Construction Management and Property

The BCMP at UNSW BE focuses on people and process management within the specific contexts of building construction, property development, quantity surveying and facilities management.

Key Areas of Study:

Construction Technology
 

This specialisation of courses teaches the qualities of sound buildings so that students can confidently understand and manage the construction process. Further, the specialisation covers the methods and equipment that are used in various building processes, and the temporary structures that are required, so that graduates can evaluate alternative construction strategies and manage specific techniques.

Building Science, Materials and Structures
 

These courses encompass the science of building for the purposes of design and construction as well as for the operation of completed buildings. This includes the physics of heat, light and sound; building services; air conditioning; materials such as timber, concrete, steel, glass and ceramics; the principles of structural analysis and design. While graduates may never be required to perform the structural or services design themselves, it is important that they understand the principles involved so that they can productively interact with designers and function effectively as part of the project team.

Management
 

While the planning, management and control of construction resources and personnel has always been crucial to efficient operations, the scale and complexities of modern buildings make this task especially challenging. These courses cover techniques for construction planning, motivating and managing people, team building and dynamics, occupational health and safety, and organisational behaviour. The potential of information technology in these processes is emphasised, both for today's industry and the building industry of the future.

Economics and Law
 

The construction sector is a huge segment of, and is vitally intertwined with, the national economy of any industrialised nation. It is important to understand this interrelationship, as well as economic principles that operate at enterprise and individual project levels. These courses range from economics at the national level, through to measuring, estimating and controlling costs on individual projects, and developing property. The specifics of contract law, property law and environmental law, dispute avoidance and resolution, as well as a general understanding of the legal system itself, are covered in some detail. For information on the structure of the degree and courses taught, please refer to the UNSW Online Handbook.