2022-2023

Construction Management, Bachelor of Science

Department of Civil Engineering, Construction Management, and Environmental Engineering

College of Engineering, Informatics, and Applied Sciences

This degree is offered by the Department of Civil Engineering, Construction Management, and Environmental Engineering.

This program is accredited by the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE)

  • To receive a bachelor's degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete at least 120 units of credit that minimally includes a major, the liberal studies requirements, and university requirements as listed below.

    • All of Northern Arizona University's diversity, liberal studies, junior-level writing, and capstone requirements.
    • All requirements for your specific academic plan(s).
    • At least 30 units of upper-division courses, which may include transfer work.
    • At least 30 units of coursework taken through Northern Arizona University, of which at least 18 must be upper-division courses (300-level or above). This requirement is not met by credit-by-exam, retro-credits, transfer coursework, etc.
    • A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 on all work attempted at Northern Arizona University.

    The full policy can be viewed here.

In addition to University Requirements:

  • At least 20-21 units of preprofessional requirements  
  • At least 94 units of major courses, including at least 8 units of language requirements

  • Up to 9 units of major prefix courses may be used to satisfy Liberal Studies requirements; these same courses may also be used to satisfy major requirements.

  • Elective courses, if needed, to reach an overall total of at least 120 units.

Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.

Minimum Units for Completion 120
Major GPA 2.0
Highest Mathematics Required MAT 125
Fieldwork Experience/Internship Recommended
University Honors Program Optional
AZ Transfer Students complete AGEC-A Recommended
Progression Plan Link View Progression Plan

Purpose Statement

Population and business growth in the United States and abroad result in the need to construct new residential units, office buildings, hospitals, schools, and supporting infrastructure. Existing infrastructure is continually in need of repair and replacement, while trends in increasing energy efficiency leads to the need to retrofit and upgrade existing buildings. Construction managers coordinate and supervise the construction of such projects and are increasingly being called upon to assist in design and the operation phases of these projects as well. These professionals work closely with owners, architects, engineers, building officials, and trade workers and thus must have strong communication skills and a broad understanding of many disciplines.

Our Construction Management curriculum is founded on a general education in liberal studies, communications, mathematics, and physical sciences. Graduates will have applied basic principles in construction science topics including materials and methods, analysis and design of systems, design theory, graphics, and geomatics. They will have also gained an understanding of fundamental business topics including accounting, economics, business law, and principles of management.

These foundations lead to higher-level courses in which such knowledge is applied to construction topics in the areas of estimating, scheduling, accounting, finance, law, safety, ethics, and project management. Throughout their academic career, students will apply the knowledge and skills that they learn in the classroom to an integrated construction project in a laboratory environment.

It is the goal of the Construction Management Department to prepare graduates to enter and succeed as professionals in the construction industry.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon graduation from an accredited ACCE Bachelor Degree program, a graduate shall be able to:

  • Create written communications appropriate to the construction discipline.
  • Create oral presentations appropriate to the construction discipline.
  • Create a construction project safety plan.
  • Create construction project cost estimates.
  • Create construction project schedules.
  • Analyze professional decisions based on ethical principles.
  • Analyze construction documents for planning and management of construction processes.
  • Analyze methods, materials, and equipment used to construct projects.
  • Apply construction management skills as a member of a multidisciplinary team.
  • Apply electronic-based technology to manage the construction process.
  • Apply basic surveying techniques for construction layout and control.
  • Understand different methods of project delivery and the roles and responsibilities of all constituencies involved in the design and construction process.
  • Understand construction risk management.
  • Understand construction accounting and cost control.
  • Understand construction quality assurance and control.
  • Understand construction project control processes
  • Understand the legal implications of contract, common, and regulatory law to manage a construction project.
  • Understand the basic principles of sustainable construction.
  • Understand the basic principles of structural behavior.
  • Understand the basic principles of mechanical, electrical, and piping systems.

Major Requirements

  • This major requires 94-109 units distributed as follows:

    • Preprofessional Requirements: 20-21 units
    • Construction Management Course Requirements: 74-89 units
    • Business Minor or Elective Coursework: 15-24 units


    Take the following 94 - 109 units with a Grade of "C" or better in each course:

    Preprofessional Requirements (20-21 units)

  • Business Minor or Elective Coursework (15-24 units)

    • Business Minor (24 units)
      Complete the requirements for the Business Minor from the W. A. Franke College of Business.  CM 130 will satisfy the requirements for ISM 120.

      You are encouraged to complete the Business Minor; however, it is not required to complete the Construction Management degree.    

      Elective Coursework (15 units)
      If electing not to complete the Business Minor, you must complete the following (15 units): 

  • You must demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English that is equivalent to two terms of university coursework in the same language. You may satisfy this requirement by taking language courses or through credit by exam. (8 units)

General Electives

  • Additional coursework is required if, after you have met the previously described requirements, you have not yet completed a total of 120 units of credit.

    You may take these remaining courses from any of the academic areas, using these courses to pursue your specific interests and goals. You may also use prerequisites or transfer credits as electives if they weren't used to meet major, minor, or liberal studies requirements.

    We encourage you to consult with your advisor to select the courses that will be most advantageous to you.

Additional Information

  • Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.