Construction Project Management introduces you to Project Initiation and Planning. Industry experts join Columbia University professor, Ibrahim Odeh, to give an overview of the construction industry.
This course is part of the Construction Management Specialization
Offered By


About this Course
Learner Career Outcomes
23%
30%
Skills you will gain
- Project Management
- Construction Management
- Work Breakdown Structure
- Project Planning
Learner Career Outcomes
23%
30%
Offered by

Columbia University
For more than 250 years, Columbia has been a leader in higher education in the nation and around the world. At the core of our wide range of academic inquiry is the commitment to attract and engage the best minds in pursuit of greater human understanding, pioneering new discoveries and service to society.
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Course Overview
Welcome to Construction Project Initiation and Planning. Meet your Instructor, Dr. Ibrahim Odeh, and learn what will be covered in the Construction Management Specialization and, more specifically, in this course, Construction Project Initiation and Planning, the first of the specialization series.
Construction Industry Overview
Gregory Sauter, President of Crossroads Advisory and Founder of Smart City Works Infrastructure Actuator, introduces the Engineering and Construction Industry. Christopher Toomey, Senior Vice President of AECOM Global Programs, compares Program Management (PgM), Project Management (PM), and Construction Management (CM). The module ends with Professor Odeh distinguishing between construction and manufacturing processes.
Project Delivery
Professor Odeh introduces the fundamentals of the Project Development Cycle. Phillip White, a lawyer with the international firm Dentons, provides insight into Contract Types. William J. McConnell, CEO of the Vertex Companies, reviews the basics of surety bonding and Tim McManus, Vice President of Capital Projects and Infrastructure Projects at McKinsey and Company, discusses Project Delivery Methods and Surety Bonds.
Lean Project Delivery
Architect Sam Spada, discusses the Lean Project Delivery method and Lean Design Behaviors. Lean project delivery is a project management process that strips away unnecessary effort, time and cost in the planning, design and construction of capital projects to deliver what the Owner values.
Sustainability in the Construction Industry
Ryan Prime, Sustainability Director for Skanska USA, discusses Sustainable Development; development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Ryan will also review sustainability rating systems focusing specifically on the Envision Rating System.
Environment, Health and Safety of Construction Processes
Building Information Modeling and Technology Trends in Construction
Dareen Salama of the STV Group introduces Building Information Management (BIM) and illustrates the uses of BIM during the Lifecycle of the Project.
International View of Construction Projects
Bob Preto, Chairman and CEO of Strategic Program Management LLC, discusses international development and construction projects. The major challenge of international projects is risk; understanding risk, allocating risk and managing risk. In this module, you will learn to identify the types of risks found in international construction projects and learn a framework to use to understand risk.
Reviews
- 5 stars81.37%
- 4 stars16.15%
- 3 stars1.63%
- 2 stars0.49%
- 1 star0.34%
TOP REVIEWS FROM CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGEMENT
An excellent introduction to Construction Management. As a project superintendent this course provides an added tool in understanding the process that is critical to my job responsibilities.
Gives you a good overview of Construction Management. Good selection of instructors and they know what they are talking about. Organizes course material in a very defined and systematic way.
I really enjoyed this course, as a beginner in the constriction management field, it has everything you need to get u up and running, i'm looking forward to the next course in the specialization
Excellent! Guest speakers were clear and passionate about their fields. Professor Odeh was easy to follow. I think the instructions for the WBS and Job Logic Diagram could have been better.
About the Construction Management Specialization
The Construction Management specialization is curated for professionals in the construction and civil engineering industry looking to advance their careers. Through this specialization, students will gain comprehensive industry knowledge along with the latest trends and development within the industry. This 5-course specialization will cover the major facets of construction management including project initiation and planning, scheduling techniques and procedures, cost estimating and control, and construction project financials. After students complete this specialization, they will have gained significant skills and tools to stay relevant and ahead of the curve in the world of construction management.

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