skyline with hard hat and blueprints in the foreground

Construction Management Certificate Program

Program at a Glance

  • Complete in 12 months
  • 6 online courses
  • $4,462.50-$5,250.00
  • Eligible for VA Benefits
  • Included on the Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL), as approved by Yolo County
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Student Recommended

92% of construction students would recommend this program to a colleague*

*Based on UC Davis CPE Class Climate Survey

Become a Construction Manager with an Online Certificate

Invest in your career with the Construction Management Certificate Program. Taught by respected industry veterans, our program features a robust curriculum that covers the fundamental aspects and principles of being an elite construction manager, and is endorsed by the region’s top industry associations, including BIA, SRBX and the American Society of Professional Estimators.

Who Is This Program For?

  • Entry- and mid-level construction professionals looking to accelerate their career progression
  • Experienced construction professionals interested in honing key skills in specific areas
  • Field or office staff seeking a practical understanding of the construction industry or looking to earn credit toward a construction management degree
  • Career changers interested in moving into the construction sector

What You’ll Learn

  • Read and apply blueprints and plans from conceptual drawings to final construction
  • Prepare winning bids and manage design-and-build projects of any size
  • Accurately determine construction methods, labor needs and project time frames
  • Implement proven strategies for supervising and monitoring construction activities
  • Use cost accounting principles and applications in a construction environment
  • Follow rules of bidding and the rights and liabilities of construction contractors and design professionals

What You’ll Get

  • One-on-one interaction with veteran construction managers who can help you succeed in today's building industry
  • Class projects and case studies that provide dynamic, real-world training in emerging technologies and new methods of project delivery
  • Unique networking opportunities with instructors, professional associations and fellow students that can help advance your career
  • A convenient online learning experience that doesn’t get in the way of your day job
  • Practical knowledge of a systems-based approach to construction management that can be applied immediately to your job
  • Academic credit through the UC Davis Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering that can be applied toward a construction management degree

Fast Track

Save 15% on the cost of the Construction Management Certificate by enrolling in the Fast Track option.

  • $89,535 is the average income for a construction manager (Glassdoor)
  • Construction management jobs are expected to grow by 10% by 2028, which is faster than the national job growth average (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
  • Top five states for construction management employment: California, Texas, Florida, New York and Illinois (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

This program requires completion of 20 required units of designated course work with a grade of “C” or better. Courses may be taken individually or as part of the Construction Management Certificate Program.

Course content is frequently revised to ensure that the program is up-to-date with the latest industry standards. For this reason, you must complete all of the course requirements of your certificate within five years from the day you enroll in the first course. A certificate will not be awarded if the requirements are not completed and your application for candidacy is not received within this timeframe.

For additional information about our enrollment policies, please click here.

Required Courses

Construction Plan Reading & Specifications
Quarter Academic Credit
3

From the conceptual drawings through final construction, the ability to analyze and interpret construction plans and identify compliance with laws and regulations is a key foundational skill for construction managers. Designed for estimators, design professionals, project managers and other construction professionals, or those trying to break into the construction industry, you will learn the fundamentals of how to accurately read a set of construction plans. Topics covered in this course include how construction plans are organized under the Uniform Drawing System; how to interpret plans and specifications set forth by the architect/designer; and how to apply this knowledge to the actual construction process, from conceptual drawings through final construction. By the end of this course, you will be able to understand complex project plans and apply this knowledge to the construction process.

Learning Outcomes

  • Demonstrate ability to read complex construction plans and design specifications.
  • Analyze complex plans, identify specifications and scope of use, and organize construction assembly details.
  • Illustrate how construction plans are organized under the Uniform Drawing System with emphasis on showing the 8 Specification Modules set forth by the Construction Specifications Institute.
  • Demonstrate building code compliance by accessing information from plans and specifications.
  • Integrate select application of plan reading, specifications, and assemblies by various shareholders and agencies

Skills You Will Gain

  • Construction Drawing analysis
  • Reading prints
  • Application of plans and specifications
  • Construction compliance codes
Course Code
502764
Construction Law and Contracts
Quarter Academic Credit
4

In order to avoid costly delays and litigation that can arise during a project, construction managers need to be aware of the legal issues that can arise in the construction process. This course will provide an overview of the laws concerning contracting and construction. Through lecture, a review of case law and engaging Q&As, you will gain substantive knowledge in the various areas of construction law, including private and public contracts, bidding, mechanic's lien, stop notice and payment bonds, contractors’ license law, agency, business organizations, bankruptcy and dispute resolution. By the end of this course, you will possess a framework for recognizing, understanding and mitigating legal issues that could arise during one of your construction projects.

Learning Outcomes

  • Analyze contracts and identify risks associated with contract language and clauses
  • Differentiate the rights and liabilities of contractors and design professionals, including mechanic's lien, stop notice and payment bond
  • Evaluate issues of agency, vicarious liability and contract responsibility
  • Differentiate between mediation, arbitration and court trials for dispute resolution

Skills You Will Gain

  • Contract Law
  • Contract risk assessment
  • Contract composition
  • Bankruptcy law
  • Legal research
Course Code
141910
Construction Accounting and Financial Management
Quarter Academic Credit
3

Strong financial management is vital to success in the construction industry. Through lecture, a review of case studies and class discussion, you will learn the basics of construction accounting and will explore a variety of topics, including payroll, purchasing, job costing, revenue recognition, selection of entity structure, insurance, cash management and more. In addition, you’ll be exposed to internal controls and risk management best practices that will help you successfully manage your project finances. By the end of this course, you will have a stronger understanding of financial management principles that will help you achieve greater returns on your projects.

Learning Outcomes

  • Apply the basic fundamentals of construction accounting
  • Evaluate basics of risk management including insurance coverage and surety
  • Distinguish issues of double entry bookkeeping through the use of T-accounts
  • Compare options for entity structure and evaluate general income tax implications and concerns

Skills You Will Gain

  • Accounting
  • Contract management
  • Insurance and surety
  • Cash management
  • Financial statements
Course Code
502765
Estimating, Preconstruction and Bidding

In the construction process, the estimator not only predicts project cost, but also recognizes potential risks that might result in delays or financial losses. Designed for construction professionals, this course presents methodologies and processes necessary for developing accurate estimates. Through real-world examples and case studies, you’ll examine the foundations of cost estimation, practice with common tools and the latest technologies in the profession and explore shifts in the industry related to Lean Construction practices. By the end of this course, you will possess an understanding of the essential principles of estimating in order to produce more reliable estimates for your projects.

Learning Outcomes

  • Perform basic estimating functions
  • Identify potential risks and predict how to minimize risk
  • Analyze regional and aggregate market conditions
  • Apply methods and technologies associated with quantity take off
  • Differentiate the bidding process between public versus private projects, and adapt your estimating accordingly
  • Develop a reliable estimate using Target Value Design concepts

Skills You Will Gain

  • Estimation software
  • Risk assessment
  • Target Value Design
  • Applied math
  • Analytics
Course Code
502769
Project Planning, Scheduling and Control
Quarter Academic Credit
3

This course includes mandatory live class sessions over Zoom. Please see below for specific dates.

Construction project schedules can be unwieldy, and, without a steady hand to guide them, will spiral out of control quickly. In this course, learn a systematic approach to creating and managing construction schedules. Through lecture, class exercises and Q&As, you will learn skills and best practices necessary to effectively plan and control projects of any size, such as work breakdown structures, scheduling techniques, scheduling software, cost allocation and claims management. You will also gain an in-depth understanding of scheduling and project controls. By the end of this course, you will know the ins-and-outs of developing, managing and updating a schedule from design through construction completion.

Learning Outcomes

  • Apply the basic concepts and techniques of creating and managing a construction schedule, which includes planning, scheduling and control
  • Apply cost and resource loading principals and identify the correlation to the estimate
  • Recognize common project delays and propose solutions to best approach them
  • Analyze management of change orders that are identified during the course of construction
  • Create a critical path method (CPM) schedule for a construction project and manage the schedule from pre-construction to final completion.

Skills You Will Gain

  • Construction scheduling
  • Project management process (PDCA)
  • Cost/resource planning
  • Time impact analysis (TIA)
Course Code
506006
Construction Project Management: Bid and Beyond
Quarter Academic Credit
3

Construction managers need to be aware of potential problems and pitfalls when bidding and managing their own projects. Through a combination of lectures and group exercises, this course will examine leadership concepts and forward thinking project delivery methods, such as Design/Build and CM at Risk, Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) and more. You will evaluate industry employment opportunities, distinguish differences between public and private construction projects, discuss LEAN construction principles, practice using Building Information Modeling (BIM) software, learn enhanced marketing techniques and the RFP process. This course will also help you identify techniques to overcome potential problems and pitfalls when managing your own projects. By the end of this course, you will have a comprehensive understanding of the entire delivery process from design development through construction completion.

Learning Outcomes

  • Apply next generation project delivery concepts such as Design/Build, CM at Risk and Integrated Project Delivery
  • Utilize techniques to successfully cross-manage cost, schedule, quality and most importantly, safety
  • Examine a variety of components within the project delivery process, such as long-term programming, planning, business development, marketing, financing, risk aversion and mitigation, public relations and relationships
  • Write marketing plans that support your company’s long-term goals, strengths and experience
  • Plan construction projects that meet the goals and vision of the owner and all project stakeholders

Skills You Will Gain

  • Construction management
  • Project Delivery
  • Program management
  • Preconstruction
Course Code
506007

View courses currently open for enrollment

Required Courses

Required Courses Units Winter Spring Summer Fall
Construction Plan Reading & Specifications 3 Online Online Online
Construction Law and Contracts 4 Online Online Online
Construction Accounting and Financial Management 3 Online
Online Online
Estimating, Preconstruction and Bidding 4 Online
Online Online
Project Planning, Scheduling and Control 3 Online
Online Online
Construction Project Management: Bid and Beyond 3 Online Online Online

Required Courses

Required Courses Units Fall Winter Spring Summer
Construction Plan Reading & Specifications 3 Classroom Online Classroom
Construction Law and Contracts 4 Online Classroom Classroom
Construction Accounting and Financial Management 3 Classroom Classroom Online
Estimating, Preconstruction and Bidding Classroom Online Classroom
Project Planning, Scheduling and Control 3 Online Classroom Classroom
Construction Project Management: Bid and Beyond 3 Classroom Online Classroom
  • At Your Own Pace: Take individual courses for a total cost of $5,250 (or an average cost of $875 per course).
    • A one-time, non-refundable registration fee of $125 must also be paid in order to receive your certificate.
  • Fast Track: Pay $4,462.50 in full at the time of enrollment and save over $900 on the cost of the program, including the waiver of the $125 registration fee. Please note that the Fast Track option is not available if paying with VA benefits. Learn more.
  • Textbooks are not included in the cost of tuition.

For information about financing your education, please click here.

Access free career resources. Our students have free access to tools for career planning, resume writing, interview practice and more. 

Ready to advance your career? Pick the option that best suits your needs and your lifestyle:

  • Register. Fill out a brief certificate registration form and pay the registration fee. By doing so, you declare your intent to complete the program and lock in program requirements. If you have questions about your course plan or next steps, please email us.
  • Fast Track. Enroll in our Construction Management Fast Track Certificate Program to save 15% on the cost of the program. We’ll waive your $125 registration fee and a program representative will contact you to discuss your academic path. 
  • Enroll in an individual course. Check out individual courses that are currently open for enrollment. Courses will be applied to the certificate program if you later decide to complete your certificate.
  • Sign up for an information session. Learn more about the program by enrolling in a free information session. If an information session for this program is not currently open for enrollment, click on “notify me,” and we’ll contact you when the next one becomes available.

Questions? We’re here to help. If you’ve got a question, email us or call (530) 757-8777.