Design and construction project management, MSc

Design and construction project management master's programme​ at Chalmers

The construction industry is facing numerous changes. The pressing agenda towards a more sustainable society means that new materials, technology, methods and community needs are emerging. The complexity of these changes has created an increasing demand for knowledge and competencies on top of basic construction project management skills. The programme's overall goal is to train you to analyse these changes and develop the skills needed to solve the new challenges they create responsibly and efficiently and to handle the integrated management of the construction processes.

It will give you an advanced understanding of construction management by providing necessary tools, methods and theories relevant to the discipline and the practitioners as well as their application across the various phases of a project. The programme is designed to cover the entire construction process, such as the early stages, consisting of design, construction production and facilities management. It presents an understanding of the sector complexity and the diversity of participating actors and stakeholders as well as their role in the process within the unique project-based environment of the industry.

The master's programme is intended to bridge different worldviews, exercise the ability to perceive and understand diverse perspectives and support a reciprocal, mutual, understanding between actors in the construction sector such as user, client, architect, engineer, consultant, planner, or an economist.

To work as a manager in the built environment sector means having knowledge of construction-specific elements like technical, environmental, legal, and contractual demands. You will also be trained in skills involving knowledge of project management, financial accounting, research methods, Building Information Modeling (BIM), logistics, productivity, and, real estate and facility management. The strong collaborative characteristics of the construction industry, where projects are carried out in a temporary and interdisciplinary environment also imply training and knowledge related to organizational culture, leadership, communication, teamwork, and decision-making.

As a complement to your engineering degree, this programme offers the possibility to learn the competencies needed to perform on a high professional level in the construction and built environment sector. The programme is open to both engineers and architects, however, please observe that the master's degree delivered is in engineering.

The programme will prepare you for a long-lasting professional career by providing a broad repertoire of problem-solving methods and by integrating theory and practice to understand and manage the complexity in the actualization of a construction project. 

Building on the complementarity of different disciplines, this programme gives you a combination of prescriptive and analytical tools to face these challenges. The prescriptive tools aim at planning, organizing, managing and controlling the construction processes as well as addressing the individual, social and organizational aspects of the sector; the analytical tools, methods and theories, enable future practitioners to develop a holistic view, be more reflexive about the context they evolve in and accordingly make informed decisions.

The programme offers a mixture of conventional lectures and seminars, supported by online resources and a variety of external sources of information. It benefits from the use of case studies, real-life projects and collaboration with industry. Student presentations and group work are important parts of education. To stimulate an efficient exchange of experiences and knowledge, the main pedagogical idea is to enhance your cooperation and communication with others.

Topics covered

The subjects of construction management, and communication, are fundamental areas in the Design and construction project management master’s programme. The courses included in the programme plan handle topics such as real estate finance, leadership and service management.

Career

Career opportunities within Design and construction project management can be found in both public and private organizations. The challenges of mitigating climate change and urbanisation force construction to develop continually and there is a need for competent engineers in this sector who are able to engage and transform the actual modes of production. Civil engineers with a strong background in management are sought after and will be so also in the future, both nationally and internationally. 

The core fields are projects focusing on planning, design, construction and facilities management. Examples of roles are working as a project manager in a construction project organization, working with project development at an architectural office, design manager in a consultancy firm, managing properties in a housing company, developing health care facilities or working in supportive functions such as purchasing, sustainability, quality, health and safety.

Our previous students have had a high level of employability within companies in engineering consulting like AFRY, and WSP, contractors like Skanska, NCC, and PEAB or real estate like Vasakronan, Castellum, and Wallenstam to name a few. Some students also hold positions in public organisations like municipalities or regions.

Research

The programme builds on several scientific disciplines and courses are given by three different departments at Chalmers University of Technology: Architecture and Civil Engineering, Technology Management and Economics and Energy and Environment. 

All teachers involved in the courses in this programme perform qualified research in management fields at both national and international levels and provide the students with updates on recent developments in the construction sector. The teachers also have close cooperation with the main actors in the industry and numerous practitioners are taking part in the courses. The integration of professional experience in education is an important part of the programme. Including practitioners during the courses gives the possibility to the students to apply theory and method in a concrete context and to test their new knowledge directly. 

The faculty and our students collaborate closely with CMB, Centre for Management of the Built Environment, for example by providing a mentorship programme, especially for students in the master's programme or the possibility to follow a project manager, during their professional activities.

Find out more about research in Architecture and civil engineering