Construction management is an increasingly popular career choice and with growing salaries and an expanding amount of vacancies, it’s also a smart one. Whilst many follow a career progression path that leads to senior positions, it is possible to get a head start by taking one of the many construction management courses or construction management degrees that are available across the UK.
Construction university courses may be broad or very specific, depending on the level of the degree. A graduate in a construction related discipline can choose to further specialise with a master’s or further postgraduate study. This allows them to utilise the contacts and experience that they gain during university study to secure a first position in construction and, subsequently, to progress up the construction career ladder.
The best in the UK: construction management degrees.
There are a number of university disciplines that are related to the construction industry, and each of these offers a possible career path, depending on the student’s interests and ambitions. A degree may be in a specific construction topic, for example, or it may be in a more generic subject area related to the industry. The various universities specialise in certain fields, and some institutions are particularly respected for the more popular construction related degree programmes they provide.
Aston University.
Aston University has a highly respected reputation in practical construction related topics. Research and technology at the university are strong across the board. Paid work placements are common practice as part of a course programme. Their Construction Project Management BSc is widely acclaimed and opens up doors to working in industries such as building and project management, quantity surveying, contracting, local government and in the service sector.
Loughborough University.
Loughborough established itself as a respected institution in construction related disciplines. Their Construction Management MSc is the longest established in the UK and the second oldest in the world. The university frequently achieves high placing on relevant league tables. Furthermore, the university boasts excellent sport and leisure facilities.
University College London (UCL).
UCL take a futuristic approach to construction and equips its students with the necessary tools to manage the changing nature of the industry. They place an emphasis on the development of analytical and managerial skills, not only to create students who are ready for the workforce, but to ensure a generation of senior construction workers who are ready to face the concerns of the previous workforce. Courses include Project Management for Construction BSc, which you could take, followed by a Construction Economics and Management MSc.
Heriot-Watt.
Heriot-Watt was originally established in 1821 as the world’s first mechanic’s institute. Situated in Edinburgh, its ties to the construction industry are maintained today, and The Guardian listed it as second in the UK for courses in building and town and country planning. Heriot-Watt have a wide variety of courses for students to choose from, including Construction Management and Innovation, Sustainable Urban Management and Urban Design and Planning.
Nottingham Trent University.
NTU maintains strong relationships with the construction industry, and students can benefit from the focus on skills for the working environment. Careers in Construction places Nottingham Trent as number one for construction careers in the UK. Students may choose a bachelor’s or master’s course in construction and project management.
There are also many other possible universities to choose from. National rankings of university programmes show that institutions such as Wrexham Glyndwr, Imperial College, and the University of Bath have consistently high rankings in construction related fields.
Prospects and student placements: construction management jobs.
Other factors that may influence a student’s choice of institution and course programme include the track record of recent graduates in finding a position in the construction industry, and the opportunities that an institution offers for placements during the course of the study programme. On the other hand, the contacts and experience that can be gained from a specialist placement can also be a determining factor. In this respect, a number of institutions offer a variety of practical placements.
Other criteria.
Students may, of course, find that other criteria are decisive when selecting a university. The geographical location may be important to them, or they may prefer either a campus-based university or a city university that is integrated into the wider community.
Alternatively, they may look at factors beyond the professional qualification, such as the student life and student experience that an institution can offer.
