Construction management and the built environment
Bachelor of Science
Overview
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Build your future. Lead the whole project.
Buildings don't come together by chance — they require leaders who understand how architecture, engineering, business and construction work together from concept through completion. The Bachelor of Science in construction management and the built environment prepares you to manage every phase of the construction process, combining technical knowledge with leadership, communication and business skills to deliver successful projects in an increasingly complex construction industry.
Unlike traditional construction management programs, this interdisciplinary degree integrates design, engineering, business and construction into one collaborative learning experience. You'll develop expertise in project planning, estimating, scheduling, contracts, construction methods, leadership and digital technologies while learning how integrated project delivery and design-build approaches are transforming the built environment.
As Idaho's only Carnegie R1 research university, University of Idaho prepares students to solve real-world construction challenges through hands-on learning, industry partnerships and faculty mentorship. Working alongside experts from the College of Art and Architecture, the College of Engineering and the College of Business and Economics, you'll gain experience with Building Information Modeling (BIM), emerging artificial intelligence applications, construction technology and collaborative project delivery.
Throughout the program, you'll work on interdisciplinary projects, complete internships with industry partners and develop the leadership skills employers seek in project engineers, estimators, superintendents and construction executives. You’ll graduate prepared to manage projects in commercial construction, infrastructure, residential development and design-build, helping shape communities across Idaho and beyond.
This program could be a good fit if you:
- Like seeing a plan become something real
- Enjoy solving problems with several possible solutions
- Want to lead people without losing sight of the details
- Are interested in architecture, engineering, business and technology
- Enjoy organizing timelines, resources and moving parts
- Communicate clearly and want to gain confidence in making decisions
- Want a career that combines office strategy, job-site experience and visible results
Learn to see the entire project
Curriculum
The B.S. in construction management and the built environment is a 120-credit program combining coursework and applied learning experiences. Students build technical expertise while gaining hands-on experience in the field. The construction management program will prepare you to lead people, coordinate complex systems and deliver successful projects from concept through completion.
Learning outcomes
Students build expertise across the full design-build process through coursework in:
- Construction management and project leadership
- Project planning, estimating and scheduling
- Contracts, procurement and construction law
- Building systems, structural fundamentals and engineering principles
- Architecture and design
- Business management and leadership
- Building Information Modeling (BIM)
- Artificial intelligence applications and construction technologies
What will I work on?
Your assignments may ask you to:
- Build a cost estimate from project drawings and specifications
- Create a construction schedule and adjust it as conditions change
- Use BIM to visualize systems and identify potential conflicts
- Compare materials, methods and procurement strategies
- Plan site logistics, sequencing and safety considerations
- Present project recommendations to faculty, classmates or industry reviewers
- Coordinate decisions across architecture, engineering, business and construction
- Explore how artificial intelligence and other emerging tools can improve project delivery
These projects become evidence of how you think. Over time, you’ll develop a professional body of work that can help employers see your ability to plan, communicate and lead.
Hands-on learning beyond the classroom
Students participate in:
- Design-build projects
- Industry-sponsored projects
- Internships
- Construction site visits
- Collaborative studios
- BIM modeling and digital construction technologies
- Employer networking and professional presentations
Program faculty
Faculty from the College of Art and Architecture, the College of Engineering and the College of Business and Economics bring expertise across the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry. Students benefit from interdisciplinary instruction and mentorship.
Career outcomes
Clubs and involvement opportunities
Find your place in the industry before graduation
Construction is built on relationships. The people you meet in college may become future coworkers, mentors, consultants, clients or hiring managers.
Construction management students become part of a collaborative professional community while building leadership experience and industry connections. You can compare solutions with teammates, hear how professionals entered the field and begin learning which part of the industry feels right for you. You'll have access to organizations and opportunities such as:
- American Institute of Architecture Students
- Student Congress of Art and Architecture
- Sigma Lambda Chi
- Associated General Contractors (AGC) Student Chapter
- Interdisciplinary Design-Build projects
- Construction competitions
- Industry networking events
- Employer mentorship
- Professional conferences
- Architecture, engineering and construction collaborations
- Internships with regional and national firms
Internships
Take your learning even further with internships at architecture, engineering and construction firms, non-profits and public agencies. Or join our Design-Build Program, where you work on real construction projects with real clients.
Financial aid and scholarships
While paying for college can feel overwhelming, University of Idaho is committed to affordability and clarity about tuition and financial aid. Here are a few key resources to help you understand the cost of your degree and explore available financial support:
- Submit your FAFSA: Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the first step to accessing federal, state and institutional financial aid.
- Estimate your cost of attendance: Use U of I’s Cost Calculator to estimate tuition and other expenses associated with earning your degree.
- Discover scholarship opportunities: When you apply to University of Idaho, you’re automatically considered for scholarships. Additional awards are available based on your previous experience, background and anticipated program of study.
If you have any questions about financial aid, scholarships or cost, U of I’s experienced financial aid counselors can help you make informed financial decisions and navigate each part of the process. Reach out to our Financial Aid Office for assistance.
Recognized STEM Program
This program is recognized as a STEM program by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and may be eligible for the 24-month STEM optional practical training extension for international students.
Application instructions
This degree is accepting applications for Fall 2027.
Undergraduate applications open each September and admissions are processed on a rolling basis. Qualified students are admitted and considered for scholarships and financial aid as applications are received.
Explore admission requirements and apply on our Admissions website.
Overview
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Have questions?
Not sure if this program is the right fit? Connect with your admissions counselor or request more information to get personalized guidance on program details, requirements and next steps.
Connect with our admissions team to discuss:
- Curriculum and student experiences
- Internships and career opportunities
- Industry partnerships
- Admissions and scholarships
Why study construction management at University of Idaho?
Most construction management degrees focus primarily on construction operations.
University of Idaho's construction management and the built environment degree prepares students to understand the entire project lifecycle by integrating architecture, engineering, business and construction into one collaborative curriculum. Students graduate with the technical expertise, leadership ability and interdisciplinary perspective needed to lead design-build projects from concept through completion.
Construction management program frequently asked questions
What makes this degree different from traditional construction management programs?
Traditional construction management programs often focus on the construction phase of a project. This degree prepares you to understand the full project lifecycle by combining design, engineering, business and construction while emphasizing collaboration, emerging technologies and integrated project delivery.
How is this program interdisciplinary?
Construction management in and the built environment is a collaborative program spanning the College of Art and Architecture, the College of Engineering and the College of Business and Economics. You'll learn alongside students and faculty from multiple disciplines, reflecting how today's construction projects are planned and delivered.
Will I gain hands-on industry experience?
Yes. Internships and industry-connected learning experiences are embedded throughout the program to helping you apply classroom learning while building professional networks.
What industry skills will I develop in this program?
Graduates in the construction management program will learn to:
- Manage construction projects
- Lead multidisciplinary teams
- Prepare project estimates
- Develop construction schedules
- Coordinate architects, engineers and contractors
- Apply BIM and digital construction technologies
- Use data to improve project performance
- Communicate with clients and stakeholders
- Solve complex project challenges
- Deliver projects safely, efficiently and sustainably
Will I learn BIM and emerging technologies?
Yes. Students gain experience using Building Information Modeling (BIM), digital construction workflows and emerging technologies, including applications of artificial intelligence that are reshaping the construction industry.
What careers can I pursue with this degree?
Graduates are prepared for careers throughout the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry, including project management, estimating, field operations, design-build coordination and construction leadership.
Potential careers include:
- Construction manager
- Project engineer
- Project manager
- Estimator
- Superintendent
- Scheduler
- Field operations manager
- Design-build coordinator
- Construction consultant
- Owner's representative
- Development project manager
What is design-build?
Design-build is a project delivery method in which one team oversees both the design and construction of a project under a single contract. Because design-build is becoming increasingly common across the construction industry, students gain experience working in the collaborative environments they'll encounter in their careers.
Work through real constraints
Construction rarely follows a perfect script. Budgets shift. Materials are delayed. Site conditions reveal new problems. Clients reconsider priorities.
Through design-build work, industry-sponsored projects, site visits and collaborative experiences, you’ll learn how professionals respond when the situation changes. You’ll compare options, explain tradeoffs and make practical recommendations rather than waiting for one predetermined answer.
Build what comes next.
Years from now, people may walk into a school, home, hospital, workplace or community space you helped bring into existence.
They may never see the schedule you rebuilt, the conflict you caught in a digital model or the conversation that kept a team moving forward. They will simply experience a place that works.
You will know what it took to get there.
At University of Idaho, you’ll begin developing the judgment, technical understanding and leadership needed to carry an idea through uncertainty and into the real world. You’ll work across disciplines, learn from professionals and discover how your decisions can shape both a project and the community it serves.
The plans are only the beginning. Your future is in bringing them to life.