Advising
Advisors are your mapmakers in the expansive world of construction education, providing a clear pathway to success. They can help clarify your understanding of our curriculum, assist in course selection, ensure you're making progress towards your degree, and connect you with essential resources, internships, or research opportunities.
Whether you're a new student navigating the initial stages of your academic career, a returning student considering new opportunities, or you're preparing to launch into the professional world, our advisors are here to help you achieve your ambitions and dreams.
MLSoC Undergraduate Advising Overview
Every student majoring in Building Construction and Construction Engineering and Management is assigned an academic advisor. These advisors play a crucial role in guiding students throughout their academic journey, helping ensure they stay on track for graduation. Students should meet with their advisor at least once a semester to review their progress, discuss their plans, and address any concerns. Be prepared with specific questions and all needed documentation to be reviewed by the advisor during these meetings.
- Selecting Courses: Refer to your major's checksheet (see the Building Construction or Construction Engineering and Management sections below) and talk to your advisor to know which courses to take and when. Used faithfully and in combination, they should be able to help you stay on track and know ahead of time what to take when.
- Course Timetable: The online Course Timetable will allow you to find out which classes are offerred each semester and give you the basic info about a course: its numbers, its CRN, the teacher's name, and the times and places of meetings. You can also click on the course number link to get a basic catalog description of the course.
Once Course Request opens, you can submit your course requests — a list of the classes you hope to take — for the following term. Course Request is open for one week toward the end of the semester, and if you miss the Course Request period, then you seriously affect your chances of getting the courses you not only want, but need.
If you do not submit your course requests in time, you'll always get a second chance during the Drop/Add period, during which someone might drop the course you want, leaving a space for you. Be prepared to diligently check the Course Timetable. You can always attempt to force-add the course when the semester starts, but this method is not as promising.
If you did not get into a particular class, you can attempt to force-add the course when the semester starts. However, this method is not promising.
To do so, contact the home department of the course in which you wish to force add. If you need an outside course force added then you must follow the procedures for that specific department. Check the department's website as different policies exist throughout campus (e.g., if it is a PHYS class, contact the Physics department). You do not need your advisor to sign the form.
To force add a Building Construction course to your schedule, please use the force add link provided below.
Please read the instructions carefully. A force add request does not guarantee placement in the course. Please do not submit multiple requests for the same class. Incomplete forms will not be processed. The Building Construction department can only force add Building Construction classes.
If there is an OPEN section for the course you wish to add, you will not be able to force add a full section. You must add one of the open sections.
Please note that if a course has a prerequisite listed you must have successfully completed the prerequisite before trying to force add a course. Force adds may be necessary for a class in which you are awaiting pending transfer credit.
Even if you submit a force/add request for a BC course, you should still continue to try to add it through the drop/add mechanism when it is available.
To force add a Construction Engineering and Management course to your schedule, please use the force add link provided below. A force add request does not guarantee placement in the course. Construction Engineering and Management can only force add Construction Engineering and Management classes. If you need to force add a Civil & Environmental Engineering Class, click here.
University Policy 91 states that Virginia Tech students must make satisfactory progress toward degree completion. In-major and overall GPA required to graduate is 2.0. It’s intended to encourage students to improve their performance or switch majors before they invest time and money in a degree they may not finish.
- Upon having attempted 72 credit hours (entering as freshman) or 90 credit hours (entering as transfer), a student must successfully complete BC 2114, 2214, MATH 1225, and PHYS 2205/2215. Students who do not meet the requirements will be notified upon reaching 72 credit hours (or 90 credit hours for transfer students) that they must complete any missing courses before being allowed to continue into the upper-level BC courses. (Upper-level courses are all 3000 and 4000-level BC courses.) Students will have two terms of enrollment to rectify any deficiencies. Failure to complete these pivotal courses within 2 semesters will result in the student being required to transfer out of the major. This policy is strictly enforced.
- Upon completion of 48 credits, students must have completed CEM 2104 (minimum C- grade).
- Upon completion of 80 credits, students must have completed CEM 2824 and ESM 2204 (minimum C- grade) and have both an overall and in-major GPA of 2.0.
- Policy 91 suspension is a permanent suspension from the CEM program. Students wishing to switch to a different engineering department or college at VT must meet the entrance requirements for their new major. ALL degree-granting engineering majors are restricted and have an entrance requirement that varies each semester between a 2.00 and 3.00 overall GPA for current engineering students.
The Myers-Lawson School of Construction offers $100,000+ in scholarships. Additional information about these scholarships is sent out to students in the spring semester. Students can also find additional scholarships through the College of Engineering and Virginia Tech.
Transferring from Other Virginia Tech Programs
- Learn more about transferring into Building Construction (a non-restricted program) via the Transferring into Building Construction page and into Construction Engineering and Management (a restricted program) via the College of Engineering's Change of Major/Minor page.
Transferring from Other Colleges/Universities
Rules Governing Transfer Credits
A student is welcome to take classes at other institutions as long as he/she gets the course approved by the College of Engineering prior to enrolling in the course. It can take up to 3 weeks for a request to be approved. A student should first look up the other college and the class by visiting the Transfer Equivalency Database to ensure that the class is transferable.
- Credit will not be transferred while a student is on suspension.
- Only courses with a grade of C or better will transfer.
- Only credits transfer; grades do not.
- The course must be offered at an accredited college or university.
- Only courses listed in the Transfer Guide will transfer from Virginia Community Colleges.
- No more than 50% of the credits required for graduation may be transferred from two-year colleges.
- Of the last 45 hours before graduation, a maximum of 18 semester hours may be transfer hours.
- After completion of course(s), student must submit an official transcript to Virginia Tech Registrar.
Links
- Please review Transferrable Courses from Other Colleges/Universities in its entirety before taking any classes elsewhere. There are procedures and forms to ensure the transfer of courses.
- Authorization to Take Courses Elsewhere: Students may request authorization (pre-approval) to take courses at another institution and earn VT transfer credit.
- VT Transfer Guide
Eligibility
It is recommended that students apply for their degree as early as the fall semester of their sophomore year on Hokie SPA. Once this is complete, a student can run a Degree Audit Report (or DARS) through Hokie SPA to see exactly what classes are lacking completion for the degree.
If all of the requirements have a green check mark listed next to them or a blue dash, the student's requirements are complete or in-progress of being completed. If there are any red "X"s next to the student's requirements, the student has unmet requirements and is not ready to graduate or needs to contact their advisor to resolve the unmet requirements.
Students can also view their graduation date at the top of the DARS to make sure the date is accurate.
If your DARS is incorrect, print it out and make an appointment to discuss it with your advisor through Navigate.
Composite Picture
Composite pictures are the class pictures of BC and CEM graduates that you see hanging in the hallways in Bishop-Favrao Hall. Each year's graduating class is featured in a composite picture.
Pictures are taken in March of each year and include Spring, Summer, and Fall graduates of that year. The sitting fee is $21.22. Graduating seniors will receive an email from their advisor asking them to sign up for a day and time to get their picture taken.
Students can purchase individual pictures as well as a composite of their class from the photographer for an additional fee.
Virginia Tech offers accelerated master's programs that allow undergraduate students to begin working toward their master's degree during their final semester or two. If interested, review the program sections below for more information about the accelerated Master's Degree affliated with your program.
College of Engineering
Virginia Tech
Building Construction and Construction Engineering and Management are two distinct, yet complementary, disciplines within the field of construction.
Building Construction primarily focuses on the processes and methods used to assemble and create built structures, emphasizing project management and practical application.
Construction Engineering and Management blends math, science, and interpersonal skills to design, plan, and build construction projects. It involves both office and field work, and is as much about strategic management and digital technology as it is about the physical construction process.
Most importantly, CEM students must be admitted to the College of Engineering and take a series of Civil Engineering courses to better understand structures. This also allows CEM students to take the Fundamentals of Engineering exam during their senior year which allows the students to become Professional Engineers and grants them the ability to design the buildings and evaluate the structures.
Both the Building Construction and Construction Engineering and Management programs offer a robust curriculum designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the construction industry.
In Building Construction, courses delve deep into the practical and theoretical aspects of constructing built structures, project management, and construction techniques. It combines foundational courses with advanced electives to prepare students for a broad spectrum of roles in the industry.
In Construction Engineering and Management, coursework focuses on blending established excellence from the Via Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Building Construction, in addition to specialized courses created by Construction Engineering and Management.
In both programs, classroom instruction is reinforced by instructional laboratories, field trips, and guest lectures by leading construction professionals. We strive to employ the latest educational technology and innovative teaching methods to ensure a comprehensive learning experience.
Every student within Building Construction and Construction Engineering and Management is assigned an academic advisor. These advisors play a crucial role in guiding students throughout their academic journey, helping ensure they stay on track for graduation. We recommend students meet with their advisor at least once a semester to review their progress, discuss their plans, and address any concerns.
Yes, students in the Myers-Lawson School of Construction are encouraged to participate in paid summer internships. These internships offer a valuable opportunity to apply the concepts learned in the classroom in real-world situations, gaining practical experience and understanding of the construction industry. We highly recommend all students to take part in professional work experience prior to graduation. Talk to your advisor and explore our Careers page to learn more.
Absolutely! We believe in the value of extracurricular involvement and community service. To that end, there are a variety of student organizations related to the Building Construction and Construction Engineering and Management majors. These organizations not only provide opportunities for networking and skill development, but also allow students to contribute to their communities and the wider industry. We encourage students to explore these opportunities via our Student Groups page and Student Ambassadors page and get involved in areas that align with their interests and career goals.
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Gary Kinder , bioSenior Academic Advisor and First Year Experience Faculty, Building Construction
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Shelton Norwood , bioAcademic Advisor (Transfer and First/Second Year Advisor), Building Construction
Please use the University Checksheets to ensure you take all classes needed to graduate. Graduation requirements are determined by the academic year you entered the university. Students must complete all degree requirements and university obligations for degree completion.
The Department of Building Construction offers an accelerated undergraduate/graduate degree in Building Construction. With this program, 12 credits of graded coursework may be counted towards both degrees.
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Sharon Williams , bioAcademic Advisor, Construction Engineering and Management
Click here to see Sharon's availability and schedule an appointment. Construction Engineering and Management requires mandatory advising each semester. This is critical to student success and may include both academic and career advising.
Use the University Checksheets to ensure you take all classes needed to graduate with a Construction Engineering and Management degree. View Checksheets here.
Construction Engineering and Management requires mandatory advising each semester. This is critical to student success and may include both academic and career advising.
Construction Engineering and Management conducts ‘Tutoring Tuesday’ each Tuesday from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. on Bishop-Favrao Hall's third floor for CEM and BC courses, as well as other courses taken by students in the program including Statics and Mechanics of Deforms. VT Tutoring, Math Tutoring, and Civil and Environmental Engineering Tutoring.
Virginia Tech offers accelerated master’s programs where students can complete a M.S. degree in one calendar year. CEM students primarily participate in two different graduate programs: Building Construction Science Management or Vecellio Construction Engineering and Management.