Key facts about UC Davis’s Online Construction Management Certification
Invest in your career with UC Davis's Construction Management Certificate Program. Taught by respected industry veterans, our program features a robust curriculum that covers the fundamental aspects and principles of being an elite construction manager, and is endorsed by the region’s top industry associations, including Building Industry Association (BIA), Sacramento Regional Builders' Exchange (SRBX), and the American Society of Professional Estimators (ASPE).
Who Is This Program For?
- Entry- and mid-level construction professionals looking to accelerate their career progression
- Experienced construction professionals interested in honing key skills in specific areas
- Field or office staff seeking a practical understanding of the construction industry or looking to earn credit toward a construction management degree
- Career changers interested in moving into the construction sector
What You'll Learn
This online construction management certification gives you the confidence to manage projects from concept to completion. You’ll learn to:
- Read and apply blueprints and plans
- Prepare winning bids and manage design-and-build projects of any size
- Accurately determine construction methods, labor needs and project time frames
- Implement proven strategies for supervising and monitoring construction activities
- Use cost accounting principles and applications in a construction environment
- Follow rules of bidding and the rights and liabilities of construction contractors and design professionals
What You'll Get
- One-on-one interaction with veteran construction managers who can help you succeed in today's building industry
- Class projects and case studies that provide dynamic, real-world construction management training in emerging technologies and new methods of project delivery
- Unique networking opportunities with instructors, professional associations and fellow students that can help advance your construction management career
- A convenient online learning experience that doesn’t get in the way of your day job
- Practical knowledge of a systems-based approach to construction management that can be applied immediately to your job
- Academic credit through the UC Davis Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering that can be applied toward a construction management degree
"It gave me the ticket out of the field and into the operations side of construction."
Cost Breakdown
- Course Tuition: $5,250
- Textbooks are not included in the cost of tuition.
Additional Resources
How to Get Started
- Learn more about the online construction management certification by enrolling in a free information session. If an information session for this program is not currently open for enrollment, click on “notify me,” and we’ll contact you when the next one becomes available.
- Take advantage of pre-pay. By choosing a pre-pay discount, you enroll in (and pay for) your entire certificate program and receive a 10% discount on the cost. Learn more.
- Learn at your own pace. Enroll in an individual course. See below for individual courses that are currently open for enrollment. Courses can be applied to the certificate program if you later decide to complete your certificate.
- Have questions? If you have questions about your course plan or next steps, please email us.
Courses Open for Enrollment
Watch a Sample Lesson
UC Davis Online Construction Management Certification FAQs
- What's the difference between a General Contractor (GC) and a Construction Manager (CM)?
A general contractor is responsible for carrying out the construction work, coordinating subcontractors, and managing daily job site operations. In contrast, a construction manager represents the property owner throughout the entire project, overseeing planning, budgeting, design coordination, and execution to help ensure the project stays on schedule and within budget.
Whether you’re new to the industry or looking to advance your career, the UC Davis Online Construction Management Certification prepares you to succeed in the construction sector. Through industry-focused courses such as Construction Accounting and Financial Management, Construction Law and Contracts, and Estimating, Preconstruction and Bidding, you’ll develop the expertise to confidently manage complex projects and stand out as a highly skilled construction management professional.
- Is construction management a stressful career path?
Construction management is a demanding profession that requires balancing multiple responsibilities at once, including interpreting contracts, managing budgets, ensuring regulatory compliance, and maintaining communication across multiple teams and stakeholders.
The UC Davis’s certification is designed to help you build the technical and leadership skills needed to navigate these responsibilities successfully. You’ll learn from experienced professionals, work through real-world case studies, and gain exposure to emerging construction technologies and project delivery methods. The program is endorsed by the BIA, Sacramento Regional Builders' Exchange (SRBX), and the American Society of Professional Estimators, which further reinforces its industry relevance and professional value.
- What are the skills are needed for construction management?
Construction managers oversee the planning, coordination, and execution of construction projects, making strong project management and communication skills essential to the role. They must also understand budgeting, scheduling, risk management, and legal compliance to help ensure projects are completed successfully.
UC Davis’s certificate program offers comprehensive training in these core areas. Courses teach you how to manage design-build projects, prepare competitive bids, determine labor and scheduling needs, supervise construction activities, and apply cost accounting and contract management principles in real-world construction environments.
