Certificate Program in Construction Management
Many opportunities exist for construction professionals with the right skills. To succeed in the construction industry, you must be prepared to endure intense competition and dramatic economic cycles. Construction management courses from UC Davis Extension can help you enhance and expand your skills and take advantage of these opportunities.
The Construction Management Certificate Program gives construction professionals the business and technical skills needed to thrive in this challenging industry. Certificate program courses are designed to help you prepare winning bids, successfully manage construction projects of any size and run your business effectively. Take the complete certificate program for an in-depth education in all aspects of construction management or enroll in individual courses to enhance your skills in a specific area.
The UC Davis Department of Civil Engineering and the Graduate School of Management have reviewed and approved all courses in the Construction Management Certificate Program. This is your guarantee of quality.
Who should enroll
The Construction Management Certificate Program is designed especially for construction managers and owners, contractors, architects, engineers, framers, electricians, plumbers, mechanical contractors, foundation layers, commercial and residential construction professionals, as well as real estate and financial leaders.
Learn from the best
Our instructors are construction professionals with practical experience in construction management, law, accounting, insurance and consulting. They use case studies to bring theoretical principles down to earth. Our program advisers are leading members of the business community who have first-hand experience with the construction industry. They advise UC Davis Extension on issues and trends, and provide valuable insights into training needs from the employers' perspective.
The Building Industry Association of Superior California and the Sacramento Builders Exchange endorse this program. Members receive a 10 percent discount on their course enrollment fees with proof of membership.
Certificate Requirements
Courses may be taken individually or as part of a certificate program. Participants will be awarded a certificate in Construction Management upon the successful completion of 16 required units and six (6) elective units of designated course work. Tuition for the entire Construction Management Certificate Program is $4,685 to $5,035, depending on when you enroll. The certificate application fee ($45), textbooks and parking are not included in the tuition fee.
| UNITS | F | W | SP | SU | ||
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| REQUIRED COURSES | Estimating and Bidding | 3 | 
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| Project Scheduling and Management | 3 | 
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| Construction Accounting and Contract Management | 3 |
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| Construction Law and Contracts | 4 |
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| Integrating Construction Management Principles | 3 |
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| ELECTIVE COURSES | Effective Negotiation Strategies | 3 |
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| Construction Blueprint and Plan Reading | 3 |
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| California Building Codes | 3 |
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| Managing Public Works Projects, Construction Change Orders, and Claims | 3 |
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| Marketing Principles for Construction Professionals | 3 |
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Classroom format
Online Learning format |
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Required Courses
Estimating and Bidding
3 quarter units academic credit, X402.2.
Gain a basic understanding of estimating and bidding procedures, including the role of the estimator, various levels and details of an estimate, CSI format of a general contractor’s bid and the bidding process. Contractors, subcontractors, construction managers, architects and engineers involved with this key phase of commercial construction benefit from this insightful and practical information.
Examine
quantity takeoff; pricing labor, material and equipment; bonding;
productivity
factors; private and public bidding formats; minority requirements; and
markups
and bidding strategies.
Prerequisites:
Construction Blueprint and Plan Reading, or two years experience reading construction blueprints and plans.
This course is not currently scheduled.
Project Scheduling and Management
3 quarter units academic credit, X402.4.
From
preliminary design to final
walkthrough, scheduling is critical for successful construction
projects. Focus
on the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively plan and control
projects
of any size. Learn a systems approach to project management as well as
historical
development of planning methods. Gain an in-depth understanding of
scheduling
and controlling construction projects. Discuss project manuals; CPM and
PERT
scheduling techniques; network analysis by computer; resource
allocation;
claims management; and purchasing, monitoring and controlling long-lead
items.
Know the ins and outs of fast-track processes from design through
construction
completion.
This course is not currently scheduled.
Construction Accounting and Contract Management
3 quarter units academic credit, X415.3.
Construction management teams must anticipate, monitor and control the various components of every job. Using a team approach to cost management, gain an understanding of basic accounting concepts and how they apply to the construction industry. Beginning with an introduction to accounting, learn cost accounting principles and applications.
Examine profit and loss statements, cash flow evaluation,
revenue projection, job management and closeouts. Learn to monitor
construction
progress and payment schedules, and to administer contracts and
computer
applications for the construction industry.
This course is not currently scheduled.
Construction Law and Contracts
4 quarter units academic credit, X406.1. 4 MCLE CEUs, 40 MCLE Hours
Learn to recognize actual and potential legal problems early on with this overview of the legal aspects of contracting and construction. Gain an understanding of the legal aspects of bidding, the liabilities of contractors and design professionals, mechanic's lien, stop notice and payment bond rights.
Discover
the ins and outs of remedies and obligations; performance; licenses and
other
bonds; contractors’ license law; mediation, arbitration and
court trials for
dispute resolution; public works projects; and contract phraseology.
Explore
contracts and contract administration, and then uncover details about
risk
management and avoiding litigation. Evaluate the importance of
documentation,
the effects of change orders and methods for control.
This course is not currently scheduled.
Integrating Construction Management Principles
3 quarter units academic credit, X415.4.
Integrate the knowledge you've learned in previous courses with this comprehensive look at project management. Using case studies, the entire lifecycle of a construction project is covered, including design development, budgeting, contracting methodologies and construction oversight. This course also features guest lectures from practicing professionals in the various fields.
Prerequisites:
Estimating and Bidding, Project Scheduling and Management, Construction Law and Contracts, Construction Accounting and Contract Management.
This course is not currently scheduled.
Elective Courses
Effective Negotiation Strategies
3 quarter units academic credit, X422.10.
Anyone
negotiating with others who have
strong opinions knows how difficult it can be to reach a
mutually
beneficial resolution. Through the use of skill-building
exercises, case
studies and simulations, examine the interest-based negotiation model
through
practical and theorical perspectives. Focus on the interest-based
process to address
the different values, priorities and goals of each party.
Discover how to
create effective strategies and achieve win-win
solutions.
Examine the
principles that won
President Jimmy Carter his Nobel Prize for Peace with the Camp
David
Accords and that create successful labor/management
negotiations and
enable complex multi-party, decision-making situations to be
successful.
This course is not currently scheduled.
Construction Blueprint and Plan Reading
3 quarter units academic credit, X406.25A.
It is crucial for any business or agency to be able to read and understand building plans--how the site plan affects the building plan, what building departments look for in plan checks, how plans affect contracts, change orders and profits. This overview of the design-and-build method of the construction process focuses on reading and applying blueprints and plan reading from conceptual drawings to final construction. Guest speakers include designers, contractors, plan checkers and building inspectors who describe their specific field of expertise and how it is instrumental in plan reading.
Private and governmental organization field and office personnel benefit.
This course is not currently scheduled.
California Building Codes
3 quarter units academic credit, X406.24. MCLE Hours
This course provides an overview of the state laws and codes regulating construction in California. You'll learn about code origins and applications for the Uniform Building, Uniform Plumbing, Uniform Mechanical and the National Electrical codes; organization, application, scope and fundamental requirements for building design; egress, disabled access and fire protection; and plumbing, electrical and mechanical systems. You will also examine how product standards are developed and how to investigate and verify approvals.
This course covers the California Building Standard Code (Title 24) within the scheme of California's regulations, its basis in law, when and where it applies, and the code adoption process supervised by the California Building Standards Commission.
This course is not currently scheduled.
Managing Public Works Projects, Construction Change Orders, and Claims
3 quarter units academic credit, X406.27.
Discover the major procedures and pitfalls of participating in large public works projects, and review the legal and contractual duties and responsibilities of each participant. Using case studies, explore the process dynamics through contracts, schedules, change orders and claims.
Discuss useful contract provisions and methods of calculating and evaluating change orders and claims. Contractors, subcontractors and public (and private) works administrators involved with managing public works projects, change orders and claims gain a clear sense of how to improve their management processes.
This course is not currently scheduled.
Marketing Principles for Construction Professionals
3 quarter units academic credit, X402.27.
In today’s complex and volatile marketplace, knowledge of marketing techniques and strategies is essential for all construction industry professionals. Develop practical marketing skills and learn methods for maintaining a successful business development program. Explore all aspects of marketing, including communications, planning, research, proposal development, interviews and presentations.
Gain an understanding of business
development life cycles. Learn to cultivate leads and sales, and
develop unique value propositions. Marketing challenges such as brand
stewardship, message architecture, positioning, differentiation and
market
share are covered. Actual experiences and projects provide context for
discussion.
This course is not currently scheduled.
Choose elective courses from other certificate programs
UC Davis Extension offers a wide array of elective courses in other certificate programs to build the career skills that are right for your goals and plans. Working with UC Davis Extension staff you can choose elective courses in:
- Human Resource Development and Management
- Labor-Management Relations
- Land Use and Natural Resources
- Project Management
- Marketing and Public Relations
- Workplace Health and Safety
For More Information
Download a Construction Management Certificate Program brochure for a list of current quarter courses and enrollment information. 
(496 KB)
The Building Industry Association of Superior California and the Sacramento Builders Exchange endorse this program. Members receive a 10 percent discount on their course enrollment fees with proof of membership.
testimonials
"As a project manager for a commercial contractor, I continuously work to update and learn new skills. I have found the classes offered through the Construction Management Certification Program at UC Davis Extension to be the best source for furthering my education. I've also been working on earning my bachelor's degree in Organizational Management and have been able to transfer the units earned through UC Davis Extension to that university system. Thanks for offering such a great program."
Ed James
