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Digital Construction - MSc

Currently viewing course to start in 2024/25 Entry.

The MSc in 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 new course is aimed at: Provide you with a comprehensive portfolio of creative, professional and practice-based education....

  • Level Postgraduate Taught
  • Study mode Full Time/Part Time
  • Location City Centre
  • Award MSc
  • Start date September 2024
  • School School of Engineering and the Built Environment
  • Faculty Faculty of Computing, Engineering and The Built Environment

This course is:

Available with Professional Placement year

Open to International Students

Overview

The MSc in 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 new course is aimed at:

  • Provide you with a comprehensive portfolio of creative, professional and practice-based education. Help you to secure employment and career enhancement, further study and career enhancement.
  • Help you to secure employment and career enhancement, 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 advance the use of data / 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 anticipate that both professionals and graduates are motivated and capable in terms of both academic ability and real-world understanding to study this course.

MSc Digital Construction is a cognate course, which means that it is designed for graduates from different educational 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.

This course is open to International students.

What's covered in this course?

The MSc Digital Construction is built on five main areas of knowledge: Digital Transformation, Integrated Processes, Innovation, Smart Production and Decision-making.

Digital Transformation: through Information System lenses, we will provide you with knowledge and understanding on role of Information Systems and Technology within organisations shedding the light on a range of techniques that support formulating an effective strategy for digital transformation.

Integrated Processes: reflecting on best practice of employing integrated processes across different built environment disciplines, we will pave knowledge and practice of using Building Information Modelling (BIM) as one of the integrated processes on real-life projects.

Innovation: extending on integrated processes, you will be exposed to different innovative solutions that can be applied during and after building delivery, and how they can be used to improve overall building performance and management.

Smart Production: with the continual evolvement of engineering and manufacturing processes within the construction industry, we cover knowledge and understanding about different approaches primarily through lean principles toward achieving smart production.

Decision-making: with the expansion of integrating technology-based solutions within the built environment, the value of understanding data/information in informing different decisions across the whole life cycle 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 synthesis of the data to optimise different aspects with in the built environment.

Accredited By

This course is accredited by:

  • Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE)

Why Choose Us?

  • Become a specialist in Digital Construction - this course will go beyond upskilling your knowledge on technological advances in the 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.

Similar Courses

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Next Event: 7 February 2024

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Entry 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.

Introduction course

Fees & How to Apply

Please select your student status to view fees and apply
  • UK Student
  • International Student

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: Sep 2024

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees
  • Full Time
  • 12 months
  • TBC
  • Full Time
  • 18 months with Professional Placement*
  • TBC
  • Part Time
  • 24 months
  • TBC

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: Sep 2024

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees
  • Full Time
  • 12 months
  • TBC
  • Full Time
  • 18 months with Professional Placement*
  • TBC

Access to computer equipment 

You will require use of a laptop, and most students do prefer to have their own. However, you can borrow a laptop from the university or use one of our shared computer rooms.  

Printing

You will receive £5 print credit in each year of your course, available after enrolment.

Access to Microsoft Office 365

Every student at the University can download a free copy of Microsoft Office 365 to use whilst at university and for 18 months after graduation.

Key Software

You will be able to download SPSS, NVivo, Matlab and Simulink to your home computer to support with your studies and research, so that you can access this software on and off campus. We also provide remote access to campus software which is essential to engage with the module contents. 

Key subscriptions

Subscriptions to key journals and websites are available through our library.

LinkedIn Learning

Free access to LinkedIn Learning, which offers over 5,000 in-depth and bite-sized courses.

Placement expenses (optional)

If you choose to undertake a placement, you will need to budget for accommodation and any travel costs you may incur whilst living or working away from home.

Excess printing (optional)

Once you have spent your £5 credit, additional printing on campus costs from 5p per sheet.

Books (optional)

All module key texts will be in the University library, but in limited numbers. You may choose to purchase a copy.

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.

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 a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 180 credits):

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:

Download course specification

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The 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.

This course is accredited by

Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE)
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:

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.

Software

Recognising the rapidly evolving digital built environment we are constantly reviewing software to best fit with the professions of the future.

Autodesk Accredited Centre Status, we use the latest integrated building modelling software across undergraduate courses, seeing Architectural Technology, Building Surveying, Construction Management, and Quantity Surveying students engaging in cross discipline information management projects modelling real life experience. Accredited Centre status allowing all students licence to download this software, and making available additional qualifications and certification to those demonstrating expertise and dedication to exploring their own and the limits of the Autodesk environment.

At course level, students engage with the latest and most appropriate software for their future professions. Real Estate students with CoStar, the leading industry database supporting valuations. Quantity Surveyors using Blue Beam, Revu and QS Pro, and along these Quantity Surveyors and Construction Managers use Synchro and Navisworks for 4D and CostX for 5D work. For Building Surveying and Architectural Technology routes, visualisation is important where Enscape, V-Ray Lumion and Sketch-up are available.

Built Environment Space in Millennium Point

The Built Environment Space in Millennium Point is available to all students with a huge resource of software-equipped laptops for loan on campus. For off campus working, much of the software we use comes with free student licences and all students will have access to the Windows Virtual Desktop, allowing access to our range of software from anywhere where the internet is available.

The Studio Space that we've created in Millennium Point is an open workspace where students can work on their design projects. We have all student work and examples that will change every week or month depending on what stage of a project we're at. And it's an open space for working on projects.

This is where our Architectural Technology students and our Building Surveying students in particular, spend a lot of their time.

Concrete and Hydraulics Labs

Our dedicated Civil Engineering facilities include a Hydraulics & Structures lab Concrete & Geotechnics lab as well as a bending rig.

The swollen concrete lab and hydraulics lab are the heart of our Civil Engineering course, where we have a range of test equipment. This is where our students can carry out experimental work as part of their course, either as part modules or using those labs to work on their final year project.


Built Environment facilities

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 Mohammad

Dr Elham Delzendeh

Senior Lecturer in Digital Built Environment

Elham's core research is around advanced digital technologies in AEC, building energy performance, occupants' behaviours and BIM. In addition to her academic experiences, she has a demonstrated history of working in the design and construction industry as an Architect, Architectural Technologist and BIM specialist.

More about Elham

Dr 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 Saeed

Dr 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