Construction Management (120 credits)

Job opportunities and the future

The construction and civil engineering industry is experiencing extensive recruitment needs. New competence is necessary at several levels, including people to work in production with, for example, work supervision, calculations and planning.

The programme

Construction Management 120 credits is a two-year university programme. It has a strong focus on future professional roles and is aimed at supplying the needs of the industry as concerns competence within management of the production stage, and at the same time creating good preconditions for gaining employment on graduation. This educational programme combines theoretical studies within subjects such as construction physics, construction engineering, construction and construction management, economics, quality and management with practical applications out in the industry. Teaching takes the form of lectures, exercises, seminars and projects. A large part of the projects take place in companies at the construction and civil engineering worksites. Consequently students gain a great deal of professional experience during the programme period and build up a contact network that assists them later on when looking for employment. On graduation students are awarded a Higher Education Diploma in Construction Management.

Year 1

In Term 1 students take theoretical courses at the university, one of the first courses being technical working, methods and working tools. This helps students to gain an overview of the construction field, some insight into what it means to work as a manager in production and knowledge of management /supervisory working methods.

Construction supervisors or site managers must be able to read and interpret different construction drawings and to understand the connection between the different components, systems and functions of a building. Students gain this knowledge in courses such as technical working, methods and working tools and building construction where they also learn to create drawings in CAD and use Building Information Modelling (BIM).

In the construction process course, students learn how the building process works and is organised and about the role and operations of the construction company in this process. Term 1 also includes a maths course to provide some knowledge on subjects such as algebra and trigonometry.

Term 2 of Year 1 includes theoretical courses and six weeks’ project work at a company. In construction management 1, which is partially implemented in a company, students learn the control methods used by contractors for construction production as well as how to establish calculations for a smaller-scale construction project, the tools used to help planning and production, how a procurement procedure is carried out and the requirements imposed by society. Students must also be familiar with legislation and regulations within the field and routines to follow in the case of a dispute.

Statics and solid mechanics helps students to understand the connections between the inner and outer forces’ affect on materials. Students learn to critically examine simpler constructions.
Construction physics with construction materials science teaches students about the characteristics of various construction materials and how heat, damp and air affect them. Students will carry out calculations for heat and damp transport and energy needs for buildings.
Construction economics and quality provides students with an understanding of business economics and quality management systems. Business concepts, company cultures, marketing and accounting are some other concepts that are examined. Students also apply this knowledge out in the companies where they undertake their projects.

Year 2

In Year 2 students will expand their knowledge within the construction field, including more courses on construction management and construction production. Students also learn the basics of management. As in Year 1, students will study theoretical courses mixed with projects located at companies. In construction management 2, students learn more about operational control and risk assessments. Students also study the environment and work science as well as legislation concerning this field. Other skills learned include planning to prevent occupational injuries and active participation in environmental activities at future workplaces.

The field measurement course teaches students to use relevant methods for measuring and setting out. In addition students use the most common geodetic measuring instruments normally found at workplaces. A building also contains a number of technical installations to which a considerable number of energy issues are linked. The course entitled construction production and management covers the various production methods for best logistics and industrial construction. The course also includes environmental and working environment issues, plus a management programme aimed at preparing students for their future work within production as supervisor, site manager or as planner at the office. In addition to work management and conflict resolution, this course also discusses issues such as ethics and valuations.

Concrete is a vital construction material. The concrete construction course provides students with knowledge on technologies and regulations and teaches them how to dimension simpler concrete structures. Project planning, construction and design covers simpler calculations for timber and steel structures. Students also gain knowledge on architecture for planners. There is also a course in civil engineering that includes knowledge on types of soils and bedrock in Sweden. Students learn about the different characteristics and functions of soil materials in connection with foundations for buildings and civil works as well as about groundwork and road structures. In connection to these courses, a 6-week project is undertaken at a company.

At the end of this programme, students extend their knowledge within installation, house construction and utilities. The project course entitled buildings and installation enables students to learn about the structure of climate-creating property installations in a building/plant plus the coordination of technical installations at the production stage. Civil engineering teaches students more about road construction, groundwork techniques, tunnelling and water supply and waste water disposal for society. This course forms the degree project for the programme. A larger-scale project is also included in the plant project course which also forms the degree project for the programme.

Please note! Certain changes may be made to the range of courses.