Construction Management Project Delivery Methods & Contracts

University of Maryland, College Park via Coursera

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Overview

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Gain the knowledge to select project delivery methods and contract strategies that align with organizational goals, manage project risk, and support successful construction outcomes. Understand how choosing the right delivery approach influences project cost, schedule, quality, and stakeholder collaboration throughout the project lifecycle. Compare major project delivery methods and contract types while evaluating their advantages, limitations, and appropriate applications. Examine how risk assessment, value engineering, bidding strategies, and early planning decisions contribute to successful project execution. Explore the collaborative roles of owners, architects, engineers, construction managers, and other stakeholders during the design and pre construction phases. Develop practical insights into organizing projects for construction, preparing competitive bids, and managing the transition from planning to execution. Build the decision-making skills needed to select effective delivery strategies, foster collaboration, and deliver construction projects safely, efficiently, and within scope, budget, and schedule.

Syllabus

Week 1: Project Delivery Methods

Examine the primary project delivery methods and construction contract types used in the construction industry. Understand how these approaches allocate risk, influence project execution, and help owners select the most appropriate strategy for achieving project goals.

Week 2: Preconstruction – Construction Services During Design

Understand the construction manager’s role in the early stages of project development and decision making. Learn how feasibility studies, constructability reviews, conceptual estimating, scheduling, and value engineering support effective project planning and delivery.

Week 3 Bidding and Procurement

Analyze the bidding process and the essential components of construction documents used in project delivery. Examine how bidding information, contractual requirements, technical details, and bid evaluation methods support informed contractor selection and successful project execution.

Week 4: Construction Process Through Closeout

Explore the processes involved in managing construction activities from project startup through completion. Learn about subcontracting, staffing, procurement, job site operations, closeout procedures, and owner acceptance practices that support successful project delivery.

Course Final

Test your Knowledge!

Taught by

Neil Schulman

Reviews

4.6 rating, based on 33 Class Central reviews

4.8 rating at Coursera based on 27 ratings

Start your review of Construction Management Project Delivery Methods & Contracts

Anonymous

Provided me with key insights into construction management project delivery methods and contracts. Organized for efficient learning!
Satrio Adji

The "Construction Management Project Delivery Methods & Contracts" course stands out as a valuable introductory resource. Its structured approach to complex topics, combined with the credibility of the University of Maryland, College Park, makes it a strong choice for anyone looking to build a foundational knowledge base in construction management. While it may not delve into the advanced complexities of the field, it provides the essential scaffolding upon which further, more specialized learning can be built. For aspiring construction managers and industry professionals alike, this course offers a solid and accessible entry point into the critical aspects of project delivery and contracts.
Anonymous

The course works well as an introduction to Project Management. My main problem was having the course excessively segmented. All module sections can be compressed into a single section. Rather than having 5 videos, make a longer video where all th…

The course works well as an introduction to Project Management.

My main problem was having the course excessively segmented. All module sections can be compressed into a single section. Rather than having 5 videos, make a longer video where all the material is explained in one go. Same goes for the theory. It can be compressed down into a single text rather than having so many bullets per section.

Some license certifications/ re-certifications require the license holders to take 3-4 hour course every year or so. This course could be compacted into a similar format, in my opinion.

I work better when there are fewer interruptions and the information is flowing constantly (with pause and replay buttons). Having 25 sections for such a short course really destroyed my attention.

There is a lot of space for improvement because the information and the instructor's experiences and stories are really good.
Anonymous

The course emphasises on the different project delivery methods used for various kinds of projects. i.e. Design & Build or Build only etc. Moreover, it makes us familiar with different kinds of contracts i.e. Lum sum, unit price, cost plus etc. Indeed it is a very good course and recommended for all the professionals focusing on construction project management, cost estimation and cost control.
Anonymous

Thank you for this informative online course! I have learned about how construction projects are managed from start to finish. I learned the roles and responsibilities of the owner, architect, engineer, contractor, etc. I now know what goes on in bidding, what the owners are concerned about, etc. I am happy that there are both videos and summary notes.
Anonymous

Very good course which providing you fundamental knowledge of how project management important in construction work, what area role of a construction manager and many more learning.
Anonymous

This was a good course that covered Construction Management Project Delivery Methods and Contracts. It gave good advice for running a project from start to finish.
LaQuita Jordan
1

Clear, practical overview of delivery methods and contracts for construction managers. Great insights into selecting the right delivery method and managing construction contracts.
Anonymous

This course offers a clear and structured introduction to the construction management industry. The content is well-organized, and the real-world examples make it easier to connect theory with practice. I appreciated how it covered topics like project delivery methods, constructability, bidding, procurement, and closeout—very relevant for anyone working in or entering the construction field.

The quizzes reinforced key concepts, although I felt some questions could use clearer phrasing. I would recommend this course to beginners in construction management or professionals looking to refresh their fundamentals. It also ties well into broader project management principles.
Anonymous

Impressive course on Coursera! A great selling point is that here is real life stories from quite an experienced gentleman- probably in his 60s. Great structure and straight to the point with very clear accent and easy to comprehend terminologies.
Anonymous

The course is very informative and the instructor succeeded to simplify very complicated parts of project life cycle.
The material are well organized and easy to be studied.
Anonymous

Great lilttle mini course on construction management the information was well delivered and reall understandable. I recommend it for anyone looking for a quick little course on project managment
Anonymous

I acquired a lot of knowledge on the subject matter. The video lectures with the notes helped me to understand easily the modules.
Thank you.
Anonymous

Overall the workload is manageable but the time duration for the course is very short that make it difficult to complete on time
Chikita Natalia Putri

I learned a lot about construction management methods and contracts from this course, which is simple to understand and makes learning more enjoyable
Anonymous

Construction Management: Project Delivery Methods and Contracts is an essential course for anyone involved in the built environment. It offers not just knowledge, but perspective — helping professionals understand how delivery methods and legal frameworks impact the success, efficiency, and integrity of construction projects. It is both a strong foundational course and a useful refresher for seasoned professionals.
Anonymous

Very good teacher explaining the course very clear, easy to understand and thank you for teaching us
Anonymous

Most foundational, and most challenging module, in my opinion ... but very well laid-out and very carefully explained, along with helpful examples from real world projects. Test question answer options were very detailed; pay close attention to the wording and all possible options.
Anonymous

Taking the Construction Management Project Delivery Methods & Contracts course from the University of Maryland, College Park via Coursera was a great decision. As someone new to the field, I found the course to be both informative and practical. It helped me understand various project delivery methods and contract structures that are essential in construction management. The instructors were clear and engaging, making complex concepts easier to grasp. I truly feel more confident in applying what I've learned to real-world situations. Highly recommend it to anyone in construction management or looking to expand their knowledge in the field!
Anonymous

Great course! It covers different project delivery methods like Design-Bid-Build, Design-Build, and CMAR, explaining their pros and cons in a clear and practical way. The instructor breaks things down well, making complex contract topics easy to understand.

As a civil engineer, I found it useful for refreshing my knowledge and learning more about contract structures and risk management. The quizzes and examples help reinforce key points.

✅ Pros: Well-structured, clear explanations, good real-world examples.
❌ Cons: Could use more case studies and deeper discussions on some topics.

⭐ Rating: 5/5 – Highly recommended for engineers and project managers!