In Short
The construction industry is constantly evolving — from new technology and materials to changes in project management best practices. Through Fitchburg State University’s online master’s in Construction Management, you learn how to tackle complex projects and bring innovative solutions to the table.
Earning an MS in Construction Management online at Fitchburg State University:
- Prepares you to manage complex construction projects and enhances your decision-making processes.
- Allows you to achieve your educational and professional goals in as few as three semesters through virtual courses that seamlessly integrate into your schedule.
- Opens pathways toward advancement in the field of construction management from related disciplines and/or prior construction experience.
- Boosts your marketability as a well-educated and skilled individual capable of performing valuable construction management services and ready to serve in managerial and leadership positions.
- Empowers you to contribute to scholarly activity in the discipline.
Advance Your Ambition
Earn your degree in as little as three semesters! Explore the program and prepare for a career in upper management.
Online Construction Management Master’s Degree Overview
Powered by our mission to provide professionals with the comprehensive academic and technical skills to meet the needs of regional, national, and global industries, Fitchburg State’s online MS in Construction Management qualifies you for senior positions in the industry.
Program Length
Through a range of online courses, you learn the tools, practices, and strategies of construction management, including the relationship between estimating and budgeting for projects, materials, and methods. Totaling 30 credits, students can complete the program in as few as three semesters (about one and a half years) or as long as six years.
Students must be admitted and confirm their intent to enroll in order to register for the accelerated 15-week courses. If students are able to pass courses as per the suggested plan of study, they will be able to graduate within three semesters.
Use Your Industry Experience Toward Your Master's in Construction Management
Through the portfolio option, the Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) allows you to have your industry experiences evaluated as educational experiences and credited toward a graduate degree.
If you meet the PLA credit criteria requirement or have an active Certified Construction Manager license, you can substitute three credits for a graduate elective course. The criteria for three-credit substitution via PLA include:
- Industry experience: Minimum of six years of construction professional experiences (as a Responsible-In-Charge (RIC) role of minimum 4 years). (evidence: need resume and letter of references).
- Teaching experiences (Optional): Minimum of two years experiences in high school (evidence: need a letter of appointment from administration).
- Example of skills: Skills acquired from documented professional enhancement or development workshops (at least 100 hours; evidence: certificates or award letters).
- Optional: Documentation of participation in seminars and other training programs.
- Evidence of leadership: Documentation detailing leadership, services, and examinations (minimum of one year):
- Community service (evidence: documents with a minimum of one year of service).
- Activity within professional organizations.
- Relevant experience gained via outside activity.
- Optional: Proficiency or competency examination other than those required and/or applied elsewhere with a candidate’s degree program (evidence: need a record of the exams).
- Documentation of Military Service (Optional): Military service courses, tests, professional specialties (evidence: record of the military discharge and tests documents).
Learn from the Experts
At Fitchburg, you hone your skills with support from faculty in the Engineering Technology Department, which offers the most comprehensive Applied Science and Technology and Engineering Technology programs in Massachusetts. Together, faculty bring a wealth of industry knowledge and experience to the classroom and encourage your personal and professional growth.
Career Outcomes
With a master's in Construction Management, you possess a diverse set of skills essential for success in the construction industry. These include proficiency in planning and executing projects, the ability to identify and address challenges, and an understanding of budgeting, cost estimation, and financial analysis to ensure project completion within budgetary constraints and to maximize profitability.
These skills, combined with a strong foundation in management principles and industry knowledge, enable individuals with a Construction Management graduate degree to excel in various roles, including:
- Construction business development manager
- Construction manager
- Coordinator
- Project manager
- Senior-level executive member
- Others: Senior estimators, senior schedulers, safety specialists
Moreover, online MS in Construction Management students have access to Fitchburg’s Career Services and Advising Center, which provides assistance with résumé writing, job search, networking, and more.
Admissions Requirements
Students seeking consideration for admission to the online Construction Management master’s program should meet the following requirements:
- Hold a bachelor’s degree with a minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.8 in construction management, civil engineering, civil engineering technology, industrial technology, architecture, or related programs.
- Applicants holding other bachelor's degrees with appropriate, related work experience will be considered for admission on an individual basis.
- Submit a completed, official graduate application, accompanied by official transcripts (in English) of all previously completed undergraduate and graduate coursework.
International Student Admissions
For information about applying as an international student, please consult our International Admissions webpage.
Tuition and Fees
Wondering how to fund your master’s in Construction Management? We’ve got you covered — our financial aid and tuition resources are easily accessible and comprehensive so that you can make more informed decisions.
Requirements and Curriculum
Our expertly crafted curriculum covers how to evaluate quality control and equipment management and the implications of construction law, contracts, and risk management in decision-making for construction projects of different types and sizes.
We deliver course content through Blackboard. For the use of specific software, we grant students access to the Engineering Technology Department’s computer laboratory via the VMware virtual platform.
Students can tailor their education to their interests by choosing between two plans: the Thesis or the Special Project. Each empowers them to work closely with expert faculty members to generate a unique project that highlights their passions, experiences, and skills.
Composed of advanced courses in construction management, the online Master of Science in Construction Management offers two plan options: the Thesis Option or the Special Project Option for a total of 30 credits.
The Thesis Option entails inquiry into a scholarly topic, selected and developed under the supervision of a thesis chair and a thesis committee of at least two additional faculty. In this path, students take a total of six core courses and three electives.
Those who choose the Special Project Option develop and execute a unique project under the supervision of a program chair and faculty advisor. In this path, students take a total of six core courses and four electives.
CMGT 7000 - Construction Cost Analysis & Estimating
CMGT 7100 - Construction Scheduling & Resource Optimization
CMGT 7200 - Construction Safety
CMGT 7300 - Construction Law & Contracts
CMGT 8000 - Improvement in Productivity in Construction
CMGT 8100 - Building Information Modeling Applications in CM
CMGT 8200 - Research Methodology for CM
CMGT 8300 - Construction Engineering Management
CMGT 8400 - Modular Construction
CMGT 8500 - Temporary Structures
CMGT 9000 - Construction Management Thesis
CMGT 9100 - Special Project in Construction Management
CMGT 9200 - Risk Management
- Students will learn the planning and management of critical aspects of the construction process.
- Students will learn the tools, practices, and strategies of construction management, including the relationship between estimating and budgeting for projects, materials, and method.
- Students will also evaluate quality control and equipment management and the implications of construction law, contracts, and risk management in decision-making for different types and sizes of construction projects.
- Candidates with a graduate degree in construction management qualify for senior positions in the industry. The best construction management master’s degree produces construction managers with advanced project management and leadership skills specific to the field.
Still have questions? We're here to help!
Here are a few ways to get in touch with us — we can’t wait to hear about your goals and share with you how Fitchburg State’s Online Construction Management master’s degree program can help you reach them.
- Email an enrollment counselor gce@fitchburgstate.edu or call 978.665.3182
- Attend an Information Session
- Watch a webinar