Close
The first of its kind in the UK, this renowned MSc equips students with the skills to analyse problems that confront senior managers, policy advisers and decision-makers in the construction industry.
On this page
- Overview
- Course structure and content
- Assessment
- Programme staff
- Study modes, entry requirements and fees and funding
- Accreditation
- Careers
- Application and next steps
Overview
Construction Economics and Management MSc takes construction in its widest sense, to include construction clients, design professions, subcontractors, construction supply chains and the infrastructure sector, as well as considering what happens on a building site.
Students are drawn from, and go on to work in, all branches of this sector, from client organisations, research and consulting organisations through professional practices, to established construction firms.
This Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) accredited programme is designed to develop students' knowledge and skills under two mutually supporting themes for which the School has an international reputation:
- the economics and finance of construction at project, firm and industry levels
- the management of construction projects and enterprises
As you progress through the course you will:
- develop managerial competence by building a broader understanding of social science disciplines
- gain an appreciation of construction economics and management as a general discipline, not a self-contained intellectual field
- become capable of building upon our research base
Course structure and content
The programme is divided into three equal parts:
- Term 1 – four compulsory modules
- Term 2 – four option modules
- Full year – dissertation
There are some restrictions on the different combinations of options you can take, which you will be advised of when making your choices. Module choices are subject to availability.
Term 1 - four compulsory modules (60 credits)
The four compulsory modules are core to the programme for all students, covering the basic knowledge areas of the course and developing the fundamental approach that characterise this programme. These are intensive modules which consist of lectures, tutorials and group exercises or discussions. There is a high degree of contact time under the direction of the module leader.
Term 2 - four option modules (60 credits)
Students also take four option modules which allow you to build up an individual specialisation based on your own interests and career objectives. A much greater proportion of the time spent on these modules is in self-directed reading. This is often combined with a certain level of desk research which you may be required to do in order to complete the assessment. Students choose two optional modules for weeks 20-24 and two optional modules for weeks 26-30.
Dissertation
Your dissertation is an assessed piece of original research. It is an important principle of the course that each student chooses their own dissertation topic and collects original data.
Contact time here is almost entirely directed by you - you are responsible for managing the progress of your work. Each student is assigned a supervisor to guide them through the process.
Assessment
Compulsory modules
The compulsory modules are assessed by a variety of methods including essays, presentations, weekly response and engagement, and departmentally managed exams.
Option modules
Option modules are assessed by a variety of methods, including 3,000 word term papers.
Dissertation
The dissertation is assessed in two parts:
- A 1,000 word dissertation topic outline
- The full 10,000 word dissertation
Programme staff
Maurizio Sammarco, programme leader
Teaching and learning administrator
Julia Sladen
j.sladen@ucl.ac.uk
Study modes, entry requirements and fees and funding
Duration: The course can be studied full-time over one year or two to five years flexibly.
Entry requirements: Read the full entry requirements for this course on the UCL Graduate Prospectus.
Fees and funding
Fees: Tuition fee information can be found on the UCL Graduate Prospectus.
Funding: For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding section of the UCL website.
Accreditation
The course is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), a professional body accrediting professionals within the land, property, construction, and infrastructure sectors worldwide.
The course is recognised by RICS as providing exemption from their professional examinations for the Project Management route of entry.
Careers
Graduates of this course go on to become future innovators, leaders, senior managers, researchers and teachers in the fields of construction management and construction economics as well as other areas of the built environment. Graduates have also moved into project/asset finance and management.
The course is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and graduates are encouraged, where appropriate, to progress to full membership.
- Learn more about careers support available at the School
Application and next steps
Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.
This course is particularly appropriate for applicants who already possess knowledge and experience of project management and are seeking to move from a project-based to a business-based role within construction, or wish to specialise in areas of practical application of economics and finance.
What are we looking for?
When we assess your application, we are interested in:
- why you want to study Construction Economics and Management at graduate level
- why you want to study Construction Economics and Management at UCL
- what particularly attracts you to the chosen programme
- how your academic and professional background meets the demands of this challenging programme
- where you would like to go professionally with your degree
Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver. Your statement should be clearly written, and be no more than 500 words. Please use the statement to tell us:
Why have you chosen Construction Economics and Management programme and why Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction? What specific areas of construction economics and construction management have you got an interest in and why? What are the values and experiences that you could bring to the programme? How will you use your studies in your professional and personal life? If there is a particular area you plan to research (for your MSc dissertation) please include this in your statement.
We welcome applicants who have achieved an upper second class degree (2:1) at undergraduate level or equivalent. Applications from applicants with lower academic achievement records will also be considered, if the applicant has significant post-graduation industry experience.
More information
- For key information, including how to apply, visit the UCL Graduate Prospectus.
