10 Best College Majors for the Next Decade. Matthew Boone's Warner

10 Best College Majors for the Next Decade

technology is a never-ending one. Research specialists study anatomical data and experiment in a variety of focus areas, such as molecules and cells, medical imaging, neuroscience, and tissue reconstruction.

Sources for this degree:

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – www.bls.gov

Johns Hopkins University, Department of Biomedical Statistics – www.bme.jhu.edu

U.S. News & World Report – www.usnews.com

Georgia Institute of Technology – www.gatech.edu

Biomedical Engineering Society – www.bmes.org

CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

On any jobsite, regardless of the size, crew, or nature of the project, be it new construction, restoration, or expansion, there are individuals that oversee the entirety, from the first survey to the last coat of paint. These construction managers are expert leaders and motivate their crews to meet deadlines and overcome unexpected delays and incidents. They are proficient in both written and oral communication to regularly update their superiors, decipher complicated plans, order materials, and coordinate hundreds of employees, each with different tasks and personalities. Finally, they are confident and swift decision makers who safely direct multi-million dollar developments, from design to actuality. Construction managers cannot rely on their education alone; there is a necessity for practical experience not found in classrooms or books. Frequently, a craft worker skilled in carpentry, metalwork, or pipefitting will transition to management, not only to increase their income but also for the opportunity to operate their own crew. Because the most comprehensive managing occurs directly from the jobsite, this position requires a great deal of traveling, possibly internationally. A seasoned and knowledgeable construction manager will secure significant and exciting projects such as interconnected freeways, grand skyscrapers, or perhaps the next great historic landmark.

Why It’s An Emerging Profession: Even though the recent recession has somewhat stifled new construction of residences and businesses, jobs in construction management continue to multiply. These positions thrive not only because of much needed infrastructure improvements, such as highways and utility piping, but also for the refurbishment of existing buildings in order to comply with the latest standards and codes. Construction techniques, materials, and processes are continuously being reinvented; this produces a steady demand for employees who are educated on the latest industry norms.

Courses of Study: Construction management is a specialization found only in some bachelor’s or master’s programs. However, almost all colleges, including the ones listed below, feature it as an emphasis under the umbrella major of civil engineering. No matter the school, the core construction management courses are all similar. Students with a variety of undergraduate degrees would find an effortless shift to a master’s in construction management, including general business, engineering, and architectural backgrounds.

The following is for a BS in Construction Management at the University of Washington:

Students will need approximately 60 credit hours of major foundation classes that are either architecturally or construction based. These courses are exclusively related to fieldwork and include materials, documents, law, safety, electrical and mechanical systems, estimating, surveying, and codes and regulations. The latest construction technology is heavily present within these courses; students will learn from computer applications and virtual simulators. Physics, English, calculus, statistics, and accounting classes are recommended prerequisites needed for the 60 additional credit hours. This totals for an average of 120 credit hours for the undergraduate degree.

Top Universities for the Undergraduate Degree in Construction Management by Region (2011-2012)

Northeast: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA. Private, $40,732/yr.

Mideast: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA. Private, $44,010/yr.

Southeast: Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA. Public, $9,652/yr.

West Coast: University of California, Berkeley, CA. Public, $12,834/yr.

Pacific Northwest: University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Public, $10,574/yr.

Midwest: University of Illinois, Urbana, IL. Public, $19,238/yr.

Southwest: The University of Texas, Austin, TX. Public, $9,792/yr.

Of the listed schools, six were ranked in the top 10 best schools for civil engineering programs by U. S. News & World Report. The University of Washington offers a specific bachelor’s degree in construction management.

Starting Job Titles with Salaries: According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual salary for construction managers is $83,860, with the highest 10 percent earning more than $150,250, and the lowest 10 percent earning less than $50,240. Common job descriptions for construction managers are:

•Project Manager

•Cost Engineer

•Owner’s Representative

•Site Manager

•Mechanical Estimator

•Quality Control

•Purchasing Manager

Additional Occupational Statistics

•States with the highest level of employment: TX, CA, FL, NY, and NC.

•It is projected that employment will increase 17 percent by the year 2020, to over 609,600 jobs in the U.S.

•Residential and commercial building account for over 11 percent of all employment for construction managers, the highest level of any industry.

Opportunities for Research: One of the largest areas of study, and the most prevalent, is energy efficiency in both new construction and materials. In a world that grows steadily more conscious of the vulnerability of its finite resources, companies strive to maximize energy use and promote sustainability. Insulation, windows, ducts, and heating and cooling equipment are just some facets of construction that are continuously being improved in their designs. Other topics of research currently being explored are building foundations on various soils, alleviating congestion in freeway construction zones, and machine control using GPS.

Sources for this degree

International Journal of Construction Education and Research – www.ascjournal.ascweb.org

U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – www.bls.gov

University of Washington – www.washington.edu

American Council for Construction Education – www.acce-hq.org

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