Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering • Birmingham, AL • Online • $1,044/Credit (In-State and Out-of-State, incl. course fee)
UAB offers 1 construction management pathway:
- Master of Engineering in Construction Engineering Management (M.Eng.)
Program Pathways Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| M.Eng. | $31.3K in-state / $31.3K out-of-state | 19 months (5 terms) | 30 |
Tuition estimates use UAB’s 2026-2027 online graduate engineering rate plus the $900 construction management course fee charged on each course.
UAB’s M.Eng. in Construction Engineering Management admits a bachelor’s in any field, with no engineering prerequisites and no GRE. Applicants need either two years of construction work experience or an engineering or science degree, and every applicant completes a live interview before submitting an application. All 10 courses are online, and every U.S. student pays the same rate regardless of state.
The trade-off is a fixed, management-only degree with no electives, no internship, and no programmatic accreditation. The price also runs higher than UAB’s headline figure: the program home page quotes $27,960, which matches the 2025-2026 rate, while UAB’s 2026-2027 rates put the degree at $31,320.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Credentials Offered | Master of Engineering, Construction Engineering Management concentration |
| Format | Online; asynchronous and synchronous sessions, no campus visits |
| Credit Hours | 30 (10 required courses, no electives) |
| Internship | None |
| Programmatic Accreditation | None; not ABET accredited, not on ACCE master’s list |
| Software Taught | Primavera scheduling; BIM software (provided, not named); Excel |
| Industry Certifications | LEED Green Associate exam prep in CECM 674 |
| Admission Gate | Bachelor’s (any field) plus 2 years construction experience or an engineering/science degree |
| Start Terms | Fall, spring, or summer |
| Tuition | $744/credit + $900 per course; same for all U.S. students |
Master of Engineering in Construction Engineering Management
The estimated tuition for the Master of Engineering in Construction Engineering Management at UAB is approximately $31,320 (30 credits at $744/credit plus $9,000 in course fees).
The program can generally be completed in about 19 months (5 terms) at two courses per term, with a 12-month option available.
M.Eng. Curriculum
All 10 courses are required and carry 3 credits each. Course mix by type:
- Project controls: CECM 669 Advanced Project Management (introduces PMI’s PMBOK), CECM 673 Project Planning and Control (CPM, PDM, PERT and line-of-balance scheduling in Primavera)
- Risk and decision analysis: CECM 676 Construction Project Risk Management (probability models, hypothesis testing, Bayesian decision theory)
- Cost and finance: CECM 670 Construction Estimating and Bidding (group term project), CECM 675 Advanced Construction and Engineering Economics (GAAP accounting, time value of money, Excel)
- Law: CECM 671 Construction Liability & Contracts (contract forms, risk transfer, dispute resolution)
- Leadership: CECM 688 Construction Management and Leadership Challenges in the Global Environment (group business plan)
- Building and technology: CECM 672 Construction Methods and Equipment (codes, commercial building process), CECM 674 Green Building Design/Construction, CECM 689 Building Information Modeling Techniques (multi-step model term project)
The degree leans business-side: 7 of 10 courses cover management, cost, law, risk and leadership, and 3 cover methods, green building and BIM. There is no structures, surveying or soils content, so it does not repeat an engineering undergraduate degree. The finance and contracts courses explain why UAB pitches it as an alternative to an MBA for construction professionals. More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- The degree has no electives, thesis, or capstone course.
- UAB names Primavera but not the version, and does not name the BIM software it provides.
- UAB’s catalog lets CECM courses count toward its M.S. in Civil Engineering, which offers a construction engineering management concentration for applicants with an ABET engineering degree. Delivery format for that degree is not stated.
- UAB also offers a 15-credit graduate Certificate in Construction Engineering Management drawn from the same courses, but only for civil engineering students or holders of a civil or closely related engineering degree.
M.Eng. Internship and Field Experience
- Required internship: None
- Field or practicum component: None stated
- Applied work: Group projects in estimating (CECM 670) and leadership (CECM 688); a BIM model term project (CECM 689)
- Interaction: Recorded lectures, live virtual classes, and discussion boards
- Placement support and employer partners: Not clearly stated
The program assumes students already work in or near construction, which the two-year experience requirement reinforces. Job readiness comes from applying coursework to a current job, not from a placement. Career changers without construction experience can enter only with an engineering or science degree, and they will finish with no documented field hours.
M.Eng. Admissions
The live interview is the unusual step: UAB asks applicants to complete it before submitting the Graduate School application.
- Bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a regionally accredited U.S. institution
- Undergraduate GPA of 3.0; applicants below it may be admitted on professional background, references and interview
- Two years of relevant construction work experience, or a bachelor’s in engineering or a science-related field
- Personal interview with the Director of CEM Student Affairs, by phone, video or in person
- Three letters of recommendation from professional contacts, a personal essay, and a résumé
- No GRE or GMAT for applicants with qualifying U.S. degrees
- Application deadlines: August 1 (fall), December 1 (spring), May 1 (summer)
You Should Know
- ⚠️ An older UAB catalog page for the program lists a different director, November 1 and July 1 deadlines, and two recommendation letters. The current department catalog and program site agree on three letters and the August, December and May deadlines.
- International applicants need a bachelor’s in engineering or a science-related field and English scores (TOEFL 80, IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 120, PTE 53).
- Applicants must show intermediate computer and software skills and have high-speed internet.
Tuition
UAB charges $744 per credit for online graduate engineering courses in 2026-2027, with no difference between Alabama residents and out-of-state students. Each construction management course also carries a $900 course fee, which brings the effective cost to $1,044 per credit.
| Item | All U.S. Students |
|---|---|
| Tuition (30 credits × $744) | $22,320 |
| Construction management course fee (10 courses × $900) | $9,000 |
| Per term, 2 courses | $6,264 |
| Program total (derived) | $31,320 |
The $31,320 total matches the itemized estimate on the program’s own tuition page. See UAB’s official tuition and fees page.
Be aware that:
- Confirmed costs: $744 per credit plus $900 per course, $31,320 for the degree.
- ⚠️ The program home page and the bottom of its tuition page both quote $27,960. That figure equals 30 credits at UAB’s 2025-2026 online rate of $632 plus the course fees, so it is out of date.
- International students pay a higher online rate. UAB’s 2026-2027 schedule lists $833 per credit ($33,990 with course fees), while the program page says $85 per credit extra ($33,870).
- One-time charges: $50 graduate application fee and $75 graduation fee.
- Books are excluded; BIM software is provided for CECM 689.
- An optional payment plan costs $25 per semester.
The flat rate matters most to students outside Alabama. UAB’s 2026-2027 on-campus graduate engineering tuition is $1,596 per credit for non-residents, so the online M.Eng. at $1,044 all-in costs about a third less. For Alabama residents the comparison runs the other way: the online rate plus course fee is above UAB’s $646 in-state campus rate.
Why Choose This Construction Management Program?
Best suited for working construction and engineering professionals who want a management master’s they can finish online in under two years without engineering prerequisites.
Professionals outside Alabama: No out-of-state charges and no campus visits make UAB a fixed-price option from any state. The admission interview and the experience requirement mean classmates are typically working professionals, which supports the group-project format.
Engineers and architects moving into management: An engineering or science degree substitutes for construction experience. The contracts, accounting, risk and estimating courses fill the business gap a design degree leaves. Students who want more technical depth should compare UAB’s M.S. in Civil Engineering, which can use these same courses.
Cost verdict: Budget on $31,320, not the $27,960 still shown on the program site. That buys 10 required courses with Primavera, BIM and LEED Green Associate preparation, but no internship and no programmatic accreditation. Alabama A&M University offers no CM master’s, so its graduates who want a construction-focused master’s in-state can look to UAB.
Accreditation and Credentials
The University of Alabama at Birmingham is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award degrees through the doctorate. That status supports federal financial aid eligibility and the acceptance of UAB credit by other institutions.
The M.Eng. carries no programmatic accreditation. UAB states plainly that the program is not ABET accredited, noting that engineering graduate programs typically are not. It does not appear on ACCE’s master’s degree list (Rev. 2025.03.20), which names six accredited CM master’s programs.
The credential value comes from course content. CECM 674 prepares students for the LEED Green Associate exam, CECM 669 introduces PMI’s Project Management Body of Knowledge, and CECM 673 includes hands-on Primavera scheduling. UAB does not state any credit toward Alabama contractor licensing or AIC exam preparation.