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CONSTRUCTION
Certificate ProgramOnline CourseProfessional 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.</p>



Each course costs $525 (after first class, add $20 late fee.)

>> For an online demo go to www.constructionclasses.com/potential_student.htm

textbookTextbook/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).

>> A special refund policy applies, please see Registration Information: Refunds and Withdrawals.

>> View All Online Courses

For additional information please email construction-ces@sdsu.edu or call (619) 594-5489.

SDSU Research Foundation Program

Associated General Contractors of America logo Courses are offered in cooperation with the San Diego Chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America.

Summer 2009 Courses

Online Course Construction Blueprint Reading
This course is designed to help participants learn to read the drawings used to communicate information about building construction projects. At the completion of the course, students will have an elementary knowledge of blueprint reading as it relates to building construction projects, and will understand in general terms the design process and the role of design professionals.

Textbook Required

Instructor: Bob George, CPE.  

Extension Credit Course No. ENGR X-33 (three units)
Schedule No. 09SU 08750 FP
Dates: June 29-Sept. 5
Location: Online
Fee: $525 ($545 after June 29) Last day to enroll is July 6

Register online for 09SU 08750 FP


Online Course 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.

Textbook Required

Instructor: Bob George (see previous biography)  

Extension Credit Course No. ENGR X-18 (three units)
Schedule No. 09SU 08783 FP
Dates: June 29-Sept. 5
Location: Online
Fee: $525 ($545 after June 29) Last day to enroll is July 6

Register online for 09SU 08783 FP


Online Course 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.

Textbook Required

Instructor: Bob George (see previous biography)  

Extension Credit Course No. ENGR X-35 (three units)
Schedule No. 09SU 08746 FP
Dates: June 29-Sept. 5
Location: Online
Fee: $525 ($545 after June 29) Last day to enroll is July 6

Register online for 09SU 08746 FP


Online Course 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 through four will be covered.

Textbook Required

Instructor: Bob George (see previous biography)  

Extension Credit Course No. ENGR X-21 (three units)
Schedule No. 09SU 08761 FP
Dates: June 29-Sept. 5
Location: Online
Fee: $525 ($545 after June 29) Last day to enroll is July 6

Register online for 09SU 08761 FP


Online Course 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.

Instructor: Bob George (see previous biography)  

Extension Credit Course No. ENGR X-22 (three units)
Schedule No. 09SU 08772 FP
Dates: June 29-Sept. 5
Location: Online
Fee: $525 ($545 after June 29) Last day to enroll is July 6

Register online for 09SU 08772 FP


Online Course 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.

Instructor: Bob George (see previous biography)  

Extension Credit Course No. ENGR X-34 (three units)
Schedule No. 09SU 08735 FP
Dates: June 29-Sept. 5
Location: Online
Fee: $525 ($545 after June 29) Last day to enroll is July 6

Register online for 09SU 08735 FP

San Diego Workforce Partnership - Creating Workforce Solutions for the San Diego Region

The College of Extended Studies is a State-approved provider
for the Federal Workforce Investment Act for this program.

Last update July 1, 2009

The statements found on this page/site are for informational purposes only. 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.
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