International Construction Management and Engineering MSc (Eng)

This Masters degree has been created to help construction professionals develop and enhance the project management skills required in the construction industry.

You’ll prepare for the challenges of the changing and increasingly global construction industry with a focus on the financial, planning and management aspects of a project life cycle. You’ll explore construction processes from inception and feasibility, design, contact and construction through to commissioning, maintenance, renewal and decommissioning. The philosophy of the course is to develop a “whole life” understanding of constructed facilities and infrastructure.

A choice of optional modules will allow you to strengthen existing technical and engineering skills, or gain an understanding of a new topic. The programme offers you the opportunity to undertake projects in a multi-disciplinary environment, with access to the expertise in the School's research themes.

Our specialist facilities will also support your studies, such as bench-top testing facilities to look at the fundamental behaviour of material soils and testing rigs for full-scale structures. We have all the specialist software you’ll need for your programme, and you’ll have access to a dedicated study suite for Masters students.

Students wishing to acquire and further their knowledge regarding the management side of engineering projects will have an opportunity to do so via the Engineering Project Management MSc (Eng) which focuses on the project life-cycle. Should further technical engineering and management expertise be sought then this option is also available through the International Construction Management and Engineering MSc (Eng) which focuses on the whole-life cycle.

Accreditation

This degree is accredited by the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM) comprising of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Institution of Structural Engineers, Institute of Highway Engineers, and the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation on behalf of the Engineering Council as meeting the requirements for Further Learning for a Chartered Engineer (CEng) for candidates who have already acquired a partial CEng accredited undergraduate first degree.* See www.jbm.org.uk for further information.

*It should be noted that candidates completing the MSc who hold an underpinning accredited IEng degree or a non-accredited bachelor degree will need to apply for an academic assessment to determine whether they will meet the educational base for CEng registration.

This course is also accredited by EUR-ACE, the European quality label for engineering degree programmes at Bachelor and Master level.

Throughout the programme you’ll gain an understanding of the different aspects of project management within the construction industry. You’ll learn about common project management tools and techniques, then put this into the “whole project” context and consider when and how to use them.

At the same time, you’ll consider risk management and its role during the project lifecycle. Whole Life Asset Management examines the “whole life management” of infrastructure, with additional focus on operations, maintenance, renewal and decommissioning.

A core module will introduce you to a variety of procurement strategies to keep projects running effectively. You’ll also choose from a range of optional modules to focus on topics that suit your interests and career plans.

Over the summer months you’ll work with your supervisor to complete your independent research project – a chance to demonstrate the knowledge and skills you’ve gained and perhaps specialise in an area that relates to your career ambitions.

Want to find out more about your modules?
Take a look at the International Construction Management and Engineering module descriptions for more detail on what you will study.

Course structure

The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our Terms and conditions.

For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read International Construction Management and Engineering MSc (Eng) Full Time in the course catalogue

For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read International Construction Management and Engineering MSc (Eng) Part Time in the course catalogue

Modules

Year 1

Learning and teaching

Our groundbreaking research feeds directly into teaching, and you’ll have regular contact with staff who are at the forefront of their disciplines. You’ll have regular contact with them through lectures, seminars, tutorials, small group work and project meetings.

Independent study is also important to the programme, as you develop your problem-solving and research skills as well as your subject knowledge.

On this course you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

Assessment

You’ll be assessed using a range of techniques including case studies, technical reports, presentations, in-class tests, assignments and exams. Optional modules may also use alternative assessment methods.

Entry requirements

A bachelor degree with a 2:1 (hons) in civil engineering or a related construction discipline where relevant subject areas have been studied. Applications from professionally qualified and experienced candidates will also be considered.

A bachelor degree with a 2:2 (hons) will be considered for candidates with at least three years’ relevant experience in the construction industry.

Due to the competitive nature of this course, the Admissions team may take a variety of factors into account when assessing applications.

We accept a range of international equivalent qualifications. For more information please contact the Admissions Team.

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any component.. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.

Improve your English

International students who do not meet the English language requirements for this programme may be able to study our postgraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.

This pre-sessional course is designed with a progression route to your degree programme and you’ll learn academic English in the context of your subject area. To find out more, read Language for Engineering (6 weeks) and Language for Science: Engineering (10 weeks). 

If you need to study for longer than 10 weeks, read more about our postgraduate pre-sessional English course.

How to apply

Application deadlines

Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

31 July 2021 – International applicants

10 September 2021 – UK applicants

For 2020/21 academic year courses the link visible above will take you to information on applying for taught programmes and to the University's online application system.

For courses starting from September 2021, applications will open on October 1st 2020 and you will be able to access the application system from that date.

If you're unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.

Documents and information you’ll need

A personal statement detailing your academic background and experience in any aspect of the construction life cycle - this may include aspects of investment decision making, design, procurement, project execution or operational management.

Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students. We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.

Admissions policy

Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences Postgraduate Admissions Policy 2021

Fees

• UK: £11,250 (total)
• International: £24,750 (total)

Read more about paying fees and charges.

Brexit 
Visit our Brexit page for the latest information on the effect of the UK's exit from the EU on current students and applicants to the University.

For fees information for international taught postgraduate students, read Masters fees.

Part-time fees
Fees for part-time courses are normally calculated based on the number of credits you study in a year compared to the equivalent full-time course. For example, if you study half the course credits in a year, you will pay half the full-time course fees for that year.

Additional cost information

There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more about additional costs

Scholarships and financial support

If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There may be help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government.  Find out more at Masters funding overview.

Scholarships are available.

Upon graduation you may expect to find employment in a range of roles across the construction industry, as a construction manager, planning engineer or project manager among many others. Opportunities also exist with multidisciplinary consulting organisations, while many of our graduates return to work for government agencies and other large client organisations.

Our graduates have gone on to develop careers with organisations worldwide including Ministry of Prisons KSA, Ove Arup and Partners Hong Kong, African Development Bank, Ghana Highways Authority, TATA Steel, Network Rail, Turner & Townsend, Mace Group, M+W Shanghai Co., Damac Properties, China State Railways and Keller Ground Engineering.

Careers support

You’ll have access to the wide range of engineering and computing careers resources held by our Employability team in our dedicated Employability Suite. You’ll have the chance to attend industry presentations book appointments with qualified careers consultants and take part in employability workshops. Our annual STEM Careers Fair provides further opportunities to explore your career options with some of the UK's leading employers.

The University's Careers Centre also provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.

The dissertation project is one of the most satisfying elements of this course. It allows you to apply what you’ve learned to a piece of research focusing on a real-world problem, and it can be used to explore and develop your specific interests.

Most projects are experimentally based and linked with companies within the oil and gas industry to ensure the topic of research is relevant to the field whilst also addressing a real-world problem.

Recent projects for MSc International Construction Management and Engineering students have included:

• International trends in infrastructure asset management

• Integrated project delivery and the BIM environment

• Risk in megaprojects

• Social Return on Investment in Infrastructure projects

• Trends in the concepts of value and value management

• Future-proofing and infrastructure resilience.

A proportion of projects are formally linked to industry, and can include spending time at the collaborator’s site over the summer.