North Dakota State University

The Department of Construction Management and Engineering (CM&E) offers two separate and distinct master programs: Master of Science in Construction Management and Master of Construction Management.

Master of Science in Construction Management

The Master of Science in Construction Management is an on-campus research-focused degree. Students are expected to significantly contribute to the development and delivery of scholarly publications and to the development and submission of research grant proposals as determined by the major advisor.

Admission Requirements

To be admitted into the Master of Science in Construction Management applicants must:

1. Have earned a baccalaureate degree in construction, engineering, architecture, or other related discipline with a minimum CGPA of 3.0 or equivalent to attain full standing
2. Submission of an official transcript
3. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required for all applicants
4. Submit a one-page “Statement of Research Objectives and Qualifications” that directly relates to one of the “Research Interests” of the CM&E faculty
5. Submit a two-page resume
6. Submit three (3) three letters of recommendation
7. Submit applications directly to the NDSU Graduate School via the on-line application process

For the Master of Science in Construction Management, application deadlines are March 15 for admission to the fall semester and September 15 for admission to the spring semester.

Degree and Credit Requirements

The Master of Science in Construction Management requires a total of 31 graduate-level credits (24 credits of coursework, 6 credits of research/thesis, and 1 credit of seminar) and a thesis.  The thesis requires the creation and presentation of new knowledge in providing a solution to a problem.  Prior to submitting a thesis to the graduate student's Supervisory Committee, the thesis may be reviewed by a departmentally approved external editor.  All costs associated with external review are the responsibility of the graduate student. A Plan of Study for the Master of Science in Construction Management is shown below:

Course Number		Course Descriptions		Course Credit
CM&E 790		Graduate Seminar		1
CM&E 603		Scheduling and Project Control		4
CM&E 611		Construction Cost Estimating		4
CM&E 612		Construction Management		3
CM&E 701		Construction Technology and Equipment		4
CM&E 600/700		Electives		9
CM&E 798		Master's Thesis		6
Total				31

Electives may be any 600 or 700-level courses offered at NDSU as indicated in the Plan of Study determined by the student and the major faculty advisor. Course descriptions can be found in the NDSU graduate bulletin. A minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.0 must be achieved in order to complete the M.S. degree. A flowchart shown the major steps of getting the degree is available by clicking MS Flowchart.

Financial Assistance

Various types of financial assistance are available to graduate students as described on the Graduate School website. For exceptional applicants, the CM&E Department may offer a graduate assistantship which consists of a monetary stipend and a possible tuition waiver; however, student activity fees and program fees are not waived.  There is no application process for graduate assistantships.  Applicants are evaluated based on their credentials and/or experience. Please refer to graduate assistantships policy.

Additional Requirements for International Applicants

International applicants whose first language is not English and who do not possess an U.S. bachelor's degree or higher are subject to additional requirements when they apply for admission to the Master of Science in Construction Management program. They must meet the minimum requirements on measures of general English language proficiency. The accepted measures of language proficiency are the TOEFL ibT, IELTS or the PTE Academic, as indicated below.

Type of English Test		Total Score		Speaking Subscale		Writing Subscale
TOEFL ibT		81		23		21
IELTS		7.0		5.5		6.0
PTE Academic		54		62		56

Master of Construction Management

The Master of Construction Management is an on-line professional program consisting of 30 credits of coursework and the Associate Constructor (AC) Exam.  The Master of Construction Management is administered through Distance and Continuing Education (DCE) at NDSU.

Admission Requirements

To be admitted into the Master of Construction Management applicants must:

1. Have earned a baccalaureate degree in construction, engineering, architecture, or other related discipline with a minimum CGPA of 3.0 or equivalent to attain full standing
2. Submission of an official transcript
3. Submit a two-page resume
4. Submit a one-page "Statement of Purpose" outlining your reasons for pursuing the Master of Construction Management degree
5. Submit three (3) letters of recommendation
6. Submit applications directly to the NDSU Graduate School via the on-line application process

Applicants who are deficient in the CGPA requirement are encouraged to apply for the Graduate Certificate in Construction Management.  Although successful completion of the Graduate Certificate does not guarantee acceptance into the Master of Construction Management, the Graduate Certificate will be seriously considered in application decisions related to the Master of Construction Management.

For the Master of Construction Management, application deadlines are May 1 for admission to the fall semester and October 1 for admission to the spring semester.

Degree and Credit Requirements

The Master of Construction Management degree consists of thirty (30) credits of course work and a passing grade in the Associate Constructor Exam. Course descriptions can be found in the NDSU graduate bulletin. A flowchart shown the major steps of getting the degree is available by clicking MCM Flowchart.

Course Requirements

Curse Number		Course Description		Course Credit
CM&E 603		Scheduling and Project Control		4
CM&E 611		Construction Cost Estimating		4
CM&E 612		Construction Management		3
CM&E 630		Land Development		3
CM&E 670		Information Technologies for CM's		3
CM&E 701		Construction Technology and Equipment		4
CM&E 710		Managing for Quality in Construction		3
CM&E 715		Construction Specifications and Contracts		3
CM&E 740		Financial and Economic Concepts		3
Total				30

The Associate Constructor (AC) Exam is administered by the American Institute of Constructors & Constructor Certification Commission.  Students will take this nationally administered exam after their last semester of coursework.  A passing grade in this exam is a requirement for awarding the degree.  The exam may be taken multiple times.  The AC exam is the first level in reaching the designation of a “Certified Professional Constructor” (CPC) which is a three stage process consisting of the AC exam (Level I), 4-5 years of relevant construction management work experience, and the CPC exam (Level II).  The AC Exam is offered twice a year, typically in March and November.  International applicants should note that the AC exam is not offered on-line and is only offered in the United States. 

Financial Assistance

Graduate assistantships, tuition waivers, and financial aid offered by the CM&E Department, the Graduate School, or NDSU are not available to students in the Master of Construction Management.

Additional Requirements for International Applicants

International applicants whose first language is not English and who do not possess an U.S. bachelor's degree or higher are subject to additional requirements when they apply for admission to the Master of Construction Management program. They must meet the minimum requirements on measures of general English language proficiency.  The accepted measures of language proficiency are the TOEFL ibT, IELTS or the PTE Academic, as indicated below.

Type of English Test		Total Score		Speaking Subscale		Writing Subscale
TOEFL ibT		79		19		21
IELTS		6.5		5.5		6.0
PTE Academic		53		51		56

Department Contact

Yong Bai, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE
Chair and Professor
Phone: (701) 231-6521
E-mail: yong.bai@ndsu.edu