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Engineering Technologies, Safety, and Construction

College of Education and Professional Studies

Construction Minor/Certificate

About the Construction Minor/Certificate 

Construction professionals are in high demand. If you’re interested in the built environment and how homes, skyscrapers, roads, bridges, and industrial complexes are made, consider a fascinating career in construction. The construction minor/certificate helps you build a strong foundation while complementing many degrees such as engineering technologies, accounting, business administration, environmental studies, and more. 

New Hogue building's yellow wallWhy Study Construction at Central? 

You will gain practical, hands-on skills in computer aided design, construction documents, business law, construction safety, construction methods and materials, electrical, mechanical, utility and sustainable construction. Applications are accepted throughout the year. Students who meet general education prerequisites can start immediately. 

Degree Explanation

Offered on the Ellensburg, WA campus, the construction minor or certificate is available to all students. Construction minor or certificate applications are accepted throughout the year, and typically students will start in the Fall quarter. 

For information regarding admission requirements, required and elective courses, please reference the 2022-2023 Academic Catalog. To learn more about costs, please visit the registrar..

Admission 

To apply for admission to the construction minor or certificate, please contact the ETSC department.   All students will meet the new general education requirements for acceptance into the minor. Admission to any course within the construction minor requires a grade of C or higher in each prerequisite. 

If you are interested in the Construction Management major, please visit the program homepage to learn more. 

Graduation 

Students must complete each course with a C grade or higher and a minimum GPA of 2.3 in the program. 

Upon successful completion of the program, students will be able to:  

  • Understand the professional construction environment.  
  • Communicate effectively in oral, written, and pictorial formats. 
  • Recognize and understand the professional and ethical responsibilities of construction management professionals. 
  • Review and interpret construction documents for the management of a construction project. 
  • Understand and describe the fundamentals of construction means and methods. 
  • Develop an understanding of safety processes and procedures used to create a construction project safety plan.  
  • Use computer applications to create drawings to manage a construction project.  
  • Formulate an understanding of specialized construction applications related to electrical, mechanical, or utility systems.  
  • Understand how sustainable practices are used in the built environment.  
  • Demonstrate an understanding of basic construction processes. 

Total of 25 or 26 Credits:

Course Number Course Name Credits
CMGT 101 Construction and the Built Environment 4
ETSC 161 Architectural Computer Aided Design 3
CMGT 265 Construction Documents 3
BUS 241 Business Law 5
SHM 323 Construction Safety 3
CMGT 346 or CMGT 347 Construction Methods and Materials or Heavy Civil Methods and Materials 4 or 4

 

Choose one course from below:

Course Number Course Title Credits
CMGT 320 Electrical Systems

3
CMGT 442 Building Mechanical Systems 3
CMGT 443 Heavy Civil Utilities 3
CMGT 452 LEED in Sustainable Construction 4

 

 

 

Careers and Outcomes

If you would like to use your education to further your career in the construction field, this minor/certificate is an excellent option for you to learn more about practical skills such as architectural design, construction safety, and LEED in sustainable construction. 

Alumni of this program have gone on to hold competitive roles in a high-demand field.  A minor or certificate in construction is often paired with the Safety and Health Management Major.

Questions? Contact us. 

Warren Plugge
Program Coordinator, Professor
Philip.Plugge@cwu.edu

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