Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering • Newark, DE • Campus • $708/Credit (In-State, incl. fees)
The University of Delaware offers one construction management program: the Bachelor of Construction Engineering and Management (BCEM).
Program Pathways Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| BCEM | $89.2K in-state / $196.1K out-of-state | 4 years (8 semesters) | 126 |
Tuition estimates use the University of Delaware’s 2026-27 full-time tuition, mandatory fees, and College of Engineering differential charge.
- Why choose it: UD’s BCEM holds ABET accreditation from two commissions, the Engineering Accreditation Commission under construction engineering criteria and the Applied and Natural Sciences Accreditation Commission under construction management criteria, and every student completes a paid 26-week co-op.
- Trade-off: The degree is built on an engineering core of two semesters of calculus, linear algebra or discrete math, physics, chemistry, statics, and structures, so students who want a business-style construction management degree will find it math-heavy.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Credentials Offered | Bachelor of Construction Engineering and Management (BCEM) |
| Format | Campus, full time |
| Campus Location | Newark, DE |
| Credit Hours | 126 minimum |
| Internship | Required 26-week paid co-op (CIEG 481, 3 credits) |
| Programmatic Accreditation | ABET EAC (construction engineering) and ABET ANSAC (construction management), per UD |
| Software Taught | CAD and BIM (CIEG 291); advanced BIM elective (CIEG 494); specific software not named |
| Industry Certifications | None embedded; Business Essentials Certificate from UD’s business college required |
| Transfer Pathway | Transfer admission at 2.75 GPA with MATH 241, 242, or 243; space limited |
| Tuition | $22,290 per year in-state; $49,020 out-of-state (2026-27, incl. fees and engineering charge) |
| Math Required | Calculus A and B, plus linear algebra, engineering math, or discrete math |
Bachelor of Construction Engineering and Management
The estimated tuition for the Bachelor of Construction Engineering and Management at the University of Delaware is approximately $89,160 in-state (126 credits at $707.62/credit, derived from 8 semesters at $11,145).
The program can generally be completed in about 4 years (8 semesters).
The Construction Engineering and Management degree sits in UD’s Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering. UD says all requirements, including the co-op, are designed to fit within four years. The out-of-state estimate is about $196,080.
BCEM Curriculum
The first two years follow an engineering track, then construction management courses take over in the junior and senior years.
- Math and science (8 requirements, 29 credits): MATH 241 and MATH 242 Analytic Geometry and Calculus A and B, MATH 349 Linear Algebra (or MATH 351 or MATH 210), CHEM 103 with lab, PHYS 207 with lab, GEOL 105 Geological Hazards, a 4-credit science or math elective, and CISC 106 computer science.
- Engineering (11 courses, 30 credits): CIEG 211 Statics, CIEG 212 Solid Mechanics, CIEG 213 materials lab, CIEG 214 Construction Materials, CIEG 301 Structural Analysis and Design, CIEG 305 Fluid Mechanics (or CIEG 351 Transportation Engineering), CIEG 315 Probability and Statistics, CIEG 320 and CIEG 323 Soil Mechanics and lab, CIEG 390 Engineering Survey and Geomatics, CIEG 496 Building Systems Engineering and Design.
- Construction management (6 courses, 18 credits): CIEG 191 Introduction to Construction Engineering and Management, CIEG 292 Environment, Health and Safety, CIEG 391 Construction Estimating and Cost Control, CIEG 392 Construction Planning and Scheduling, CIEG 393 Construction Means and Methods, CIEG 394 Construction Law and Regulations.
- Technical electives (3 courses, 9 credits): chosen from Heavy Civil Construction, Commercial Construction, Engineering Project Management, International Construction, Construction Productivity Improvement, Advanced BIM, Temporary Structures Design, and Site Engineering.
- Business and communication (6 courses, 19 credits): ACCT 200 Survey of Accounting, FINC 200 Fundamentals of Finance, ECON 100 Economic Issues and Policies, BUAD 100 Introduction to Business (or OPMT 300), plus ENGL 410 Technical Writing and COMM 212 Public Speaking.
- Design and field work: CIEG 291 CAD and BIM in Construction, CIEG 491 Senior Design (capstone), and CIEG 481 Co-op.
UD’s BCEM has 11 engineering courses to 6 core construction management courses, with three construction-focused electives and a business block filling the gap. Graduates get the structural, soils, and building systems grounding of an engineering degree, and the ABET EAC accreditation that comes with it, while still covering estimating, scheduling, means and methods, and construction law.
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- A C- or better is required in ACCT 200, CHEM 103 and CHEM 133, CIEG 214, MATH 232, MATH 241, MATH 242, PHYS 207, and PHYS 227, and all College of Engineering breadth courses.
- Students must keep at least a 2.0 GPA in engineering, math, and science coursework.
- Students must complete UD’s Business Essentials Certificate or the Business Administration minor; this catalog page does not list the certificate’s courses.
- The catalog sets 126 credits as the minimum, but the department’s four-year plan semester totals add up to 129.
BCEM Internship and Field Experience
- Required: Yes, a 26-week co-op recorded as CIEG 481 Co-op in Civil and Environmental Engineering (3 credits).
- Timing: 26 consecutive weeks, typically summer through fall, or split across two summers and/or winter sessions, per the department’s co-op page.
- Pay: Paid; students earn an average of $19 per hour, per UD.
- Placement: Students search independently through Handshake, with on-campus recruiting and staff help; UD recommends starting in the fall of junior year.
- Employer partners: UD lists AECOM, Allan Myers, Clark Construction Group, Delaware Department of Transportation, DPR Construction, Gilbane, Skanska, Turner Construction Company, and WSP, among others.
- Outcomes: UD reports that 75% of co-op students on average are offered full-time positions by their co-op employer each year.
Six months of paid work gives every BCEM graduate a substantial block of field or office experience before graduation, longer than a single summer internship. The 75% offer rate means many students finish the co-op with a job offer in hand, though students find their own placements and should start the search early.
You Should Know
- UD does not say whether tuition or fees are charged during co-op terms, including a summer-through-fall co-op.
- The co-op page applies to the whole department; UD does not publish CEM-only pay or offer rates.
BCEM Admissions
Transfer applicants compete for limited space, and UD says meeting the minimums does not guarantee admission.
- First-year students: apply through regular UD undergraduate admission; the program page states no separate gate.
- Transfer students: minimum 2.75 GPA and credit for MATH 241, 242, or 243 (or equivalent), per UD’s transfer admissions page; space availability decides how many are admitted.
- Delaware Tech: UD has Connected Degree programs with Delaware Technical Community College, but none leading to this major was found.
- Deadlines: suggested transfer deadlines are June 1 for fall and November 1 for spring.
Tuition
UD charges a flat full-time rate. For 2026-27, Delaware residents pay $15,740 in tuition plus $2,550 in mandatory fees per year, and engineering students admitted from Fall 2025 on pay a $4,000 College of Engineering differential charge. Out-of-state tuition is $42,470.
| Item (2026-27, per year) | In-State | Out-of-State |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time tuition (12+ credits) | $15,740 | $42,470 |
| Student Comprehensive fee | $1,548 | $1,548 |
| Student Wellbeing fee | $734 | $734 |
| Student Center fee | $268 | $268 |
| College of Engineering differential | $4,000 | $4,000 |
| Total | $22,290 | $49,020 |
- BCEM estimate: $89,160 in-state and $196,080 out-of-state for 8 semesters (derived).
Be aware that:
- UD lists the engineering differential in its academic-year column without saying whether it is per year or per semester; this estimate treats it as annual.
- New students pay a one-time $260 orientation fee, which UD lists with mandatory fees but leaves out of the $2,550 total.
- UD does not say whether tuition is charged for the co-op term; a summer co-op could add summer charges.
- The four-year plan’s semester totals add up to 129 credits; extra credits beyond the full-time load could add cost.
- Housing, meals, books, and course fees are not included.
At about $89,200 for four years, UD is the in-state price for Delaware residents, and the co-op pays back part of it at an average of $19 an hour for 26 weeks. Out-of-state students pay more than twice as much, about $196,100, so they should compare UD’s aid offer against ABET-accredited construction programs in their home state. See UD’s 2026-27 cost page.
Why Choose This Construction Management Program?
UD’s BCEM serves different students in different ways, depending on how they plan to use the engineering side of the degree.
Students heading toward a PE license: The EAC accreditation under construction engineering criteria gives graduates an engineering degree. UD’s department handbook says students take the Fundamentals of Engineering exam in their senior year and that Delaware’s PE license follows four years of work experience.
Students who want field leadership: Estimating, scheduling, means and methods, construction law, and three electives such as heavy civil, commercial construction, and temporary structures design cover the management work of a project engineer or superintendent. The ANSAC accreditation under construction management criteria recognizes that side.
Students weaker in math: Two semesters of calculus with a C- minimum, physics, chemistry, and structural analysis make this a demanding first two years. Students who want construction management without calculus should look for a management-focused bachelor’s instead.
Accreditation and Credentials
The University of Delaware is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, which supports federal financial aid eligibility and credit transfer.
UD’s department accreditation page says the BCEM is accredited by ABET’s Engineering Accreditation Commission under the General Criteria and the Construction Engineering Program Criteria, and by ABET’s Applied and Natural Sciences Accreditation Commission under the General Criteria and the Construction Management Program Criteria. The College of Engineering’s ABET page also lists the program as accredited. ABET’s own directory was not checked for this profile, and UD does not claim ACCE accreditation.
The EAC accreditation matters most for licensure: an EAC-accredited engineering degree is the usual starting point for the FE exam and a professional engineer license. The program embeds no industry certifications, but every graduate also earns UD’s Business Essentials Certificate or a Business Administration minor.