Construction Management Undergraduate Course Descriptions

OBJECTIVES: Students will:

• Describe the various segments of the construction industry and the roles and responsibilities of all constituencies involved in the design and construction process.
• Describe the different methods of project delivery and project selection.
• Explain the project management functions of estimating, scheduling, quality management, and safety management.
• Describe current trends in construction technology.
• Explain concepts of sustainable construction practice.

OBJECTIVES: Students will:

• Demonstrate ability to visualize objects in two-dimensional as well as three-dimensional representations.
• Understand basic plan reading techniques and begin to effectively communicate by graphic means (ACCE SLO 7).
• Demonstrate a working knowledge of manual drawing instruments.
• Demonstrate beginning-level competence in design software (ACCE SLO 10).

OBJECTIVES: Students will:

• Review and describe the history of materials.
• Identify and describe materials, methods, and systems used in design and construction.
• Identify and describe the physical properties and specifications of construction materials.
• Review and analyze common material failures.

OBJECTIVES: Students will:

• Explore and describe mechanical properties, physical properties, and methods of
  processing selected materials.
• Conduct specific test standards on selected materials and interpret data.
• Analyze and select appropriate material for given applications.

OBJECTIVES: Students will:

• Explain the concepts of surveying and project layout as they apply to construction.
• Apply elements of surveying practice, layout, and control to construction project examples.
• Demonstrate use of various surveying instruments, equipment, and technologies.

OBJECTIVES: Students will:

• Demonstrate the ability to interpret construction documents for planning and management of construction processes.
• Demonstrate knowledge and comprehension of construction documents through quantity survey techniques.

OBJECTIVES: Students will:

• Identify career opportunities in the construction industry.
• Demonstrate effective oral and written communication integral to the job search process.
• Apply field project administration processes to perform the responsibilities of intern and entry level positions.

OBJECTIVES: Students will:

• Understand the process for planning a new roadway pavement.
• Recognize the complexities associated with financing new roadways.
• Appreciate the interdisciplinary skills needed to construct a roadway.
• Identify the differences between un-surfaced, Portland cement concrete
  and asphalt concrete roadways.
• Understand the processes needed to maintain a paved roadway.

OBJECTIVES: Students will:

• Recognize and interpret Occupation Safety and Health Administration standards.
• Identify and document safety hazards and unsafe work practices.
• Apply OSHA standards to job-specific Activity Hazard Analyses.
• Perform Job Hazard Analysis to create a construction project-specific safety plan.

OBJECTIVES: Students will:

• Understand and analyze construction sequences.
• Apply surveying techniques to construction project layout and control.
• Apply knowledge of plan reading concepts to construct details from a plan set.
• Understand and analyze means and methods for construction.
• Recognize and describe permitting and inspection processes.
• Interpret and analyze models, drawings, and blueprints to visualize construction components and elements.

OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of this course the student will have the knowledge and understand the theory and applications of the following construction processes. Students will:

• Interpret architectural structural drawings and shop drawings used for structural steel fabrication.
• Quantify and estimate all direct and indirect costs associated with fabrication of a steel structure.
• Demonstrate a level of proficiency in joining metals with the following processes:  Oxyacetylene, Shielded Metal Arc Welding, Gas Metal Arc Welding, and Tungsten Inert Gas welding.
• Design and construct a fabricated metal project.

OBJECTIVES: Students will:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the structural behavior of components and systems.
• Calculate forces and stresses in structural components and systems.
• Design permanent and temporary structural steel beams, columns, and connections.

OBJECTIVES: Students will:

• Recognize and apply terminology, theory, and components of electrical systems in commercial and residential buildings and construction applications.
• Perform plan reading and quantity survey of electrical systems for commercial and residential construction.

OBJECTIVES: This course is designed to enable students to meet the following objectives, both individually as well as members of a team, in a timely, accurate, and professional matter.

• Describe various estimate types and demonstrate the ability to apply estimating concepts to construction projects.
• Quantify, document, price, and adjust pricing for construction components using manual techniques.
• Implement technology to quantify, document, price, and calculate the cost of construction components.
• Create cost estimates for construction assemblies and projects using a work breakdown structure.
• Explain the integration of construction estimating within planning, organizing, directing, and controlling of construction projects.

OBJECTIVES: Students will:

• Recognize the processes involved in roadway paving including materials and manufacturing operations.
• Recognize the interrelated components of infrastructure and site construction.
• Recognize and evaluate heavy equipment capabilities and productivity for overall cost and time estimates.
• Analyze the various aspects of earth-moving operations, including soil type, volume quantification, and haul distances.
• Evaluate construction equipment ownership and operating costs and their relationship to the time value of money.

OBJECTIVES: Students will:

• Differentiate between construction project delivery systems, procurement methods, and contracting formats.
• Analyze the risks in construction projects.
• Analyze project issues and generate appropriate documentation required for construction project administration.
• Interpret construction contracts to determine roles and responsibilities of parties and recognize the contract law and regulatory environment for construction.
• Apply procedures to minimize project related conflicts and disputes; evaluate and select an appropriate alternative dispute resolution procedure.
• Utilize computer applications for effective and efficient contract and project administration.
• Recognize the importance of business ethics in the construction industry and utilize various codes of ethics to resolve ethical dilemmas.

OBJECTIVES: Students will:

• Relate the complex processes involved in the manufacture of asphalt binders used for paving construction.
• Optimize performance of asphalt paving mixtures.
• Optimize economy of asphalt paving mixtures.
• Analyze the construction processes for asphalt pavements.
• Analyze the maintenance processes for asphalt pavements.
• Describe the failure mechanisms of asphalt pavements.

OBJECTIVES: Students will:

• Identify and recognize terminology, theory, and components of plumbing, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and fire protection systems.
• Interpret mechanical and plumbing information from construction drawings and specifications.
• Apply project document reading skills to perform quantity take-off of mechanical and plumbing systems.
• Summarize quality control requirements for mechanical and/or plumbing systems.

OBJECTIVES: Students will:

• Demonstrate knowledge of shop drawings and details for structural components and systems.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the behavior of reinforced and prestressed concrete.
• Design structural wood components and connections.

OBJECTIVES: Students will:

• Generate project activities based on the work breakdown structure.
• Generate a project network with precedence relationships.
• Determine schedule parameters based on Critical Path Methodology.
• Assess and critique project schedule constraints.
• Evaluate the impact of production deviations and delays on the project schedule.
• Assess the benefits and limitations of existing scheduling methodologies and software.
• Analyze and communicate the effect of schedule changes on original project plan and goals.

OBJECTIVES: Students will be able to discuss and solve numerical problems for the following topics, at a level consistent with class readings and assignments.

• Recognize and apply the content and uses of financial statements within the construction industry.
• Analyze a construction company’s financial data to assess its financial status.
• Apply the time value of money principles to the evaluation of capital investments.
• Forecast the cash flow and cost controls at the project level.
• Differentiate accounting and revenue recognition methods for applicable organizational structures of construction firms.
• Recognize the financing options available to construction companies.

OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:

• Develop a leadership style, principles, and habits which will be used during their lifelong careers.
• Identify responsibilities and tasks that a project team will encounter and are necessary to lead volunteer-based projects.
• Evaluate volunteer project issues and generate appropriate documentation required for construction project administration.
• Apply administrative procedures to minimize project-related conflicts and communication issues.
• Apply contract administration and project administration techniques throughout the life cycle of a volunteer construction project.

OBJECTIVES: Each student as a result of the exercises, assignments, and discussions in this class should be able to demonstrate the following:

• Application of the role and responsibilities of a professional constructor.
• An ability to work in a team environment.
• Evaluate project issues and generate appropriate documentation required for construction project administration.
• Determine and utilize the appropriate application of management and contractual tools.
• Application and analysis of the legal relationships and methods of communication among the responsible parties in a construction project.
• Examine and assess dispute resolution methods regarding contractors rights and procedures.
• An ability to perform and present in a professional manner all of the above as part of an integrated construction system.

OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of this course, students will:

• Analyze the physical characteristics and properties of soil.
• Classify soil types and analyze soil behavior for use as a construction material.
• Compute analysis for soils and recognize how soil properties relate to construction projects.
• Interpret and use the information presented in a soils report for construction project decision making and risk management.
• Practice construction industry quality assurance tests and evaluate soil samples based on control standards.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this course are to:

• Examine the breadth of sustainable design and construction as the field evolves.
• Recognize the scope and complexity of sustainable principles (systems thinking, life-cycle assessment, waste = food, etc.) as applied in professional practice.
• Demonstrate the use of sustainable principles and practices in:
   Land-use planning, site, and landscape development
   Building design and construction
   Healthy building systems
• Explain the decision-making processes when incorporating sustainable principles.
• Explore real-world sustainable practice through project examples and professional guest speakers.
• Identify current sustainable technologies, highlighting the challenges and opportunities of emerging practices.
• Practice the collaboration skills that are essential to sustainable design and construction projects.

OBJECTIVES: Students will:

• Assess a project from a whole house approach and design solutions for their client based on national green building standards.
• Evaluate the rapidly expanding aging-in-place market segment and appraise the special needs of this population.
• Incorporate health care professionals in the decision-making process for aging-in-place projects.
• Propose appropriate contractual requirements for both green building and aging-in-place projects.
• Assess project-specific needs

OBJECTIVES: Students will obtain:

• Application of classroom knowledge to “real-world” experiences.
• Enhancement of “people skills”, including written and verbal communication, listening, and critical thinking skills.
• Introduction to the complex inter-relationships of prioritizing tasks and working with project participants and multiple business entities that exist on a project, including owners, architects, engineers, city officials, and other contractors.
• Exposure to numerous management functions performed within a construction organization.

OBJECTIVES: Students will obtain:

• Application of classroom knowledge to “real-world” experiences.
• Enhancement of “people skills,” including written and verbal communication, listening, and critical thinking skills.
• Introduction to the complex inter-relationships of prioritizing tasks and working with project participants and multiple business entities that exist on a project, including owners, architects, engineers, city officials, and other contractors.
• Exposure to numerous management functions performed within a construction organization.