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LOCATION
Docklands Campus
Location Fees and Funding
Here's the fees and funding information for each year of this course
Overview
Ensuring that a building project runs smoothly, with enough materials, equipment, workers and money to deliver it, is a huge task. So, too, is monitoring construction quality and progress.
This course will give you the knowledge and contacts to take on that kind of responsibility.
You'll learn a broad range of skills in your first year, sharing modules with Civil Engineering and Surveying. Later you can choose to specialise in specific construction management disciplines.
There are so many aspects to construction management - sorting out resources, materials and labour, planning transport routes. It's all about what we call 'supply chain management'. You have to make sure everything runs efficiently - and that means a lot of work in many different areas.
You need to have good interpersonal skills and be comfortable working as part of a large team. And you have to keep in mind your client's requirements at all times. This course will help you learn how to juggle all these responsibilities successfully.
What makes this course different
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
Key areas you'll study include the planning and financing of projects, required contract law and of course health and safety knowledge - both for yourself and others.
Building without proper planning can be a dangerous business when it comes to working at heights, excavating and shifting materials. You'll learn how to manage it and make it safe.
You'll also learn about sustainable design. Plus, you'll look at the contractual side of things, and how to ensure sub-contractors work to the required standards.
Among the modules you'll study on the course are: Building Technology and Materials: Advanced Technology, Planning and Production; Legal and Regulatory Framework; Contract Law in Construction; Tendering, Estimating and Cost Control; Sustainable Building Technology; and Project Management Studies.
Think of a triangle with three points - time, cost and quality. Time planning and logistics, cost control and management, and quality control are vital skills for a construction manager, and they're skills employers will be looking for when you graduate.
DOWNLOAD COURSE SPECIFICATIONS
CBE Foundation Year - Course Specification
pdf, 127.3 KB
BSc Construction Management - Course Specification
pdf, 43.59 KB
MODULES
- Core Modules
Mental wealth; Professional Life CloseMental wealth; Professional Life
The module will introduce key knowledge and skills required for your success in higher education, communication and interpersonal life skills for academic and professional purposes. The module is designed to provide guidance in order to become independent learner, effectively reflect and take necessary actions for professional success. The module will also aid you to build your confidence as a learner, enabling you to identify where your strengths and weaknesses lie, and how you can build their skills for the future.
Introduction to Computing CloseIntroduction to Computing
The module equips you with an understanding of computing principles and an understanding of the fundamentals of hardware and software, which can provide an opportunity for you to gain appreciation of the practical skills involved in computer systems. It helps you develop a better understanding of computations to solve problems, analysing problems and procedures, and a better understanding of algorithms, languages and programming. It provides an opportunity to you to understand the connections between the different areas of computing.
Mathematical Applications CloseMathematical Applications
The main aims of this module are to prepare you for L4 study by developing the mathematical abilities required for understanding engineering and be able to apply mathematical techniques to solve engineering problems.
Construction Technical Studies CloseConstruction Technical Studies
The aim of this module is to introduce students to the fundamentals involved in the construction of building projects. It develop in students an introductory level of understanding and knowledge of the basic materials used in the construction of buildings and their properties and further provides the basic understanding of the principles of linear and level surveying and associated calculations It also includes an introduction to the use of visual means of communication such as drawing and freehand sketching.
Spatial Communications & Visualisation CloseSpatial Communications & Visualisation
The module will introduce key knowledge of spatial communications and fundamentals of visualisation in engineering. The module is designed to introduce engineering drawing, spatial measurement, and spatial visualisation. The students will be provided with guidance to work with various spatial visualisation tools. The module will also aid student to build their confidence as a learner by learning hand sketching, production of engineering drawings using Computer Aided Design (CAD), collection of spatial data and development of spatial visualisation.
Fundamentals of Construction Management CloseFundamentals of Construction Management
The aim of this module is to introduce you to the fundamentals involved in the organisational management of resources and people. It develops a basic level of understanding of construction management practices for simple low-rise buildings and the resources needed to construct them. It also studies the environmental and health & safety issues that also have to be managed.
- Core Modules
Mental Wealth; Professional Life 1 CloseMental Wealth; Professional Life 1
This module aims to develop students' core competencies to form the basis of future competencies development throughout the programme of study. In this module, the students will consolidate their construction / engineering knowledge and skills for practical applications, and develop their awareness of impacts on the environment, commerce, society and individual brought about by various construction and engineering activities.
The Built Environment CloseThe Built Environment
The aim of the module is to appreciate the factors, organisation and professional disciplines involved in the planning, design, development and in-use of the built environment facility.
Construction Technology CloseConstruction Technology
This module involves exploring the choices for materials, systems and techniques used in the construction of typical domestic and industrial/commercial building. The module also looks at building design and performance particularly with respect to the selection of materials for construction purposes. It also covers sustainability issues affecting the condition of existing buildings, and their maintenance and adaptation. It will also enable the development of spatial skills in producing and understanding graphical forms of communication used in construction.
Land and Construction Surveying CloseLand and Construction Surveying
This module introduces you to geospatial surveying practices, principles and procedures for civil engineering and construction projects. The module develops skills in using modern surveying instrumentation to enable 3-dimensional position of features to be determined and for the quality of those positions to be known. The processes for determining vertical height (level) as well as horizontal position (by measuring angles and distances) will be studied. On completion of this module, students will be able to carry out survey data collection using a range of equipment and will appreciate the role of the surveyor and the role of survey data for construction purposes.
Analytical Skills in Built Environment CloseAnalytical Skills in Built Environment
The main aim of this module is to develop your skills and understanding, of the numerical and mathematical techniques which underpin civil engineering, construction and surveying disciplines. At the end of this module you should possess the core knowledge of algebra, trigonometry and statistics which can be applied to data analysis, presentation and problem solving. This module also aims to equip you with the CAD skills which will enable you to manipulate and process data numerically, graphically and spatially.
Building Science and Materials CloseBuilding Science and Materials
To provide an understanding of the scientific principles involved in the selection of materials in construction and the issues affecting the design of building services.
- Core Modules
Professional Life 2 (Mental Wealth) CloseProfessional Life 2 (Mental Wealth)
The module provides a forum for the student to develop a creative, inventive and productive design process in relation to a design project or projects. In particular to raise student awareness and understanding of the occupants and users and their physical, social and psychological needs through the design of both objects and environments at appropriate scales, as well as exploring key characteristics of design projects.
There is a particular focus on investigations of site and context that may involve the gathering of empirical data, making analytical studies and conducting observations of people, place, context and materials that are appropriate to the project.
By setting one design project, the module aims to engage with the practices, protocols and conventions that apply to the design and delivery of projects within the design and construction industry. The module fosters the development of a personal position and working methods as part of the attributes required by a professional architect.
Contract Procedures CloseContract Procedures
- To provide an understanding of the UK legal system, legal process, institutional structures in application to the construction process in terms of contract performance, obligations, tort and statutory requirements, in the professional environment of construction management, surveying and information management.
- To comprehend the legal obligations and procedures associated with contracts, letting, employment, equality, design, development and health and safety, and to apply legal principles to practical problems.
Construction Planning and Production CloseConstruction Planning and Production
The aim of this module is to explore the role of the contractor in managing the production process for both simple construction projects and also more complex civil engineering works. It will examine the basic principles of management techniques. It will then consider construction methods, planning tools / techniques to mobilise the construction activities and supply chain; the selection of construction methods that best suit the project and the management plant, materials and workforce. It will also examine how the project is monitored to insure the client’s requirements and stakeholders needs are met, and how the finished project is brought to a managed and successful close.
Measurement CloseMeasurement
Advanced Sustainable Technology CloseAdvanced Sustainable Technology
The module investigates and analyse sustainable construction technologies and methods used in buildings and construction works.
Tendering, Estimating and Cost Control CloseTendering, Estimating and Cost Control
- To provide you with an introduction to financial control of construction projects and the procurement process by accessing knowledge based on information produced from tendering, estimating and financial procedures.
- Allow to enable you to understand deliverables, time constraints, budgets and to implement best value best practice.
- Core Modules
Professional Life 3 (Mental Wealth) CloseProfessional Life 3 (Mental Wealth)
Capstone Project CloseCapstone Project
The main aim of this module is to equip you with the necessary skills to carry out and report research in order to consolidate the knowledge gained in other modules in a chosen field of study, combine it with the published knowledge of others, investigate it practically and report your findings.
Project Management CloseProject Management
- To further explore the disciplines, theories and tools associated with the successful project management and delivery of construction-related activities.
- To develop skills in establishing project requirement in terms of client / stakeholder needs; procurement of human and technical resources; planning and coordinating work and phase activities; motivating the team; monitoring cost and quality and managing change; delivering desired outcomes and gaining feedback.
- To discuss human resource management theories in construction-related project-based organisations, including issues associated with development of individual & group competences, creating effective project teams, the management of conflict, the role of stakeholders, and experiential learning.
Advanced Construction Technology and Innovation CloseAdvanced Construction Technology and Innovation
This module explores the use of different techniques & tools and value management by considering the sustainability of construction to achieve improved integration, buildability, speed, cost, health and safety, and quality criteria applied to the production of buildings and facilities.
Quantity Surveying Practice CloseQuantity Surveying Practice
This module is designed to apply the principles of cost management to the pre-contract, contract and post-contract stages of construction projects, and to provide the student with an understanding of Quantity Surveying procedures including measurement, cost control, cost forecasting, cost reporting and procurement.
HOW YOU'LL LEARN
Our Docklands site offers outstanding laboratories and workshops where we'll support you in your studies.
You'll learn through a mixture of lectures, tutorials, workshops and practical classes.
You'll have access to sophisticated software, including the BIM (Building Information Modelling) digital system. This has a huge database of information about components - where they can be found, how much they cost and what the best maintenance regime for them is.
Each term we're visited by around 20 local industry professionals - known as the Industrial Advisory Board (IAB) - to update us on changing requirements for graduates. They also supervise final-year projects, when they'll be looking out for likely candidates to recruit for jobs.
Every year, our Civil Engineering and Construction Management students visit the Constructionarium site in Norfolk. There you'll work as a team with a sponsoring contractor, such as Atkins, and professional consulting engineers to build scaled-down versions of famous bridges or buildings.
We organise weekly site visits to one of the hundreds of projects underway in and around east London. A recent trip involved checking how the Olympic Stadium was being reconfigured to meet the new demands of a football stadium and a major events venue.
We also have a programme of guest speakers. One of our regulars is Mark Shearon, a former UEL student who's now a senior Health and Safety Executive inspector.
Guided independent study
We are investing in key areas beyond your studies including our career services, library and well-being, to be available both face-to-face on campus and online with many of these available 24/7. We have new, modern library facilities on both campuses offering inspirational environments for study and research. Libraries contain resources in print and digital formats, a range of study spaces and dedicated librarian who can assist with your learning.
Academic support
Students are supported with any academic or subject related queries by an Academic Advisor, module leaders, former and current UEL students.
If you need a bit of extra help with certain skills such as academic writing, English, maths or statistics, our Academic Tutors offer workshops, drop-in sessions and one-to-one appointments to help our students achieve their potential. You can receive advice and guidance on all aspects of the IT systems provided by the university from our IT Service Desks located on all three campuses. Our Student Support hubs in Docklands and Stratford feature centralised helpdesks to cater for your every need. UEL provides also support and advice for disabled students and those with specific learning difficulties (SPDs).
Workload
Each year you will spend around 300 hours of timetabled learning and teaching activities. These may be lectures, workshops, seminars and individual and group tutorials. Contact hours may vary depending on each module.
The approximate percentages for this course are:
Year 1: scheduled teaching - 300 hours; guided independent study - 900 hours.
Year 2: scheduled teaching - 300 hours; guided independent study - 900 hours.
Year 3: scheduled teaching - 300 hours; guided independent study - 900 hours.
The size of classes can vary depending on the nature of the course, module and activity. This can range from large groups in a lecture theatre setting, to smaller groups taking part in seminars and collaborative work. You will receive your personalised timetable at the beginning of the academic year dependent on your course.
HOW YOU'LL BE ASSESSED
We'll assess you with a mixture of coursework and exams. Coursework includes essays, research reports, group and seminar presentations and a final-year project. Most of the assessment in your first year is by coursework and we'll give you as much feedback as possible.
The balance of coursework and exams in year two will depend on your optional choices. In your third year, part of your assessment will be based on your final research project and the rest will be a mixture of coursework and exams.
Feedback is provided within 15 working days in line with UEL's assessment and feedback policy.
CAMPUS and FACILITIES

Docklands Campus, Docklands Campus, London, E16 2RD
WHO TEACHES THIS COURSE
The teaching team includes qualified academics, practitioners and industry experts as guest speakers. Full details of the academics will be provided in the student handbook and module guides.
Related Courses

I've had a unique and life changing experience at UEL. After years of working as a painter-decorator, I made the decision to follow firstly an FdSc in Civil Engineering and Construction Management and then top up to a BSc (Hons) Construction Management degree. Surrounded by extraordinary lecturers, who inspired everyone through their dedication and professionalism, I have managed to obtain my goals. Within weeks of graduating, I was able to find a job as an engineer on a grand scale project. "
Vlad Volonga
Construction Management, BSc (Hons)
What we're researching
At the University of East London we are working on the some of the big issues that will define our future; from sustainable architecture and ethical AI, to health inequality and breaking down barriers in the creative industries.
Our students and academics are more critically engaged and socially conscious than ever before. Discover some of the positive changes our students, alumni and academics are making in the world.
YOUR FUTURE CAREER
Thanks to our excellent links with industry, graduates from this course have gone on to work on projects all over the world.
Some have been involved with UK construction projects such as the Shard and the Olympic Athletes' Village in Stratford. Others have travelled internationally to areas of dynamic regeneration such as Dubai or Qatar.
Many of our overseas students go back to work in countries such as Nigeria and Malaysia.
Your most likely job on graduation will be an assistant site manager, working in a role where you have responsibility for a broad range of activities. If you perform impressively on site, and deal well with people, you could soon find yourself taking responsibility for really large projects.
A typical project will take 18 months or two years, during which time you'll be working very closely with a wide variety of people performing different jobs.
If you're working on a rail project, or on the London Underground, work often needs to be scheduled for weekends and Bank Holidays. You might spend six months planning for one Bank Holiday weekend, booking in equipment, materials and labour. Imagine the satisfaction you'll feel when everything you have planned for comes together.
It's a hugely challenging but hugely rewarding area of employment.
Explore the different career options you can pursue with this degree and see the median salaries of the sector on our Career Coach portal.