Course overview
Upon successful completion of the apprenticeship programme, learners will be awarded a BSc (Hons) in Construction Management.
The overall aim of the degree apprenticeship is to provide apprentices with the skills and understanding of the principles, practices, and ethics in the construction industry at a national and global level.
The structure of the course is designed in collaboration with industry to meet construction and societal needs in terms of management, digital information, technologies, law, procurement, and sustainability.
Please note, we can only respond to enquiries from employers, or individuals with agreement from their employer to undertake an apprenticeship.
Course details
Course structure
Level 5 core modules
You are introduced to the national legal system and the law of contract, so that you have an appreciation of the legal framework in which construction organisations and projects are managed. You develop knowledge and skills in aspects of contractual administration relating to the common types of contract used in the construction industry for building or civil engineering works of various sizes.
Construction Management and Professional Skills
Students will gain an understanding of construction management techniques relevant to the construction projects at design and production stages with regards to scheduling, estimating, cost and time control, quality issues and health & safety. Students will also learn how these principles may be applied in the management of a construction project.
Formal lectures will be supported by student led seminars as appropriate in order to provide formative feedback with regards to construction management components. Students will also develop professional skills to support students’ development with regards to employability and career progression. The learning and teaching strategy will also focus on developing the students' detailed understanding and interpretation of the requirements for chartered membership of an engineering professional body.
Group Project: Planning and Organisation of Construction
You work in teams and develop key skills required to plan and manage civil engineering/construction projects. You consider a problem-solving scenario to identify and evaluate a range of alternative options to meet the Client’s requirements and the project objectives. This includes analysis of site/project constraints, planning process, buildability and sustainability considerations.
You expand your employability skills such as group work, project management and presentation skills to support problem solving in a technical engineering context.
The module features an intensive project week, where you work solely on this group project. Key milestones are set, including progress meetings with tutors acting as clients and, where possible, meetings with professionals involved in the construction industry acting as expert consultants and offering constructive feedback on your proposals.
You will study technology, people, policy and process change required to adopt BIM as enabler of the future of construction. 3D visualisation, Virtual Reality, Augmented reality, offsite construction, 3D prototyping and component printing as opportunities for the Construction industry to adopt. You will consider different design processes in the construction industry in the advent of BIM and information as a technological and methodological breakthrough.
Explore offsite construction and its benefits against traditional onsite construction. Consider different applications of construction methods and technology, as well as materials used in the offsite construction project, including the use of precast concrete, modular design and lightweight materials. Develop an understanding of drivers to adoption of offsite construction, evaluating opportunities and risks associated with using offsite construction methods for different construction projects.
You are introduced to the philosophy, theory and key concepts of sustainable development in relation to the built environment and the construction industry. You analyse the potential impacts of engineering design and construction on both the environment and society, and examine the implications of climate change and the low-carbon agenda on engineering design, construction and operation.
Level 6 core modules
Construction Management and Contracts
Students will gain an understanding of construction management techniques relevant to the construction industry with regards to estimating, cost and time control, quality issues and health & safety. This module will also provide the students with a working knowledge of procurement arrangements and cost analysis as used in the construction industry.
The nature of contract law will be explored allowing the students to develop a knowledge and understanding of the common types of contract used in the construction industry. Guest speakers from industry are invited to help ensure current good practice is included in the delivery of the module.
Formal lectures will be supported by student seminars/project work and online quizzes as appropriate in order to provide formative feedback.
Digital Information Management in Construction
Develop the knowledge and skills to become an information manager, or BIM manager in your future career. You study the methodologies to manage digital BIM based projects for the construction and engineering fields, learning how to create, manage and encourage other users to work within the BIM collaboration space.
This module provides you with the opportunity to work in a team to solve a complex multi-disciplinary engineering design and implementation problem related to your chosen BEng Tech pathway. It gives you an understanding of your knowledge and limitations, and the importance of bringing in and working with people with a different knowledge base and skill set. Working in a team enables problems to be successfully resolved which would not have been possible within a single individual. This module develops a consolidated set of employability skills in project management, presentation of work, research and commercial awareness to support complex problem solving in a technical context and enhance the awareness of professional issues such as health, safety, environment and ethics in the workplace.
A problem-based learning approach is adopted and, where appropriate, supporting lectures and seminars are delivered to include technical knowledge or skills development.
This module extends the development of independent learning skills by allowing you to investigate an area of engineering or technology for an extended period.
You receive training in writing technical reports for knowledgeable readers and you produce a report or dissertation of the work covered. In addition, you give an oral presentation, a poster presentation or both. The topic can be in the form of a research project or a design project.
You develop key skills in research, knowledge application and creation through keynote lectures where appropriate and self-managed independent study. Support is provided through regular tutorial sessions.
Supply Chain Management in Construction
You investigate a range of applied quality management techniques and develop the skills necessary to apply these techniques to your own work environment. You examine the appropriate statistical techniques in quality control, auditing, supply chain management and a range of accreditation schemes (including BRC, EFSIS, ISO, and UKAS) and industry standards.
Modules offered may vary.
How you learn
The apprenticeship includes work-based elements and blended (on campus and online) learning.
Attendance is typically one day a week on campus. Online learning may be real-time or recorded. Real-time is preferred but recordings provided added flexibility for apprentices who may occasionally need to manage work commitments.
The University programmes provide a number of contact teaching and assessment hours (such as lectures, tutorials, lab work, projects, examinations), but the apprentice is also expected to undergo self-study time – to review lecture notes, prepare coursework assignments, work on projects and revise for assessments.
How you are assessed
The apprentice's learning involves different types of assessment including coursework assignments and exams.
The apprentice is provided with programme and module guides containing comprehensive information about their assessments. Assessment schedules allow them to manage their time more effectively and prepare for submission.
Our virtual learning environment plays a key role in the submission of coursework and assessment with some modules using online tests, blogs, journals and portfolios to support blended learning.
In addition to the on-programme assessment, completion of the apprenticeship is by end-point assessment which looks holistically at the Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours (KSBs) developed to determine if the requirements of the Standard have been met.
Our Disability Services team provide an inclusive and empowering learning environment and have specialist staff to support disabled students access any additional tailored resources needed. If you have a specific learning difficulty, mental health condition, autism, sensory impairment, chronic health condition or any other disability please contact a Disability Services as early as possible.
Find out more about our disability services
Entry requirements
Entry requirements
To be accepted on to a degree apprenticeship course you must have support from your employer and meet the course entry requirements.
Apprentices must:
- be employed full time in an appropriate role
- have completed a HNC or HND in construction or equivalent or the Level 4 Construction Technician Standard
- have a Level 2 in maths and English, such as GCSE maths and English at grade 4 or higher
- obtain and maintain valid industry certificates in Site Safety Plus: Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS) and Site Safety Plus: Site Environmental Awareness Training Scheme (SEATS).
You can gain considerable knowledge from work, volunteering and life. Under recognition of prior learning (RPL) you may be awarded credit for this which can be credited towards the course you want to study.
Find out more about RPL
Employability
Career opportunities
The apprenticeship is ideal for roles such as construction site manager, assistant construction site manager, site manager, sub agent, assistant site manager or construction planner.
