Master of Science in Construction Engineering Management

Master of Science in Construction Engineering Management

Learn to Direct All Project Stages From Pre-Design to Completion

Advance your career while growing your understanding of construction project management.

The Master of Science in Construction Engineering Management (MSCEM) equips you with key knowledge and hands-on experience.

Courses are available on campus, online and in a hybrid format. The program advisor and director of Construction Engineering Management (CEM) is Dr. Erik Backus. Your project advisor is selected through mutual agreement between the director of CEM, an industry project advisor and yourself.

Why Study Construction Engineering Management?

Explore building and infrastructure from pre-design to project completion. At the same time, an emphasis on business acumen gets you ready for leadership.

Give your career the boost it needs:

  • Hands-on Learning: Courses employ project-based, hands-on learning. Our students further interact with a variety of construction engineering management organizations. This combination deepens your technical and practical mastery. You can also apply what you’ve acquired directly on the job.
  • Flexibility: Take courses at multiple Clarkson campuses, complete your degree entirely online or do so through both formats. The typical student takes two courses per semester to finish in one to two years.
  • Interdisciplinary: Construction managers are expected to pull from a diverse skill set. Here, advance your foundation in civil and environmental engineering topics. Then, take your knowledge of construction engineering to the next level. Master of Business Administration courses round out what you bring to the job.
  • Comprehensive: Gain detailed insight into resource planning, scheduling, estimation, materials, systems, safety, sustainability and quality control.

Curriculum

The curriculum covers:

  • Advanced construction engineering.
  • Sustainable infrastructure.
  • Construction industry topics.
  • Advanced civil and environmental engineering.
  • Business management courses in finance, accounting, supply chain management and other functional areas.

Review the full curriculum below.

The Master of Science in Construction Engineering Management requires 30 credits. These are divided among three core construction engineering courses, a choice of civil and environmental engineering electives, three business management courses and an ME project — an applied capstone culminating in a report.

Program Requirements

Four Core Courses

  • CE506 Advanced Construction Engineering* (all Fall semesters)
  • CE510 Sustainable Infrastructure and Building* (all Fall semesters)
  • CE591 Special Topics in Construction Engineering Management* (all Spring semesters)
  • CE590 Graduate Degree Completion Project

*Completing these three courses allows for the award of an Advanced Certificate in CEM

Six Elective Courses taken from our elective list (18 credit hours)

Take six courses from our CEM elective course listing, based on your needs. This list adjusts over time based on availability, market trends and interests.

  • CE502 Applications of Geospatial Analysis
  • CE505 Project Controls and Lean Methods in Construction
  • CE507 Construction Operations
  • CE508 BIM for Prefab
  • CE541 Bridge Engineering
  • CE555 Structural Damage Assessment, Rehabilitation, and Repair
  • EM660 Financial Analysis & Cost Management
  • EM680 Operations Strategy & International Competitiveness
  • OM680 Strategic Project Management
  • EM640 Leading and Managing Organizations
  • OS657 Leading Organizational Change
  • OS666 Negotiations & Relationship Management
  • EM630 Law for Engineers
  • EM620 Enterprise Sustainability

Research has the power to transform all stages of a construction project. Our graduate programs center around inquisitiveness and the drive to uncover new solutions to industry concerns — particularly in response to sustainability. Learn more about research at Clarkson

The MSCEM is designed for candidates with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering or another engineering discipline currently working in or are considering a career in construction engineering management.

A complete application consists of the following:

  • Online Application Form
  • Résumé.
  • Statement of Purpose.
  • Two letters of recommendation.
  • Official Transcripts.
  • GRE Test Scores.
    • Not Required.

A limited number of scholarships are available for qualified full-time students. Learn more about our scholarships and how to apply by contacting Graduate Admissions via email at graduate@clarkson.edu

I was looking for a graduate school to upscale my skill set to gain a deeper knowledge about construction. I found Clarkson University's program to have a flexible curriculum that is a combination of technical and management aspects, which really relates to my current line of work.

Antariksh Lodhi MS in Civil and Environmental Engineering with a construction engineering management specialty track

Career Possibilities

Demand for construction managers is steady to above average: the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts eight percent growth between 2021 and 2031. Especially as you eye a leadership role, a master’s in construction engineering management illustrates your scope of knowledge and broad, versatile skill set.

Possible job titles include:

  • Construction manager
  • Project manager
  • Infrastructure project manager
  • Chief engineer
  • Chief building engineer
  • Engineering manager
  • Engineering project manager
  • Senior project engineer
  • Assistant chief engineer

Employers

Upon completing the program, CEM graduates tend to see a $10,000 to $30,000 increase in pay and benefit from our robust alumni network in the construction industry. Our students have found positions with:

  • Barrett Paving Materials, Inc.
  • Cives Steel Company
  • The DDS Companies
  • ECS Limited
  • Harrison & Burrowes
  • Kiewit Construction Paving Co., Inc.
  • The Pike Companies
  • Slate Hill Constructors
  • Tioga Construction
  • Turner Construction

Contact Us

Graduate Admissions Team
Email: graduate@clarkson.edu
Phone: 518-631-9831

Erik Backus
Director of Construction Engineering Management Program
ebackus@clarkson.edu
315-268-6522

Donna Kowal
Program Coordinator
dmkowal@clarkson.edu
315-268-4017

Find out more about the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering in the Coulter School of Engineering

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99% Placement Rate - 2023 Graduate School Overall

About the CEM Master’s Program

See what to expect once enrolled in the MSCEM program, from career preparation to hands-on training structured for working industry professionals.

Explore Clarkson’s CEM Program

What Our Alumni Have to Say

Learn more about the career-boosting impact of Clarkson’s CEM program directly from our alumni.

Watch the Video

Achieve Your Purpose Here

Prepare to design stronger, more resilient buildings, and understand how to make the construction process more efficient and sustainable. To take the next step: