School of Safety, Security & Emergency Management • Richmond, KY • Campus • $402/Credit (In-State, incl. fees)
Eastern Kentucky University offers 2 construction management pathways:
- B.S. in Construction Management
- M.S. in Technology Management, Construction Management concentration
Program Pathways Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| B.S. | $48.3K in-state / $54.6K out-of-state | 4 years (8 semesters) | 120 |
| M.S. (CM concentration) | $20.6K in-state / $27.4K out-of-state | 1.5 years (3 semesters) | 30 |
Tuition estimates use EKU’s 2026-27 on-campus tuition plus mandatory per-semester fees.
- Why choose it: EKU’s ACCE-accredited B.S. pairs its management courses with a field-engineering core: two surveying courses, statics, soils and foundations, and structural design in steel, concrete, and wood, built on trigonometry, applied calculus, and a five-credit physics course.
- Trade-off: The required field experience is small. The catalog asks for 2 credits of applied learning (CON 349), and the M.S. is a technology management degree in which only 9 of 30 credits are construction courses.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Credentials Offered | B.S.; M.S. Technology Management (CM concentration) |
| Format | Campus (both, per EKU program pages) |
| Campus Location | Richmond main campus |
| Credit Hours | B.S. 120; M.S. 30 |
| Internship | B.S.: required applied learning (CON 349), 2 credits in catalog; M.S.: none required |
| Programmatic Accreditation | B.S.: ACCE (through 07/2028); M.S.: none |
| Math | Trigonometry and Applied Calculus (or six hours of higher MAT); College Physics I |
| Software Taught | Estimating and scheduling software used; products not named |
| Transfer Pathway | EKU-published KCTCS A.S. to B.S. guide (dated 3/24/2023); up to 90 transfer credits |
| Tuition | Flat $5,325/semester in-state, $6,120 out-of-state (12-15 credits), plus fees |
B.S. in Construction Management
The estimated tuition for the B.S. in Construction Management at Eastern Kentucky University is approximately $48,264 (120 credits at $402.20/credit).
The program can generally be completed in about 4 years (8 semesters).
The B.S. in Construction Management sits in EKU’s College of Justice, Safety & Military Science, not a business or engineering college. It is on the ACCE baccalaureate list (Rev. 2024.03.13) with accreditation running to 07/2028.
B.S. Curriculum
The 120 credits break down as 30 Essential Education, GSD 101 (3), a 55-credit construction core, 20 credits of non-overlapping supporting courses, 6 technical elective credits, 3 business elective credits, and about 3 free elective credits (derived; the catalog allows 0-6). Microeconomics, Earthquakes and Volcanoes, Trigonometry, and Applied Calculus count inside Essential Education.
- Field engineering (10 courses, 29 credits): CON 201 and 202 Materials and Methods I-II, CON 280 Commercial Blueprint Reading (2), CON 294 Construction Graphics, CON 221 Plane Surveying, CON 320 Construction Surveying, CON 303 Statics and Strength of Materials, CON 307 Soils and Foundations, CON 322 Construction Structural Design, CON 324 Mechanical/Electrical Systems
- Management (6 courses, 18 credits): CON 325 Construction Estimating, CON 426 Scheduling (CPM, cash flow, cost control), CON 421 Construction Contracts, CON 425 Project Organization and Supervision, CON 420 Engineering Economy, CON 499 Capstone
- Other core: CON 121 Introduction to Construction, CON 428 Construction Sustainability (LEED-based), CON 349 Applied Learning (2)
- Business and communication: ACC 200 Survey of Accounting, MGT 301 Principles of Management, BUS 204 Business Law and Ethics, AEM 310 Technical Communication, plus a 3-credit ACC/ECO/FIN/BUS/MGT/MKT elective
- Math and science: MAT 120 Trigonometry and MAT 211 Applied Calculus (or six hours of higher MAT), PHY 131 College Physics I (5), GLY 108 Earthquakes and Volcanoes, TEC 161 Computer Applications in Technology
- Technical electives (6 credits): Boundary Surveying, Horizontal Construction (equipment, roadwork, bridges), Construction Safety, UAS in Construction and Engineering, extra applied learning, or special problems
- Exit requirement: a construction assessment exam before graduation, with a fee
The core leans technical: field-engineering courses outnumber the six dedicated management courses by credits (29 vs. 18), and the business side is filled in by four supporting courses. Several required courses run once a year (Soils, Structural Design, and Contracts in fall; Mechanical/Electrical, Project Organization, and Capstone in spring), so a missed course can delay graduation by a year. Students who want land surveying can add Boundary Surveying as an elective or pursue EKU’s land surveying minor, which prepares for the Kentucky Fundamentals of Land Surveying exam.
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- CON 325 Estimating requires a C or better in MAT 120 Trigonometry, and CON 322 Structural Design requires MAT 211 or higher, so the math sequence gates the management courses.
- EKU names no specific estimating or scheduling software; the catalog says only that estimating software and “standard scheduling software” are used.
B.S. Internship and Field Experience
- Required: CON 349 Applied Learning in Construction Management, 2 credits in the catalog (two separate enrollments recommended)
- Eligibility: 30 credits including 9 CON credits, 2.0 GPA, and department approval; transfer students must first complete a full-time semester at EKU
- Timing: usually summers before the junior and senior years, per EKU’s program page
- Placement: students choose a local, state, regional, or national contractor; hours and pay not clearly stated
- Employers named by EKU: Bechtel, Brett Construction, Gray Construction, Messer Construction
Two summers of placement give graduates a résumé line with two employers before they finish, which matters more than the small credit value. Because EKU does not publish hours or pay and students arrange their own placements, the quality of that experience depends on the contractor a student finds.
You Should Know
- EKU’s program page says students take three credit hours of internship or co-op, while the 2026-27 catalog requires 2 credits of CON 349 (more can count as technical electives).
B.S. Admissions
Students can declare construction management when applying to EKU; no separate program GPA or test gate is listed.
- Application deadlines: August 1 (fall), December 1 (spring), May 1 (summer)
- Transfer: up to 90 credits; at least 30 must be completed at EKU
- EKU’s program page notes that admission to the university does not guarantee admission to every program
M.S. in Technology Management, Construction Management Concentration
The estimated tuition for the M.S. in Technology Management with a Construction Management concentration at Eastern Kentucky University is approximately $20,574 (30 credits at $685.80/credit).
The program can generally be completed in about 1.5 years (3 semesters).
The M.S. in Technology Management is offered by EKU’s Department of Engineering and Technology. Duration is derived from 30 credits at 10 per semester.
M.S. Curriculum
- Core (9 credits): AEM 801 Economics for Lean Operations, AEM 804 Project Management, TEC 830 Creative Problem Solving
- Synthesis (6 credits): TEC 860 Research in Technology, plus AEM 821 Advanced Technology Project or AEM 839 Applied Learning in Technology Management
- Construction concentration (9 credits): CON 827 New Construction Entity (company formation, mandates, marketing, risk), CON 828 LEED Principles and Procedures, CON 829 Construction Portfolio Management
- Supporting (6 credits): advisor-approved courses with AEM, TEC, NSM, STA, PSY, or SSE prefixes
- Exit: written or oral comprehensive exam; no thesis
This is a technology management degree with a construction track, not a construction management master’s in the usual sense: 9 of 30 credits carry a CON prefix, and there is no graduate estimating, scheduling, contracts, or law course. The construction courses tilt toward running a firm (forming a company, managing a portfolio of projects) rather than project-level controls.
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- EKU’s construction management department site still describes this as a 100% online program with 8-week courses and an 18-month finish, but the current EKU program page labels it on-campus and lists on-campus rates. Confirm delivery before applying.
- The same three CON courses form the Construction Management concentration in EKU’s 30-credit MBA, a business-first alternative.
- A 12-credit departmental graduate certificate in construction management appeared in earlier EKU catalogs but is not in the 2026-27 catalog.
M.S. Internship and Field Experience
- No internship required
- AEM 839 Applied Learning in Technology Management can replace the AEM 821 project in the synthesis block
The degree assumes students already work in the field, so it adds no field component of its own.
M.S. Admissions
Applicants are expected to bring prerequisite preparation or technical management experience.
- General Graduate School requirements apply
- Applicants below the GPA requirement need GRE scores for probationary admission (target 144 Verbal and 144 Quantitative)
- Expected background for the CM concentration: materials and processes, production control, industry economics, computer literacy, graphical communication, and applied statistics
- A construction management bachelor’s is not required for applicants with industry experience, per EKU’s department FAQ
You Should Know
- EKU’s department pages state the experience threshold two ways (3 or more years, and 3 to 5 years) and say a 3.0 GPA waives the GRE; the catalog does not state a numeric GPA.
Tuition
EKU charges undergraduates a flat $5,325 per semester in-state or $6,120 out-of-state for 12-15 credits, plus mandatory fees of $708 per semester. Graduate students pay $620 per credit in-state or $846 out-of-state on campus, plus per-semester fees.
| Item (per semester) | Undergraduate | Graduate (10 credits) |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition, in-state | $5,325 flat | $6,200 |
| Tuition, out-of-state | $6,120 flat | $8,460 |
| Special Use Fee | $150 | $150 (capped) |
| Asset Preservation Fee | $150 | $100 |
| Exceptional Eastern Experience (E3) Fee | $255 | $255 |
| Student Health Fee | $153 | $153 |
| Total, in-state | $6,033 | $6,858 |
| Total, out-of-state | $6,828 | $9,018 |
- B.S.: 8 semesters x $6,033 = $48,264 in-state; 8 x $6,828 = $54,624 out-of-state
- M.S.: 30 credits x $620 + 3 semesters of fees ($658) = $20,574 in-state; 30 x $846 + $1,974 = $27,354 out-of-state
Be aware that:
- EKU lists required textbooks at $26 per credit hour (about $3,120 over the B.S.), billed through its BookSmart program; this is not in the totals above.
- Undergraduate credits above 15 in a semester cost $355 each in-state ($408 out-of-state), so a plan with more than 120 credits or uneven loads will cost more.
- The M.S. figure assumes three 10-credit semesters with at least one on-campus course (which triggers the health fee). If the program runs online, EKU’s online graduate rate for STEM programs is $690 per credit for all students.
- The construction assessment exit exam carries a fee EKU does not publish.
- Rates are 2026-27 and subject to Board of Regents approval.
The out-of-state premium is small: about $795 per semester, or $6,360 across the B.S., which makes EKU’s ACCE degree close to resident pricing for students from neighboring states. With textbooks added, a realistic in-state tuition-and-fees budget for the B.S. is about $51,400. See EKU’s cost of attendance page for current rates.
Why Choose This Construction Management Program?
Best suited for students who want an accredited construction degree with real field-engineering depth and are comfortable with trigonometry, calculus, and physics.
Students heading for the field. Surveying, soils, structural design, and horizontal construction electives point graduates toward project engineer and field engineer roles on commercial and civil work, and EKU’s named employers (Bechtel, Gray, Messer) fit that profile. Students who want a business-school CM degree with less math will find the core heavier than they need.
Out-of-state and transfer students. The small out-of-state premium and a published KCTCS A.S. to B.S. guide make EKU workable for students from neighboring states and Kentucky community colleges. Transfer students should note that CON 349 cannot start until they have completed a full-time semester at EKU. Students in the Cincinnati area should also compare Northern Kentucky University, whose ACCE B.S. requires 600 co-op hours and charges Ohio and Indiana residents the Kentucky rate, and western Kentucky students can look at Murray State‘s regional tuition or Western Kentucky University‘s Border State Scholarship.
Working professionals considering the M.S. The master’s suits managers who want broader technology and firm-level management skills with a construction flavor. Anyone looking for advanced estimating, scheduling, or construction law coursework should compare dedicated construction management master’s programs, and should confirm whether EKU currently offers it online.
Accreditation and Credentials
Eastern Kentucky University is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), which supports credit transfer and eligibility for federal financial aid.
The B.S. in Construction Management is accredited by the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE); the ACCE baccalaureate list (Rev. 2024.03.13) shows its last accreditation in 07/2022, expiring 07/2028, under EKU’s former College of Business and Technology name. EKU states that the M.S. concentration is not ACCE-accredited. The capstone incorporates online environmental and safety certifications (not named in the catalog), and the sustainability course is built around LEED professional accreditation requirements. EKU does not state that the degree substitutes for experience toward any Kentucky contractor license.