Construction and Building Science Technology Department • Birmingham, Alabama • Campus • $196/Credit (In-State, incl. fees)
Jefferson State Community College offers 3 construction management pathways:
- Construction Management Technology A.A.S.
- Construction Management Technology Certificate
- Construction Management Technology Short-Term Certificate
Program Pathways Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| A.A.S. | $12.5K in-state / $21.1K out-of-state | 2 years (5 semesters) | 64 |
| Certificate | $5.9K in-state / $9.9K out-of-state | 1 year (2-3 terms) | 30 |
| Short-Term Cert. | $2.4K in-state / $3.9K out-of-state | 1 year (3 terms) | 12 |
Tuition estimates use Jefferson State’s 2026-27 per-credit tuition plus mandatory fees.
- Why choose it: Jefferson State’s Construction Management Technology option is the only Alabama program on ACCE’s associate-degree accreditation list (Rev. 2025.03.20), and its A.A.S. carries an 8-credit structures sequence (CDT 225 and AET 233) through wood, steel, and concrete member design.
- Trade-off: The 2026-27 catalog calls the program not designed to transfer to a four-year school, and no pathway requires an internship or field experience.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Credentials Offered | A.A.S. (64 credits), Certificate (30), Short-Term Certificate (12) |
| Format | Campus; no online pathway stated |
| Campus Location | Jefferson Campus near Center Point (Harold Martin Building), Birmingham |
| Credit Hours | 12-64 |
| Internship | None required or listed |
| Programmatic Accreditation | ACCE (Construction Management Technology option) |
| Software Taught | BIM and construction-office software; specific products not named |
| Industry Certifications | OSHA 10 card (CMT 114, in A.A.S. and Certificate) |
| Transfer Pathway | Catalog says not designed to transfer; 2016 Tuskegee agreement status unconfirmed |
| Tuition | $196/credit in-state, $329/credit out-of-state (2026-27, incl. fees) |
| Course Timing | Most CMT courses run once a year (blueprint reading summer only) |
Construction Management Technology A.A.S.
The estimated tuition for the A.A.S. at Jefferson State Community College is approximately $12,544 (64 credits at $196/credit).
The program can generally be completed in about 2 years (5 semesters, including one summer).
The official program is the Construction Management Technology Degree – AAS C059. Duration is derived from the department’s semester-by-semester plan, which places blueprint reading, surveying, and physics in a summer term.
A.A.S. Curriculum
The 2026-27 catalog lists 19 general education credits and 45 major credits. Math is Intermediate College Algebra (MTH 100) or higher, paired with PHY 115 Technical Physics.
- General education: ENG 101, speech (SPH 106 or 107), a humanities elective, MTH 100 or higher, PHY 115 Technical Physics (4 cr), and ECO 231 or 232
- Management and business: CMT 205S Construction Management, CMT 206S Construction Estimating, CMT 217 Software Applications in Construction, MST 111 Elements of Supervision or MST 215 Small Business Management
- Structures: CDT 225 Mechanics and Strength of Structures (4 cr) and AET 233 Structural Design of Buildings (4 cr), covering decking, joists, beams, girders, and columns in wood, steel, and concrete
- Site and codes: CDT 205 Fundamentals of Surveying, AET 241 Building and Zoning Code
- Building systems and materials: CMT 101S Construction Materials and Methods, CMT 209 Electrical and Mechanical Equipment in Buildings (4 cr), CMT 140 Concrete Testing (1 cr lab)
- Documents and software: CMT 102 Construction Blueprint Reading, AET 191 Basic Building Information Modeling, CIS 146 Computer Applications
- Safety and sustainability: CMT 114 10-Hour OSHA Construction Safety (1 cr), CMT 161 Introduction to Sustainable Construction (1 cr)
The major tilts technical. Five management and business courses total 13 credits; ten technical courses (structures, surveying, codes, systems, materials, drawings, BIM) total 29 credits. That balance suits field engineer and estimator roles more than office-side project management. The required A.A.S. no longer includes CMT 156 Contracting and Construction Law, which the department’s own degree plan still lists. More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- ⚠️ The department’s degree-plan page shows a 71-credit A.A.S. that adds AET 101S Architectural Drawing, CMT 120 Construction Problem Solving, and CMT 156 Contracting and Construction Law. The 2026-27 catalog lists 64 credits without them. Confirm which plan applies to your entry year.
- CMT 206S Construction Estimating lists CMT 120 as a prerequisite, but CMT 120 is not in the catalog’s required courses. Expect to take it anyway (1 credit, about $196).
- Prerequisites for CMT 205S and CMT 217 conflict between sources: the catalog makes CMT 217 a prerequisite for CMT 205S, while the department page lists the reverse. The catalog also shows CMT 205S as fall only.
- Most CMT courses run once a year. CMT 102 Blueprint Reading is summer only, and estimating is spring only, so one missed term can add a semester.
- The program states its goals include contract administration, yet no contracts or law course is required in the catalog A.A.S.
- The department’s A.A.S. description refers to work as a technician in architectural design, drafting, and structural detailing. It reads like shared Architectural/Civil Design copy, not a management description.
A.A.S. Internship and Field Experience
- Required internship: none
- Elective internship or co-op: none listed
- Hands-on lab work: CMT 140 Concrete Testing; CMT 217 and AET 191 each carry 2 lab hours per week
- Employer connections: a 16-member advisory committee includes Brasfield and Gorrie, B.L. Harbert International, Hoar Program Management, Doster Construction, D.R. Horton, and AGC Alabama
- Placement support: not clearly stated
Graduates leave without a credit-bearing jobsite placement, so field experience has to come from a job held during school. The advisory committee shows ties to large Birmingham general contractors, but the school does not present these firms as internship or hiring partners. The department’s published graduate-employment and student-achievement files date to 2017-2019.
A.A.S. Admissions
Admission is open, with one gate: students must be eligible for ENG 101.
- Department policy: anyone enrolled at the college is accepted into the program
- Math placement: eligibility for MTH 100 is a prerequisite for estimating
- Start term: not clearly stated; the department plan begins in fall
- Schedule: the department announced day courses starting fall 2025; current evening availability is not clearly stated
Construction Management Technology Certificate
The estimated tuition for the Certificate at Jefferson State Community College is approximately $5,880 (30 credits at $196/credit).
The program can generally be completed in about 1 year (2 to 3 terms).
The official program is the Construction Management Technology Certificate – CER C059. Duration is derived: 30 credits fit two full-time semesters, but summer-only blueprint reading and spring-only estimating can stretch it to three terms.
Certificate Curriculum
- General education (6 cr): ENG 101 and MTH 100 or higher
- Management: CMT 206S Construction Estimating, MST 111 or MST 215
- Codes and documents: AET 241 Building and Zoning Code, CMT 102 Construction Blueprint Reading
- Materials and lab: CMT 101S Construction Materials and Methods, CMT 140 Concrete Testing
- Software: CIS 146 Computer Applications, AET 191 Basic BIM
- Safety and sustainability: CMT 114 OSHA 10 (1 cr), CMT 161 Sustainable Construction (1 cr)
Every certificate course also sits in the A.A.S., so the 30 credits stack fully into the degree. The certificate skips the structures sequence, surveying, building systems, and CMT 205S Construction Management, so it covers estimating and plan reading rather than project management. More curriculum details are available here.
Certificate Internship and Field Experience
No internship or field experience is required or listed. The OSHA 10 card from CMT 114 is the certificate’s only embedded industry credential.
Construction Management Technology Short-Term Certificate
The estimated tuition for the Short-Term Certificate at Jefferson State Community College is approximately $2,352 (12 credits at $196/credit).
The program can generally be completed in about 1 year (3 terms).
The official program is the Construction Management Technology Short-Term Certificate – STC C059. Duration is derived from course timing: CMT 101S runs in fall, CMT 102 in summer, and CMT 206S in spring after both.
Short-Term Certificate Curriculum
- AET 241 Building and Zoning Code (3 cr)
- CMT 101S Construction Materials and Methods (3 cr)
- CMT 102 Construction Blueprint Reading (3 cr)
- CMT 206S Construction Estimating (3 cr)
Four courses make this an estimating-and-plans credential for working tradespeople. It omits the OSHA 10 course, and CMT 206S still requires CMT 120 and MTH 100 eligibility. More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- The department’s degree-plan page lists a 27-credit short certificate and a 33-credit advanced certificate. The 2026-27 catalog lists 12 and 30 credits. Use the catalog figures for planning.
- Both certificate descriptions on the department page refer to manual and CAD drafting, which matches neither certificate’s course list.
Tuition
For 2026-27, in-state students pay $133 per credit in tuition plus $63 in required fees, for $196 per credit. Out-of-state students pay $266 plus $63, for $329 per credit. See the official tuition page.
| Item (per credit) | In-State | Out-of-State |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $133 | $266 |
| Reserve fee | $1 | $1 |
| Facility renewal fee | $15 | $15 |
| Technology fee | $15 | $15 |
| Special building fee | $12 | $12 |
| ACCS enhancement fee | $20 | $20 |
| Total | $196 | $329 |
| Pathway | Credits | In-State | Out-of-State |
|---|---|---|---|
| A.A.S. | 64 | $12,544 | $21,056 |
| Certificate | 30 | $5,880 | $9,870 |
| Short-Term Certificate | 12 | $2,352 | $3,948 |
Be aware that:
- The rate rose from $184 in-state in 2025-26 to $196 in 2026-27, mostly from the ACCS enhancement fee doubling from $10 to $20.
- Students enrolled in the Pioneer Pack program pay an extra $27 per credit ($1,728 over 64 credits). Whether enrollment is automatic or opt-in is not clearly stated.
- CMT 120, a prerequisite for estimating that sits outside the catalog requirements, adds about $196.
- If the department’s 71-credit plan applies, the A.A.S. costs $13,916 in-state and $23,359 out-of-state.
- Lab, software, or tool fees for CMT or AET courses are not clearly stated.
The true all-in A.A.S. cost is about $12,740 in-state once CMT 120 is counted, and $14,495 if the Pioneer Pack charge applies. Alabama community college rates are set by the ACCS Board of Trustees and have risen each recent year, so budget for another increase before graduation.
Why Choose This Construction Management Program?
Best suited for Birmingham-area students who want an ACCE-accredited, structures-heavy associate degree and plan to start work after two years rather than transfer.
For direct entry to the field: The A.A.S. pairs ACCE accreditation with surveying, two structures courses, and building systems. That mix fits field engineer, assistant superintendent, and junior estimator roles at the general contractors represented on the advisory committee. The certificate and short-term certificate stack fully into the degree, so a working tradesperson can start with 12 credits and keep going.
For students aiming at a bachelor’s: Treat the A.A.S. as a terminal degree. The catalog says so directly. Alabama A&M University’s Area V transfer guide for its B.S. names six courses in this A.A.S. (CMT 101, 102, 205, 206, 217 and CDT 205), but it also calls for MTH 113 Pre-Calculus Trigonometry, which this plan does not require. A 2016 agreement mapped 69 of the old 71 credits into Tuskegee University’s ACCE-accredited construction science B.S., but it predates the current catalog and its status is not confirmed. Students set on a bachelor’s should take MTH 113 as their math and confirm each course with AAMU or Tuskegee before enrolling.
What it does not solve: There is no internship, no named software beyond “industry-driven” BIM, and no required law or contracts course. Students who need jobsite hours on a transcript must find them through outside work.
Accreditation and Credentials
Jefferson State Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees and certificates. Institutional accreditation keeps students eligible for federal financial aid and makes credits recognizable to other colleges.
The Construction Management Technology option holds programmatic accreditation from the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE). Jefferson State appears on ACCE’s associate-degree program list (Rev. 2025.03.20), where it is the only Alabama entry. ACCE accreditation means the curriculum has been reviewed against national construction-education standards, which matters to employers and to ACCE-accredited bachelor’s programs such as Tuskegee’s when weighing transfer credit. The ACCE status covers the program option, so it applies to the A.A.S. most directly.
The embedded credential is the OSHA 10-Hour Construction card earned in CMT 114. The school does not state relevance to Alabama contractor licensing or to the AIC Associate Constructor exam.