Department of Construction Management and Civil and Construction Engineering • Little Rock, AR • Campus • $356.37/Credit (In-State, incl. fees)
UA Little Rock offers 3 construction management pathways:
- B.S. Construction Management
- A.S. Construction Science
- B.P.S. Construction Concentration
Program Pathways Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| B.S. | $42.8K in-state / $94.1K out-of-state | 4 years (8 semesters) | 120 |
| A.S. | $22.5K in-state / $49.4K out-of-state | 2 years (4 semesters) | 63 |
| B.P.S. | $42.8K in-state / $94.1K out-of-state | 4 years (8 semesters) | 120 |
Tuition estimates use UA Little Rock’s 2026-27 construction management per-credit tuition plus mandatory per-credit fees.
- Why choose it: UA Little Rock’s B.S. holds both ACCE and ABET ANSAC accreditation and counts prior work toward its 800-hour experience requirement, so a working tradesperson can meet the field requirement with the job they already have.
- Trade-off: There is no internship course, no named employer placement, and no online delivery, so students without construction jobs must find their own 800 hours while attending classes in Little Rock.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Credentials Offered | B.S. Construction Management; A.S. Construction Science; B.P.S. Construction Concentration |
| Format | Campus; online delivery not stated |
| Campus Location | Main campus, 2801 S. University Ave., Little Rock |
| Credit Hours | B.S. 120; B.P.S. 120; A.S. 63 |
| Internship | No internship course; B.S. requires 800 documented work hours, prior experience counts |
| Programmatic Accreditation | B.S.: ACCE (to 02/2028) and ABET ANSAC, per UA Little Rock; A.S. and B.P.S.: none listed |
| Transfer Pathway | A.S. construction core and CNMG electives apply to the B.S. |
| Software Taught | BIM and Advanced BIM courses; software not named |
| Industry Certifications | AIC Associate Constructor exam required to graduate, per program page |
| Prior Learning Credit | Up to 6 courses (18 credits) by exam with five years’ industry experience |
| Tuition | $356.37/credit in-state; $784.12 out-of-state (incl. fees) |
B.S. Construction Management
The estimated tuition for the B.S. in Construction Management at UA Little Rock is approximately $42,764 in-state (120 credits at $356.37/credit) or $94,094 out-of-state (120 credits at $784.12/credit).
The program can generally be completed in about 4 years (8 semesters), derived from 120 credits at 15 credits per semester.
The degree is admission-open to anyone the university admits and runs on a single campus. Its value rests on two things a catalog reader can miss: a balanced management and engineering core, and a field requirement that recognizes experience earned before enrollment.
B.S. Curriculum
The construction block is 64 credits: two 1000-level orientation courses and 20 three-credit CNMG courses. Outside CNMG, students take accounting, economics, principles of management, a business law course, and a business elective (5 courses, 15 credits).
- Management (8 CNMG courses, 24 credits): Estimating I and II, Construction Financial Management, Construction Administration, Planning and Scheduling, Contracts and Law, Construction Safety, and the Capstone.
- Technical and engineering (12 CNMG courses, 36 credits): Drawings and Specifications, Materials and Methods, MEP Systems, Surveying with Lab, Statics and Strength of Materials, Steel Construction, Concrete Construction, Field Engineering and Construction Equipment, Soil Mechanics with Lab.
- Digital and sustainability: Building Information Modeling, Advanced BIM, and Green Construction.
- Business (outside CNMG): Principles of Accounting I, Survey of Economics or Microeconomics, Principles of Management, and Employment Law or Legal Environment of Business.
- Math: College Algebra, Trigonometry, or Precalculus, then Applied Calculus, Calculus I, or a statistics course. Calculus is optional.
- Science and computing: two lab sciences (8 credits) and a computing course.
- Electives: one CNMG or coordinator-approved construction elective (3 credits).
Counting all management and business courses (13) against technical ones (12), the degree is close to even. That is a different mix from an engineering-technology degree: steel, concrete, statics, and soils are present, but the math can stop at College Algebra plus statistics. Students eyeing an engineering master’s later should take Calculus I as the math option.
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- The credit value of CNMG 10103 The Construction Industry is unclear. The catalog lists 1 credit, the B.S. 64-credit block adds up only at 3, and the A.S. 12-credit core adds up only at 2.
- The major’s listed subtotals add to 108 hours against a stated 88-hour major. The difference is general education overlap the catalog does not spell out; the 120-credit total is the figure that governs.
- Transfer students with more than 12 college credits may swap the two orientation courses for a CNMG elective, at the program coordinator’s discretion.
B.S. Internship and Field Experience
- Requirement: 800 documented hours of approved construction or engineering work before graduation.
- What counts: employment, internships, co-ops, student competitions, service-learning projects, student organization volunteer hours, and prior experience.
- Credit: none; the hours are a graduation requirement, not a course.
- Pay and placement: paid status and school placement are not clearly stated; students find their own hours.
- Industry ties: Clark Contractors, Nabholz, Bernhard, Darragh, and AGC of Arkansas have funded department labs and spaces.
- Outcomes: the program page claims a 100% employment rate (undated); a 2021 graduate survey reported 38% earning over $90,000.
The 800-hour rule matches Oklahoma State’s two 400-hour practicums in total but works differently. OSU and ASU (640 hours) tie hours to internship courses; UA Little Rock accepts hours from almost any approved source, including work done before enrollment. That helps working adults most and gives the least structure to an 18-year-old with no industry contacts.
You Should Know
- The program page says students “must pass” the AIC Associate Constructor exam; the catalog’s professional requirements list only the 800 hours. Confirm the exam rule and who pays the fee with the department.
- A $15/credit Experiential Learning Fee appears on the university fee schedule; which courses carry it is not clearly stated.
B.S. Admissions
The program has no separate admission gate: it accepts all students the university admits, per the department’s accreditation page.
- Program standard: 2.00 GPA in all required CNMG courses.
- Residency: 30 credits must be earned at UA Little Rock; 45 credits must be upper-level.
- Credit by exam: Drawings and Specifications, Materials and Methods, BIM, MEP Systems, Steel Construction, and Concrete Construction (18 credits), each attempted once, with five years of documented industry experience.
- Certificate credit: Level I and Level II certificates of proficiency in construction award credit for listed CNMG courses.
- Corporate partners: employees of partner companies such as Clark Contractors receive a 10% tuition scholarship plus $25 per credit, per UA Little Rock.
You Should Know
- The Level I certificate credits CNMG 29903, a course that does not appear in the B.S. requirements; ask how it applies.
- Credit-by-exam sittings happen the first week of class, and each exam may be taken only once.
A.S. Construction Science
The estimated tuition for the A.S. in Construction Science at UA Little Rock is approximately $22,451 in-state (63 credits at $356.37/credit) or $49,400 out-of-state (63 credits at $784.12/credit).
The program can generally be completed in about 2 years (4 semesters), derived from 63 credits at about 16 credits per semester.
The A.S. in Construction Science is the first half of the B.S., taught by the same department on the same campus, rather than a standalone workforce degree.
A.S. Curriculum
The A.S. combines 35 credits of general education with a 27-credit major. Only five CNMG courses are named; the rest is elective.
- Construction core (12 credits): First-Year Colloquium in Construction, The Construction Industry, Drawings and Specifications, Construction Materials and Methods, and MEP Systems.
- Construction electives (9 credits): any three CNMG courses.
- Business/construction electives (6 credits): any ACCT, BINS, CNMG, ECON, FINC, IBUS, MGMT, or MKTG courses.
- General education (35 credits): the university core; the A.S. names no specific math course.
The named core is drawings, materials, and systems only. Estimating, scheduling, and contracts appear only if a student chooses them as electives, so the management content depends on elective choices. Because every named CNMG course is also a B.S. requirement, picking B.S. courses as electives keeps all major credits on track for the bachelor’s.
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- The catalog states 63 total hours in one place and a 60-hour minimum in another; general education (35) plus the major (27) totals 62.
- The catalog’s GPA rule refers to an “Associate of Science in Construction Management,” while the degree title is Construction Science.
- Plan general education math around the B.S. sequence (College Algebra, Trigonometry, or Precalculus, then Calculus or statistics) to avoid extra courses later.
A.S. Internship and Field Experience
- Requirement: none; the A.S. has no internship course and no work-hour requirement.
- B.S. carryover: students continuing to the B.S. still need 800 documented hours before graduating.
A student who starts logging construction work hours during the A.S. arrives in the bachelor’s years with part of the 800-hour requirement already met.
A.S. Admissions
Admission follows university admission; no separate program gate is stated.
- Program standard: 2.00 GPA in all required CNMG courses.
- Residency: 15 credits at UA Little Rock; 20 credits above the freshman level.
- Prior learning: the B.S. credit-by-exam options cover Drawings and Specifications, Materials and Methods, and MEP Systems, three of the five A.S. core courses; whether they apply to the A.S. is not clearly stated.
B.P.S. Construction Concentration
The estimated tuition for the B.P.S. Construction Concentration at UA Little Rock is approximately $42,764 in-state (120 credits at $356.37/credit) or $94,094 out-of-state (120 credits at $784.12/credit).
The program can generally be completed in about 4 years (8 semesters), derived from 120 credits at 15 credits per semester.
The Bachelor of Professional Studies in Construction is a management and communication degree with a six-course construction concentration inside it. It is a different degree from the accredited B.S., not a lighter version of it.
B.P.S. Curriculum
The 39-credit major has three parts: a 15-credit professional core, 6 credits of core electives, and an 18-credit construction concentration. With 35 general education credits, about 45 credits remain as unrestricted electives.
- Professional core (5 courses, 15 credits): Principles of Management, Human Resources Management, Managing People in Organizations, Writing for the Workplace, and Persuasive Presentations.
- Core electives (2 courses, 6 credits): chosen from IT, industrial, personnel, or organizational psychology, professional writing, communication, and sociology.
- Required construction (4 courses, 12 credits): Drawings and Specifications, Materials and Methods, MEP Systems, and Building Information Modeling.
- Construction electives (2 courses, 6 credits): chosen from Steel Construction, Field Engineering and Equipment, Estimating I and II, Financial Management, Advanced BIM, Construction Administration, Planning and Scheduling, Contracts and Law, and Construction Safety.
- Math and science: general education only; the major names no math course.
Construction is 18 of 120 credits (15%), against 64 in the B.S. Estimating, scheduling, and contracts are all elective, so a graduate may have taken only two of them, or none if the electives go to Steel and BIM. There is no capstone, statics, concrete, soils, or surveying.
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- The catalog’s student outcomes (applying math and science, designing experiments) use technical-program language that the major’s courses do not clearly support, and one outcome is cut off mid-sentence.
- About 45 unrestricted elective credits leave room for transfer credit; how much prior credit UA Little Rock accepts toward them is not clearly stated.
B.P.S. Internship and Field Experience
- Requirement: none; no internship course, no 800-hour work requirement, and no AIC exam requirement are listed.
That removes the B.S.’s biggest hurdle for students without construction jobs, and also removes the B.S.’s main proof of field readiness.
B.P.S. Admissions
No separate program gate is stated; admission follows university admission.
- Program standard: 2.00 GPA in all required CNMG courses.
- Residency: 30 credits at UA Little Rock; 45 credits must be upper-level.
- Prior learning: all four required construction courses and the Steel elective appear on the B.S. credit-by-exam list; whether those exams apply to the B.P.S. is not clearly stated.
Tuition
UA Little Rock bills construction management at $253.00 per credit for Arkansas residents and $680.75 for non-residents in 2026-27. Mandatory per-credit fees add $103.37, bringing the totals to $356.37 in-state and $784.12 out-of-state. See the undergraduate tuition and fees schedule.
| Charge (per credit) | In-State | Out-of-State |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $253.00 | $680.75 |
| Technology fee | $15.50 | $15.50 |
| General fee | $21.50 | $21.50 |
| Athletic fee | $23.50 | $23.50 |
| Facilities fee | $17.75 | $17.75 |
| UA System infrastructure fee | $10.87 | $10.87 |
| Technology infrastructure fee | $9.00 | $9.00 |
| Health services fee | $5.25 | $5.25 |
| Total per credit | $356.37 | $784.12 |
| 120-credit B.S. (derived) | $42,764 | $94,094 |
| 63-credit A.S. (derived) | $22,451 | $49,400 |
| 120-credit B.P.S. (derived) | $42,764 | $94,094 |
Be aware that:
- Fees account for $12,404 of the B.S. in-state total, about 29%.
- Residents of Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas pay the in-state rate automatically as admitted degree-seeking U.S. citizens or permanent residents, per UA Little Rock. The out-of-state figure applies mainly to students from other states.
- The estimates apply the construction rate to every credit. General education courses and the B.P.S. management, writing, and communication courses may bill at other departments’ per-credit rates.
- Online sections add a $25/credit distance education fee.
- First-time freshmen entering fall 2026 may receive 50% off tuition and class fees for two years under the Trojan Guarantee scholarship; eligibility rules apply.
- Fee schedule rates are for 2026-27 and may change each year.
For an Arkansas or border-state student, about $42,800 is the realistic all-in tuition and fee cost before scholarships. A credit-by-exam candidate with five years’ experience could cut up to 18 credits, roughly $6,400 at the in-state rate (derived), if every exam is passed. The A.S. carries the same per-credit price as the B.S., so its value is as a structured first half rather than a discount.
Why Choose This Construction Management Program?
Best suited for students who want an accredited construction degree in Little Rock and either already work in the trades or can find construction work while studying.
Working tradespeople. Prior experience counts toward the 800 hours, five-year veterans can test out of up to six courses, and partner employers subsidize tuition. Together these shorten the path more for an experienced worker than for a new freshman.
Neighboring-state students. Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee residents pay the Arkansas rate. An Oklahoma student comparing the University of Oklahoma gets a second ACCE program at an in-state price, but OU builds a 480-hour internship into the degree, while UA Little Rock leaves the hours to the student.
Students unsure about four years. The A.S. gives a credential at 63 credits with all named major courses counting toward the B.S., but its required core covers drawings, materials, and systems only, so management skills depend on elective choices.
Supervisors who need a bachelor’s. The B.P.S. trades construction depth for management and communication courses and room for transfer credit, with no work-hour or exam requirement. It suits someone already running crews who needs the degree more than an accredited CM credential.
Students without industry contacts. The trade-off is structure. No internship course, no named placement partners, and no online option mean a new student must line up 800 hours on their own while attending campus classes.
Accreditation and Credentials
UA Little Rock is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, with its next reaffirmation scheduled for 2029-30. Institutional accreditation supports credit transfer and federal financial aid eligibility.
The B.S. in Construction Management appears on ACCE’s baccalaureate list (Rev. 2024.03.13), last accredited 02/2022 with accreditation expiring 02/2028. UA Little Rock says the program has held ACCE accreditation continuously since 1997. The university also reports ABET accreditation through the Applied and Natural Science Accreditation Commission, effective October 2015; ASU’s construction B.S. holds the same pair, per ASU. The only other Arkansas program on ACCE’s baccalaureate list is John Brown University in Siloam Springs. The department names only the B.S. among its accredited construction degrees; the A.S. and B.P.S. carry no programmatic accreditation.
For credentials, the program page lists the AIC Associate Constructor exam as a graduation requirement, which puts graduates on the path to AIC’s later Certified Professional Constructor credential. UA Little Rock does not state that the degree counts toward Arkansas contractor licensing.