About the Program

The non-credit certificate program in Construction Management is designed to enhance the knowledge you have already acquired while on the job and provide opportunities for advancement within your organization. The program will also benefit those looking to enter the construction field by gaining experience in key areas.

Our certificate program is composed of four courses which are required to earn the certificate.

Career Potential

Construction companies are searching for reliable and safety conscious new hires to help them grow and keep up with demand. 18% of Construction, Extraction and Architecture positions are looking for project management skills. Other skills include scheduling and estimating. Job titles include Construction Manager, Estimator and Project Manager.
Source: Burning Glass Technologies’ Labor Insight™ Real-time Labor Market Information tool.

Meet the Instructors

Steve Houser (Blueprint Reading and Construction Project Management) is currently the Director of Construction at the Milton Hershey School. He received his bachelor’s degree in Structural Design and Construction Engineering Technology from Penn State and has been an asset in building the construction management certificate program.

Melanie Boehmer (Cost Estimating) is the Director of Planning and Design at the Milton Hershey School. She also received her bachelor’s from Penn State in Architectural Engineering with a Construction Management Option.

Jerry Pisarcik (Construction Law) received a Juris Doctor degree from The Dickinson School of Law after graduating from Penn State University with a Master of Science degree in Architectural Engineering. Jerry has concentrated his practice exclusively in the area of construction contract counseling and litigation for over 30 years.

Course Offerings

Blueprint Reading – AE 6300

Introduction to blueprint reading by developing needed skills and utilizing essential tools to efficiently read a full set of construction drawings. Blueprint standards, dimensions, views, and layout will be examined as part of the drawing process. Students will learn by examining the drawing standards, creating sketches, and evaluating the content of a set of construction drawings. All aspects of the drawing set will be considered including the civil, architectural, structural, mechanical, and electrical drawings.

  • Dates: Wednesdays, January 22 - March 5, 2025
  • Times: 6:30-9:30pm
  • Required Supplies: 
    • Engineer's scale and architectural scale ruler
  • Cost: $600
  • REGISTER

Cost Estimating & Materials – AE 6223

Introduction to cost estimating by developing needed skills and utilizing essential tools to efficiently organize estimates. Material and labor pricing with consideration of The Construction Specifications Institute's Master Format will be examined as part of the estimating process. These techniques will be applied concurrently by the students to develop a competitive bid for a course project. Competitive bids will be submitted and opened for discussion on the last day of class.

Prerequisite: Blueprint Reading

  • Dates: Wednesdays, March 19 - April 30, 2025
  • Times: 6:30-9:30pm
  • Required Textbook & Supplies:
    • Ding's Construction Estimating Complete Handbook by Adam Ding, ISBN# 979-8832449401, Published May 26, 2022
    • Engineer's scale and architectural scale ruler.
  • Cost: $575
  • REGISTER

Construction Law – CE 6298

Course includes an overview of how the legal system works, including mediation, arbitration and litigation. Emphasis is on contracts, principles of contract interpretation and contract-related issues such as payment, change orders, differing site conditions, delays and disruptions, and warranty of the plans and specifications. An anatomy of an actual construction lawsuit is presented, from pleading stage through discovery phase and on to the trial and appeal process. Bidding and bid protests, security bonds and mechanics liens are also examined.

  • Dates: Tuesdays, October 29 - December 17, 2024; no class 11/26
  • Times: 6:30-7:00pm
  • Delivery: This course will have a 30 minutes live zoom session every week and will then include a 2.5 hour pre-recorded video to review prior to the next live session.
  • Cost: $575
  • REGISTER

Construction Project Management – CE 6297

This course will help construction professionals understand and utilize project management best practices throughout the scope of a job.

  • Dates: Coming Soon!
  • Times: 6:30-9:30pm
  • Cost: $575