Program Description

Study sustainable construction management, green building, materials, and building engineering technology with this interdisciplinary major

The Field

BCT students

Educating leaders in the field of sustainable design and construction of the built environment is the core mission of the Building and Construction Technology (BCT) program. Green building is a rapidly emerging field that will remain an essential piece in the changes that need to occur to combat global warming. Despite the cyclical nature of the construction industry, demand for graduates of the BCT Bachelor of Science degree program remains strong in both the residential housing and commercial building sectors. Graduates of the BCT program take on leadership roles with their understanding of this technically complex field.

Why Enroll in this Major?

Learn About Construction

Receive a well-rounded education that prepares you for jobs in construction and building systems. Work on real-world projects in hands-on classes.

Understand Sustainability

Prepare yourself for current and future challenges by developing an integrated understanding of sustainability in the built environment.

Get an Exciting and Well-Paying Job

Have a job at graduation with a starting salary that is typically on average $10k higher than the overall UMass Amherst average.

The following statistics are from our current student surveys. You can learn more about career opportunities, too.




The Major

Students participate in coursework covering science, technology, business, and design to support the basis for advancing their careers. The design, construction, and in-service use of residential and commercial buildings are complex and BCT students are offered a wide array of instructions to cover the necessary elements.

Graduates are involved in virtually every area of building technology including construction and project management, sustainable design, green building, and energy conservation, wood design and building, and sales and marketing of building materials. Career paths span from technical and research disciplines through sales and construction management. It is the experience of integrating scientific and technical understanding with general business acumen that makes graduates of the program especially desirable to many hiring firms.

You can learn more about our program on these pages:

The Minor

We also offer a 15-credit minor in BCT. You can find more information on that course of study here.

How to declare BCT as your major

To join the BCT major, call or visit our Chief Undergraduate Advisor, Dr. Ho-Sung Kim (see details below), and he can answer your questions and sign you into the program. If you are not a UMass student yet, visit the admissions page for information about the application process. We also have information about financial aid on this site. Furthermore, you can find answers to many major-related questions on our Advising FAQ page.

BCT Chief Undergraduate Advisor

Dr. Ho-Sung Kim

R: 320 Design Building
T: +1 (413) 545-1970
E: 

Make an appointment now

Questions?

We are happy to answer any questions. Contact us anytime using our contact form.