Master of Building Construction
Established in 1993, Auburn's Master of Building Construction program continues to grow and develop research opportunities, strong industry relations and excellent academic content.
Enrollment in the program is limited to provide sufficient faculty support, which helps our students meet their educational objectives.
Curriculum Model
The Master of Building Construction (MBC) at Auburn is a non-thesis based graduate program which requires a minimum of thirty-five credit hours to complete.
First-Class Education
In recent years the placement rate for our graduate students has been exceptional, and opportunities abound in all sectors of the industry.
If you are interested in obtaining more information, contact Dr. Salman Azhar, Graduate Program Chair, or Joline Landry, Administrative Support Specialist.
Virtual Open House Recording
Domestic Student Admissions
Non-Construction Undergraduates:
- Application Deadline: March 15, 2025—Apply for Admission Summer 2025
- Must Complete Summer Foundations Courses (see below, under Curriculum).
- Waiver for appropriate Foundation Courses will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis for students with Architectural and Civil Engineering backgrounds, or extensive field experience. Such an accommodation should be requested in writing to Dr. Salman Azhar, Graduate Program Chair.
Construction Undergraduates:
- Application Deadline: March 15, 2025—Apply for Admission Fall 2025
- Admission to Master of Building Construction Program is based on consideration of the applicant’s proven ability to perform academic work at a superior level, leadership qualities, and overall accomplishments. Admission requirements include:
- Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from an accredited college or university. A 3.0 GPA of the last two years of undergraduate education or a cumulative GPA of 2.75 is desired.
- Completion of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General Test, composed of verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing sections.
- Acceptable letters of recommendation.
- Official statement of financing (for international students only)
Provisional admission may be offered to borderline students contingent to their performance in the first graduate semester. Please contact the Graduate Program Chair to discuss your credentials and eligibility. The Dean of the Graduate School is the only person at Auburn University authorized to admit students, refuse admission, or waive any requirement.
- Visit the Graduate School website and click Apply Online. Under the Applicants section of Application Instructions, select Apply Online once more. You will be redirected to Apply Yourself, the University’s online system. You will need to select Create Account and create a username and pin. Once you log in, you will be asked to complete several sections. Please select the correct term for which you are applying (Summer for non-construction undergraduates or Fall for construction undergraduates) and choose Building Science—Construction from the drop down menu as your program option. In addition to completing this online application, be sure to read the information provided in the link entitled Admissions Requirements. This link gives very specific information regarding documentation which must be provided as part of the application process.
- Request certified copies of transcripts from all previously attended educational institutions, and have them sent directly to the Graduate School:
106 Hargis Hall
Auburn University
Auburn AL 36849
If your transcript is from Auburn University, the Graduate School will acquire it for you. Official electronic transcripts from domestic institutions may be sent to graduatetranscripts@auburn.edu. - Request official copies of your GRE scores from the Educational Testing Service to the Graduate School as well. Auburn University’s ETS code is 1005.
- Provide letters of recommendation from three references to the McWhorter School of Building Science according to the instructions on the online admissions page.
- Submit a Statement of Purpose (1500 words or less) explaining your motivation for seeking a graduate degree in Building Construction at Auburn University.
- Submit your current resume online outlining your education, professional career, and list of honors & awards received (if any).
Items 4–6 should be submitted online along with your admission application. Please prepare these items before starting the online application.
International Student Admissions
Application Deadline: January 31, 2025 — Apply for Admission Summer 2025
First, please visit Global Gateway, Auburn University’s International Presence. Then, review the information contained on the Graduate School’s web site for International Admissions, and information from the Office of International Education.
- Visit the Graduate School Website at www.grad.auburn.edu and click Apply Online. Under the Applicants section of Application Instructions, select Apply Online once more. You will be redirected to Apply Yourself, the University’s online system. You will need to select Create Account and create a username and pin. Once you log in, you will be asked to complete several sections. Please select the correct term for which you are applying (Summer for nonconstruction undergraduates or Fall for construction undergraduates) and choose Building Science — Construction from the drop down menu as your program option. In addition to completing this online application, be sure to read the information provided in the link entitled Admissions Requirements. This link gives very specific information regarding documentation which must be provided as part of the application process.
- Request certified copies of transcripts from all previously attended educational institutions, and have them sent directly to the Graduate School:
106 Hargis Hall
Auburn University
Auburn AL 36849
If your transcript is from Auburn University, the Graduate School will acquire it for you. Official electronic transcripts from domestic institutions may be sent to graduatetranscripts@auburn.edu. - Request official copies of your GRE scores from the Educational Testing Service to the Graduate School as well. Auburn University’s ETS code is 1005.
- Request an official copy of your TOEFL or IELTS score to be sent to the Graduate School. Auburn University’s ETS Institution code is 1005. TOEFL (internet-based) [IBT]: Overall Score: 79; Speaking Section Score: 23 or higher. IELTS: Overall Score: 6.5 or higher; Speaking Section Score of 7 or higher. The English language proficiency requirements are waived if: (1) The Student has a degree from an accredited college/university in the United States; (2) English is an official language of the applicant’s country of residence. Auburn University does not accept Duolingo or other English language tests for admission.
- Provide letters of recommendation from three references to the McWhorter School of Building Science according to the instructions on the online admissions page.Submit a Statement of Purpose (1500 words or less) explaining your motivation for seeking a graduate degree in Building Construction at Auburn University.
- Submit your current resume online outlining your education, professional career, and list of honors & awards received (if any).
Items 4-6 should be submitted online along with your admission application. Please prepare these items before starting the online application.
The estimated tuition per semester (2023–2024) is $5,913 (9 or more credit hours) for in-state students and $15,993 (9 or more credit hours) for out-of-state and international students. In addition, students have to pay an $916 registration and service fee per semester ($758 for GTA/GRA). The estimated total cost for one year (2023–2024) for international students (tuition, room/board, books, personal, and transportation) is $68,727. For more details, please visit the Student Financial Services webpage at www.auburn.edu/sfs.
Applicants MUST DEMONSTRATE the availability of adequate financial resources to meet personal and educational obligations. The properly completed “Official Statement of Finances” accompanied by certified evidence of your sponsor’s financial capability MUST BE filed with this office before an admission letter and your 1-20 Form can be released.
All international students are required to subscribe to Plan II of the student insurance plan or to provide evidence of equivalent coverage. Information about student insurance is available at the Office of International Education.
We assure you that your application for admission, if submitted as indicated above, will receive our careful consideration.
The Summer Foundation Courses below must be completed.
The purpose of the Capstone Project is to demonstrate the student’s ability to independently explore a new topic, demonstrate appropriate application of the materials, and successfully communicate the information in a professional and academically rigorous format. The proposal should indicate that these expectations will be met. The capstone course is also the only course in the curriculum that allows the students to gain in-depth knowledge about a specific topic of the students’ choice.
Early Fall semester, faculty members attend information sessions in order to present their research interests to the students. This helps each student select a major professor and committee of faculty members with whom to work on their project, and assists students in identifying an area of interest for their Capstone Project during their first active semester in the MBC Program. A capstone committee includes a chair (also referred to as Major Professor) and a minimum of two other faculty members who will serve in the role of members of the committee. Students are expected to work with their major professor on the development of the Capstone proposal. A draft proposal is usually completed by mid-semester (October), with final proposals due in late fall. The final proposal consists of an abstract, introduction, background, literature review, methodology, proposed data analysis, etc., which is covered during the Research Methods in Building Science course. Approval of the final proposal by the committee chair and committee members is indicated by their signatures on a cover sheet attached to the proposal. The major professor and committee members must sign their names personally to the approval page. There can be no temporary substitute members and no other person may sign a committee member’s name on an approval page, even with the authorization of the committee member involved and the major professor. Any exceptions occasioned by unusual circumstances require Graduate Program Chair approval.
Last Day to Turn in Capstone Proposal will be set each Fall semester by the Graduate Program Chair and the instructor for the Research Methods Course.
Last Day to Turn in Completed Capstone Project: All revisions to the Capstone Report will be incorporated prior to printing the required bound copies. One copy should be given to each committee member, one copy to the admin support specialist for the program, and additional personal copies, if desired. A PDF file of the final project should be e-mailed to the admin support specialist. Formatting requirements are in accordance with the APA Publication Manual, available in the graduate resource library.
Date of Capstone Defense/Presentation must be coordinated between the student and his/her committee, and will be held during each semester. The defense includes a 30 minute presentation of the Capstone Project and results. All graduate students are encouraged to attend Capstone Defense presentations.
Professional programs are inherently more expensive to run than non-professional programs. They require more space, more personnel, a lower student-to-teacher ratio, access to a higher level of technology than most disciplines, and incur significant costs associated with research. As a result, the College of Architecture, Design and Construction charges a professional fee to partially defray the difference between state funding and tuition, and the actual costs of our professional programs. The Master of Building Construction students pay professional fee for two semesters. A professional fee charge of $2,160 is tied to enrollment in the following two courses: (1) BSCI 7060: Research Methods in Building Science; and (2) BSCI 7980: Capstone Project. Through the professional fees, the CADC continues to provide our students with rigorous and relevant academic experiences, which contribute to our programs being recognized as among the best in the nation.
Graduate Assistantships
Each academic year, the McWhorter School of Building Science offers several Graduate Teaching or Research Assistantships to graduate students with excellent academic and professional credentials.
Awards are based collectively on the applicant’s overall GPA, test scores, construction experience, and research or teaching expertise.
To be considered for a GTA position you must meet the following Graduate School requirements:
- Satisfactory background check
- Certification of English Language Proficiency
TOEFL (internet-based) [IBT]: Overall Score: 79; Speaking Section Score: 23 or higher
IELTS: Overall Score: 6.5 or higher; Speaking Section Score of 7 or higher
The English language proficiency requirements are waived if: (1) The Student has a degree from an accredited college/university in the United States; (2) English is an official language of the applicant’s country of residence.
The school typically decides about type of graduate assistantship and the level of tuition support during the first summer semester.
Assistantships may be from one to four semesters in length but are typically offered for Fall and Spring semesters only.
As a demonstration of its commitment to graduate education and to the critical role that graduate assistants play in supporting the university’s research and teaching missions, Auburn University provides full or partial tuition support to its graduate assistants.
While employed by the McWhorter School of Building Science as a Graduate Teaching or Research Assistant, the student must follow the policies and procedures for Graduate Assistants as outlined in the Graduate Assistant Handbook and published on the Graduate School website.
