College of Engineering and Computer Science, Department of Civil Engineering and Construction Management • Northridge, CA • Campus • $269/Credit (In-State, incl. fees)
CSUN offers 3 construction management pathways:
Program Pathways Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| B.S. | $33.3K in-state / $91.7K out-of-state | 4 years (8 semesters) | 124-125 |
| M.S. | $20.1K in-state / $34.2K out-of-state | 2 years (4 semesters) | 30 |
| Certificate | Not published (self-support) | Up to 3 years | 15 |
Tuition estimates use CSUN’s 2026-27 full-time semester tuition and fees; out-of-state adds $471 per unit.
- Why choose it: CSUN’s ABET-accredited B.S. requires a paid cooperative work experience, includes business law, real estate law, and construction law, and costs about $33,300 in-state.
- Trade-off: The required co-op counts for only 2 units with no stated hours, ACCE accreditation shown on ACCE’s 2024 list ran only through July 2026, and the M.S. catalog page does not state format or schedule.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Credentials Offered | B.S. in Construction Management; M.S. in Construction Management; Construction Management Certificate (post-baccalaureate) |
| Format | Campus; certificate offered as a self-support cohort |
| Campus Location | Northridge, CA |
| Credit Hours | 124-125 (B.S.); 30 (M.S.); 15 (certificate) |
| Internship | Required for the B.S.: CM 494 Cooperative Educational Experience (paid) |
| Programmatic Accreditation | ABET Applied and Natural Science Accreditation Commission (B.S.) |
| Software Taught | CM 309 Computer Applications in Construction Management; M.S. electives include Advanced BIM; specific software not named |
| Industry Certifications | None embedded |
| Capstone | Two-semester Construction Senior Design (CM 488A and 488B) |
| Tuition | $4,164 per semester undergraduate; $5,019 graduate (2026-27, in-state) |
B.S. in Construction Management
The estimated tuition for the B.S. in Construction Management at CSUN is approximately $33,312 in-state (124 credits at $268.65/credit, derived from 8 semesters at $4,164).
The program can generally be completed in about 4 years (8 semesters).
The B.S. in Construction Management is a 103-104 unit major inside a 124-125 unit degree, with a C- or better required in every major course. The out-of-state estimate is about $91,716 at 124 units.
B.S. Curriculum
The major is fully prescribed, with no electives, and 400-level courses open only after all lower-division and junior core courses.
- Building, site, and technical (11 courses, 31 units): CM 110 Construction Drawings, CM 208 Construction Site Surveying, CM 240 Building Construction, MSE 220 Construction Materials, CM 321 Mechanical and Electrical Installation, CM 326 Soil Mechanics for Construction, CM 334 Construction Equipment and Methods, CM 336 Fundamentals of Green Buildings, CM 340 Statics and Strength of Materials, CM 440 Structural Design, and CM 441 Highway Design, most with labs.
- Estimating, controls, and management (7 courses, 18 units): CM 309 Computer Applications in Construction Management, CM 310 Construction Estimating, CM 312 Project Cost Control, Planning and Scheduling, CM 415 Fundamentals of Construction Management, CM 434 Site Planning and Logistics, and CM 488A and 488B Construction Senior Design I and II.
- Contracts and law (6 courses, 16 units): CM 210 Construction Contract Documents, CM 401 Construction Contract Administration, CM 449 Dispute Prevention, CM 480 Construction Law, BLAW 280 Business Law I, and BLAW 481 Real Estate Law.
- Business and communication (6 courses, 18 units): ACCT 220 Financial Accounting, ECON 160 Microeconomics, MGT 360 Management and Organizational Behavior, MSE 300 Engineering Technology Economy, ENGL 306 Report Writing, and COMP 100 Computers: Their Impact and Use.
- Math and science (5 courses, 18-19 units): MATH 255A Calculus for the Life Sciences I, a second course in calculus or statistics, PHYS 100A and 100B General Physics I and II with labs, and BIOL 106 Biological Principles I with lab.
- Cooperative education (1 course, 2 units): CM 494 Cooperative Educational Experience.
CSUN puts more law into its required courses than most construction management majors: six courses cover contract documents, contract administration, dispute prevention, construction law, business law, and real estate law. Highway design and site logistics add heavy civil and site work to the building sequence.
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- The unit total ranges from 124 to 125 because the second math course can be MATH 255B, SOM 120 (3 units), or MATH 140 (4 units).
- The major satisfies 25 of the 43 general education units, leaving 18 outside the major.
- The catalog’s campus requirements section lists 6 units, while its unit summary counts 3.
- Course descriptions do not name the estimating, scheduling, or BIM software used.
B.S. Internship and Field Experience
- Required: Yes; CM 494 Cooperative Educational Experience is a required major course.
- Prerequisites: CM 310 Estimating, CM 312 Cost Control and Scheduling, and junior or senior standing.
- Pay and length: positions are paid and usually run a full year, with summer work available, per the course description.
- Credit: repeatable up to 6 units, with 2 counting toward the major.
- Hours and employer partners: Not clearly stated.
The required co-op means every CSUN graduate finishes with supervised, paid construction management work after learning to estimate and schedule. The two-semester senior design capstone adds a team project on top of that field experience.
B.S. Admissions
The catalog lists no separate admission gate for the major.
- First-year and transfer students: admitted through CSUN undergraduate admissions; transfer road maps are available from the department.
- Grades: C- or better in all major courses.
M.S. in Construction Management
The estimated tuition for the M.S. in Construction Management at CSUN is approximately $20,076 in-state (30 credits at $669.20/credit, derived from 4 semesters at $5,019).
The program can generally be completed in about 2 years (4 semesters).
The M.S. in Construction Management is a 30-unit degree for owners’ representatives, consulting engineers, architects, design engineers, contractors, and subcontractors, per CSUN. The out-of-state estimate is about $34,206. Duration is derived from 30 units at about 8 units per semester.
M.S. Curriculum
- Core (6 courses, 18 units): CM 508 Construction Information Technology, CM 510 Business Practices in Construction, CM 601 Advanced Construction Contracts, CM 604 Advanced Project Controls, CM 605 Construction Quality Management, and CM 609 Advanced Construction Materials.
- Electives (6-9 units): options include Advanced BIM in Construction, Program Management, Advanced Project Management, Advanced Construction Law, Green Infrastructure, Pipeline Construction and Rehabilitation, Geotechnical Foundation Design, managerial finance, accounting, and entrepreneurship.
- Culminating experience (3-6 units): CM 697 Comprehensive Exam, a graduate project, or a graduate thesis.
CSUN’s electives let students lean toward business, through finance, accounting, and entrepreneurship courses, or toward infrastructure, through pipeline, green infrastructure, and foundation design courses.
You Should Know
- Students without CM 415 and CM 480, or equivalents, must take them as electives.
- No more than 6 units of 400-level courses count toward the degree.
- The catalog does not state whether classes meet in person, online, or in the evening.
M.S. Internship and Field Experience
- Required: No.
- Research option: the thesis or graduate project provides applied work in place of an internship.
The M.S. is aimed at professionals already working on the owner, design, or contractor side, so field experience is assumed rather than built in.
M.S. Admissions
Admission follows CSU graduate admission rules plus department approval.
- Degree: a bachelor’s in engineering, construction management, or an affiliated field.
- Classified status: requires a tentative program of study approved by the department graduate coordinator.
- GPA, tests, and letters: Not clearly stated on the program page.
Construction Management Certificate
CSUN does not publish tuition for the certificate on its catalog page.
The program must be completed within 3 years of admission.
The Construction Management Certificate is a 15-unit, self-support cohort program offered with The Tseng College for bachelor’s degree holders, including those whose degree is outside construction.
- Courses (5 courses, 15 units): CM 441 Highway Design with lab, CM 480 Construction Law, CM 601 Advanced Construction Contracts, CM 602 Advanced Project Management, and CM 603 Advanced Contract Administration.
- Completion: a 3.0 program GPA.
- Admission: a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and graduate coordinator approval.
Three of the certificate’s five courses are 600-level M.S. offerings, but the catalog does not say whether certificate units transfer into the M.S.
Tuition
For 2026-27, CSUN lists tuition and fees of $4,164 per semester for full-time undergraduates and $5,019 for graduate students. Nonresidents add $471 per unit.
| Item (2026-27, per semester, full-time) | Undergraduate | Graduate |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $3,419 | $4,274 |
| Campus fees (derived) | $745 | $745 |
| Total, in-state | $4,164 | $5,019 |
| Nonresident tuition | +$471 per unit | +$471 per unit |
- B.S. estimate: 8 × $4,164 = $33,312 in-state; plus 124 × $471 = $58,404, for $91,716 out-of-state (derived).
- M.S. estimate: 4 × $5,019 = $20,076 in-state; plus 30 × $471 = $14,130, for $34,206 out-of-state (derived).
Be aware that:
- CSUN’s financial aid office publishes the combined figure; campus fees are derived by subtracting systemwide tuition.
- A 125-unit plan adds $471 for nonresidents.
- Certificate tuition is set by The Tseng College and is not published on the catalog page.
- Housing, meals, books, and course materials are not included.
At about $33,300 in-state, CSUN’s B.S. costs slightly less than Cal State East Bay and Cal Poly Pomona, and like Pomona it holds ABET accreditation. See CSUN’s 2026-27 cost of attendance.
Why Choose This Construction Management Program?
CSUN suits Los Angeles-area students at three stages: starting a construction management career, moving up within one, or switching into it from another field.
B.S. for first jobs: The required paid co-op, two-semester capstone, and six law and contracts courses prepare graduates for project engineer and contract administration roles.
M.S. for working professionals: A six-course core in project controls, quality, and business practices, with electives in infrastructure or business, suits engineers, architects, and contractors moving into management.
Certificate for career changers: Five courses in contracts, project management, and law give bachelor’s holders from other fields a credit-bearing entry point, though tuition must be confirmed with The Tseng College.
Accreditation and Credentials
California State University, Northridge is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission, which supports federal financial aid eligibility and credit transfer.
The B.S. in Construction Management is accredited by the Applied and Natural Science Accreditation Commission of ABET, under the program criteria for construction management, per CSUN’s catalog and accreditation page. Accreditation dates were not stated. ACCE’s baccalaureate list (Rev. 2024.03.13) showed CSUN accredited from July 2023 through July 2026; CSUN’s current pages cite only ABET.
None of the programs embed an industry certification.