CEM620: Managing Construction Projects and the Offsite Interface

Module code: CEM620

Module provider: School of Construction Management and Engineering, School of Built Environment

Credits: 20

ECTS credits: 10

Level: 7

When you’ll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Dr Shabnam Kabiri, email: s.kabiri@reading.ac.uk

Module co-convenor: Irem Dikmen, email: i.dikmen@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2026/7

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 25 March 2026

Overview

Module aims and purpose

To provide an explanation of project management techniques and an understanding of how offsite construction is applied through DfMA process and  its challenges. The emphasis is on achieving delivery within specified targets relating to cost, time, quality and risk, whilst recognising the effects of offsite and robotics interface. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:  

1. Critically analyse implementation of project management tools, such as time, cost, quality and health and safety, in project delivery objectives.  
2. Understand offsite construction and the application of different theories in the dynamics involved in these modes of construction deliveries.  
3. Evaluate the effects of construction robotics and their interactions with site professionals.
4. Understand uncertainty, risk and complexity in construction projects and impacts on project success.
5. Learn risk identification, assessment and mitigation principles and methods to prepare a risk management plan.
6. Understand impacts of climate change on construction projects and strategies for resilience.  

Module content

The course will consist of lectures and seminars with directed reading. The topics to be covered are:  

• Project management: programme and project control, cost control, quality control, resource management, schedule compression, logistics and Earned Value Management (EVM).   
• Project leadership, project managers and team dynamics. 
• Health and safety practices in construction projects.
• Process of design for manufacture and assembly (DfMA) and various off-site interfaces.  
• Construction robotics and the site interactions.
• The effects of offsite construction on role enactments in construction projects.   
• Project risk management – introduction, definitions and methods
• Managing risk and complexity in international construction, and megaprojects
• Applications of risk management methods and tools in case projects
• Emerging risks in construction – climate and geopolitical trends

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The teaching is through lectures and seminars, augmented with guided independent study.   

Study hours

At least 30 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 50% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The below information applies to all full time and flexible modular students on taught PGT programmes in SBE. 

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline, excluding self-certified extensions): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each calendar day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three calendar days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Level 3 (i.e. foundation modules for Part 0) and Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline, excluding self-certified extensions), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline, excluding self-certified extensions): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three calendar days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline, excluding self-certified extensions): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline, excluding self-certified extensions): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

Where a piece of work is submitted late after a deadline which has been revised owing to a self-certified extension, it will be subject to the maximum penalty (i.e. considered to be more that three calendar days late).

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

The students will carry out two pieces of work, both as group works, during the teaching weeks to apply the theories they have learned in those weeks. Formative feedback will be provided to the students whilst they are carrying out the tasks.  

Reassessment

Additional costs