Construction Management with a Foundation Year - BSc (Hons) *

Digital construction is an integral component of the design, development and maintenance of modern residential development. Building information technology (BIM) is at the forefront of the movement towards total digitalisation of the built environment. This module aims to provide a foundation for you to successfully execute the BIM process by working across the different course disciplines on a project that simulates a residential project.

Students from each course (real estate, construction management, architectural technology, planning or building surveying) will execute multiple BIM data developments throughout the building’s lifecycle simultaneously. These individual developments will then be amalgamated to produce a federated BIM model that contains all coursework submitted for each group as a final bid report. The disciplines will broadly work on the following: real estate will focus on the marketability of the project based upon its BIM output; construction management and planners will consider planning and controlling the project; architectural technology students will focus on the redesign of the residential project according to appropriate building regulations; building surveying will produce an analysis of the building’s life cycle requirements for facilities management during occupancy.

This module will provide you with the basic legal concepts and principles you will need throughout your career in the built environment.

You will be introduced to the structure and processes of the English legal system. This is the essential foundation of the legal skills necessary for the provision of sound advice to clients and colleagues in your career. In particular, you will focus on legal and regulatory frameworks which shape the design, development and management of buildings and places. You will explore the English legal system and how law is made and contract and tort law including nuisance, negligence and occupiers’ liability.

To put your skills into practice, you will be presented with scenarios and required to provide accurate, informed and professional advice to your client with reference to existing case law.

This module, for all of the built environment professions, introduces a range of concepts relating to the technology of construction.  You will gain an understanding of modern and sustainable methods of construction, based on the example of low rise residential construction as this is relatively straightforward and gives you the opportunity to explore these issues appropriately.

You will be introduced to everyday materials, construction methods, building services and Building Regulation. You will gain an insight into the properties of materials and the basic scientific principles that apply to them.  You will focus on construction materials and how they can be used to create a construction element and/or component (e.g. a floor, an external wall, a roof). In order to gain an understanding of the design process, you will create and present a virtual building model. 

Environmental and materials science is an important area of study for all disciplines involved with the design, planning, development and management of the built environment. This module encourages you to consider how the properties, structures and performance of materials influence why buildings function. You will be encouraged to consider how these properties have an impact on construction from a design and practical use perspective. This module will enable you to develop innovative solutions for more robust, resilient, safe and sustainable buildings and structures.

Using directed learning exercises, you will produce a professional portfolio exploring issues including design technology, building methods, energy use and thermal effect. Many of these issues relate closely to the changing landscape of the sustainability agenda, which affects all built environment disciplines from planning and design to property management. In groups you will produce a final professional poster which will be presented to an industry panel.

This project allows you to develop and cultivate a creative mindset through collaborative innovative practice, bringing together knowledge and imagination to construct a viable product.　You will work in inter-disciplinary project teams supported by innovation mentors, advisers and academics, culminating in you exhibiting your work to an international panel of experts.

You will be encouraged to demonstrate deep thinking (research, thought and action) of your ideas and constructs through the development of an extensive speculative project plan that will encourage you to innovate further.

The module is semi-structured using lectures, workshops and innovation labs within the student teams, and you will be supported and encouraged to continuously progress your projects for assessment.

This module will explore the wider implications of the selection of traditional and innovative building material, methods of construction in new build and refurbishment and environmental and mechanical services systems.

You will gain an insight into the operational complexities involved in the construction of large-scale commercial buildings to ensure that projects are delivered on time and on budget and meet the required quality standard.

You will be introduced to the key technology concepts and gain an understanding of the technical terminology used in commercial construction. You will also gain an in-depth understanding of the construction methods and systems which can be applied to commercial and industrial buildings and apply the technology principles gained at Level 4 to large scale buildings.

You learning will be reinforced by problem-based tasks focused on identifying different building materials and methods which can be used in commercial construction.

This module encourages you to explore the potential of Building Information Modelling (BIM). Through developing a project, you will explore the potential of multiple BIM data developments.

The module incorporates learning through formal lectures including presentations, seminars, tutorials, hands-on experience, learning sets and problem based scenarios, backed up by guest speakers and visits to construction sites when appropriate.

Learning activities incorporate work-related learning and problem solving, in-class tasks, seminar work, peer assessment and learning sets. Practical work includes practical demonstrations, seminar, laboratory and tutorial work, use of ICT as a visual tool, problem-based scenarios and group project work.

This module will broaden your knowledge of various forms of cost considerations prior to tendering, including an estimation of a construction project’s cash flow. You will develop the skills to deliver the various elements required in preparation of a Tender.

You will gain a perspective on procurement procedures and the impact of those procedures on project development and consider how aspects of commercial management contribute to the life of a development.

In this module, you will learn about the process of planning and programming activities for a construction site. You will combine your technical and managerial skills within the construction environment and gain a breadth of knowledge in key areas of the construction process, site set up, health and safety, planning and programming, data and information management, and communication and management theories.

You will use software applications to ensure your skills are at the forefront of developments in the industry. The assessment process will also develop your communication and problem solving skills to enable you to provide professional advice to your clients.

This module will expand your skills in interpreting information about project sites and develop your understanding of operational and constructional processes. You will consider key aspects of Civil Engineering: 

• soil and site investigation (for example by site visit, measurements, photographs, trial pits and drilling of boreholes);

• groundworks (including site clearance, site preparation, groundwater control and excavation for foundations);

• main structural elements (including beams and columns in steel, timber and reinforced concrete, fixing of reinforcement, bracing and fireproofing)

• external works (roads, drainage systems, SUDS, culverts, gravity and cantilever retaining walls).

You will develop your intellectual and practical competence in technical, managerial, economic, theoretical and environmental aspects of construction, learning through formal lectures, presentations, seminars, tutorials, and problem based scenarios, backed up by visits to construction sites and exhibitions when appropriate.

This module will consider construction projects as an organisational issue, and introduce you to the two main approaches to the management of projects. The first is the functional management approach, which is largely based on structured techniques and methods, and the second is the organisational management approach, which sees management as an ongoing social and organisational process. You will explore both approaches, and learn how to use them in a balanced way for the successful management of construction projects.

With the functional management approach, you will understand how to define a project in a structured way using project breakdown structures, and how to use these for further planning and control functions in the project. With the organisational management approach, you will learn about the fundamental difficulties of managing construction projects due to their inherent uncertainty and complexity.

This module explores and applies architectural engineering principles to the construction, planning and design of buildings and structures in order to create a built environment that is energy efficient and environmentally friendly.

You will study the structural integrity of buildings and energy management issues in order to understand the construction management process as a part of a creative, practical and interdisciplinary approach. You will consider evolving demands from all stakeholders and the use of new materials and assembly techniques based on the need for more sustainable buildings.

You will consider building design and building services, and you will explore and develop an understanding of the design and analysis of heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, acoustic and lighting planning, as well as study the efficiency and design of plumbing, fire protection and electrical systems. You will work in a manner that encourages constructive teamwork – a vital skill in the modern and complex construction industry.

In this module, you will focus on extending and providing appropriate evidence of your professional skills and development. The aim of the module is to introduce you to key contemporary social thinking within the built environment, centred on community, built environment diversity and inclusivity issues.

You will gain an appreciation and understanding of the principles, tools, methods and processes of consultancy and professionalism and how these link to a wider citizenship agenda. You will explore practice-based learning through a ‘hands-on’ group-based consultancy assignment with a real client organisation. You will be required: to deconstruct and negotiate a consultancy project in a situation where initially there may be a lack of clarity, high ambiguity, intense uncertainty and unusual data; apply a range of frameworks to structure analytical thinking; apply techniques to complete the research; and demonstrate effective communication skills in delivering the final results to the client.

This is a chance to undertake a sustained, in-depth and research-informed project exploring an area of personal interest to you. In agreement with your supervisor, you will decide on 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 you should consider its relevance to your future academic or professional development.

You will be expected to work independently, with additional one-to-one support from your supervisor, who will be familiar with your chosen topic area. As you progress, extra support will be available which may take the form of group seminars, workshops or online materials.