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School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering

BSc (Hons) Construction Management with Sandwich placement

BSc (Hons) Sandwich 4 years

Spend a full year working as a construction professional — not just observing one — before you graduate.

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Spend a full year working as a construction professional — not just observing one — before you graduate.

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BSc (Hons)
Start date(s)
14 September 2026
UCAS Code
K22A
Course specifications
View course spec
Course length
Sandwich (4 years)
Campus location
University: City Campus
School
School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering
UCAS points calculator
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If you are looking towards a career in the construction industry the University's enthusiasm, knowledge and passion for the industry is second to none and it will help you reach your potential in every way it can!
Aurie Cox, Construction Management

Why choose this course?

7th in the UK for Architecture, Building and Planning (Daily Mail University Guide 2027)

Spend a full year working as a construction professional, not just observing one, before you graduate. This four-year version of our triple-accredited construction management degree builds a genuine industrial placement year directly into your course structure — 40 credits, a full academic year, doing work equivalent to a normal employee of the organisation you join. It's a different kind of experience to a short placement: it's long enough to take on real responsibility, build a professional network, and in many cases be fast-tracked straight into a graduate scheme by the employer you placed with.


You'll still graduate with the same triple accreditation from CIOB, RICS and CABE, and the same direct route to becoming a Chartered Construction Manager, taught throughout at the £120m Springfield site — Europe's largest construction centre of excellence.

This course is accredited by:

CFF CIOB Logo CFF RICS Logo

What's unique about this course?

  • A full year, not a few weeks
    Your placement is a formally assessed 40-credit module in its own right, sitting between your second and final year — long enough to move beyond shadowing and into real project work.
  • Work like an employee, not a visitor
    During your placement you'll be doing similar work to a normal employee of the organisation, giving you a genuine insight into your chosen part of the sector, the personal skills that only come from real accountability, and a network of industry contacts you carry into your final year and beyond.
  • A route into graduate schemes
    Many employers use placement programmes as a recruitment tool. Impress on placement, and you could be fast-tracked into employment or onto a graduate scheme with that same organisation after you finish your degree.
  • Local, national or international
    Placements can be based locally, nationally, or in some cases internationally. The University's placements team, The Workplace, actively sources new opportunities and will support you whether you find your own placement or take one they've identified.

What happens on the course?

Your first two years build the same core construction management foundation as our standard degree — construction technology, digital construction, law and procurement, resource management and professional practice — through field trips, live case studies, BIM software and multi-disciplinary group projects at Springfield Campus.


Year 3 — Your placement year
A dedicated, full-year industrial placement module, giving you a complete year of professional, CV-ready experience before you return to complete your degree.


Year 4 — Back to finish strong
You'll complete your degree with your Built Environment Dissertation, Construction Planning and Programming, Sustainability, and a choice from Contract Administration and Dispute Resolution or Global Construction Management — now informed by a full year of real industry experience.

 

Placements on the course

We’ve built professional placements into every degree, every student will be guaranteed a professional placement. Our placements give you the real-world exposure and proven experience your CV needs, while building the industry networks essential for your career.

These short-term, structured experiences include:

  • Short duration: condensed work-like experience in professional environments
  • Academic integration: always linked to coursework, assessments or professional development modules
  • Project-based learning: students work on specific tasks or research with an organisation
  • Flexible format: can be in-person, remote, hybrid or virtual
  • Skill development: enhances workplace skills like communication, teamwork and problem-solving
  • Experiential learning: helping to close the gap between knowledge gained and the skills needed to succeed

Employability on the course

You'll finish this degree with something most graduates don't have: a full year of real, professional industry experience already on your CV. Recent graduates from our construction management courses have gone on to work at Balfour Beatty, EC Harris, Thomas Vale, Laing O'Rourke and Wates, and this course gives you a head start on that route — many students are offered ongoing work or a graduate role directly by their placement employer.

  • Construction Manager — leading projects from start to finish, on time and within budget
  • Site Manager — running day-to-day operations on live construction sites
  • Contracts Manager — negotiating and administering contracts between clients, suppliers and contractors
  • Quantity Surveyor or Estimator — managing project finances, costs and materials
    This course also opens the door to postgraduate study in construction project management or construction law.

Course Modules

Module: 4CN006
Credits: 20
Period: 1
Type: Core

The module aims to develop your knowledge and understanding of various methods of communication used in business and industrial environments; and introduce the built environment student to the world of your specific discipline

Module: 4CN016
Credits: 20
Period: 1
Type: Core

This module has two educational aims; First, it aims to introduce you to the study of economics in the context of the built environment in the UK. It examines the basic economic principles that underpin and influence the operation of the built environment and construction sectors in the UK and to develop your understanding of the sources, disposition and control of capital for construction companies and in the development of real estate. Secondly it aims to apply your knowledge of viable construction projects as a member of a group tasked with planning a built solution.

Module: 4CN027
Credits: 20
Period: 1
Type: Core

The principal aim of this module is to introduce the student to the initial and preparatory professional skills which are aligned to their relevant built environment professional discipline.

Module: 4CN041
Credits: 20
Period: 1
Type: Core

The aim of this exciting module is to introduce students to how emerging digital technologies are being implemented in the construction industry. The construction sector is undergoing a digital revolution and emerging technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics are shaping the next generation of the built environment. Within the module you will explore these new tools and methods of working, including understanding the concepts and principles, developing knowledge of when they are used and gain some hands-on experience of implementing new technology.

Module: 4CN001
Credits: 20
Period: 1
Type: Core

The principal aim of this module is to develop an understanding of the English legal system, building regulations and law of contract; and introduce the legal aspects of procurement, tendering procedures, forms of contract as applicable to construction projects.

Module: 4CN002
Credits: 20
Period: 1
Type: Core

The module aims to develop your knowledge and understanding of low rise construction, provide an introduction to common construction materials and environmental interactions

Module: 5CN001
Credits: 20
Period: 2
Type: Core

The purpose of this module is to enable you to develop and apply principles and applications of construction technologies related to high rise structures, commercial and industrial buildings. Aspects of civil engineering and building services technology will also be investigated

Module: 5CN022
Credits: 20
Period: 2
Type: Core

There is a dual aim to this module. The first aim is to develop your knowledge and application of the legal framework in which the built environment, property and construction industries operate. The second aim is to build on existing, and further develop knowledge of health and safety in the built environment, raising your awareness of the legal, personal and organisational responsibilities built environment professionals have. These aims will be achieved by the study of the legal frameworks from which legislation and other controls stem and contextualising them into a built environment context.

Module: 5CN047
Credits: 20
Period: 2
Type: Core

This module addresses the changing role of the construction professional, concentrating on the professional practice demonstrated by a competent construction manager. It introduces and applies the main principles of this discipline to the student.

Module: 5CN049
Credits: 20
Period: 2
Type: Core

This module would help the students understand and apply project management processes within a construction project lifecycle, using possible relevant case studies to explore relationships that exist between project stakeholders at varying project phases from initiation process group to close-out. They would be able to apply their learning to industry practice case scenarios. This module would also expose students to available tools and techniques used to execute construction projects seamlessly within these project processes. Students would take a closer look at application of these tools for managing different aspects of construction projects and justify their use in emerging varying scenarios.

Module: 5CN002
Credits: 20
Period: 2
Type: Core

This module aims to develop your knowledge and understanding of Construction Human Resource Management professional practices and their impact upon the operations of the construction industry. It also aims to develop your skills to enable you to: review, analyse, synthesise and summarise an issue by organising, analysing and interpreting published material, and drawing out conclusions

Module: 5CN010
Credits: 20
Period: 2
Type: Optional

The principal aim of this module is to develop your understanding of the key professional relationships between the various disciplines involved in the management of construction projects. This includes the development of team working skills through completion of a group based project where you are brought together into teams within which as set of structural/interrelated tasks are undertaken in order to develop your personal attibutes. self management, communication and problem solving skills in a team environment.

Module: 5CN045
Credits: 20
Period: 2
Type: Optional

This module studies the art of Leadership in the context of the built environment. It attempts to differentiate between leadership, management and teamworking using theory and practice. It explores the aspects of leadership relating to people, problem solving, behaviour, communication and 'doing things right'. The content of the module will allow students to appraise themselves and to use the methods demonstrated to assess others in many contexts. It exploits the traits of a leader and the importance of the situation.

Module: 5CN025
Credits: 40
Period: 3
Type: Core

The module aims to introduce you to the world of work and associated professional competence. It allows you to appreciate current practises and seek to appreciate current working practises and seek solutions to real life problems in the workplace. Where appropriate it allows you to commence relevant professional organisation membership requirements but you should seek guidance at the outset with the module team

Module: 6CN034
Credits: 40
Period: 4
Type: Core

This is the dissertation project module for undergraduates in the Built Environment. It aims to develop your ability to research and report on a subject related to your degree course. The subject area and research question will demonstrate your understanding of formal research practices and provide a research report that starts at the project identification stages and follows the process to its conclusion and recommendations.

Module: 6CN017
Credits: 20
Period: 4
Type: Core

The principal aim of this module is to enable you to develop an understanding of the basic concepts of project planning and how to prepare a construction programme manually and by using computer software. This module gives you an overview of the rationale behind construction planning and programming including reasons for, and methods of, planning and controlling the production process, directly related to the construction industry.

Module: 6CN011
Credits: 20
Period: 4
Type: Core

The principal aim of this module is to provide you with an understanding of the legal framework within which construction firms and projects are managed and techniques for resolving disputes often encountered. You will develop skills necessary to analyse construction contracts and case law and develop an understanding of good practice in the administration of contracts.

Module: 6CN005
Credits: 20
Period: 4
Type: Core

This module aims to develop your knowledge and understanding of business concepts including risk management, strategic management, organisational culture and business ethics, as applied to construction projects. It also aims to further develop your skills to enable you to: critically review and analyse a specified problem and synthesise a possible solution by organising and interpreting published material, and drawing out conclusions.

Module: 6CN012
Credits: 20
Period: 4
Type: Core

This module enables you to explore the requirements of sustainable development to see how these affect and influence the range of environmental services required in sustainable construction and, furthermore, it highlights the impact of such services on the internal and external environment.

Potential Career Paths

Local, regional and national companies work with us to identify the 'world of work' to ensure the technical and professional skills of construction management are relevant to a career in that field. Our graduates have gone on to secure employment in contracting organisations. If you are interested in pursuing other qualifications, completion of this degree allows you to progress onto our MSc awards.

Additional Information

Everything you need to know about this course!

You'll train at Europe's largest construction centre of excellence, then take that training into a full year of real industry practice. The £120m Springfield site gives you industry-standard BIM software and survey equipment — drones, lasers and 3D scanners — before you ever set foot on placement, and the School of Architecture, Computing and Built Environment's industry network and established contracting relationships across the Midlands feed directly into where The Workplace team can place you.

  • Practical, subject-specific skills you can only build in a live workplace
  • Communication and problem-solving skills, tested against real deadlines and real stakeholders
  • Competency working with other people — site personnel, contractors and client representatives
  • A professional network and, in many cases, a direct line into graduate employment
    Combined with your triple-accredited degree, this placement year is designed to make you employment-ready from day one after graduation.

Location Mode Sep intake Fee Year
Home Sandwich £9790 per year 2026-27
International Sandwich £17600 per year 2026-27

The University is committed to a transparent fee structure, with no hidden costs, to help you make an informed decision. This includes information on what is included in the fee and how fees are calculated and reviewed.


If a tuition fee is not showing, we may not offer this intake for this course. Please check the start date information on the course finder for start dates.

  • 96 UCAS points
  • A Levels - grades CCC / BCD
  • BTEC L3 Extended Diploma or OCR Cambridge L3 Technical Extended Diploma - grade MMM
  • Access to HE Diploma (60 credits) of which a minimum of 45 must be at Level 3 (96 UCAS point equivalence, minimum 45 credits at merit)
  • T Levels with an overall grade of Pass and a minimum grade of C in Core.

 

Use the UCAS Tariff calculator to check your qualifications and points

Students must usually have studied for a minimum of two years post GCSE level. However, we will consider applications from mature students who do not have two years of post-16 study, where they have relevant work experience. Please see http://wlv.ac.uk/mature for further information.

If you've got other qualifications or relevant experience, please contact The Gateway for further advice before applying.

International entry requirements and application guidance can be found at http://www.wlv.ac.uk/international/apply

English language requirements also apply

Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE)

Accredited by the Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE).

Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB)

"Accredited by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), having been judged to meet the CIOB Education Framework. Prospective members holding these qualifications have full academic exemption and may enter CIOB membership without the requirement for an Individual Assessment."

Tuition Fees Loan (Home Fee Status):

Most students will be able to apply for a loans to pay for these subject to eligibility. To find out more information please refer to the government Student Finance website.

Changes for EU students:

The UK government has confirmed that EU students starting courses from 1 August 2021 will normally be classified as having Overseas Fee status. More information about the change is available at UKCISA:

EU citizens living in the UK with 'settled' status, and Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland, will still be classified as Home students, providing they meet the usual residency requirements, for more information about EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS)


Self-funding:

If you don’t want to take out a loan to pay your fees or if you aren’t eligible to receive a loan, you might want to take advantage of the University’s scheme to pay by instalments: See How to pay.

For more information please contact the Gateway.


Your employer, embassy or organisation can pay for your Tuition fees:

If your employer, embassy or organisation agrees to pay all or part of your tuition fees; the University will refer to them as your sponsor and will invoice them for the appropriate amount.

We must receive notification of sponsorship in writing as soon as possible, and before enrolment, confirming that the sponsor will pay your tuition fees.


Financial Hardship:

Students can apply to the Dennis Turner Opportunity Fund.

for help with course related costs however this cannot be used for fees or to cover general living costs.


Bursaries and Scholarships:

In addition the University also offers a range of Bursaries and Scholarships packages

You can find more information on the University’s Funding, cost, fee and support pages.

Telephone

01902 32 22 22

Email

enquiries@wlv.ac.uk

Online

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Find out how our course is rated on Discover Uni, the official website for comparing UK higher education courses.

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