The School of Building Construction will change the name of its undergraduate degree from the Bachelor of Science in Building Construction to the Bachelor of Science in Construction Science and Management. The change will be reflected in the Georgia Tech catalog this May.

The name change better describes curriculum content, the scientific aspects of course offerings, current faculty research, and modern industry standards, said Ece Erdogmus, Chair of the School of Building Construction.

"We conducted a poll last year that included students, alumni, faculty, and industry," Erdogmus said. "The overwhelming response was that this new degree name more accurately reflects the career paths our students will take, and it will empower them to lead in an industry that is far more dynamic than people think."

Erdogmus's research focuses on education in construction fields. Recent studies show that certain populations, particularly those socialized as women, are more open to the expression “construction management” than “construction,” she said, due to perceptions of a male-dominated industry and the physical labor associated with construction labor.

"Construction Management is also the most commonly used name for similar degrees at peer institutions across the country," she said. "Out of the 75 American Council for Construction Education (ACCE) accredited programs, 68 of them (91%) include the expression Construction Management in the degree name."

Approvals through the Georgia Tech curriculum committees (School, College, and Institute curriculum committees and the Faculty Senate), as well as the University System of Georgia, are complete.