MBA in Advanced Construction Management

Overview

A time-tested program for architecture, design, planning, and engineering graduates from all branches, the flagship post-graduate program of NICMAR offered as MBA in Advanced Construction Management (ACM) is well-recognized, locally as well as globally, for addressing the academia-industry gap in construction, real estate, and infrastructure project management (CRIP) sectors.

In contrast to the common misnomer on discipline bias in the construction management profession, the ACM program provides opportunities for qualified architecture, design, planning and engineering graduates from all branches to build a career in the CRIP sector. The program also hosts an industry-ratified curriculum that comprises a unique blend of techno-managerial courses to build upon the basic skills gained at the under-graduate level by all learners.

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What You'll Learn

Through the ACM program you will:

Develop the necessary leadership and entrepreneurial skills to establish yourself in the CRIP sector.
Become an expert in a variety of disciplines like Finance & Economics, Business Management, Cost & Contract Management, and more through the contemporary-multi-disciplinary courses.
Get superlative training in advanced construction techniques, sustainable development practices, analytics, humanities, creativity, communications, and digital competencies.

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Programme at a Glance

A two-year structured program with a choice-based credit system that takes into account your all-round development, the ACM program is your gateway to a stellar career in the CRIP industry.

Highlights

The future-ready ACM program of two years duration is structured in four semesters in full compliance with the National Education Policy, The future-ready ACM program of two years duration is structured in four semesters in full compliance with the National Education Policy and other statutory guidelines. The program structure is oriented towards all-round learning and development of the learners in the ACM program at three levels – curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular.

Curricular Engagements

The program structure provides for curricular engagements that comprise classroom sessions, physical laboratory activities, software training modules, graded seminars, graded internships, and individual thesis work. Catering to the curricular needs, the program structure constitutes core courses, general elective courses, program elective courses, mandatory non-graded bridge courses, and self-learning through Massive Open Online Courses.

The choice-based credit structure for these courses combines interest-inculcating lecture sessions, challenging tutorial sessions and engrossing practical sessions contingent upon the pedagogical needs of each course. Curricular engagements will be gauged through (i) a variety of internal modalities such as individual and group submissions, case studies, role plays, focus group discussions, presentations, and (ii) end-semester assessments with 40%-60% weightage.

The summer internship placements - assisted by the School of Industry Relations and usually compensated through stipends by the hosting companies - is one of the unique features of the ACM program at NUCS, Hyderabad. The year-long thesis work of learners is guided by our qualified faculty and research methodology training sessions.

Co-curricular & Extra-curricularEngagements

The co-curricular engagements include orientation sessions, workshops, national and international competitions, national and international conferences, inter-university symposiums, open days, site visits, guest lectures, hackathons and exchange programs. Each student will be mapped to an internal faculty mentor and external alumni mentor for guidance during and beyond the MBA tenure. Site-based assignments are mandatory for 80% of the coursework in ACM program.

Extra-curricular engagements include freshers’ party, festive celebrations, cultural activities, farewell ceremony, sport events and student clubs that are supported by the university bodies.

Assistance is provided by the School of Industry Relations for placement with the top firms of the CRIP sector. The School of Industry Relations also from time-to-time conducts refresher courses for the ACM program alumni, on a complimentary basis, to help them keep in touch with the concurrent advancements.

Location & Duration

Hyderabad Campus

Nestled away in the green burrows of Shamirpet, our vibrant Hyderabad campus offers an irresistible academic experience for the discerning learner.

Duration: Two years full time

Courses

Year 1

The first year of the ACM program consists of core courses, mandatory non-graded bridge courses and self-learning Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC). This foundational year fosters an understanding of the workings of the CRIP sector to the learners of varied under-graduate backgrounds. The courses in Year 1 span over all domains of construction management and address the basic skill gaps that the CRIP sector finds in freshers and mildly experienced practitioners. The role of the instructor in Year 1 is to facilitate discussion and promote participation by encouraging shared exploration and discovery.

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Semester 1

The first semester sums up the skills, learning, and developmental needs pertaining to the formulation of projects as vehicles of operations in the CRIP sector. The courses in this semester span over the domains of Finance & Economics, Business Management, Cost & Contract Management, Advanced Construction, Project & Portfolio Management, Communications, Digital Competencies Analytics, and Professional Ethics.

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Financial Management in Construction
This course helps you understand how to read, evaluate and analyze the financial statements; acquire understanding of techniques of management accounting and to make you develop competence with their usage in managerial decision making and control.
Construction Project Communications
The objective of the course is to equip you with the best practice strategies of effective project communications management for handling a variety of complex projects and make them aware of the role of communication in the core project processes.
Advanced Estimation & Quantity Surveying
This course will equip you with procedures and steps in deriving various quantities and costs of the project (i) to draft specifications and produce rates analysis for different items of works (ii) to understand the nuances in bills preparation and reconciliation statements overall cost control (iii) to calculate the impacts of escalation and value the same in estimates.
Construction Methods & Technology
This course develops your understanding of advanced construction, methods and techniques in the construction industry.
Project Management Systems and Techniques
This course will lay a solid foundation across the concepts and techniques to plan, schedule, monitor and control time, cost and resources on a project.
Procurement, Bidding and Tendering
By attending this course, you shall know the standard tendering procedures and types, be able to decide the suitable procurement method for a particular project, and value the impact of appropriate procurement and tendering system on project outcomes.
Life skills/Stress Management/Ethics or Similar
Attend these courses through the SWAYAM / NPTEL portal, take the exam, and submit a completion certificate with marks obtained to the Programme Director.
Basic Technical Skills
This is a bridge course for acclimatizing learners of varied academic backgrounds with the CRIP sector.
Site Administration and Control
This course develops your understanding of knowledge and skills necessary to manage construction sites. It will also cover fundamentals of project coordination and supervision.
Applications of Information Technology and Information Systems
The course objective is to make the student familiar with an understanding of how information systems, digital tools and technologies work on construction projects
Project Management Software Applications – MSP
This course relates the theoretical concepts of Project Planning & Scheduling with hands on practice.
Construction Practice Workshop
This course develops student understanding of Advanced Construction Materials and Construction Methods & Techniques through lab practice
Managerial Skills Workshop – I
The objective of the course is to equip students with the managerial skills required for handling a variety of complex projects and make them aware of the role of interpersonal relations in the core project processes.
Industrial Seminar – I
This course enables the students to gain valuable insights from the guest lectures and site visits organized by the institute in semester 1

Semester 2

Build upon the basics learnt in the Semester 1 to deep dive into the post-formulation phase. This semester encapsulates the skills, learning and developmental needs pertaining to the management of projects in the CRIP sector. The courses in this semester span over the domains of Business Management, Cost & Contract Management, Worksite Management, Sustainable Development, Humanities, Creativity, and Digital Competencies.

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Organizational Behavior and Structures
The focus of this course is to build an understanding of both Micro and Macro Organizational Behaviour and the application of its principles in construction management.
Statistical Applications in Construction (with SPSS)
This course is an introduction to statistical concepts which are used in understanding various facets of construction business data.
Managerial Economics
This course gives you an exposure on various interlinkages between micro and macroeconomics impacting the business/industry/project environment. It also demonstrates how economics is used by individuals, managers, and businesses alike to assess problems and develop solutions.
Contracts and Claims Management
The course provides in-depth understanding of the role of contracts management through analysis of various red flag clauses associated with construction contracts and thereby enables development of competency for evaluation of contractual obligations, risks and responses in construction projects.
Building Information Modelling - I
This course develops your holistic understanding of BIM as a process. Further, it helps you achieve proficiency in building modeling, coordination, and collaboration aspects using various BIM-based tools.
Creativity/Innovation/Disaster Management/Entrepreneurship or Similar
Attend these courses through the SWAYAM / NPTEL portal, take the exam and submit a completion certificate with marks obtained to the Programme Director.
Summer internship
This involves undertaking an internship of minimum Eight weeks in a recognised and reputed organization/ firm/ company/industry, relevant to the field of real estate and urban infrastructure. You shall be supervised by an internal faculty member and a senior professional in the organization who will ensure that your work is meaningful and significant to the real estate and urban infrastructure sector. As an intern, your work will be documented in the form of a report, which, if satisfactory, will result in a training completion certificate by the organization.
Project Cost Engineering
This course teaches the fundamental aspects related to project cost engineering. It includes various tools and techniques for cost estimation.
Advanced Construction Materials
This course develops student understanding of Advanced Construction Materials. It will also cover applications of advanced materials in construction industry.
Research Methodology and Project Seminar
The course gives an understanding of the research method that can be adopted for an independent research project.
Project Formulation and Appraisal
The course aims to provide basic understanding project planning and appraisal techniques. The course will enhance knowledge about methods of project selection and ability to make decisions under risk.
Project Management Software Applications – Advanced Excel, Power BI and Primavera
This course develops students’ holistic understanding of all aspects related to project planning and scheduling using Primavera, Microsoft Excel and Power BI.
Managerial Skills Workshop – II
The objective of the course is to equip students with the managerial skills required for handling a variety of complex projects and make them aware of the role of interpersonal relations in the core project processes.
Industrial Seminar – II
This course enables the students to gain valuable insights from the guest lectures and site visits organized by the institute in semester 2

Year 2

The second year consists of only elective courses, and predominantly aims at skilling the learners in specific domains of the CRIP sector along with their thesis work. This advanced year allows you to cultivate and be engrossed in pursuing your passion to be ultimately ready for the industry as a leader or an entrepreneur.

The courses in Year 2 are organized as program electives, general electives, sector electives (Sector 1: Assessment and Maintenance, Sector 2: Sub-surface Construction, Sector 3: Transportation Engineering, Sector 4: Modern Construction Methods, Sector 5: High-Rise and Real Estate Development) and domain electives (Domain 1: Digital Construction, Domain 2: Project Planning and Control, Domain 3: Project Procurement and Contracts, Domain 4: Contemporary Project Practice)

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Semester 3

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Elective courses
In the third semester, students need to select total 9 elective courses : 4 Program Electives, 1 General Elective, 2 Sector Electives and 2 Domain Electives.

Thesis

Thesis: The project topic selected in the project seminar course is to be worked upon as per its methodology. You are expected to construct research tools i.e. questionnaire/template and collect data relevant to their research topic. You shall work upon data analysis, interpretation, discussion, connection to literature, conclusion, recommendation/ proposals. A project report as per the guidelines will be prepared and submitted.

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Elective courses
In the fourth semester, students need to select total 8 elective courses : 3 Program Electives, 1 General Elective, 2 Sector Electives and 2 Domain Electives.

An enriching environment

Class Profile

Join a diverse community of architects, designers, planners and engineers in a journey towards personal and professional excellence..

23

Average age
8

Average Courses Each Semester
27

Average Credits Per Semester

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Admission and Degree Requirements

Candidates with a bachelor’s degree in Engineering / Architecture / Design / Planning from a recognized Institution / University with a minimum 50% aggregate marks from a recognized Institution / University are eligible. Final year Graduating students can also apply. The candidates must produce the provisional certificate before the commencement of classes.

Applications are scrutinized and eligibility is established on the basis of the documents submitted. Eligible candidates will be invited to appear for the selection procedure, which comprises Group Discussion (GD), Personal Interview (PI), Rating of Application (RA) and valid scores from NICMAR Common Admission Test (NCAT), ATMA, CUET PG, TG ICET - 2024 (Telangana Integrated Common Entrance Test), CAT, XAT, CMAT, MAT, GMAT.

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Your trajectory towards an eminent leader in CRIP sector

Career opportunities

Category	Career
Digital Transformation	- BIM Manager - Interface Manager - Digital Transformation Manager - IT & ERP Manager - Solutions Manager
Project Planning & Control	- Planning Manager - MIS Manager - Project Controls Manager - Strategic Planning Manager - Coordination Manager
Project Procurement and Contracts	- Business Development Manager - Supply Chain Manager - Contracts and Claims Manager - Tendering and Bidding Manager - Arbitration and Disputes Manager
Real Estate Development	- Market Analyst - Investment Manager - Valuation Expert - Debt Finance and Appraisal Professional - Risk Management Consultant
Infrastructure Management	- Asset Manager - Operations Manager - Purchase Manager - Infrastructure Financing Professional - Management Consultant

FAQs

How are the placement prospects of the ACM program?
They’ve been record breaking! We’re proud of the industry connections that we’ve built and nurtured over the last 30 years, which has allowed us to invite only the best and most sought-after recruiters for our learners. In fact, every year, we are visited by over 200 companies for on-campus placements. That said, ACM is our flagship program, you can be rest assured that you will be given top-notch placement assistance during the course of your final year and summer internships.
I have been a meritorious student throughout my 10th, 12th and Bachelors’ Degree? What kind of scholarship does the institute provide?
The institute provides scholarship in the tuition fee based on your academic performance in 10th, 12th and Bachelors’ Degree. The institute currently also provides scholarship for all women applicants in the tuition fee. Refer the scholarship section for more details.
What kind of financial aid can you help with?
We’ve tied up with India’s leading banks and financial institutions for you to get education loans with utmost ease. These institutions include HDFC Credila, ICICI Bank, Saraswat Co-op Bank, Bank of Baroda, Credenc, Union Bank of India, Avanse and many others.
How qualified are the faculty members of NUCS, Hyderabad?
About 50% of the faculty members at NUCS, Hyderabad accrue from IIT/NIT background. About 50% of the faculty members at NUCS, Hyderabad possess prior experience working in the industry. This blend of academic and professional excellence of NUCS, Hyderabad faculty members is one of the strong facets of NUCS, Hyderabad.
What is special about the curriculum of ACM program?
If selected, you will be a student of the time-tested, flagship program of NICMAR in Advanced Construction Management (ACM)! The ACM program is offered with support* for obtaining internationally accredited, professional certifications in one of the following:
1. BIM
2. Project Management
3. Procurement and Supply Chain
4. Green Buildings
*The support covers training and fees for the first attempt in the professional certification examinations, terms and conditions apply.
Is an internship a part of this program? What kind of support can I expect?
Of course! The ACM program offers internships at the end of Semester II (Year 1), and you’ll be offered all the internship assistance you need for it. What’s more, the internships may also result in a PPO (Pre-placement Offer). You shall be supervised by an internal faculty member and a senior professional in the hosting organization who will ensure that your work is meaningful and significant to the real estate and urban infrastructure sector.
Is a B.Tech degree or experience in Civil Engineering mandatory to be able to enroll for this program?
Absolutely not! The ACM program provides opportunities for qualified architecture, design, planning and engineering graduates from all branches to build a career in the CRIP sector. This is primarily because the CRIP sector needs professionals from all facets to meet their various functional and operational needs. In accordance, this program hosts an industry-ratified curriculum that comprises a unique blend of techno-managerial courses to build upon the basic skills gained at the under-graduate level by all learners.
I am an empowered woman on a career break. Even though I have a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, I chose to work in the IT industry because I felt that, maybe, the construction industry is not an ideal fit for women. Will the ACM programme help me in feeding my passion for civil engineering?
Of course! The construction industry has moved far away from any gender bias and the CRIP sector is actively seeking empowered women in various roles. Apart from providing cutting-edge opportunities in digitization and IT applications in the CRIP sector, the construction industry has transformed heavily under an industrialized, automated, and sophisticated approach today.

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