M.S. Degree Program

CEPM requires students to choose between three different degree options: M.S. Thesis, M.S. Departmental Report, or Coursework Only Master’s.

The M.S. degree thesis option requires at least 30 semester credit hours of work beyond the B.S. degree. This program includes six hours of thesis and at least six hours of courses in a field outside the major. You should select a supervising professor during the first semester of your M.S. program. By the end of the semester, you and your supervising professor should have a detailed objective and scope outlined for the thesis.

The M.S. departmental report may be completed without preparing a formal research thesis. Instead, a student may be permitted to enroll in a non-thesis program that involves additional coursework and the preparation of an appropriate engineering report. Most graduate students, especially students holding University Fellowships, traineeships, or research assistantships, are expected to complete a thesis.

The M.S. Coursework Only option requires at least 30 semester credit hours of work beyond the B.S. degree, with at least six hours of courses in a field outside the major. 

Prospective military students should note that, historically, we have had students successfully complete the MS degree requirements in 12 months or less. However, we strongly encourage our students to expect to take 3 to 4 long semesters to complete their degree.

Ph.D. Degree Program

The program leading to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy is guided by a Supervising Committee appointed by the Graduate Dean for each student. A student seeking this degree is expected to have well-developed goals. To a large extent, the Ph.D. program is adjusted to meet the student's needs and is consistent with the University's general requirements. Typical requirements for the Ph.D. degree include approximately 30 hours of coursework beyond the M.S. degree pursuant to the consultation of his/her Supervising Committee. The program consists of an English proficiency requirement to ensure that all Ph.D. candidates possess the writing skills necessary for effective technical communication before embarking on the dissertation writing process.

Curriculum

Graduate studies in Construction Engineering and Project Management concerns all aspects of delivering constructed facilities. The complex nature of projects involves many disciplines with attendant interfaces and communication needs. For those who enter the field of Construction Engineering and Project Management, a strong background in engineering is necessary to integrate the technical and management aspects of a project effectively.

Construction and design are integral parts of a continuous process, and the education of a well-rounded civil or architectural engineer should include appropriate portions of both. The UT Austin program builds on the historical strengths of the department's design and analysis courses and complements them with construction-oriented offerings.

Courses

CEPM students may take a wide range of courses. Typically, CEPM faculty teaches multiple graduate courses each semester. In addition, the university offers a breadth of different courses to provide a well-rounded academic experience. In this way, a student's individual program can be designed to relate to buildings, industrial, or infrastructure projects. A student is also able to focus on management, controls, automation, or other specializations within the project environment.

Course Descriptions

This is a sample of past courses. Not all courses are offered every semester, but they usually fit within a two-year time frame.

Project Controls

Fundamentals of planning, scheduling, and cost management on projects. Topics include network scheduling, activity and resource management, cost loading and cost control, and computer tools used for project controls, such as schedule simulation and three-dimensional and four-dimensional CAD.

Project Production Systems

Students will be prepared to design and implement improved production systems on projects, including job-site activities and off-site production. Advanced topics in project controls, including supply chain management, procurement, interorganizational controls and incentives, process modeling, and simulation.

Project Information Management Systems

Identify and differentiate information management systems in construction projects. Design and develop desktop database management applications. Recognize the design and implementation issues for information management systems.

Decision and Risk Analysis

This course will present the fundamentals of systematic decision and risk analyses in the context of capital project planning, engineering, construction, and operations. The emphasis of the course is on a broadly applicable analysis methodology rather than on any narrow technical domain. In addition, the topics of contractual risk allocation, project insurance, sureties/bonding, and international project risks will be addressed in this class.

Data Mining

Fundamentals of data mining and knowledge discovery in databases. Techniques for data classification, prediction, clustering, and association rules mining. Analyze, evaluate, and recommend data mining systems for engineers, construction owners, contractors, and/or project managers. Recognize the design, analysis, and implementation issues.

Quantitative Methods for Project Analysis

Understanding techniques for analyzing and presenting data and metrics is fundamental to understanding project performance.  Major data analysis topics include reviewing descriptive and inferential statistical techniques, including hypothesis testing, differences in means, and modeling with regression analyses.  We will also explore how to properly use qualitative data (commonly used in construction research) for analyses, including quantitative analyses. Emphasis will be placed on an understanding of the fundamentals of the techniques,ncluding their assumptions and limitations. 

Building Information Modeling for Capital Projects

This course focuses on the skills and information needed to effectively use an existing Building Information Model (BIM) in plan execution for a building construction project. This is a project-based course where students gain knowledge on the implementation of BIM concepts throughout the lifecycle of a building, from planning and design, to construction and operations.

Human Resources Project Management

Evaluation of individual, group, and organizational behavior in construction work. In-depth study of communication, decision making, and the relationship between controls and behavior.

Construction Productivity

Construction productivity improvement by group field studies. In-depth study of the way overtime, changes, weather, and staffing levels influence productivity. Industrial engineering techniques are applied to the construction environment to improve the use of equipment and human and material resources.

Project Management

Overall aspects of project and portfolio management from inception to successful operation: project selection and feasibility, contracting methods, project scheduling, cost control systems, project communications, project scope and quality management, human resource management, partner selection and management, project leadership, project closeout, and global project management.

Urban Systems Engineering

Understanding, abstracting, modeling, and analyzing systems and system-of-systems (SoS) classes of problems in the context of civil infrastructure systems. These problems consist of multiple, heterogeneous, distributed systems embedded in networks at multiple levels that evolve over time, and are often large-scale and interdisciplinary, requiring solution concepts found in diverse fields such as engineering, computer science, mathematics, economics, policy, etc. Focus is on formulating methodologies for addressing these problems, applying analysis tools and approaches appropriately (emphasis placed on system dynamics, agent based modeling, complexity, and network theory), and communicating problems, methodologies, and solutions to a broad audience.

Industrialized Production of the Built Environment

The integration of mass manufacturing, digital technologies, and automated processes for production of the built environment continues to improve productivity, safety, quality, and sustainability. This course introduces key concepts behind industrialization and delves into key technologies spanning design, offsite manufacturing, and onsite assembly. Students can expect to learn a mix of practical hands-on, skills as well as fundamental theory. This course is based on direct industry experience with prefabrication and modular construction, best practices from the Construction Industry Institute, and innovations from ongoing research in both industry and academia.

Front End and Contractor Planning

Principles and applications of advanced project planning techniques for capital facility owners and contractors. Effective owner front-end planning of capital facilities, including team alignment, and preproject planning processes and tools. Contractor preconstruction planning, including team selection, scope and budget review, procurement, workface planning, productivity practices implementation, and planning assessment tools.

Advanced Legal Concepts

Contracts, documentation requirements, claims avoidance, and settlement of claims by alternative dispute resolution. Students conduct and present in-depth studies of the most frequent causes of claims (delay, disruption, acceleration, soil conditions, and changes) and consider the way the court establishes causation and determines damages.

Project Finance

Concepts of corporate capital budgeting and project finance are addressed. Aspects of financial planning and commercial financing are presented. These include financial and managerial accounting for capital projects, cash flow forecasting, and options and risk analysis. Consideration for all types of equity and debt financing are made including bonds, Real Estate Investment Trusts (REIT), and other financial vehicles. Consideration for delivery structures and security arrangements customized to project profiles. The course includes a significant semester group project designed to encapsulate much of the course material and allow detailed development of an investment plan for a downtown Austin project.

Construction Safety

Causes and effects of construction safety incidents, proactive preventative strategies, and tactics. This course will give students an overall understanding of construction safety concepts, techniques and tools, and impact of safety performance. The focus will be in the capital projects industry. By taking this course, you will be able to: Communicate the impact of safety performance to an organization’s bottom line; Evaluate safety performance; Use assessment tools and techniques to assess the status of zero accident techniques application in a project; Understand the role that each person plays in leadership and demonstrated commitment in implementing zero accident techniques; Understand the roles of owners and designers in safety; Evaluate and communicate your ideas related to the safety management programs in the capital projects industry.

Doctoral Research Methods Seminar

Construction research methods seminar, including concepts and practice of research in construction engineering and management. Research methodologies and steps in the research process, including proposal structure, dissertation structure, conducting literature reviews, typical research methods and approaches in construction, funding sources, and research presentations and reports.

Construction Industry Seminar

Construction industry issues and best practices, such as front-end planning and zero accident techniques, developed by the Construction Industry Institute (CII). Guest lecturers include CII management staff and visiting industry leaders. Emphasis on implementation of proven practices on projects.