Students from all disciplines at UMass that are interested in construction management and building technology are encouraged to pursue a Minor in Building and Construction Technology (BCT). See below for the current requirements.
Can’t fit a BCT Minor into your undergrad studies? Consider our graduate certificate in Sustainable Construction after graduation instead. Many courses are online and you can take it part-time while you work (or as a graduate student in another field).
BCT Minor Requirements
Courses are 3 credits and both fall/spring unless otherwise mentioned; see here for BCT course details. Some courses can also be taken through University+ during winter or summer semesters (look for the links below).
Updated: Spring 2025
Built Environment
- BCT 150 – The Built Environment (I GenEd, 4 cr.) (fall, spring, summer) – Available ONLINE through University+
Building Systems – 1 course minimum
- BCT 204 – Construction Materials & Methods (spring)
- BCT 211 – Energy Efficient Housing (fall)
- BCT 304 – Properties of Wood (fall)
- BCT 520 – Energy & Buildings (fall)
- BCT 540 – Design of Wood Structures* (spring)
Building Technology – 1 course minimum
- BCT 311 – Sustainable Indoor Environmental Systems (spring)
- BCT 314 – Construction Estimating (summer) – Available ONLINE through University+
- BCT 320 – Intro to CAD & BIM in Construction & Architecture (winter/summer) – Available ONLINE through University+
- BCT 330 – Mechanics of Building Materials for Construction* (fall – 4 cr.)
- BCT 353 – Construction Project Management (fall, summer) – Available ONLINE through University+
- BCT 414 – Sustainable Building & LEED Certification (winter, summer) – Available ONLINE through University+
- BCT 420 – Designing with 3D CAD & BIM* (fall, spring)
- BCT 492C – Sustainable Building Systems Seminar (1 cr., can be taken twice for credit) (fall, spring)
- BCT 501 – Safety in Construction (1 cr.) (spring)
- Any other BCT course without restrictions
*These courses have prerequisites
To complete a minor in Building and Construction Technology, a student must earn a minimum of 15 credits, selecting a minimum of 5 courses in the 3 academic areas listed above. One course each is required from the Built Environment, Building Systems, and Building Technology categories. All courses listed above are 3-credit courses except where noted. To be admitted into the Building and Construction Minor a student must be in good academic standing with the University.
No requirements for the minor may be taken Pass/Fail. All courses applied toward the minor must be taken on a graded basis and all courses used to satisfy the requirements of the minor must be completed with a grade of C or better. No course substitutions are possible.
Course Availability Notice: While we typically reserve some seats in our classes for non-BCT majors (e.g. those wishing to complete the BCT minor), there is only a limited number of those seats available, which may lead to non-BCT majors (especially earlier in their studies) not being able to enroll in a particular semester or course. Plan accordingly and leave some flexibility in your schedule for BCT classes.
Also check out our University+ courses that you can take online over winter or summer terms. All of those can be used for our minor.
Getting the BCT Minor Added to your Transcript
The BCT Minor will be awarded and declared AFTER you have completed the required 5 courses (typically, senior year). There is no need to apply in advance for “admission” to the Minor. During the semester when you are completing the Minor, please contact Dr. Kim, our Chief Undergraduate Advisor. The BCT Minor designation will be added to your Official Transcript by the University Registrar’s office.