Construction Management

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2012:

100 hours

The subjects below or equivalent as approved by the coordinator.

This subject will involve visits to construction sites which may be difficult for students with a significant physical disability.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and the Disability Liaison Unit: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This subject focuses on issues affecting the management of construction projects at the site level. An overview of production management and how it relates to the construction industry is provided along with consideration of issues affecting the efficient use of resources such as labour, subcontract labour, materials, plant and equipment. Construction project planning methods and resource management systems are introduced. Labour productivity improvement techniques to such as work study and activity sampling are presented. Critical path scheduling is introduced and the construction plan for a low rise commercial building is undertaken. Contractor's cost control, industrial relations, site safety and quality assurance are also examined.

On completion of the subject students should be able to:

• understand the roles and responsibilities of the parties involved in the construction stage of a building;
• demonstrate a general knowledge of site management procedures for the efficient and effective use of resources on a construction site;
• appreciate factors affecting site productivity including the factors of industrial relations and safety at the site level;
• show a sound knowledge of critical path scheduling and apply this knowledge to a given situation.

• One three-hour examination (60%).
• Assignments to the equivalent of not more than 2000 words (40%).

Regardless of assignment results, a minimum mark of 40% has to be achieved in the examination in order to pass this subject.

Subject Reader

This subject potentially can be taken as a breadth subject component for the following courses:

• Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of Biomedicine
• Bachelor of Commerce
• Bachelor of Environments
• Bachelor of Music
• Bachelor of Science
• Bachelor of Engineering

You should visit learn more about breadth subjects and read the breadth requirements for your degree, and should discuss your choice with your student adviser, before deciding on your subjects.

Upon successful completion of this subject students will have had the opportunity to develop the following generic skills:

• analytical skills;
• communication skills;
• problem solving skills;
• team working skills.