Are you looking to get off the tools and need the qualifications to take the next step in your career? Are you aiming to run diverse construction projects with a professionally recognised qualification? UniSA is here to help you meet those goals with degrees informed by research and developed in close consultation with industry.

Through UniSA's collaboration with Master Builders Association of South Australia (Master Builders SA), we are helping to meet the demand for the current and future construction industry. Our degrees will get you qualified and give you the skills and industry connections for the next stage of your construction career. You could even be eligible for credit into a UniSA degree based on your previous study (such as TAFE) or work experience, reducing the time it takes you to complete your studies.

If you're looking to gain a professional construction management qualification, we offer the following undergraduate degrees:

For current industry professionals who already have a university degree, and would like to advance their career and move into building surveying, we offer the following postgraduate degrees:

University of South Australia logoMaster Builders Association of South Australia logo

“As the peak body representing South Australia’s building industry and construction industry, Master Builders SA is proud to partner with UniSA. UniSA has over 30 years’ experience in construction management education, and a proven history of developing degrees in consultation with industry. UniSA’s flexible study options let you study at your own pace alongside your work and family commitments. Master Builders SA and UniSA are here to help you meet the demands of industry, now and into the future.”

Will Frogley Will Frogley,
Chief Executive Officer,
Master Builders SA

Credit Assessor

Your experience working in the construction industry will be an asset in your university study. The knowledge you have gained will provide you with practical applications to the theory that you learn in your study. We take what you know, and we build on it.

The UniSA Credit Assessor can assist you to determine how much credit for prior learning may be available to you at UniSA.

Credit Assessor

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Industry snapshot

The construction industry is in the top three of Australia’s top contributors to GDP, and continues to develop with strong indicators of growth in all sectors, including residential, commercial, industrial and community buildings, as well as civil projects.

Australia’s population is projected to grow by over 50 per cent between 2022 and 2060 to nearly 40 million people; there will be a lot of building and construction work that needs to be undertaken and a significant workforce will be needed to do this work.

Master Builders SA encourages industry participants to actively engage in further training to maintain occupational currency and to move into new roles. In addition to attracting new workers into the industry for current and emerging occupations, retaining existing workers and ensuring they can keep pace with evolving skills and knowledge is critical.1

UniSA is proud to collaborate with Master Builders SA to help meet the demand for the current and future construction industry.

1 Future-Proofing Construction: A Workforce Blueprint, Master Builders Association of South Australia, April 2023

Degrees informed by industry

Our degrees have been developed by academics with well-established industry backgrounds, and experienced researchers, in close consultation with valued industry partners, ensuring our programs are continually refined and improved in line with evolving industry needs. Many of our educators are employed in industry, meaning you will be learning first-hand from those actively engaged in contemporary construction management practice.

By studying a UniSA Construction Management degree, you'll develop a solid skillset for the diverse management roles within the construction industry, and build specialised knowledge and a deep understanding of how people, processes and products work together in project design and development.

Degrees informed by industry

What can I study?

What can i study

There are a number of study options in Construction Management at UniSA.

UniSA’s Bachelor of Construction Management (Honours) (4 years full-time) will prepare you to take on leadership and managerial roles. A higher-level qualification, the honours program ensures you graduate with a competitive edge, offering options to further specialise should you wish to pursue a career in quantity or building surveying. You will enjoy significant opportunities to apply your skills, completing at least 450 hours of industry experience through the UniSA STEM Professional Practice Program. The Bachelor of Construction Management (Honours) is also available to study 100% online through UniSA Online. You may also wish to consider the fast-track to masters program where you will complete the Bachelor of Construction Management (Honours) and Master of Management in five years instead of the typical six.

The Bachelor of Construction Management (3 years full-time) will see you graduate ready to embark on a career in the development of residential, commercial and high-rise buildings. You will have the opportunity to apply your knowledge and skills in real-world settings, and with appropriate progress in your degree, can choose to enter directly into the fourth year of the Bachelor of Construction Management (Honours) should you wish to complete the higher-level qualification. The Bachelor of Construction Management is also available to study 100% online through UniSA Online.

You may also be interested in our Bachelor of Engineering (Civil and Construction Management) (4 years full-time) – an accredited civil engineering degree with a focus on the construction industry.

Current industry professionals who already have a university degree, and would like to advance their career and move into building surveying, may be interested in the Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma in Building Surveying.

If you haven’t studied in a while and would like extra support to prepare you for university, you might also consider a Diploma in STEM (Construction) or UniSA Foundation Studies through UniSA College. These programs provide pathway options into UniSA Construction Management degrees.

How long will it take?

How long your degree will take depends on which program you choose to study and if you are eligible to receive credit for previous study (such as TAFE). You may also be eligible for credit based on workplace experience, also known as recognition of prior learning.

The UniSA Credit Assessor can assist you to determine how much credit may be available to you at UniSA, or you can contact our Student and Academic Services team and book a 1:1 appointment to talk through your individual circumstances.

Christian Thiry

How does study fit in with work?

Flexible Study

UniSA has over 30 years’ experience in construction management education and offers flexible study options to suit you and your situation. This includes studying face-to-face at our City East campus, 100% online, or a combination of both, and either full-time or part-time. UniSA offers you choices in how and when you study, helping you balance work, study and lifestyle commitments.

Face-to-face study is a good way to build relationships with your peers and teaching staff, actively apply learning in workshops and seminars, and practice communication, teamwork and leadership skills. Scheduling of classes over the week allows you to balance study and work commitments. You'll also have breaks mid-semester, mid-year and at the end of the year.

If you choose to study 100% online, you'll be able to engage with course materials at your own pace, whenever and wherever it suits you. You'll have access to support seven days a week, and be able to view your learning resources 24/7 so you can take full control over your study.

Construction is in strong demand

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Employment in Construction is projected to grow by 66,400 (or 5.8%) over the two and a half years to November 2026.

(Labour Market Insights, 2023)

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The national Skills Priority List for 2024 identified that nearly half of trade occupations and nearly 40 per cent of professional roles in Australia in 2022 were in shortage. Many occupations relevant to the building and construction industry are identified as in shortage.

(National Skills Commission 2022: Skills Priority List. Released October 2022)

buildings-city

One-in-ten Australian workers are employed in the building and construction industry making it the third largest employing sector in Australia and it has the second highest number of full-time workers at 1.15 million.

(ABS, 2023, Labour Force Australia Detailed, February 2023. Released 23 March 2023. Health is the largest employer (2.13m workers, 1.25m full-time) followed by retail (1.38m workers))

Hear from a Construction Management graduate

Don’t just take our word for it - hear from Cameron Logan, a UniSA Construction Management graduate who worked as a carpenter before studying his degree.

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“What I have found interesting in my degree is being able to learn so many fascinating and relevant ideas and concepts which I can actively utilise in the workforce, such as materials used, contract administration the importance of time and acceptance, fire engineering and the importance of fire rated walls, and surveying a building to ensure that it is built to comply with the appropriate Australian Standards/NCC. I have been able to apply what I have learnt through my UniSA studies into practice while working in construction.”

Francesco Freda, Construction Management (Honours) student

When asked about his program, Jake says it is “a structured program which makes the study process logical and adaptable. The course has many other students who are motivated to succeed; this has allowed me to make good friends through study, who I will remain in contact with past my studies.”

Jake Harry, Construction Management graduate

The path to a construction career has seen Sasha take on unexpected challenges.

“It took me a few years to decide on what degree I wanted to study. I tried accounting, architecture and even moved to Canada and worked as a ski instructor.

“The working with numbers in accounting, the design and construction in architecture and the fast pace thinking and problem solving as a ski instructor led me in the direction of construction management.”

Sasha says the world-recognised course gives students a taste of project management, quantity surveying, building certification, and even a little bit of structural engineering and design.

“University gives you the opportunity to challenge and prove to yourself exactly what you are capable of.”

Sasha Thelning, Construction Management (Honours) graduate

“In my opinion I believe the greatest asset of the UniSA degree was the wide variety of courses which you study. You get a great taste of many facets / components / careers / that combine to create the built environment industry. From quantity surveying, building surveying, construction management, estimating, construction science, structural engineering as well as learning the basics of the physical construction for residential, commercial and civil projects and much more. I also thoroughly enjoyed the opportunities we had to access live construction sites and the projects / assignments link with these experiences.”

Tom Whitney, Construction Management (Honours) graduate

“Our teachers had real experience working in civil, structural and geotechnical engineering, so we had a great connection between what was happening in industry and what we were learning."

Amelia Rosella, Civil and structural engineering graduate

Got questions? Get in contact with us

If you are not sure which study option is right for you, or what credit you might receive from study you’ve already completed, get in contact with us. We are here to answer all your questions and help you make an informed decision on the best way for you to achieve your career goals.

Mrs Debbie FrisbyPlease contact 
Mrs Debbie Frisby,
Program Director: Construction Management