McWhorter School of Building Science, College of Architecture, Design and Construction • Auburn, AL • Campus / Mostly Online • $482/Credit (In-State Undergraduate) + $1,002/Semester Fee
Auburn University offers 4 construction management pathways:
- B.S. in Building Construction
- Executive Graduate Certificates (3 options)
- Master of Building Construction (campus)
- Master of Building Construction (online)
Program Pathways Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| B.S. | $64.9K in-state / $163.0K out-of-state | 4 years (8 semesters + summer surveying session) | 120 |
| Certificates | ~$12K each | 1 year (2 semesters) each | 12 each |
| MBC (Campus) | $24.7K in-state / $60.7K out-of-state | 1 year (3 terms) | 35 |
| MBC (Online) | Not clearly stated | Not clearly stated | 36 |
Tuition estimates use Auburn’s 2026-27 tuition, the $1,002 student services fee, and the $2,160 CADC professional fee.
- Why choose it: Auburn’s B.S. in Building Construction is ACCE-accredited, ends with a required 4-credit senior thesis, and connects to a graduate ladder of three 12-credit distance certificates and a Master of Building Construction.
- Trade-off: Admission to Auburn does not guarantee a construction seat. After two pre-professional years, students compete by formula GPA (2.60 minimum) for 120 professional-program seats a year.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Credentials Offered | B.S., three graduate certificates, MBC (campus and online) |
| Format | B.S. and campus MBC: Campus. Certificates: Mostly Online (residency week each semester) |
| Campus Location | Auburn, AL (M. Miller Gorrie Center) |
| Credit Hours | 120 (B.S.), 12 per certificate, 35 or 36 (MBC) |
| Internship | Not required; paid co-op available through Auburn’s Co-op Program |
| Programmatic Accreditation | B.S.: ACCE. MBC: not on ACCE master’s list |
| Software Taught | Two construction IT courses; software not named |
| Industry Certifications | None stated |
| Limited Access | B.S. professional program: rank-ordered by formula GPA, 2.60 minimum |
| Math Requirement | Pre-Calculus Algebra and Trig plus two physics courses; no calculus |
| Tuition | $482/credit in-state, $1,483 out-of-state (flat above 12 credits) |
B.S. in Building Construction
The estimated tuition for the B.S. in Building Construction at Auburn University is approximately $64,894 in-state (120 credits; 8 flat-rate semesters plus a summer surveying session and four professional fees).
The program can generally be completed in about 4 years (8 semesters plus one summer session).
The Bachelor of Science in Building Construction (BSCI) splits into a 60-credit pre-professional half and a 60-credit professional half. Students apply to the professional half after finishing all 19 pre-professional courses.
B.S. Curriculum
- Management and business of construction (8 courses, 27 credits): Estimating and Costing (4), Preconstruction and Project Management, Contracting Business (4), Scheduling and Field Operations (4), Project Analysis, Construction Law and Risk Management, Safety, Communication
- Structures, systems, and field (7 courses, 20 credits): Methods and Materials, Structures of Buildings I and II, Mechanical Systems, Electrical Systems, Construction Documents, Field Surveying (2)
- Construction IT (2 courses, 6 credits): Construction and Information Technology I and II
- Senior thesis: BSCI 4990 Building Science Thesis, 4 credits, final semester
- Business school courses (5 courses, 15 credits): Business Law, Fundamentals of Accounting, Micro- and Macroeconomics, Management
- Electives: two construction electives plus one service-learning elective (BSCI 4360 or 5810)
- Math and science: MATH 1150 Pre-Calculus Algebra and Trig (4), General Physics I and II (8)
- Field Surveying timing: fixed. Fall and spring admits take it in the break between spring and summer; summer admits take it in summer
The professional half leans management: 27 credits of estimating, scheduling, contracts, and law against 20 credits of structures and systems. The 4-credit thesis is the largest single course in the degree. Math stops at precalculus with trigonometry, which fits a management career but is not an engineering route. More curriculum details are available here.
B.S. Internship and Field Experience
- No internship course is required in the 120-credit plan.
- The summer-start professional cohort (30 seats) is labeled the Co-op Track.
- Auburn’s university Co-op Program says all co-op positions are paid; students pay no tuition in work semesters and enroll in a 0-credit, $0 course.
- Auburn reported that its 2024 building science career fair drew about 600 students and 135 employers and filled within days.
- Field practice also comes through required Field Surveying and the Robins & Morton Construction Field Lab, a three-acre site.
Auburn relies on employer demand rather than a credit requirement. Auburn reported in 2024 that building science students finish at least one internship by graduation, but the degree audit does not require one. Students who want guaranteed work experience should plan for the Co-op Track or a summer internship from the sophomore year.
B.S. Admissions
Admission is two-stage: Auburn admits freshmen as Pre-Building Construction students, then the school ranks them for a capped professional program.
- Professional program seats: 30 fall, 60 spring, 30 summer (Co-op Track)
- Eligibility: all 19 pre-professional courses, at least 60 credits, separate application
- Selection: rank order by formula GPA; 2.60 minimum, with exceptions only through the school head
- A repeated D or F in BSCI 2400 Structures I is averaged into the formula GPA
- Internal transfers into Pre-Building Construction need a 2.80 GPA
- After admission: a grade below C in any 3000/4000-level BSCI course, or a cumulative GPA under 2.50, triggers committee review
You Should Know
- Auburn says seats can go unfilled if applicants fall below 2.60, so the minimum is a floor, not a target. Use the school’s Excel formula GPA template to track standing.
- The fall and spring tables in the department curriculum model and the catalog differ slightly in semester placement of a few gen-ed courses; credit totals match at 120.
Executive Graduate Certificates in Construction Management
The estimated tuition for each Executive Graduate Certificate at Auburn University is approximately $12,000 (12 credits at about $1,000/credit, per Auburn).
The program can generally be completed in about 1 year (2 semesters, two courses per semester).
Auburn’s distance program offers three 12-credit graduate certificates. Auburn says the per-credit price covers tuition, case studies, textbooks, and software.
Certificate Curriculum
- Construction Management: Cost Estimating, Project Management and Scheduling, Construction Law and Risk Management, plus Contracting Business or Heavy Civil Construction
- Executive Technical: Construction Information Management, Mechanical and Plumbing Systems, Electrical Systems, plus Structural Systems or Sustainability
- Integrated Processes: Integrated Building Process I and II, Executive Issues in Construction, plus Sustainability or Planning and Decision Making
Together the three certificates hold all four core courses of the online MBC (BSCI 7020, 7030, 7040, 7050). That makes them a practical trial run for working professionals before committing to the degree.
Certificate Internship and Field Experience
No internship applies. Auburn ties coursework to industry through case studies and independent projects, and the certificates require a residency week each semester.
Certificate Admissions
Auburn states enrollment is limited but does not publish separate certificate admission criteria; apply through the Graduate School.
You Should Know
- The residency week is documented in Auburn’s certificate flyer and the distance page’s cost note (“travel for residency week”); dates and length are not on the current page.
- How many certificate credits count toward the 36-credit online MBC is not clearly stated. Three certificates total 36 credits before the required 3-credit capstone.
Master of Building Construction (Campus)
The estimated tuition for the campus Master of Building Construction at Auburn University is approximately $24,687 in-state (35 credits over 3 flat-rate terms plus two professional fees).
The program can generally be completed in about 1 year (3 terms starting in fall).
The Master of Building Construction (MBC) is a non-thesis degree established in 1993. Graduates of non-construction bachelor’s programs first complete a summer foundation block.
MBC Curriculum
- Core (17 credits): Integrated Building Process I and II, Construction Information Management, Executive Issues in Construction, Research Methods, Graduate Seminar I and II (1 each)
- Electives (15 credits): four building science electives plus one approved graduate elective from any field
- Capstone (3 credits): BSCI 7980, with a faculty committee, a fall proposal, and a 30-minute defense
- Foundation block (non-construction graduates): five summer courses, 14 credits, not counted toward the 35
The capstone is a research-style project with a committee of three faculty, closer to a thesis than a case study. More curriculum details are available here.
MBC Internship and Field Experience
No internship is required. Graduate teaching and research assistantships, usually fall and spring, provide full or partial tuition support; Auburn decides assistantship type during the first summer.
MBC Admissions
Non-construction graduates start in summer; construction graduates start in fall. Both apply by March 15.
- Bachelor’s degree; 3.0 in the last two years or 2.75 cumulative desired
- GRE required; domestic construction, engineering, architecture, or business graduates with a 3.25 GPA may request a waiver
- Three recommendations, resume, statement of purpose (1,500 words max)
- International applicants: November 15 deadline for summer entry
- Foundation waivers considered for architecture or civil engineering graduates and people with extensive field experience
Master of Building Construction (Online)
The estimated tuition for the online Master of Building Construction at Auburn University is not clearly stated (36 credits).
The program duration is not clearly stated.
The online MBC drops Research Methods and both seminars and adds six elective credits.
Online MBC Curriculum
- Core: Integrated Building Process I and II, Construction Information Management, Executive Issues in Construction
- Electives: 21 credits
- Capstone: BSCI 7980
Online MBC Internship and Field Experience
No internship is required.
Online MBC Admissions
Auburn does not publish separate online admission criteria.
You Should Know
- Auburn lists the executive certificates at about $1,000/credit. If that rate applied, the online MBC would run about $36,000; Auburn does not confirm it.
- Delivery is classified Mostly Online based on the certificates’ residency weeks; Auburn does not describe online MBC delivery directly.
- Auburn also offers a 62-credit Ph.D. in Building Construction for research and teaching careers.
Tuition
Auburn’s 2026-27 undergraduate tuition is $482 per credit in-state and $1,483 out-of-state, with no extra charge above 12 credits. Graduate tuition is $643 and $1,975 per credit, flat above 9 credits. A $1,002 student services fee applies every semester.
| Cost Item | In-State | Out-of-State |
|---|---|---|
| B.S. full-time semester (12+ credits) | $5,784 + $1,002 = $6,786 | $17,796 + $1,002 = $18,798 |
| B.S. 8 semesters | $54,288 | $150,384 |
| Field Surveying summer session (2 credits) | $1,966 | $3,968 |
| CADC professional fee (4 semesters × $2,160) | $8,640 | $8,640 |
| B.S. total (derived) | $64,894 | $162,992 |
| MBC full-time term (9+ credits) | $5,787 + $1,002 = $6,789 | $17,775 + $1,002 = $18,777 |
| MBC campus total (3 terms + 2 fees) | $24,687 | $60,651 |
| MBC with summer foundation block | $31,476 | $79,428 |
Be aware that:
- The $2,160 professional fee is tied to trigger courses: BSCI 3600, 3660, 4610, and 4990 in the B.S.; BSCI 7060 and 7980 in the MBC.
- The Field Surveying cost assumes it bills as a separate summer term with its own student services fee. Auburn does not say how the break-period session bills.
- MBC totals assume at least 9 credits in each of the 3 terms. Auburn does not publish the term-by-term split.
- Online MBC tuition is not clearly stated. Whether online students pay the professional fee is also unstated; they skip BSCI 7060 but take 7980.
- Certificate pricing (~$1,000/credit) excludes application fees and residency-week travel. Whether the student services fee is added is not stated.
- Graduate assistants pay a reduced student services fee ($844 fall/spring, $350 summer).
Auburn’s flat-rate model rewards full loads: a 13-credit and 16-credit semester cost the same. The professional fee adds about 13% to the in-state B.S. total and is easy to miss, since Auburn’s cost-of-attendance table shows only base tuition and fees. Out-of-state students pay about 2.5 times the in-state total. See Auburn’s 2026-27 tuition schedule.
Why Choose This Construction Management Program?
Best suited for students who want an ACCE-accredited management degree and can perform well enough in the first two years to win a professional-program seat.
Freshmen aiming for general contractor roles: The B.S. combines ACCE accreditation, a 27-credit management core, and a senior thesis. Compared with Alabama A&M University, Auburn offers ACCE accreditation and AAMU offers a required 12-week internship and a lower flat rate. Students who need a guaranteed admission path should weigh the GPA cutoff risk.
Students who want engineering credentials: Auburn’s math stops at precalculus. The University of Alabama construction engineering B.S. requires calculus through differential equations and leads toward the FE exam; Auburn’s B.S. does not.
Working professionals: The certificates let a superintendent or project engineer test graduate study 12 credits at a time. Alabama residents with a construction degree who can study full time pay about $24,687 for the campus MBC, less than the $31,320 online M.Eng. at UAB. Online MBC pricing is not published, so request a quote first.
Accreditation and Credentials
Auburn University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Regional accreditation supports federal financial aid eligibility and credit transfer.
The B.S. in Building Construction appears on ACCE’s baccalaureate accredited-program list (Rev. 2024.03.13), alongside Tuskegee University as Alabama’s only entries. Auburn says ACCE first accredited the program in 1980. ACCE accreditation signals to employers that the curriculum meets industry-set standards for estimating, scheduling, and project control.
The MBC does not appear on ACCE’s master’s list (Rev. 2025.03.20), which lists no Alabama programs. Neither degree is ABET-accredited.
Auburn does not state that its degrees count toward Alabama contractor licensing or prepare students for the AIC Associate Constructor exam. No embedded industry certifications are listed.