Construction project schedules can be unwieldy, and, without a steady hand to guide them, will spiral out of control quickly. In this course, learn a systematic approach to creating and managing construction schedules. Through lecture, class exercises and Q&As, you will learn skills and best practices necessary to effectively plan and control projects of any size, such as work breakdown structures, scheduling techniques, scheduling software, cost allocation and claims management. You will also gain an in-depth understanding of scheduling and project controls. By the end of this course, you will know the ins-and-outs of developing, managing and updating a schedule from design through construction completion.
Learning Outcomes
- Apply the basic concepts and techniques of creating and managing a construction schedule, which includes planning, scheduling and control
- Apply cost and resource loading principals and identify the correlation to the estimate
- Recognize common project delays and propose solutions to best approach them
- Analyze management of change orders that are identified during the course of construction
- Create a critical path method (CPM) schedule for a construction project and manage the schedule from pre-construction to final completion.
Skills You Will Gain
- Construction scheduling
- Project management process (PDCA)
- Cost/resource planning
- Time impact analysis (TIA)
Course Format and Pacing
This is an online course delivered through Canvas, UC Davis CPE’s learning management system. Course materials—including video lectures, readings, assignments, and discussion forums—are released on a structured, week-by-week schedule. Students move through the course together, with regular due dates to support consistent progress and engagement. Most learners can expect to spend approximately 10–12 hours per week engaging with course content and completing assignments.
This course includes required live Zoom sessions during Weeks 6, 7, 8, and 9. These sessions feature third-party software demonstrations that, due to copyright restrictions, cannot be recorded. Please note that live session dates are subject to change. There will also be an optional live Zoom meeting on Day 1 of the course. While not mandatory, attending this session is highly recommended to help set you up for success.
Industry-Leading Software
Oracle Primavera P6 is a gold standard in project management software, widely used across construction, engineering, and large-scale infrastructure projects. Students gain valuable experience using this robust scheduling and project control tool, building skills that are directly transferable to roles managing timelines, resources, and budgets in complex project environments.
Software Requirements
Primavera P6 runs only on Windows and requires installation of supporting applications like Java Runtime Environment and Oracle databases in some cases. Mac users will need to use Windows via Parallels, Boot Camp, or a virtual machine. Due to its complexity, students should install the software early and verify their system meets the minimum requirements to avoid technical delays. A high-performing Windows-compatible machine and strong internet connection are strongly recommended.