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Certificate in

Construction Management


Gain the skills and knowledge necessary to advance in the construction industry with a convenient, online program designed for working adults.

 
 

Leadership Skills Your Crew Can Count On

Cal State East Bay’s Construction Management Certificate Program provides you with an up-to-date understanding of construction management fundamentals and equips you with the leadership skills you’ll need to advance to a management position or create your own construction business. Upon completion of the program, you’ll be prepared for the day-to-day challenges you will face in the field, from managing subcontractors and cash flow to controlling costs and minimizing risk. 

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Best Online CollegesRanked among the Top Consensus Best Value Online Schools for 2023

Professional DevelopmentHands-on preparation for management roles

CSUEB

Faculty ExcellenceTaught by faculty with extensive experience in the construction industry


Practical Experience at Every Level

With CSUEB’s Construction Management Program, you’ll enjoy a dynamic curriculum that merges theory with practice and provides you with the opportunity to apply the techniques you learn in a variety of real-world settings. You’ll learn from seasoned professionals and engage in online coursework that mixes lectures, group work, reading and writing assignments, and guest speaker engagements.


joe

This is an excellent program, even for seasoned construction professionals like me. The program can also be very beneficial for younger individuals getting started in the trade. The certificate helped complete the ‘education’ portion of my resume and set me apart from my competition. Many interested employers were impressed that I completed a two-year course, and I was hired at PG&E as an Operations Superintendent.

Joe MetcalfConstruction Management Graduate


A Dynamic Field that Demands Expertise

Taking part in a construction project is an exciting job in and of itself, but can you imagine being in charge of the entire project from development to implementation? As a construction manager, you’ll be involved in every step of a construction project from planning and coordinating to budget and supervision. Throughout the lifespan of a project, you may find yourself working from an office one day and then out in the field on a construction site the next.  

Construction management alt

If you enjoy a fast-paced and hands-on profession, construction management is right for you.


Occupational Trends


Earnings Potential

The median annual wage for construction managers in the San Francisco Bay Area was $149,570, in 2023, while the national median wage is $104,900.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Market Growth

Employment of construction managers is projected to grow 5 percent from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average occupation.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

505,000+ Jobs

Construction managers held about 505,800 jobs in 2022.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics



Build a Better Future

With the training and education you’ll receive at Cal State East Bay, you’ll be equipped to embrace management roles in a variety of industries and settings, including the building of public, residential, commercial, and industrial structures, as well as roads, memorials, and bridges. 


Certification is becoming increasingly important for construction managers.

Certification is becoming increasingly important for construction managers and with a Certificate in Construction Management from an accredited university, you’ll demonstrate expert knowledge and experience to both future employers and employees. 

Upon completion of the program, Cal State East Bay graduates have opened their own successful construction management businesses and others have secured management positions within their existing companies or a new organization entirely. 


About two years ago, I started my own construction management company. I spend much of the work week engaged in estimating, CPM scheduling, project management, construction accounting…all courses that I took through the CSUEB Construction Management program.

Mel BaiserConstruction Management Graduate


Program Objectives

As part of your experience in the Construction Management Certificate Program, you will:

Learn how to manage all facets of construction projects large and small and tackle the challenges they will face on site.


Gain a thorough grounding in construction accounting and other business matters such as bonding and insurance.


Become familiar with the numerous legal aspects of construction, from elements of a contract and managing contracts to real estate law and land development regulation.


Gain skills and confidence in estimating costs and preparing bids.


Learn how to work effectively with clients, suppliers, architects, engineers, and others.


Acquire up-to-date knowledge of construction methods, materials, and technology.



Program Format

Courses are conveniently offered online, making them easily accessible for active professionals. You’ll enjoy a curriculum that incorporates a variety of learning styles including lectures, class discussion, group work, reading and writing assignments, and guest speaker lecture.

Certificate Requirements

To earn a Certificate in Construction Management, you must complete nine required courses.

Course Units Term
EXTX 200: Drawings and Specifications
3 CEUs
Fall, weeks 1-8
EXTX 201: Business Practices and Project Controls
3 CEUs
Fall, weeks 1-8 
EXTX 202: Legal Aspects of Construction
3 CEUs
Fall, weeks 9-16
EXTX 203: Estimating and Bidding
3 CEUs
Fall, weeks 9-16
EXTX 204: Project Planning
3CEUs
Spring, weeks 1-8
EXTX 205: Project Administration and Site Supervision
3 CEUs
Spring, weeks 1-8
EXTX 206: CPM Scheduling
3 CEUs
Spring, weeks 9-16
EXTX 207: Construction Methods & Materials
3 CEUs
Spring, weeks 9-16
EXTX 208: Practical Applications of Construction Management CEUs Summer

Course schedules, including the terms that courses are offered in, are subject to change. For the most up-to-date information on courses currently being offered, visit the Course Search page.

Jim Benson

BS in Economics

UC Santa Barbara

Jim Benson

BS

I enjoy good group collaboration and discussions in my class.


Jim Benson has over 20 years of experience in the construction industry. He has been estimating large commercial projects for 14 years and Chief Estimator since 2004 at S.J. Amoroso Construction Co., Inc. 

 

Mike Chambers

PE

 


Michael (Mike) Chambers grew up and went through grade school, high school, and Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo, California. Chambers was awarded a degree in Construction Engineering in 1978 and passed the Engineer in Training exam during his senior year. After graduation, he was self-employed building redwood decks and retaining walls. Chambers loved being outdoors and the physical nature that construction work entails.

As a Peace Corps Volunteer, Chambers was posted to Kenya in East Africa where he was involved in both the design and construction of small scale water supply systems and the construction of a high school dormitory and classrooms. Upon returning to the US, he got a job with Granite Construction as a field engineer on their $700 million Helms Creek Pumped Storage Project in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Chambers met his wife Mahshideh on this project while she was also working for Granite as a draftsperson. He took and passed his Professional Civil Engineering Exam shortly after leaving Granite.

Next, Chambers went to work for S.J. Amoroso Construction who is a mid-sized Bay Area based General Contractor. Over the next 35+ years, he worked for Amoroso as a Superintendent, Project Manager, and Project Executive. He retired last year as their Nor Cal Operations Manager. Chambers worked on dozens of successful projects all over the Bay Area for clients like: San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, the State’s Department of General Services, New United Motors (NUMI), Oakland and SFO Airports, UCSF and UC Berkley, Veterans Administration, and many others. He is now looking forward to sharing the knowledge and experience he’s learned with the next generation of builders via CSUEB’s Construction Management program.

 

Ed R. Duarte

 

BS in Civil Engineering 

California State University, Fresno

Ed R. Duarte

BS

 


Ed Duarte is a graduate of the Management Development for Entrepreneurs (MDE) Program from the Anderson School of Business Management at UCLA. He is not only Cal State East Bay’s Construction Management Program Director, but he is the CEO of Aztec Consultants, a firm that specializes in public works, commercial, industrial, and institutional construction projects. With 52 years of experience in building and in the heavy-civil construction industry, he has led Aztec Consultants in providing construction management services on public works contracts; and built over $200 million of similar projects as the General Contractor of Record.

 

Stephen Elbert

MArch

 


Stephen Elbert's architectural work encompasses restaurant, retail, and commercial designs across the country. As the principal architect of his East Bay firm Elbert Associates, he guides his projects from the working drawing/specification phase, through public agency approvals/bidding to completion of construction. For several clients, Elbert has provided owner's representative, construction management, and procurement services to retail and restaurant projects.

Karim Nassab

MSCE, BS, BA, CCM, LEED AP

 

Karim Nassab brings over 32 years of program, project, and construction management experience to California State University, East Bay. He is an adjunct faculty member of Cal State East Bay, Construction Management/Engineering Department, CSUEB Continuing Education, and UC Berkeley Extension Program.

Nassab has various academic degrees in Architectural, Civil Engineering, and Construction Management from several accredited universities. He is a Certified Construction Manager "CCM" through Construction Management Institute of America and LEED AP. Currently he is Program Manager for SGI/West Contra Costa Unified School District, overseeing the performance of several construction managers, construction management companies, architectural firms, various engineering consultants, and many local general contractors.

Cory Thomas-Fisk

MA

Cory Thomas-Fisk has been involved in almost every aspect of the construction industry–federal/tribal, public works, commercial and residential projects, working as a field engineer, construction and project manager, facility director executive, private consultant, facilitator, and an education advocate for over 18 years as a college professor. Projects include: exclusive custom home design and development, residential housing developments, prisons, schools, roads/bridges, casinos, wellness facilities, gas stations, RV resorts, and golf courses. Thomas-Fisk is a graduate of Texas A&M University and holds a BS, an MA in Curriculum and Instruction, and a Class A Civil Engineering General Contractors License. Thomas-Fisk’s experience lends her a unique perspective and well-rounded approach to building professional and personal life balance strategies with a focus on self-awareness, transitional skill sets, mindset, leadership, soft skill development and construction management concepts, systems and processes. She has used this knowledge to design curriculum in an education platform specially designed for those in the construction industry.

 
 Swipe left or right for the next/previous instructor
Jim Benson

Jim BensonBS

Mike Chambers

Mike ChambersPE

Ed R. Duarte

Ed R. DuarteBS

Stephen Elbert

Stephen ElbertMArch

Karim Nassab

Karim NassabMSCE, BS, BA, CCM, LEED AP

Cory Thomas-Fisk

Cory Thomas-FiskMA

Ready to Enroll?

Admission to CSUEB’s Construction Management Certificate Program is accepted on an ongoing basis. It is recommended you have knowledge of basic construction math and understanding of construction contracting as well as three years of experience in the construction industry before enrolling. 

If you’re not quite ready to commit to the full program, individual courses may be taken without formal admission to the certificate program.

*Cal State East Bay alumni: The Forever Pioneer Discount is available for this program. Registration must be processed via this Forever Pioneer form in order to qualify for the discount.

Common Questions

Do I have to be admitted to the University to take courses in the Construction Management Certificate Program?
No, the Construction Management Certificate Program does not require University admissions. 
How long will it take to complete the Construction Management Certificate Program?
The coursework for this program can be completed in 12 months.
Can I take the courses out of sequence?

Students are encouraged to begin the program with EXTX 200: Drawings and Specifications and EXTX 201: Business Process and Project Controls. Students must enroll in EXTX 200, 201, 202, and 203 prior to enrolling in EXTX 204: Project Planning. Students must enroll in EXTX 204 prior to enrolling in EXTX 206: CPM Scheduling. EXTX 208: Practical Applications of Construction Management should be the final course in the program for all students.

What are the requirements to complete the Construction Management Certificate Program?
To earn a certificate in Construction Management, you must complete nine required courses.
Is it necessary to have a certificate in this field?
Certification from an accredited university informs clients or potential employers that you have expert knowledge in the construction management field.
What is the online course environment like?
Construction Management courses are held online via Zoom in an interactive setting where students are encouraged to engage with the instructor and guest lecturers.
How long is each course?
Courses are 3.5 hours each (meeting once a week for 8 weeks).
Is there any work to do outside class time? If so, how much?
There is reading and homework in each class. Students should plan for 2-3 hours of preparation time for each class meeting.

Financing

Is financial aid available for this program?
Traditional Financial Aid (such as completing the FAFSA, Pell Grants, etc.) is not applicable for certificate programs, but there may be other suitable options to help you in financing your program.  Learn more about other financial aid options.
Are any discounts available for this program?
Yes, this program qualifies for the Forever Pioneer discount for Cal State East Bay alumni. You can complete and submit the Forever Pioneer Registration Form to receive the discounted pricing. Advanced registration is required to qualify for the discount.
What are the tuition costs for the program?
Tuition costs: $5,670 (Tuition fees are subject to change at any time.)

Accessibility Services

Does the university provide accessibility services?
Yes, our Accessibility Services department provides academic accommodations and support services to address the individual needs of students with differing abilities, permanent disabilities or temporary disabling conditions. For more information, including program details and contact information, visit csueastbay.edu/accessibility.

Certificate of Completion

How do I request my certificate?
To obtain your official certificate, you must complete all requirements of your program and then complete and submit this form. Upon verification of requirement completion, your certificate will be sent to you.

Search Results

At Cal State East Bay, we pride ourselves on putting students first, from the moment you inquire until you graduate. We hope you've found answers to your questions in this support center, but if not, please get in touch.

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At a Glance

Area of study: Certificate in Construction Management

Ideal for: Construction professionals who seek to move into management roles and professionals in related fields such as architecture, engineering, and real estate whose work requires a strong grasp of construction management fundamentals

Program format: Online synchronous

Number of courses: 9 courses

Minimum program length: 12 months

Tuition costs: $5,670 (Tuition fees are subject to change at any time.) Forever Pioneer discount is available for Cal State East Bay alumni.

Questions?

Please let us know if we can answer any questions about the Construction Management program. Many answers can also be found in our online Support Center.

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