Building Information Modelling and Digital Construction - MSc
Currently viewing course to start in 2024/25 Entry. Switch to 2025/26 Entry
The MSc in BIM (Building Information Modelling) and Digital Construction course is designed in response to the growth of digitalisation in the built environment, to produce pioneers who can lead and apply digital innovation to the construction industry. This Master’s degree is aimed at: Providing you with a comprehensive portfolio of creative, professional and practice-based education....
- Level Postgraduate Taught
- Study mode Full Time/Part Time
- Award MSc
- Start date January 2025
- Fees View course fees
- Subject
- Location City Centre
This course is:
Open to International Students
Overview
The MSc in BIM (Building Information Modelling) and Digital Construction course is designed in response to the growth of digitalisation in the built environment, to produce pioneers who can lead and apply digital innovation to the construction industry. This Master’s degree is aimed at:
- Providing you with a comprehensive portfolio of creative, professional and practice-based education.
- Helping you to secure employment, further study and career enhancement.
The course design has been influenced by the rapid development in automated processes that support different aspects within the built environment, as well as the continual demand of the commercial sector for strategies that support effective technological transformation.
Improving digital competencies amongst different professionals at technical, operational, and managerial levels across the built environment sector is becoming vital. With the continual technological evolution of this sector, the demand for graduates who can competently use data and information is on the rise - especially with many emerging potentials resulting from applying areas of knowledge such as techniques from big data analytics, block-chain, and information system management strategies. We welcome professionals and graduates who with an enthusiasm for learning and real-world understanding to study this course.
MSc BIM and Digital Construction is a cognate course, which means that it is designed for graduates from backgrounds including built environment, engineering, manufacturing, and computer science industry professionals. This goes hand-in-hand with the applied nature of the taught modules, which contextualise theory and practical exercises into areas where we have considerable expertise, e.g., BIM, information systems and computer science.
What's covered in this course?
The MSc BIM and Digital Construction is built on three main areas of knowledge: Digital Transformation, BIM and Integrated Processes, and Decision-making and Optimisation.
Digital Transformation: Through information system lenses, we will provide you with knowledge and understanding on role of information systems and technology within organisations, shedding light on a range of techniques and technologies that support formulating an effective strategy for digital transformation.
BIM and Integrated Processes: Reflecting on best practice of employing integrated processes across the different built environment disciplines, we will build your knowledge and practice of using Building Information Modelling (BIM) as one of the integrated processes on real-life projects. With the continual evolvement of engineering processes within the construction industry, we will also cover knowledge and understanding about lean techniques and principle and its integration in BIM projects.
Decision-making and Optimisation: As the integration of technology-based solutions within the built environment expands, the value of understanding data/information in informing different decisions across the whole lifecycle is becoming inevitable. Through interdisciplinary expertise, we will provide you with an insight into different computing based areas to equip you with robust knowledge on data synthesis to optimise different aspects within the built environment.
Accredited By
This course is accredited by:
Why Choose Us?
- Become a specialist in BIM and Digital Construction - this course will go beyond upskilling your knowledge on technological advances in the BIM and construction industry to equip you with pragmatic and dynamic mind-set that places you at the front line in the construction market.
- Widening your job prospects - in addition to your opportunities in the construction market, our course will enable you to step into businesses that are undergoing or planning to undergo a digital transformation journey where your role will be forming strategy, improving processes and support their technological adoption.
- Links with industry - we are well connected with the industry, and this includes large organisations and SMEs. The interdisciplinary nature of the course allows us to bring expertise from both the construction industry and computer science together.
OPEN DAY
Join us for a Virtual Open Event where you'll be able to learn about this course in detail, meet our subject academics and learn more about postgraduate finance, all from the comfort of your own home.
Next Event: 5 February 2025
Entry Requirements
Essential requirements
Essential Requirements
2:2 honours degree or higher in Built Environment, Engineering or Computer Science Discipline |
We will also consider other qualifications and suitable work based experience on an individual basis. You may be asked to attend a selection interview. |
Additional information for EU/International students
Essential |
---|
Non-EU students need to demonstrate a good command of English. IELTS 6.0 with not less than 5.5 in all areas or equivalent is needed before they can enrol in this programme. |
If you have a qualification that is not listed, please contact us.
Fees & How to Apply
UK 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: Jan 2025
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 12 months
- £9,710 in 2024/25
- Full Time
- 18 months with Professional Placement*
- £10,685 in 2024/25
- Part Time
- 24 months
- Show fees
- £1079 per 20 credits
- Year 1 - 60 credits
- Year 2 - 120 credits
Fees for Part-time students
This course can be studied on a Part-time study basis. The cost per year of study is based on credit requirements for that year.
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: Jan 2025
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 12 months
- £17,710 in 2024/25
- Full Time
- 18 months with Professional Placement*
- £19,485 in 2024/25
Professional Placement option*
The Professional Placement option will allow you to complete a credit bearing, 20 week Professional Placement as an integral part of your Master’s Degree. The purpose of the Professional Placement is to improve your employability skills which will, through the placement experience, allow you to evidence your professional skills, attitudes and behaviours at the point of entry to the postgraduate job market. Furthermore, by completing the Professional Placement, you will be able to develop and enhance your understanding of the professional work environment, relevant to your chosen field of study, and reflect critically on your own professional skills development within the workplace.
You will be responsible for finding and securing your own placement. The University, however, will draw on its extensive network of local, regional and national employers to support you in finding a suitable placement to complement your chosen area of study. You will also benefit from support sessions delivered by Careers+ as well as advice and guidance from your School.
Placements will only be confirmed following a competitive, employer-led selection process, therefore the University will not be able to guarantee placements for students who have registered for the ‘with Professional Placement’ course. All students who do not find a suitable placement or do not pass the competitive selection process will be automatically transferred back to the standard, non-placement version of the course.
Personal statement
You’ll need to submit a personal statement as part of your application for this course. This will need to highlight your passion for postgraduate study – and your chosen course – as well as your personal skills and experience, academic success, and any other factors that will support your application for further study.
If you are applying for a stand alone module, please include the title of the module you want to study in your Personal Statement.
Not sure what to include? We’re here to help – take a look at our top tips for writing personal statements and download our free postgraduate personal statement guide for further advice and examples from real students.
Course in Depth
Master's
In order to complete this course, you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 180 credits):
Computing proficiency is essential in modern data science and a firm grounding is required before the more technical themes of Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be studied. This is the introductory module for the programme where no prior computational foundations are assumed. A holistic view of computing will be provided covering the important themes of data management, programming and security considerations.
The aim of this module is to identify, apply and design data visualisations. The module provides you with the fundamental principles and practice-based activities needed to design data visualisations for both different contexts, and different types of data. More advanced visualisation concepts and tools for analysing multi-dimensional data and large data sets will also be examined and appraised.
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. In this, it explores and challenges different conceptions of innovation and seeks to devise strategies for implementation and success within different contexts.
This module aims to provide a holistic view of the process and practice underlined by the use of Building Information Modelling (BIM) as one of the mechanisms for integrated delivery. Using case studies and real life scenarios, the Module commences by identifying drivers and rationale to identify the business case for BIM in any project.
The construction industry has continually strived to embed lean principles and practices within the delivery process. In recent years, one of the recognised shifts is the incorporation of lean production processes that support sustainable construction within the supply chain. Motivated by past achievements and in alignment with future potentials, this module aims to facilitate knowledge and practices of lean integration and production within the built environment, alongside the critical principles of sustainable construction.
This module aims to provide you with an insight “beyond BIM” applications to improve and optimise different processes within the digital built environment. Due to the advent of technological advancements, and since the introduction of Industry 4.0 and 5.0, research continues to show that deeper insights into data and information can help to overcome many of the complex issues within built environment projects. This module acts as a cross-disciplinary bridge between BIM and automated technologies to have more informed decisions and improve processes.
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.
Professional Placement
In order to qualify for the award of MSc Digital Construction with Professional Placement, a student must successfully complete all of the Level 7 modules listed above as well as the following Level 6 module:
This module is designed to provide you with the opportunity to undertake a credit bearing, 20-week Professional Placement as an integral part of your Master’s Degree.
The purpose of the Professional Placement is to improve your employability skills which will, through the placement experience, allow you to evidence your professional skills, attitudes and behaviours at the point of entry to the postgraduate job market. Furthermore, by completing the Professional Placement, you will be able to develop and enhance your understanding of the professional work environment, relevant to your chosen field of study, and reflect critically on your own professional skills development within the workplace.
Download course specification
Download nowThe teaching for this course puts you at the centre of learning and teaching, with a particular focus on the reflective learner and the development of professional skills and applied research. The course team use lectures, seminars, workshops, action learning sets, group work, problem based activities, guest speakers, on-line learning via Moodle, a study trip and discussion forums to deliver learning.
Critical thinking is vital in Master’s study, and you are required to develop your own ideas and come up with solutions to problems based on solid evidence and logical analysis. You’ll also be expected to complete reading and assignments outside of class hours.
Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE)
This course is accredited by Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE)
Employability
Enhancing your employability skills
Construction is seen as one of the top industries that rapidly is moving toward digitising its processes. Following the emergence of the fourth industrial revolution, digitalisation is recognised to be having a profound impact on the way industry works, operates and progresses.
Despite the digital transformation wave, this course anticipates to engage you with multidisciplinary industries to promote innovation and enable you to gain both practical and in-depth knowledge of tools and techniques within the Digital Built Environment for solving complex project problems.
Benefiting from our resources and partnership with Autodesk, you will be using software applications including Revit, Dynamo, BIM 360, and many others. Also, as BCU is recognised as an Autodesk Training Centre, you will benefit by having a free training access to one of the software applications from Autodesk.
Despite the active engagement with many international Consultancies, Contractors, and the UK BIM Alliance through the BIM Task Group, the course responds to many of the current and future needs within the Built Environment. The course will invite leading guest speakers to share their knowledge across various modules, and this will be arranged at their convenience.
International
Birmingham City University is a vibrant and multicultural university in the heart of a modern and diverse city. We welcome many international students every year – there are currently students from more than 80 countries among our student community.
The University is conveniently placed, with Birmingham International Airport nearby and first-rate transport connections to London and the rest of the UK.
Our international pages contain a wealth of information for international students who are considering applying to study here, including:
- Details of the entry requirements for our courses
- Some of the good reasons why you should study here
- How to improve your language skills before starting your studies
- Information relevant to applicants from your country
- Where to find financial support for your studies.
Facilities & Staff
Our Facilities
The facility our students value most is not actually on campus, but is the location of the campus in the heart of Birmingham’s Eastside opposite the new High Speed 2 station construction, and minutes from dozens of fascinating live projects within the city centre.
Birmingham as it changes constantly on our doorstep really is our ‘living lab’. By simply looking out the window of our classrooms you’ll be able to witness live projects as they’re happening around us. You’ll constantly be inspired by dozens of fascinating case studies just from walking from the station to the campus.
The facilities on offer to our students reflect the work environment you will enter as you start your career. Learn more about what we have to offer below.
Our staff
Dr Mohammad Mayouf
Senior Lecturer in Digital Built Environment
Dr Mohammad Mayouf teaches a range of modules across Construction Management, Quantity Surveying and Building Surveying both at Undergraduate and postgraduate levels. His expertise include embedding and applying the use of Building Information Modelling (BIM) within the built environment teaching curriculums, and research and collaboration with...
More about MohammadDr Elham Delzendeh
Associate Professor in Built Environment
Dr Elham Delzendeh is an Associate Professor and the College Academic Lead for Employability at the College of Built Environment, Birmingham City University, specialising in Digital Built Environment and Technological Design. With a robust academic background including a PhD in Architecture and Built Environment, an MSc, and a BSc in Architectural...
More about ElhamDr Saeed Talebi
College of Built Environment Academic Lead for Teaching Excellence and the Student Experience
Dr Saeed Talebi is a Senior Lecturer at the College of Built Environment, Course Leader for Quantity Surveying and College of Built Environment Academic Lead for Teaching Excellence and the Student Experience at Birmingham City University. He also holds the distinguished title of Visiting Fellow at the School of Engineering, Design and Built...
More about SaeedDr Emmanuel Aboagye-Nimo
Senior Lecturer in Construction Management
Emmanuel Aboagye-Nimo is a Chartered Construction Manager (MCIOB) and a Senior Lecturer in Construction Management. He teaches on a range of Built Environment modules and supervises researchers of various levels from undergraduate to doctoral projects.
More about Emmanuel