MSc Construction and Project Management
Belfast, United Kingdom
MSc
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
30 Jun 2026
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
GBP 23,000 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* international fee
Key Summary
These programmes have been designed to:
Develop the intellectual, practical and professional skills of the learner in the critical acquisition, analysis, interpretation and understanding of the management of construction projects and organisations
Apply appropriate theoretical and practical management methods in the analysis and solution of design, engineering and construction problems
Develop a holistic approach to the planning, monitoring and control of construction projects by integrating the technical knowledge of design, engineering and construction with financial, legal, IT, commercial leadership and managerial skills of business administration in the management of simple to complex projects through their various stages from inception, feasibility, strategy, design, construction, commissioning and into maintenance; and in construction organisations; e.g. construction economics and finance, strategic management, information systems, construction law, international construction markets and competitive advantage
Develop critical and analytical problem-solving skills across a broad range of subjects and transferable skills that relate to literacy, numeracy, computing, teamwork, group work, and personal presentations and interactions to prepare graduates for more general employment
Course Content
The course’s primary focus is on project management, which will give you the chance to take your career forward in any industry, not just in construction.
We teach the principles of project management – the distinct discipline of working to agreed deadlines, starts and finishes on a given project – with an awareness of the global challenges facing the industry, not least the need to make construction sustainable.
You will learn to apply management methods to design, engineering and construction problems, and be able to be plan, monitor and control construction projects by integrating technical knowledge with leadership, commercial and managerial skills.
WHAT'S INVOLVED
Through guest lecturers, case studies and optional site visits, you’ll get an insight into how industrial companies work. Our graduates have been well received by local, national and international companies.
THE ENVIRONMENT
You'll be in a class of around 100 if you're a full-time student, alongside people from places like India, Nigeria, China, Vietnam and Egypt, as well as from the UK Ireland and Europe.. Our teaching starts in the early afternoon as we know some of you will need to take time off work to attend classes.
You'll have the McClay Library and the beautiful new Graduate School at your disposal as well as a dedicated base room and computer lab in the Elmwood building.
ACADEMIC LITERACY MODULE
An optional, complementary module for non-native speakers of English. Designed to support English language and academic skills development with a focus on specific academic skills related to the students' area of study.
Construction And Project Management Highlights
Professional Accreditations
The degree has been accredited by the following:
- The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
- Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB)
The Joint Board of Moderators as meeting the requirements for Further Learning for a Chartered Engineer (CEng) subject to criteria (as outlined elsewhere).
This degree is accredited by the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM) comprising of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Institution of Structural Engineers, Institute of Highway Engineers, the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation and the Permanent Way Institution on behalf of the Engineering Council as meeting the academic requirement for Further Learning for registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng). To hold accredited qualifications for CEng registration, candidates must also hold a Bachelor (Hons) degree that has been accredited as partially meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng). See www.jbm.org.uk for further information. It should be noted that candidates completing the MSc who hold an underpinning accredited Bachelor degree accredited for IEng only or a non-accredited bachelor degree will need to apply for an academic assessment to determine whether they will meet the educational base for CEng registration.
Industry Links
Full time and external lecturers on this course share a wealth of experience in the construction industry across architecture, engineering and Project Management.
You could be a civil engineer, architect, planner, commercial manager, M&E services engineer, environmental manager/engineer, lawyer, or any other construction-related discipline.
You could have been in professional practice for a while already: some of our previous students have been many years into their career when they join us.
Or you may be a recent graduate, for example with a BEng, BA (architecture) or BSc. This Master’s gives you the opportunity to acquire a management ‘bolt on’ on top of your engineering, architecture or construction-related undergraduate degree.
There are excellent career opportunities for our graduates as project managers, contract managers, design managers, project architects, project engineers, planners, etc., within project management consultants, construction companies, property developers and government agencies, amongst others.
Graduates are also well prepared for PhD research, which may lead to careers in research establishments and universities.
Where could you be in five years?
Where do you want to be? This programme opens doors, not only in construction but also in other industries. Having completed a dedicated Project Management programme, you can work anywhere in the world, with anyone looking for project management orientated viewpoint.
Queen's postgraduates reap exceptional benefits. Unique initiatives, such as Degree Plus and Researcher Plus bolster our commitment to employability, while innovative leadership and executive programmes alongside sterling integration with business experts help our students gain key leadership positions both nationally and internationally.
Employment after the Course
You could be anywhere in the world as a project manager with any of the major design, project management or construction consultants.
Countries such as India, China, Canada and the GCC countries are investing heavily in their infrastructure – with trillions of dollars of investment planned over the next few years - and they need project managers like you to make it happen.
Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award for extra-curricular skills
In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills. For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports and lots more. So not only do you graduate with a degree recognised from a world leading university, you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall. We call this Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.
Course Structure
Students may enrol on a full-time or part-time basis.
The programme is delivered on Mondays and Fridays for full time delivery and 1 day per-week for part time students (Monday for first year, Friday for second year), apart from one compulsory autumn semester module which is taught over four all-day sessions. There are six compulsory taught modules, and students then get to choose two elective modules from a choice of four. On completion of the taught modules, students then take a research project/dissertation module, worth one third of their overall degree. For part time students, the Dissertation is taken in the third year, with an option to fast-track over the summer of the second year.
Lectures are delivered by industry orientated lecturers and external experts within the field of Project Management. Assessment is undertaken through coursework and presentations.
Course Details
The course content gives theoretical and practical coverage across a wide variety of topics:
COMPULSORY MODULES
- Procurement Contract Administration and Law (20 CATS)
- Project Management, Planning and Control (20 CATS)
- Research Methods for Managers (10 CATS)
- Project Planning for Sustainability (20 CATS)
- Construction Economics & Construction Finance (20 CATS)
- Organisations, People & Leadership (10 CATS)
OPTIONAL MODULES
- Building Information Modelling in Practice (10 CATS)
- Emerging Digital Technology (10 CATS)
- Facilities Management & Asset Management (10 CATS)
- Construction Law 2 (10 CATS)
RESEARCH MODULE
- Individual Research Project (Dissertation) (60 CATS)
How do I fund my study?
The Department for the Economy will provide a tuition fee loan of up to £6,500 per NI / EU student for postgraduate study.
A postgraduate loans system in the UK offers government-backed student loans of up to £11,836 for taught and research Masters courses in all subject areas (excluding Initial Teacher Education/PGCE, where undergraduate student finance is available). Criteria, eligibility, repayment and application information are available on the UK government website.