MASTER OF SCIENCE
The faculty in the Del E. Webb School of Construction offer a graduate program leading to the M.S. degree in Construction. Concentrations are available in construction science, facilities, and management. The interdisciplinary nature of the program allows a candidate’s program of study to reflect both individual interests and career goals.
The primary objective of the program is to allow students with a baccalaureate degree in construction or a related field such as architecture, business, or engineering to broaden and improve their professional capabilities in construction. The program is designed to meet the growing need for professionals with advanced technical, management, and applied research skills in the construction industry.
The construction science concentration allows students with interest in field engineering or supervision of heavy and industrial construction pro-jects to pursue a more technically oriented course of study. The facilities concentration (emphasizing facilities management) supports the needs of the student desiring a career in the maintenance, operation, renovation, or decommissioning of existing facilities. The management concentration (emphasizing construction management) allows students seeking upper-level management positions in various sectors of the construction industry to improve their competency in project, program, and company management areas.
Admission Requirements. Applicants are expected to satisfy all requirements for admission to the Graduate College. In addition, applicants are expected to be competent in basic construction topics. Admission is based upon an evaluation of the student’s academic background and industrial experience. Applicants with deficiencies may be required to complete course work beyond that required for the program of study. Industrial experience beyond completion of a baccalaureate degree is strongly recommended and may be accepted as a demonstration of competency in a deficient area. Students whose native language is not English must also submit a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of at least 550.
Program of Study. As soon as possible after selecting the student’s supervisory committee, a program of study must be filed with the Graduate College. The program may include course work from the colleges of Architecture and Environmental Design, Business, Engineering and Applied Sciences, and Public Programs.
The program of study consists of the following: thesis option—30 semester hours of graduate study culminating in a thesis and an oral defense; or nonthesis option—36 semester hours of grad-uate study culminating in an oral and written comprehensive examination.
Each program is tailored to meet individual needs based on the student’s experience, strengths, and goals. Typically a thesis-based program of study includes 12 semester hours of core requirements, 12 semester hours of electives selected to reinforce an area of interest, and six semester hours of thesis/research. In the thesis option, an oral examination in defense of the thesis is required.
The nonthesis program of study includes 12 semester hours of core requirements, 12 semester hours of electives selected to reinforce an area of interest, nine semester hours of concentration development electives, and three semester hours of research. In the nonthesis option, the comprehensive exam content is developed from selected course work and includes both the oral and written components.
RESEARCH ACTIVITY
Applied research is an integral part of the M.S. degree in Construction. School faculty and current facilities are adequate for a wide range of research activities related to the construction industry. Students select, in conjunction with the supervisory committee members, research topics matching their expertise and interests. Research projects may then be completed through library research, industry studies, or laboratory work as appropriate.
Ongoing research projects include green building, the use of waste and recycled materials, water supply services in Mexico, international construction alliances, and the excavation and deep foundations in cemented soils. Some of the funded projects have included roof performance studies, sponsored by Motorola Inc., the requirements for the demolition and removal of chimneys at the Navajo Generating Station, sponsored by the Salt River Project, and a Salt River Project/Mexico Energy Trade Study, also sponsored by the Salt River Project.
Omnibus Graduate Courses: See omnibus graduate courses that may be offered.
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