Bachelor of Construction Management (Honours)

This four-year professional degree will prepare you for future leadership and managerial roles in the building and construction industry.

You’ll be able to pursue your career interests and specialise in one of three high-growth areas in construction project management, quantity surveying, or building surveying in your final year.

Throughout your studies, you’ll develop a well-rounded understanding of the entire project lifecycle.

You’ll explore modern project management techniques, develop skills to assess building compliance, and gain financial acumen to manage construction businesses in a commercial environment.

The technical and practical skills gained throughout your degree will prepare you for a range of roles required in large-scale commercial, infrastructure and residential projects.

As a student, you’ll be introduced to Building Information Modelling (BIM) and modern construction techniques.

You’ll also learn to use software that construction and building professionals use on a regular basis including Autodesk Revit, MS Project, Cost X, Navisworks 2016 and Synchro Pro.

If you’re already working in the industry, you’ll have the opportunity to immediately apply what you’ve learned in the workplace.

Entry requirements

Admission criteria

The admission criteria have been grouped to assist you to easily find the information most relevant to your circumstances. However, you may fit into more than one and the university will consider applicants against each of the relevant criteria.

Certain conditions apply. For more information refer to Appendix 4 of the University's Selection and Entry policy.

Applicants are required to meet one of the following criteria with competitive result: Higher education study

• successfully completed equivalent to a minimum of half a year of full-time study of a higher education program at a recognised higher education provider

OR Vocational Education and Training (VET)

• completed an award from a registered training organisation at Certificate IV level or above

OR Work and life experience

• passed a UniSA Online literacy and numeracy test and have relevant work experience;
• completed a UniSA Foundation Studies program or equivalent; or
• qualified for Special Entry

OR Recent secondary education

• completed a secondary education qualification equivalent to SACE, such as an interstate year 12 international qualification

Essential requirements for admission

Prerequisites

Assumed Knowledge

With a focus on real-world learning, you’ll learn to work with designs, read drawings, use industry-standard technology, navigate plans, and gain a holistic understanding of the entire project lifecycle as well as the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders.

You’ll explore diverse areas such as construction technology, construction science, building services, contract administration, construction health and safety, building surveying and construction economics.

As a graduate, you’ll come out with project management skills with the ability to plan and schedule construction operations using flowcharts, network analysis, Gantt charts, Critical Path Method and precedence diagrams.

The first three years of this degree mirror UniSA Online’s Bachelor of Construction Management degree. In your fourth year, you’ll have a choice of specialist electives in the areas of construction project management, quantity surveying and building surveying. You’ll have the opportunity to a undertake a research project, which will allow you to gain a deeper insight and further develop your knowledge and skills in your area of interest. As part of your research project, you’ll be paired with an experienced academic or an industry professional who are experts in their particular field.

Studying 100% online means you can engage with course materials at your own pace, whenever it suits you – there is no need to be online at a particular time. It’s flexible around your life so you can control your study schedule week by week. As a general rule, we recommend 10 to 15 hours of study a week for each course.

All assessments, including exams (if required) are 100% online, meaning you’ll never need to travel to submit an assignment or find an exam venue.

Some of your assessments may include:

Your career

With more than one million employees working across 330,000 construction businesses, the construction industry is the third largest in the country, making up 9% of Australia’s total workforce1. And these numbers will only continue to rise, with a further 100,000 jobs predicted by 2022.2

Construction professionals are commonly employed by large construction firms and smaller building subcontractors. They can work on a range of buildings including residential houses, apartment complexes, offices, shopping centres, public buildings, hospitals, and schools. There are also opportunities to work on heavy industrial or civil construction sites, road, tunnel and shaft excavations, demolition sites, as well as local government works.

1 Ai Group, Australia's Construction Industry: Profile and Outlook July 2015.

2 StartupAUS, Digital Foundations: How technology is transforming Australia’s construction sector.

Careers to consider:

• Construction manager:
• oversee and allocate resources for construction projects; work with architects and engineers to check plans and blueprints; manage schedules; determine material and labour costs, and liaise with and hire subcontractors and workers.
• Quantity surveyor:
• manage all costs relating to building and civil engineering projects, from initial calculations to final figures; seek to minimise the costs of a project and enhance value for money, and achieve required standards and quality.
• Building surveyor:
• ensure buildings are safe to occupy, energy efficient, accessible and meet all legal requirements as a statutory responsibility; assess, certify and inspect building works; work in design, fire safety, energy efficiency and access solutions; and support the legal process as educators and expert witnesses.
• Project manager: coordinate and plan projects from beginning to end; prepare budgets and cost estimates; create schedules; respond to issues and delays; collaborate with architects and engineers; communicate with clients regarding the progress of a project; and ensure safety regulations and codes are met.
• Construction supervisor:
• oversee all construction activities that take place on a worksite, and supervise contractors and staff while maintaining a safe and secure work environment by adhering to, and enforcing safety codes.
• Estimator: compile cost estimates based on variables such as labour, materials and equipment; work out project costs and create budgets, and analyse different quotes from sub-contractors and suppliers.
• Construction planner:
• develop plans on construction projects so the project is completed safely, on time and within budget; organise the stages of construction development; work with managers and engineers to discuss progress and address issues that arise.
• Contract administrator:
• develop scope of work and contract documents for execution; administer contracts; assess progress claims and subcontractor payments; prepare variations; manage contract risks to meet company obligations and achieve the planned outcomes of a contract.

Learn more about your career in Construction Management >

Our online career-focused degrees give you full control and ultimate flexibility over your study. It’s Study On Demand, on your schedule, on your terms.

• Study 100% online - no need to come onto campus
• Choose from four start dates in January, April, June and September
• Learn in 10-week blocks
• Get support seven days a week - including on weeknights
• Access learning resources 24/7
• View course content before your term starts
• Work while you study
• Plan your study schedule ahead of time
• Fast-track your studies and receive credit for past study and/or work experience.

Our graduates get jobs

You will be studying with a university known for its employment outcomes. Your UniSA degree is more than just a piece of paper – it will prepare you to start your career, or take it to the next level. In fact, UniSA undergraduates studying online have graduate employment rates well above the national average1.

Specifically designed for online learning

Our team of academic and online experts have created interactive and media-rich course material using innovative digital technology and state-of-the-art teaching and learning resources. Every degree has been specifically designed for online learning to ensure you graduate with the skills and knowledge for your future career.

As a general rule of thumb, any desktop or laptop computer purchased in the past three years should be capable of meeting your online learning needs. While mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones will be able to access most of your online course content, there are likely to be elements of most courses where we recommend you use a desktop or laptop computer. Your computer should be able to:

• run a modern browser (Internet Explorer 10, Firefox 24, Safari 5, or Chrome 32 or later versions)
• run Java, and in some cases Flash (devices running on Apple's iOS operating system, such as iPads, iPhones, do not run Flash)
• run programs to create documents, spreadsheets and presentations
• use a web camera and headset (or ear pods with microphone)
• Some UniSA Online degrees require an online exam. The online exam software – Remote Proctor Now – has specific capability requirements. Please refer to the system requirements prior to conducting your exam to ensure your computer is compatible.

Access free IT software and resources

As a UniSA Online student, you'll:

• Get free access to the full Office 365 ProPlus suite, which includes full versions of Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, OneNote, Publisher, Access and Lync software. Install the full suite on up to five different devices (PC and Mac compatible).
• Get 1Tb of personal storage that syncs with your PC or mobile device through OneDrive - it's like an extra hard drive that allows you to open any of your files from any of your devices, whenever you need them.
• Get free access to LinkedIn Learning - Access more than 5000 video courses on a broad range of topics such as: the Microsoft Office suite, time management and study skills, health and wellbeing, communication and presentation skills, photography, film making and designing your own games or mobile apps.
• Be able to connect with others using Skype for Business, Yammer and the Outlook Web App.

There are some degrees that have specialised software requirements. We've made this software available to students to access for free - you'll be able to download and install any of the required programs on your own device anywhere and anytime. See if your degree requires specialised software.

Check your device

Our computer system test will determine if your device has the base system resources and software required to study online. It'll also check the speed of your internet connection.

See if your computer, laptop or device is all set up and ready to go – it takes just a few seconds.

The application process is easy – just follow these simple steps:

1. Check your eligibility
2. Take our eligibility checker and answer a few short questions to see if you’re eligible. You’ll be given an option to continue your application, save it for later or request a call back from a Degree Adviser if you have any questions.
3. Gather your relevant documents
4. If you're eligible, you'll receive an email outlining the entry requirements and the relevant documentation you need in order to be considered.
5. In order to verify your academic qualifications, you'll need to upload relevant documents like your official parchment, certificates or transcripts. If you have work experience, you will need to upload your CV as well as any other documents like work references, professional recognition or accreditation or your training certification.
6. Your email will contain information on the specific documents you need to provide as well as a link to log in to your application. You'll be asked to create an account and set your own password.
7. Complete your application and send through your documents
8. In order to proceed with your conditional offer, you’ll need to complete your application and provide required evidence of your previous study or work experience.