Construction & Project Management with Industrial Internship

Overview
These programmes have been designed to:
Develop the intellectual, practical and professional skills of the learner in the critical acquisition, analysis, interpretation and understanding of the management of construction projects and organisations.

Apply appropriate theoretical and practical management methods in the analysis and solution of design, engineering and construction problems.

Develop a holistic approach to the planning, monitoring and control of construction projects by integrating the technical knowledge of design, engineering and construction with financial, legal, IT, commercial leadership and managerial skills of business administration in the management of simple to complex projects through their various stages from inception, feasibility, strategy, design, construction, commissioning and into maintenance; and in construction organisations; e.g. construction economics and finance, strategic management, information systems, construction law, international construction markets and competitive advantage.

Develop critical and analytical problem-solving skills across a broad range of subjects and transferable skills that relate to literacy, numeracy, computing, teamwork, group work, and personal presentations and interactions to prepare graduates for more general employment.

This course is taught by a mixture of academic staff and industrial practitioners, bringing real world experiences into the classroom.

Course Structure
Students must enrol on a full-time basis.

The programme is delivered on Mondays and Fridays for full time delivery and 1 day per-week for part time students (Monday for first year, Friday for second year). Nine modules (including Dissertation) totalling 180 CATS points are included in the programme, with no optional modules available.

Lectures are delivered by industry orientated lecturers and external experts within the field of Project Management. Assessment is undertaken through coursework and presentations.

This course is taught by a mixture of academic staff and industrial practitioners, bringing real world experiences into the classroom.

About you
You could be: a civil engineer, architect, planner, commercial manager, M&E services engineer, environmental manager/engineer, lawyer, or any other construction related discipline. You could have been in professional practice for a while already: some of our previous students have been many years into their career when they join us.

Or you may be a recent graduate, for example with a BEng, BA (architecture) or BSc. This Master’s gives you the opportunity to acquire a management ‘bolt on’ on top of your engineering, architecture or construction related undergraduate degree.

Course content
The course’s primary focus is on project management, which will give you the chance to take your career forward in any industry, not just in construction.

We teach the principles of project management
– the distinct discipline of working to agreed deadlines, starts and finishes on a given project – with an awareness of the global challenges facing the industry, not least the need to make construction sustainable.

You will learn to apply management methods to design, engineering and construction problems, and be able to be plan, monitor and control construction projects by integrating technical knowledge with leadership, commercial and managerial skills.

The information below is intended as an example only, featuring module details for the current year of study (2023/24). Modules are reviewed on an annual basis and may be subject to future changes – revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year.

Year 1
Core Modules
Dissertation (60 credits)
Project Planning for Sustainability (20 credits)
Construction Economics and Construction Finance (20 credits)
Project Management, Planning and Control (20 credits)
Procurement, Contract Administration and Law (20 credits)
Research Methods for Managers (10 credits)
Construction & Project Management Internship (Year long) (0 credits)
Organisations, People and Leadership (10 credits)

Optional Modules
Emerging Digital Technology 1 (10 credits)
Construction Law 2 (10 credits)
Facilities Management / Asset Management (10 credits)
Building Information Modelling in Practice (10 credits)

Graduate
Normally a 2.1 Honours degree or above in a relevant Science, Engineering, Architecture, Management or Social Science discipline or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University.

Applicants who do not meet the above academic requirements but hold a relevant professional qualification and can demonstrate appropriate experience, will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

The University's Recognition of Prior Learning Policy provides guidance on the assessment of experiential learning (RPEL). Please visit http://go.qub.ac.uk/RPLpolicy for more information.

The deadline for applications is normally 30th June 2024. However, we encourage applicants to apply as early as possible. In the event that any programme receives a high number of applications, the University reserves the right to close the application portal earlier than 30th June deadline. Notifications to this effect will appear on the Direct Application Portal against the programme application page.

A deposit will be required to secure a place on this course.

Please note: Applicants who do not meet the academic entry requirements for the MSc Construction and Project Management with Industrial Internship may be considered for the MSc Construction and Project Management (which does not include Industrial Internship), should vacancies be available.

Assessment is carried out in January (CIV 7069, Research Methods for Managers) and in May (all other taught modules).

Overall ratio of coursework to unseen examinations is 50:50

Written dissertation/thesis is submitted and assessed at the end of September for all full-time MSc students.

PG Diploma students who achieve, at the first attempt, an MSc standard of performance in coursework and examinations, will be invited by the Board of Examiners to transfer to the MSc pathway.

MSc students who have achieved a minimum of 50 per cent in the compulsory modules and an average of 50 per cent or above overall in the taught programme, are required to undertake an individual research project and submit a dissertation in September. This dissertation must be passed at 50 per cent for the award of the MSc.

Students who achieve an overall average for their taught modules and dissertation in the range 60 per cent to 69 per cent will be awarded a Commendation. Students who achieve an average of 65 per cent or above in the taught programme and 70 per cent or more for the dissertation, with an overall average of 70 per cent or more, will be awarded a Distinction.

MSc with Industrial Internship students will maintain regular monthly contact with their University academic supervisor. Students will also have a supervisor/mentor appointed by their Internship provider and approved by the University. Progress milestones will be agreed ahead of the Internship with supervisors/mentors who will send regular progress reports to the University academic supervisor. Students submit an interim report half-way through and then a final report at the end of the Internship. They also prepare and deliver a 30-minute presentation, which will include a question and answer session. Where students successfully complete their Industrial Internship, having met the assessment requirements, they will be entitled to graduate with the MSc in Construction and Project Management with Industrial Internship.

Where students fail to meet the assessment criteria for their Internship, but have otherwise fulfilled all other requirements for the one-year MSc programme, they may still graduate with the MSc.

2 years (Full Time)

Entry Year: 2024/25

Career Prospects
There are excellent career opportunities for our graduates as project managers, contract managers, design managers, project architects, project engineers, planners, etc., within project management consultants, construction companies, property developers and government agencies, amongst others. Graduates are also well prepared for PhD research, which may lead to careers in research establishments and universities.