College of Engineering and Computer Science • Orlando, FL • Campus • $212.28/Credit (In-State, incl. fees)
The University of Central Florida offers 1 construction management pathway: a B.S. in Construction Engineering (B.S.Con.E.).
Program Pathways Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| B.S.Con.E. | $25.9K in-state / $108.7K out-of-state | 4 years (8 semesters plus 1 summer) | 122 |
Tuition estimates use UCF’s Fall 2026 per-credit tuition plus mandatory per-credit fees.
- Why choose it: The degree is accredited by ABET’s Engineering Accreditation Commission, requires Calculus I through III and Differential Equations, and has every student sit for the FE exam before graduating. That puts graduates on the first step toward a PE license.
- Trade-off: Only eight required courses cover construction, estimating, economics, and accounting, while thirteen cover engineering analysis. Students who want to run jobsites without the engineering math face a heavier load than in a CM degree.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Credentials Offered | B.S. in Construction Engineering |
| Format | Campus |
| Campus Location | Orlando main campus; UCF’s program page lists no online option |
| Credit Hours | 122 |
| Internship | Not required; no credit-bearing internship in the curriculum |
| Programmatic Accreditation | ABET Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) |
| Software Taught | Not clearly stated |
| Industry Certifications | FE exam required before graduation (taking it, not passing it) |
| Transfer Pathway | Engineering articulated programs with Eastern Florida State, Valencia, and College of Central Florida |
| Math Level | Calculus I, II, III and Differential Equations |
| Tuition | $212.28/credit in-state; $891.07/credit out-of-state (Fall 2026) |
B.S. in Construction Engineering
The estimated tuition for the Bachelor of Science in Construction Engineering at the University of Central Florida is approximately $25,898 (122 credits at $212.28/credit).
The program can generally be completed in about 4 years (8 semesters plus 1 summer term).
B.S. Curriculum
The 122 credits split into 45 credits of general education and math/science prerequisites and 77 credits of engineering and construction coursework.
- Math and science (27 credits): Calculus I, II, III; Differential Equations; Chemistry; Physics I and II with labs
- Construction and management (22 credits): Introduction to the Construction Industry; Construction Estimating and Scheduling; Construction Methods; Construction Equipment and Productivity; Engineering Economic Analysis; Managerial Accounting; Engineering Reports and Liability; Construction Design Project
- Engineering analysis (38 credits): Statics; Mechanics of Materials; Structural Analysis; Fluid Mechanics; Hydraulics; Geotechnical Engineering; Environmental Engineering; Civil Engineering Materials and Measurements; Numerical Methods; Probability and Statistics; Mechanical and Electrical Systems for Buildings; one programming course
- Focus area (6 credits, choose one pair): operations research and AI for industrial engineers; quality and systems engineering; or Business Finance and Marketing
- Technical electives (6 credits): from a department list that includes steel and concrete structures, HVAC, highway engineering, public sector project management, and select graduate courses by override
- Capstone (3 credits): CECE Capstone Design, shared with civil and environmental engineering majors
The construction content arrives late. Introduction to the Construction Industry sits in the second spring, and estimating, methods, and equipment fall in years three and four. The Business Finance and Marketing focus area is the only route to add business courses inside the major. Students who want more management can choose it and use the Public Sector Project Management elective.
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- A minimum 2.25 GPA is required across core, elective, and capstone courses, and prerequisite courses need a C or better.
- The college’s progress policy places students on probation after 7 unsuccessful attempts (grades below C, U grades, or withdrawals) and excludes them from all engineering majors after 10.
- UCF requires 9 credits of summer enrollment; the suggested plan places 10 credits in the first summer.
- The catalog’s section subtotals (60 advanced core, 74 major total) do not match its own course lists (57 and 77). The 122-credit total and the Fall 2026 four-year plan reconcile.
- One department page still lists the older 128-credit total. The catalog and Fall 2026 plan both show 122.
B.S. Internship and Field Experience
- No internship or co-op is required.
- No internship course appears in the curriculum or the technical elective list.
- Field-based work comes through lab courses and two design courses (Construction Design Project and the capstone).
- Employers named by UCF (no formal partnerships stated): DRMP, HNTB, Atkins, Kiewit, and AECOM (nearby firms); L3Harris, Thompson Engineering, and Boyd Civil Engineering (example employers).
- Student chapters include Associated Builders and Contractors, the American Concrete Institute, and the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Without a required placement, students have to find their own summer or part-time construction work to graduate with jobsite experience. Employers hiring field engineers and assistant project managers usually expect at least one internship, so students should plan for one by the summer after year two.
B.S. Admissions
The major has no admission requirements beyond admission to UCF, but transfer students without the core math and science are admitted on pending status.
- Application deadlines: Fall, May 1; Spring, November 1; Summer, March 1
- Foreign language: two years of one language in high school or one year in college before graduation
- Transfer students are admitted as pending unless Calculus I and II, Physics I with lab, and Chemistry I with lab are complete
- Pending transfers may not get a full-time major load in their first term
- Strong students can join the accelerated B.S.-to-M.S.C.E. program, sharing up to 12 credits between degrees
- A direct-to-Ph.D. option is available to exceptionally qualified undergraduates
You Should Know
- Under the Eastern Florida State College agreement, A.A. Pre-Engineering graduates with a 2.0 GPA are admitted to the engineering college; they enter as full majors only with a C or better in Calculus I and II, Physics I, and Chemistry.
- Florida college transfers can bring in Statics, Probability and Statistics, Engineering Economic Analysis, and the two 1-credit intro courses. Dynamics transfers as a technical elective.
- Freshman merit scholarships require a complete application by the October 15 or November 15 Early Action deadlines.
Tuition
UCF charges $212.28 per credit hour for Florida residents and $891.07 for non-residents as of Fall 2026. Base tuition is $105.07 per credit; the rest is mandatory fees, listed below.
| Per-Credit Charge | In-State | Out-of-State |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $105.07 | $105.07 |
| Tuition Differential | $44.20 | $44.20 |
| Out-of-State Fee | $0.00 | $646.48 |
| Non-Resident Financial Aid Fee | $0.00 | $32.31 |
| Other Mandatory Fees (7) | $63.01 | $63.01 |
| Total per Credit | $212.28 | $891.07 |
| Program Total (122 credits) | $25,898.16 | $108,710.54 |
The seven other fees are financial aid, capital improvement, transportation access, activity and service, athletic, health, and technology.
Be aware that:
- A program equipment fee of $85 per term applies to full-time students ($43 part-time), about $765 over nine terms (derived).
- An ID Service and Access Fee of $10 per year applies.
- Course-specific material and supply fees of up to $70 may apply to lab courses; the program has 12 lecture/lab courses.
- ⚠️ UCF’s 2026-27 cost-of-attendance table lists $22,482 in annual out-of-state tuition and fees, which matches the 2025-26 rate of $802.54. UCF’s Fall 2026 fee regulation sets the out-of-state rate at $891.07, about $24,960 for 28 credits.
- Online sections, if taken, add an $18 per credit distance learning fee.
- Credits beyond 120% of the degree (about 146 credits) trigger an excess hours surcharge for most students.
- Florida residents receive merit awards of $6,000 to $30,000 over four years; non-residents up to $50,400.
For a Florida resident, the full degree costs about $26,700 with equipment and ID fees, before scholarships. That is low for an ABET-accredited engineering degree. Non-residents pay more than four times as much, so the out-of-state case depends heavily on merit aid. Review the official tuition rates here.
Why Choose This Construction Management Program?
Best suited for students who are comfortable with calculus-based engineering and want the option to become licensed engineers while working in construction.
The licensure path. ABET EAC accreditation is the standard education credential for a Florida PE license, and the required FE exam is the first licensure step. UCF reported a 100% FE pass rate for construction engineering in 2024-25, but only 3 students took it, so the figure says little. Graduates also qualify for civil engineering graduate work, and the accelerated master’s can shorten that path by up to 12 credits.
The management gap. Only 22 of the 122 credits are construction, estimating, economics, or accounting. Contracts, scheduling software, safety, and construction law get little or no stand-alone coursework. Students focused on project management, rather than engineering, may get more CM content per credit elsewhere.
Compared with FGCU. Florida Gulf Coast University holds ACCE accreditation, the standard for construction management, and requires Precalculus. UCF holds ABET engineering accreditation and requires calculus through differential equations. Students choosing between them are choosing between a construction manager track and a construction engineer track.
Accreditation and Credentials
The University of Central Florida is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). This accreditation supports federal financial aid eligibility and credit transfer to other universities.
The B.S. in Construction Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET under the General Criteria and the Program Criteria for Construction Engineering. This is engineering accreditation, not construction management accreditation. UCF does not appear on ACCE’s baccalaureate list (Rev. 2024.03.13), which accredits CM programs.
For licensure, an ABET EAC degree is the standard education route to a Florida PE license, which also requires passing the FE exam, gaining supervised experience, and passing the PE exam. UCF requires students to take the FE exam before graduating but does not require a passing score. The program does not embed OSHA, LEED, or other construction industry certifications.