The McWhorter School of Building Science offers a terminal degree in Building Construction through its newly established PhD program.
The PhD in Building Construction emphasizes original scholarship in key areas such as high-performance buildings, n-D modeling and simulation of building construction processes, sustainability, integrated project delivery, facilities maintenance and management, and innovative construction education approaches.
The program supports interdisciplinary research within the College of Architecture, Design, and Construction as well as cross-disciplinary disciplinary research with other academic programs at Auburn University.
The program prepares students for academic and professional careers in universities; design, construction, and facility management firms; research and development organizations; consulting companies; and regional, state, and local government agencies.
Overview
The PhD in Building Construction is a research-based degree focused on the generation of new knowledge through innovative exploration of theory, development of creative perspectives, and applications of new technologies to address the challenges of creating and maintaining a sustainable built environment.
It emphasizes original, interdisciplinary or cross-disciplinary scholarship, in key and emerging areas of building construction.
Student Learning Outcomes
Four SLO’s are established to measure program effectiveness. Students will be able to:
- apply knowledge of the construction industry at an appropriate level for doctoral study.
- identify research problems, choose appropriate research methods and data analysis techniques to prepare a research proposal related to building construction.
- use written, graphical, and oral means of dissemination to effectively communicate research findings related to building construction.
- teach construction students by developing a lesson plan, instructional materials, and assessments for an undergraduate class.