Construction Project Management - MSc

The overall teaching, learning and assessment strategy of this course is that you are at the centre of learning and teaching, which has a particular focus on the reflective learner and the development of professional skills and applied research. To achieve this and to ensure that you are exposed to a wide range of learning and teaching methods, we use lectures, seminars, workshops, action learning sets, group work, problem based activities, guest speakers, on-line learning via Moodle, site visits and discussion forums.

Our teaching is very interactive, and you are encouraged to share your experience and opinions with your peers. 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.

Although this programme is module based, each module forms part of one of the programme themes. This ensures that module design and associated teaching and assessments link together in progressive subject development. Our part-time students attend lectures on day-release basis, and share the modules with our full-time students.

Various assessment will be used in this course:

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.

This course is accredited by:

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)

The course is fully accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Successful completion of the course will lead to Professional Membership after the Assessment of Professional Competence (APC). 

The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB)

The Chartered Institute of Building is at the heart of a management career in construction. Its focus is on those entering and already in a management career in construction, by delivering qualifications and certifications that meet the needs of a changing industry. It works with members, employers, academia and governments across the globe to drive forward the science, practice and importance of management in construction.

Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE)

This course is accredited by Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE)

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.

Each year, over half of our students are international students. They come from countries such as India, China, Nigeria, Thailand, Russia, Sri Lanka, Ghana, Pakistan, Myanmar, Spain, Sweden, Jordan, Lebanon and Sudan. Our students are from different disciplines within the construction industry such as civil engineering, architecture, quantity surveying, building surveying and construction management, and many of them have rich construction working experience. The diversity of our students means that you can work with people from different cultural backgrounds, share your experience and understand construction project management from different perspectives. You are encouraged to investigate your own home country’s construction practices for your assessment and dissertation research so you can be better prepared for employment and career development after your study.

Student stories

Indian graduate Sahib Nazir believes the course helped him gain his career success. He took an entrance examination for the government of Jammu and Kashmir (roads and buildings works).  Almost 8,000 students applied and Sahib was one of 300 engineers accepted.

He said course leader Dr Hong Xiao had a major role to play in the encouragement and support of each and every student.