Professional Certificate in Construction Practices
No entrance exams are required. Course times are scheduled year-round to be compatible with your work commitments. Each course meets online for ten weeks. Discussions using an online bulletin board afford the opportunity to examine everyday construction challenges shared by others in the construction industry.
Workplace Benefits
Be better prepared to succeed at your chosen profession
Learn from the experts in the various fields of construction
Advance within your current trade or transition into a new career
Location of Classes
This certificate program is held online. Consistent access to the Internet is required.
The Certificate
To earn the certificate, students must complete eight of the following nine classes: Estimating and Bidding I, Estimating and Bidding II, Cost Awareness and Production Control, Construction Planning and Scheduling, Construction Materials and Processes, Contract Documents and Construction Law, Introduction to Construction Estimating, Construction Blueprint Reading, and Essential Construction Math. All courses should be completed within two years of starting the program.
The program advisor, Bob George, has extensive experience in construction estimating and project management and is an active member of several professional organizations. He has instructed in college-level programs throughout San Diego County. In this program, he will present experts in the various fields of construction.
My name is Bob George and I teach online courses for constructionclasses.com at San Diego State University. You know, typically when you are looking for a job in the construction industry, employers are going to look for three basic things. They're going to look for experience, they're going to look at how you present yourself, and they're going to look for education. Education is a big component. So, we can't guarantee you're going to get a job by going to our classes, but it certainly helps. Things are changing very rapidly, not only with computers but with any number of things. And employers are looking for people who can learn. They're looking for people who have the where-with-all, to actually go out and take classes and to learn and to try and keep up with where the construction industry is going. That's very important in industry today. Each class that we offer is going to require about five hours per week of effort on the student's part. And they are ten-week
classes, so they're roughly 50 hour classes. Construction Blueprint Reading is a basic course that everybody needs. If you're interested in going into the estimating portion of construction then Introduction to Construction Estimating is for you. If you're more interested in Construction Supervision then we have nine or ten different courses in Construction Supervision. You can pretty much start wherever you want to start. You might need planning and scheduling on your job. With an online course you have to log on fairly often, several times a week. But it's not like an in classroom course where you go someplace and sit there for three hours and then don't do it again until next week. An online course is more of an educational experience. For ten weeks you are going to be immersed in the course. It's an incredible experience to be in a class and having discussions with people from...most of the people are from the United States. But, we have students from New York, Florida,
and Illinois, and Alabama, and Washington, and Alaska, and Hawaii all in one classroom. We have also had students from Iraq, and Afghanistan, and good golly New Zealand, Iceland, Moscow, and London. See that's one of the really incredible and interesting things about online courses.
Textbook/course material information is available at www.sdsubookstore.com/es; just use the three-digit extension credit course number when selecting a course (courses are listed under the engineering department).
Courses are offered in cooperation with the San Diego Chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America.
Fall 2009 Courses
Construction Blueprint Reading
This course is designed to provide you with that foundational knowledge and enough practice at reading blueprints to get you started. Mastery of blueprint reading will come with practice and with using blueprints on the job on a regular basis.
Extension
Credit Course No. ENGR 0033 (three units)
Schedule No. 09FA 81756 FP Dates:
Sept. 14-Nov. 21
Location: Online Fee:
$576 ($596 after Sept. 14) Last day to register Sept. 21.
Schedule Number 09FA 81756 FP is Closed
Construction Materials and Processes
Examines the materials used to construct a variety of structures, highways, utilities, and residential buildings. Includes terminology; interpretation of plans; and specifications to assure that correct materials are ordered, applied, and utilized. Methods of identifying materials delivered to the job site, methods of handling, quality control procedures for testing, and inspection of private and government work will be emphasized. Special emphasis will be given to the relationship of each material to the Uniform Building Code.
Extension
Credit Course No. ENGR 0018 (three units)
Schedule No. 09FA 81782 FP Dates:
Sept. 14-Nov. 21
Location: Online Fee:
$576 ($596 after Sept. 14) Last day to register Sept. 21.
Schedule Number 09FA 81782 FP is Closed
Cost Awareness and Production Control
This course is for construction company employees and owners who are involved in the construction of a building. The four elements of cost control (budget reports, cost reporting, subcontractor control, and change order control) will be covered. Key topics include an overview of construction accounting processes, and how cost reporting interrelates with estimating and financial reports developed for management by accountants.
Extension
Credit Course No. BA 0025 (three units)
Schedule No. 09FA 81852 FP Dates:
Sept. 14-Nov. 21
Location: Online Fee:
$576 ($596 after Sept. 14) Last day to register Sept. 21.
Schedule Number 09FA 81852 FP is Closed
Essential Construction Math
This class is intended to develop mathematical skills that can be applied to the construction trade through practice and application. This course is an introduction to other courses in construction. While this class is not a prerequisite for any other classes, it does provide a foundation for them.
Extension
Credit Course No. ENGR 0035 (three units)
Schedule No. 09FA 81745 FP Dates:
Sept. 14-Nov. 21
Location: Online Fee:
$576 ($596 after Sept. 14) Last day to register Sept. 21.
Schedule Number 09FA 81745 FP is Closed
Estimating and Bidding I
Students will learn estimating problem-solving in general conditions, civil work, concrete, and masonry (excavation, backfill, grading, paving, landscaping, etc.). Hands-on estimating with quantity take-off, pricing, and bidding is stressed. Uniform cost index categories one-four will be covered.
Extension
Credit Course No. ENGR 0021 (three units)
Schedule No. 09FA 81760 FP Dates:
Sept. 14-Nov. 21
Location: Online Fee:
$576 ($596 after Sept. 14) Last day to register Sept. 21.
Schedule Number 09FA 81760 FP is Closed
Estimating and Bidding II
This course features hands-on estimating and quantity take-off activities associated with metals, wood, doors and windows, finishes, electrical, and mechanical estimating.
Extension
Credit Course No. ENGR 0022 (three units)
Schedule No. 09FA 81771 FP Dates:
Sept. 14-Nov. 21
Location: Online Fee:
$576 ($596 after Sept. 14) Last day to register Sept. 21.
Schedule Number 09FA 81771 FP is Closed
Introduction to Construction Estimating
This course will build a foundation of knowledge that the student will use while estimating virtually any individual trade or project type; organization of the estimate, types of estimates, elements of an estimate, quantity takeoff techniques, pricing techniques, adjusting the estimate for a variety of variable factors; estimating labor, materials, and equipment; and profit and overhead markups.
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While every effort is made to ensure that this information is up-to-date
and accurate, official information can be found in the University publications.