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Construction Project Management MSc
| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2024-09-01 | - |
Program Overview
Course summary
Despite turbulence in the global economy, the construction industry continues to grow with revenue expected to reach US$15 trillion by 2025. Specialist project managers are in high demand to help negotiate projects through the inevitable hurdles that can arise due to a host of issues ranging from time constraints and safety and workforce considerations to legal issues, government regulations and environmental concerns.
Fully accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), this course will be of interest if you are a graduate in or with previous construction-related employment and if you are seeking a senior project management position within the industry.
Project management is now a well-established discipline within the construction industry, applied to projects of all sizes and levels of complexity. On this course, you’ll learn the modern management skills, techniques, and systems to successfully deliver a project from inception to completion, and how to meet a client’s requirements within the constraints of the external environment.
Our central London location and numerous industry contacts, which include client organisations, public and private Tier 1 consultants and contractors and Tier 2 consultants, contractors and suppliers, enable us to invite practising professionals to contribute regularly to the course and to give guest lectures.
You'll have the chance to apply your skills and knowledge to real-life practical problems through case studies. When possible, we also visit construction sites in London, so you can see how developers overcome some of the issues associated with developing in a challenging environment like the centre of a large metropolis, such as traffic and transportation.
Top reasons to study with us
- Fully accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB)
- Part-time course recognises the significant challenges of combining postgraduate study with full-time professional employment
- Delivered by a multicultural and international teaching body, who come from professional practice and/or regularly publish in top international journals
- Take part in site visits to major construction sites and infrastructure projects in the UK
- Active student-run Construction Society that organises trip and socials, which in 2020 included visiting the mega development in London on the old Battersea power station site
- Previous students have attended the week-long Constructionarium at the CITB training facility, building scaled-down versions of various structures, from start to finish, and including setting out, creating formwork, steel fixing and pouring concrete – as close as we can get to a working construction site
- Option to take part in the International Building Challenge, a joint activity between the University of Westminster and Saxion University of Applied Science in Enschede, Netherlands, involving students from both institutions as well as universities in Belgium, Russia and Germany
Course structure
This course aims to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the techniques associated with the management of project resources, the control of project finances, the management of risk and the management of people. It provides a challenging, stimulating and professionally relevant course of study that is directly related to the management of construction projects within this rapidly changing industry.
You’ll study project management in depth, focusing on the management techniques and systems required to successful manage all aspects of construction projects, as well as the people involved in delivering them. You'll study six core modules (including the double Project Management module) and choose one optional module.
Developing your skillset, you’ll become adept at critical analysis, evaluation, decision-making and problem-solving, enhancing your leadership, communications and time-management abilities at the same time. Topics covered include the principles of client requirements, critical success factors, sustainability, evaluation of project options, structured methodologies, and the concept of whole-life costing.
The following modules are indicative of what you will study on this course.
Core modules
Construction Project Planning
The key principles of construction project planning from initial briefing to managing the construction process. Analysis of management systems in the context of successfully coordinating and delivering a construction project. Monitoring and control systems.
20 credits
Corporate Management
This module will investigate strategic management issues in relation to organisations that commission and deliver construction projects.
20 credits
Managing Uncertainty in Projects
The module will investigate the management of uncertainty and risk in a construction project environment, examining both qualitative and quantitative techniques.
20 credits
Operational Project Management
The module considers how projects are set up and run. It examines how to ‘do the project right’ from an operational perspective as opposed to ‘doing the right project’. Areas covered include the project lifecycle from inception to disposal, stakeholder management, soft landings, project finance, leadership and the development of effective project teams.
20 credits
Postgraduate Construction Dissertation or Work-Related Project
Identify a topic directly related to construction management which will provide a basis for a research study. Develop explicit research goals. Devise an appropriate research methodology. Undertake the research study and produce a dissertation or work-related project.
40 credits
Procurement
The key stages in the procurement cycle for construction projects. Critical success factors, client requirements, the statutory and legal framework UK and WTO/GATT, procurement and contract strategies, tendering practices, procurement governance and sustainable procurement.
20 credits
Strategic Project Management
The module considers the strategic context within which projects are initiated. It seeks to examine how to ‘do the right project’ from a strategic perspective as opposed to ‘doing the project right’. The module reviews business and organisational and practical tools and techniques in determining and delivering strategy in a project environment.
20 credits
Option modules
Alternative Dispute Resolution
The key principles of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) covering mediation, adjudication, arbitration and expert determination. Analysis of the differences, strengths, and weaknesses among the different ADR options.
20 credits
Building Design Management
Developing critical conceptual knowledge of the design and construction stages and integrated management of both. Evaluating, devising and applying techniques for the design and construction projects, taking into account various factors such as user/client needs, function, structural behaviour, sustainability, buildability and aesthetics of a design and the technical requirements of its’ construction.
20 credits
Construction Law for Contract Management
The module considers the legal context within which construction projects are procured, managed and delivered in the UK and internationally. It will investigate the key areas of the law that affect contract management including Tort, Contract, Statutory Legislation and Dispute Resolution. Emphasis in standard building contracts.
20 credits
Developing Effective Project Teams
The selection, development and maintenance of effective and efficient teams throughout the duration of projects. The principles of team selection, group dynamics and appraisal. The process of identifying client requirements for team deliverables.
20 credits
Professional accreditation
This course is fully accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB).
