BSc (Hons) Construction Management

In this module, you will learn about the key principles that underpin the built environment. You will be introduced to the stakeholders who have an involvement in the built environment and the building process, including construction professionals, landowners, Government, Local Authorities, investors, developers, and the public.  You will explore their roles and responsibilities and how they impact construction projects and the wider built environment.

You will develop an understanding of the design, planning, financing, construction, sale, and operation of organisations, products, buildings, infrastructure, and places within which people live, work, and travel.

You will learn to use techniques such as PESTLE to help you analyse the wider context, taking into account Political, Economic, Sociological, Technological, Legal, and Environmental factors that will have an influence on your work, both nationally and globally.  

You will look at everything through the lens of sustainability, and equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), which is essential if you are to become a professional and ethical practitioner.

By the end of this module, you will have a clear understanding of the key factors at play in the Built Environment. You will also have developed valuable research and critical thinking skills and acquired a greater understanding of the industry to help with your future career planning. You will start your journey towards becoming a Built Environment professional by becoming a student member of an appropriate professional body.

Professionals in the Built Environment need to have expert knowledge and understanding of construction technology and building services, and their contribution towards a sustainable built environment. This module introduces you to both traditional and modern construction technology used in residential and low-rise construction. It will explore how they are being used to lessen the environmental impact of construction projects and building operation. You will learn about how services are incorporated into construction projects in a sustainable way, including water, heating, drainage, energy, and data.

Throughout the module, you will learn the role of statutory government regulation in construction and the importance of health & safety for the workforce during the construction phase, and the occupants once the building is handed over. 

By the end of this module, you will have a clear understanding of a variety of construction technologies and building services and an appreciation of their contribution towards a sustainable built environment. You will have developed valuable technical, research and critical thinking skills including an understanding of how to interpret drawings which communicate construction information to professionals and skilled tradespersons.

This module will introduce you to key stages of the design, procurement, and management of construction projects.  

You will gain detailed knowledge and understanding of the project lifecycle, the stakeholders involved at each stage, and the outputs generated through collaborative working.   

You will consider the internal and external factors which influence a project’s feasibility and scope, including micro and macro-economic factors. You will examine what is required to put together a robust business case and the influence of project budget and project risks on a client’s requirements. 

Project briefs will be studied, including how to capture a client’s requirements regarding project outcomes and communicate key success indicators such as sustainability, costs, timelines, and quality.

Supply chain management is key to successful project design, construction, and handover, and you will explore the different types of procurement routes available to the project team and how the project supply chain contributes to a successful project delivery.  

You will expand your knowledge of the industry through exposure to a range of professional roles involved in these stages of a project, including consultants and other suppliers of goods and services who are present in a typical construction project cycle. 

This module will provide you with a hand on, practical, and engaging introduction to this fascinating subject area. Over the course of the module, you will gain an understanding of fundamental materials science and knowledge of the composition and performance of key construction materials. You will explore the mechanical behaviour of materials used in a variety of construction applications as well as their environmental credentials. The module will introduce you to simple structural forms and you will consider how loads are transferred through a building and through the foundations to the substrata. 

By the end of the module, you will be able to identify and describe the form and function of various structural materials and elements. You will have an understanding of the strength, stability, and performance behaviour of structures and materials under applied loading. This will help you to appreciate the importance of appropriate material selection and the value of design codes in structural engineering.

Throughout the module, you will undertake practical experiments and tests to develop your statistical, analytical, and problem-solving skills. You will be introduced to data science and big data analytics and begin to develop your awareness and familiarity with data analysis techniques. 

In this practical module, you will gain hands-on experience as you learn to operate surveying equipment as used by industry. You will learn how to record, collate, analyse, and present data. You will build a clear understanding of the importance of ensuring that data is accurately collected and reported, as well as the impact of errors in any aspect of the process. You will be given the skills to undertake surveys and to measure buildings using the most up-to-date techniques as well as using traditional methods.

To do this you will take part in real practical surveying workshops. The workshops will be designed to present you with scenarios which require you to solve authentic site engineering challenges faced in industry. You will gain hands-on experience of operating basic surveying equipment to collect data to inform the project team, and to communicate to the site team requirements with regards to site operations.

You will study and interpret construction drawings. This will require you to bring together the complementary skills you will be gaining in other modules you are studying in your first year. The ability to interpret construction drawings is fundamental to you being able to communicate complex information to the site team who will be constructing the project. 

The module will also introduce you to the construction materials, technologies, and methods used on infrastructures projects such as roads, sewers, and services, which typically form part of the brief with regards to site-surveying and setting-out.

The module will provide you with the opportunity to undertake an in-depth study of a subject that is of personal and subject interest in the field of the Built Environment. You may focus your research upon a topic or challenge relevant to your current programme of study and based upon an academic subject of interest, your current work practice, or recent work experience or placement. The submission will take the form of a dissertation. 

You are encouraged to develop your critical thinking and undertake theoretically informed research. The module will develop your understanding of the links between conceptual issues, subject area, and research methods.

The module will introduce you to research methods and strategies that are appropriate to your chosen area of study. It will provide you with experience in the planning and implementation of a research project and the subsequent writing up of research findings in a dissertation.

You will be introduced to this module before the end of the Level 5 academic year. This introduction will take the form of a briefing session to enable you to begin the process of considering potential areas of study ahead of the next academic year.

This module consolidates and extends learning from previous modules around the role of a Construction Manager, requiring you to apply this learning to different project types and contexts, and undertake a variety of tasks. You will learn more about planning and programming of construction projects, their financial management, and assessing risks of construction processes.  

As well as examining the fundamentals of Construction Project Management, the module considers contemporary Project Management methodologies. The module will consider case studies and the latest research in this dynamic area.

The module will assist you in constructing a portfolio of evidence of your knowledge of Construction Management and contemporary Project Management methodologies.  As professional Project Managers are deployed on Built Environment projects across the globe, the module will consider the challenges in successfully managing projects across different geographical locations and cultures. Throughout, the module will contextualise project management with regards to sustainable, inclusive, and ethical management of projects. 

By the end of the module, students should be able to demonstrate a deep knowledge and understanding of:

planning and programming of construction projects 
legal environment 
resource management 
change management   
people management 
financial management (final accounts, claims and dispute resolution) 
preparing method statements and risk assessments 
health, safety and well being 
waste management and resource efficiency 
the project management discipline  
the contemporary trends in project management 
how to select appropriate project management methodologies to suit a variety of project types and contexts
principles and practice of project control 
the roles of the professional bodies 
how to accommodate diverse discipline, cultural, legal, economic, and environmental requirements within a project
the impact of technology on the management of projects 
country context on project management methodologies 

The module builds upon learning from earlier modules and examines the background and drivers for sustainable built environments. It will explore the move to sustainable built environments, responses at different scales, and how a sustainable built environment is being encouraged, assessed, and enforced across the globe. Through studying this module, you will be required to consider how factors such as climate change, urbanisation, and decarbonisation are impacting the built environment.

The knowledge gained will enable you to understand the contributions a sustainable built environment can make towards a low carbon future.  

By the end of the module, you should be able to evaluate the following: 

the contribution of technology towards a sustainable built environment 
the drivers for change, including climate change and the population shift towards urbanisation  
appropriate responses at various scales towards maintaining and sustaining the wider environment 
techniques that can be adopted to reduce our built environment operational energy demand 
the different types of infrastructure and their role in achieving sustainable built environments 
the impact and effectiveness of legislation, regulations, assessment schemes, and other mechanisms. 
how to adapt the existing built environment to mitigate against the effects of climate change and the barriers to doing this. 
contributions built environment professionals and their professional bodies make towards sustainable built environments 

The module aims to develop your critical awareness of the people dimension of Teamwork and Leadership. It will look at the role soft skills play in the successful leading and managing of a team and individuals, and how these can help you build and maintain a successful and focussed project team. It will address how to distinguish between different types of change projects and propose techniques in leading teams to achieve success. 

Assessment choice is available, including the option to undertake a structured mentoring role coordinated through the Student Services and Career Guidance Unit. Under this option, students may provide academic and transitional support to a Level 4 or Level 5 student over an agreed period within the semester.

The knowledge gained will enable the student to develop strategies to form and maintain integrated project teams.   

By the end of the module, you should be able to demonstrate a deep knowledge and understanding of: 

Soft and hard skills 
Soft skills in teamwork and leadership 
Stakeholder management 
Team selection 
Change management 
Building inclusive teams 
The role of corporate social responsibility in the built environment 
Managing conflict 

The module aims to develop a critical awareness of the nature of fire. It will consider the nature of the combustion process, the spread of fire, and human behaviour in fire situations. Methods of achieving adequate protection of buildings through appropriate material choice, compartmentation of a building, and appropriate means of refuge and escape for occupiers will be covered, alongside how to specify appropriate fire detection and suppression systems.  The module will require students to formulate solutions to problems according to circumstance, and context will be achieved through testing solutions against the relevant rules and regulations, including the building regulations approved documents. Case studies will be used to demonstrate the impact of fire and its ability to spread rapidly within a building.

By the end of the module, students should be able to demonstrate a deep knowledge and understanding of: 

Legislative fire safety requirements relating to the design, construction, and use of buildings 
The various stakeholders specific to each project, their needs, and expectations in relation to fire safety 
Fire science (chemistry and physics) 
The performance and classification of building materials and systems in fire 
Factors and actions that influence human behaviour in fire, and how they can be translated into safer design, construction, and use of buildings 
Fire Strategy development and implementation 
Factors to be taken into consideration when determining an appropriate evacuation philosophy 
Selection and specification of an appropriate fire detection and alarm system to support the Fire Strategy 
Fire containment and suppression 

Application of various active and passive fire safety features to support life safety, property safety, and business continuity objectives 

The contribution of suitably qualified competent persons and construction trades to fire safety 

The importance of quality control within the design, construction, and commissioning processes 

The module aims to develop your critical awareness of the process of development within the Built Environment. It will require you to produce an appraisal of a proposed development site, providing advice to your client regarding the proposals. You will need to consider the variables that could impact on the success of the development and provide reasoned advice on things such as the legal position, financing options, sustainability of the development, and an assessment of the risks present. 

This module explores the development process in detail, including site identification and acquisition, assessing the development potential of the site, calculating the development profit of differing scenarios, looking at different funding models, arriving at a market value of the development, considering current and anticipated market conditions and planning conditions. A valuation of the development will be undertaken following best practice, which is to use 2 recognised methods to allow for cross-checking of the outcomes. 

The development process is a creative one and you will have the opportunity to consider and explore a variety of options when appraising the development potential of a site. Factors you will need to consider include things such as permissible land uses, allowable density of development, site topography, and other development factors such as social value, availability of services, infrastructure, and ground conditions. Client objectives will also need to be accommodated, which could include timescales, environmental and sustainability goals, cashflow, phasing of developments, and target profits or yields.  

This module focuses on the methods and techniques of using Big Data in business with a specific focus on organisations operating within the Built Environment. Given the increase in available Big Data, organisations are aware of the need to effectively utilise Big Data to gain competitive advantage. In this module, you will explore means by which organisations can benefit from Big Data.  

You will appraise the technologies available to organisations and means to deploy them to aid the decision-making process. Using data analytics and data visualisation tools, you will prepare and present solutions to scenario-based problems.  

By the end of the module, you should be able to demonstrate a deep knowledge and understanding of: 

The business opportunity and value creation possible through the utilisation of Big Data and business analytics 
How to appraise and select appropriate approaches to Big Data technologies and business analytics  
How to achieve business advantage through the analysis of Big Data 
Means to present Big Data to a variety of audiences using visualisation tools 

The aim of this module is to provide you with an opportunity to display a high degree of autonomy through the management and production of a piece of workplace-informed, individual coursework at Level 6 of your undergraduate studies. The module provides you with the opportunity to apply your academic knowledge and skills within a workplace setting. This type of experience is valuable and will allow you to experience the reality of the workplace and enhance your employability skills. The experience will also provide a rich source of material for your Professional Development Journal (PDJ). 

There are several scenarios which will constitute a professional placement, and, for the purpose of this module, we welcome a broad range of work-placement types. However, a pre-requisite is that it is within the Built Environment sector and approved at module level by the programme manager, academic manager, student services division and as well as by the module leader (further details can be found at the bottom of this section). 

The period of professional placement work you need to undertake for the purpose of the module is 15 days (3 weeks) full-time equivalent. However, this period of work does not have to be taken in a discrete block. The work-placement activity needs to take place during the period between Week 1 of your Level 5 and Week 4 of your Level 6. This is to give you sufficient time to prepare your coursework submissions once your work-placement is completed. Exact dates will be issued to you in advance. 

By the end of the module, you should be able to demonstrate a deep knowledge and understanding of:  

How to effectively express and apply your current skills and abilities in relation to your career values and goals.   
Ways to practically apply the knowledge you have gained through your course programme in a relevant workplace environment.  
The dynamic workplace environment and practices relevant to your chosen area of study and professional practice 
How to contribute towards making the workplace an efficient, effective, and inclusive environment 
The pathway towards achieving your personal and professional development goals