT 4201

Construction Accounting

CMGT 4545

Materials and Structures II

SSM 3612

Systems Approach to Building Science & Construction

SSM 4614

Building Systems Performance: Testing & Diagnostics

SSM 4616

Building Science I: Fundamentals

+ 5 Credits Technical Electives

Program Accreditation

The Construction Management program has been accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) since 2020. The program was previously accredited by the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE) 2014–2020.

ABET Accreditation

ABET accreditation is outcomes-based, and the full list of program student learning outcomes, metrics, and results is given in Appendix B, table B1. An accreditation site visit took place in November 2019 and found no deficiencies, weaknesses, or concerns. The Construction Management program received ABET accreditation in October 2020, and accreditation lasts a maximum of six years. Reaccreditation will be applied for in the 2024–25 academic year.

Facility Management Accreditation

The program has been accredited by the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) since April 2012; reaccreditation took place in 2018. In 2019, ABET assumed responsibility for IFMA accreditation. The program received ABET accreditation for its Facility Management track in April 2020. Since the Facility Management program has been canceled, the accreditation thereon will not be renewed in the next cycle.

Certifications in the Program

Several courses in the Construction Management program include or prepare students to sit for additional external certifications or examinations, and these are integrated in their learning outcomes.

CMGT 4031: Construction Safety & Loss Control − OSHA 30-Hour Certificate

Since fall 2004 the Construction Safety & Loss Control class has included OSHA certification as part of the course learning objectives. The 30-hour certification has been offered since fall 2009.

  • Fall 2023 - 15 students completed the certification
  • Spring 2024 - 20 students completed the certification

CMGT 4081: Managing Erosion and Sediment Control on Construction Sites − Construction Site Management Stormwater Certification

Integrated in this course since its launch in 2012, students taking CMGT 4081 take the Construction Site Management Stormwater Certification as part of their course assessments. This credential is offered through the University of Minnesota Erosion and Stormwater Management Program in partnership with MPCA and MnDOT. 

  • Five students passed the exam in spring 2024.

CMGT 4861: Construction Management Capstone − Construction Manager in Training (CMIT)

Since 2013, students taking the capstone class, CMGT 4861, can receive extra credit if they take the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) Construction Manager in Training (CMIT) certification exam. 

  • None applied for this exam.

Topics Classes

The program will sometimes offer topics classes designed to address a timely issue in the construction industry, to gauge interest in a new course, or to coincide with a regional event.  No topics class was offered in 2023–24, but several previous topics classes have been developed into regular classes.

  • CMGT 4000 − The Construction Industry through Time and Tomorrow − fall, even years, online
    The history of the construction industry, organization and delivery.
  • CMGT 4001 − Innovative Contracting − fall, odd years
    Project delivery methods in the public sector.  (to be discontinued 2024-25, content to be merged into Documents and Contracts course)
  • CMGT 4002 − Lean Construction − spring, odd years (to be discontinued 2024-25, content to be merged into expanded Planning and Scheduling sequence)
    Lean principles and their application to design and construction.
  • CMGT 4003 − Managing in the BIM Environment − spring and fall, every year
    Technical overview of software and construction management processes using BIM.

Three-Year Course Reviews

Every three years, Construction Management courses are reviewed to determine development needs and to maintain curriculum quality. Additional course reviews may occur if a course has been converted to a hybrid or fully online delivery model. A full description of program quality assessment is given in Appendix 1: Quality Improvement Plan.

Currently course-reviews are on hiatus as they move from staff-led to faculty-director-led reviews. As subject experts faculty directors are best placed to lead these reviews of curriculum.

Course and Curriculum Changes

A major curriculum review is scheduled to commence in AY 2023. Several of the topics classes mentioned above will be re-examined and consideration of their content brought more into the core curriculum (LEAN and Innovative Contracting).  Specifically targeted are the estimating and planning/scheduling core courses that expect to have one additional credit each in content.

Liberal Education Requirements (LE)

The College of Continuing and Professional Studies’ Bachelor of Applied Science majors follow the University of Minnesota’s Liberal Education (LE) requirements.

The LE requirements are split into two sections: the Diversified Core, the “why” and “how” of different academic disciplines, and the Designated Themes, topics central to an understanding of contemporary life. Each section is subdivided into several areas, and the University maintains a list of courses approved to fulfill one of the LE areas (see Liberal Education Requirements). Students are required to satisfy all seven core requirements and four of the five designated themes.

University of Minnesota − Liberal Education Requirements

Diversified CoreRequired Credits
Arts/Humanities3 credits
Biological Science4 credits; must include lab or field experience
Historical Perspective3 credits
Literature 3 credits
Mathematical Thinking3 credits
Physical Science4 credits; must include lab or field experience
Social Sciences3 credits
Designated ThemesRequired Credits
Civic Life and Ethics3 credits
Diversity and Social Justice in the United States3 credits
The Environment3 credits
Global Perspectives3 credits
Technology & Society 3 credits

The Writing Intensive Requirement

Writing intensive courses help students understand what it means to write in various disciplines and how writing can be made stronger and clearer so that they can communicate their views effectively.

In addition to the first-year writing requirement, students must complete four writing intensive courses. Two of the writing intensive courses must be taken at the upper division level, one of which must be taken in the student’s major. Courses approved for Writing Intensive status have completed a rigorous review process by the Campus Writing Board.

Five courses in the CMGT program have Writing Intensive designation: CMGT 3001W – Introduction to Construction (WI spring 2017), CMGT 3024W – Facility Programming and Design (WI fall 2017), CMGT 4041W – Specifications and Technical Writing for Construction Professionals (WI spring 2012), ABUS 4013W – Legal, Ethical, and Risk Issues for Managers (WI spring 2016), and ABUS 4022W – Introduction to Management (fall 2018). Construction Management students can “double dip” from the following writing intensive classes or approved substitutions.

Lower Division Courses

Course NumberCourse Name
PHYS 1101WIntroductory College Physics I
One other lower-division writing intensive class

Upper Division Courses

Course NumberCourse Name
ABUS 4013WLegal, Ethical, and Risk Issues for Managers
ABUS 4023WCommunicating for Results
CMGT 3001WIntroduction to Construction
CMGT 3024WFacility Programming and Design
CMGT 4041WSpecifications and Technical Writing for Construction Professionals

Writing Enriched Curriculum

In addition to the requirement for Writing Intensive courses, the Construction Management program is also part of the University of Minnesota Writing Enriched Curriculum (WEC) initiative. This University-wide project, launched in 2007 with generous support from the Bush Foundation, provides a process for meaningfully infusing discipline-specific writing and writing instruction into all undergraduate curricula. 

The WEC project, supported by the Office of Undergraduate Education, enrolls five additional undergraduate units each year and will continue to do so until all undergraduate majors are engaged. Find further information at CMGT WEC program information. The CMGT Writing Plan is available on the same website.

The Construction Management program joined the sixth WEC cohort in June 2011 and has actively continued to develop the Writing Enriched Curriculum initiative. Accomplishments to date include:

  • Publication of our construction-specific online writing style guide Writing for Construction Managers: A Guide to Content and Style soft-launched in January 2015 and is now linked to every CMGT course website and, where applicable, to specific assignment guidelines. This website is reviewed annually for updates and shared with faculty from around the country as a reference.
  • The third edition of the Writing Plan was approved by the Campus Writing Board and the Provost in July 2015. This phase developed targeted approaches around a “Teaching with Writing” theme targeted to new faculty and existing faculty as a training tool and the integration of writing rubrics into targeted assignments. While we continue to focus our efforts on writing across our curriculum, we have not undertaken any grants available. The work is ongoing to best integrate writing rubrics into all of our courses.
  • A Legacy Writing Plan was encouraged and applied for, however the application was tabled by WEC in favor of other, more needy programs than ours at the time since our program is on a solid footing.
  • As a direct result of the WEC initiative in our program, former grad student Ms. Heidi Wagner and Peter Hilger have completed a substantial draft of their textbook on writing within the industry, and are currently working with publishing options and a hoped for publication in 2025.

Student Rating of Teaching Summary

In accordance with the University policy on the Evaluation of Teaching, at the end of each course students are given the opportunity to give feedback on the course and the instructor via the Student Rating of Teaching (SRT) survey. The Construction Management program tracks the results of our SRTs each semester and uses the results during annual faculty reviews to make curricular and teaching decisions. Further, the information obtained from the SRT evaluations is useful for instructors in explaining how different groups respond to their teaching methods.

A new version of the SRT survey was introduced in 2015, featuring four new questions and a division between those questions that relate to instruction and those that relate to course content. Results from the course-related questions are shared with the University student body.

CMGT faculty consistently score highly in the SRT evaluations, and especially for question 4 “the instructor treated me with respect.” The response rate is generally around 20%.

SRT Survey Results for Construction Management Courses (last three academic years)

SummaryAY 2021−22AY 2022–23AY 2023–24
Total Possible Responses785810755
Actual Responses188 (24%)149 (18%)126 (17%)
Average Rating (Out of 6)5.25.35.3
Evaluation Questions
(Mean of Responses out of 6)
Instructor Questions
1: The instructor was well prepared for class.5.25.45.3
2: The instructor presented the subject matter clearly.5.15.35.3
3: Interactions with the instructor helped me learn.5.15.45.4
4: The instructor treated me with respect.5.55.75.7
5: The instructor provided feedback intended to improve my course performance.5.15.35.3
6: I would recommend this instructor to other students.5.15.25.3
Course Questions
1: I have a deeper understanding of the subject matter as a result of this course.5.4

5.4

5.4

2: My interest in the subject matter was stimulated by this course.5.1

5.2

5.1

3: Instructional technology employed in this course was effective.5.0

5.1

5.1

4: The activities in this course supported my learning.5.3

5.3

5.3

5: The amount of effort needed to be successful in this course is reasonable5.0

5.0

5.3

6: The grading standards for this course were clear.5.1

5.3

5.4

7: I would recommend this course to other students.5.1

5.2

5.2