Construction Management Masters personal statement

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Published: 7th October 2021
Word count: 989 words
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My interest in art, design and construction began as early as during my secondary school days. In 2006, as a 15-year old kid, I visited Delhi and Agra with my parents and was fascinated by the beautiful structures of monuments like the TajMahal in Agra, and Humayun’s Tomb and Red Fort in Delhi. The intricate carvings, the apparently seamless construction, and the imposing pillars and walls made a deep impact on me. Thereafter, I began paying more attention to buildings and structures around me, appreciating some, criticizing others, even improvising a few in my head, and with each passing year, my craving to produce beautiful buildings to shape the skyline of modern cities influenced me to be an Architect.

The next few years gave me a thorough foundation of knowledge in architecture and design. With deep interest I studied Design, Construction, Estimation and Specification, and Building Services that were part of the curriculum. I especially enjoyed working on a real life residential project, which was my first real life project under the guidance of Prof.Akshat Garg, during my third year that familiarized me with all phases of the construction process. During my final year, as my thesis project I have designed Indo-Bangladesh Border Haat(place where both countries sell their products)which allowed me to study about various sustainable materials and design and also help me to learn about the project estimation in detail.

Apart from academics, I was actively involved in several committees and participated in many students’ design competitions during my undergraduate studies that infused in me a sense of leadership and team spirit. In Arch venture2011, an intra college design competition I received 2nd and 3rd prizes in two design events. I had also participated in Transparence 2014 design competition, conducted by Ethos IGBC (Indian Green Building Council) in a team of two, where I lead our team till semi final round from among 250 groups. As team leader and Union President of NASA (National Association of Students of Architecture) and ZO-NASA for our college during 2011-2013, I had organized and participated in several seminars and workshops and closely interacted with enthusiastic youngsters and eminent architects which helped me to gain new concepts and ideas about different topics. Among the various seminars I attended one seminar in particular, held during ZO-NASA2013, and organized by Sunderdeep College of Architecture on Construction Management, made me realize the significance of management during construction. Attending this seminar boosted my already strong desire to implement the fundamental principles of Planning, Design and Construction, and motivated me to seek a formal management course in Construction.

My internship at “Vaastu-Mandala” a renowned architectural consultancy firm during 4thyear of under graduation (2013-2014) was another strong motivator. During the yearlong practical training I received there, I continued to add to my design knowledge through projects related to planning a three-storied residential building, a commercial building, and a hospital. The internship was an important learning experience enriching my skills in site planning and detailing as well as electrical, plumbing, and working drawings that enabled me to resolve real-time problems and understand the hands-on actual execution of every project. It was during this period I realized that the term “Construction” is not restricted to only men, materials, and machines, but also refers to efficient and effective management to complete the entire project from conception to realization.

After graduating in 2015, I got the opportunity to work at Trestle Consulting in Bangalore under Ar. Jitendra Jhangiani, where I am currently involved in several international projects like a 120-bedded hospital in Iraq, national projects like a 250-bedded hospital in Coimbatore, interior designing of a restaurant in Bangalore, to name a few. Under Ar. Jhangiani’s guidance, I have learned how to execute the project single-handedly from the conception stage to the finalization of construction, adhering to strict deadlines, and how to maintain proper coordination with multiple consultants and vendors.I have performed a variety of tasks ranging from drafting and designing to site supervising, and have grown to understand the importance of management in the process of construction. This experience has greatly increased my confidence to work in this field of construction and given a direction for my interest in management. As an architect, I was able to deal with the design aspect of the process of construction of a building, but beyond that I could feel the lacunae, especially when it came to actual management.

A Masters in Construction Management will give me exposure to the multidimensional facets of the construction business. It will broaden my perspective to include aspects like contract management and equip me with the knowledge and skills to be a successful manager in the future. Incidentally, the need to fill top managerial positions in the construction industry is on a steep rise, which has reinforced my decision to pursue a research-oriented career in construction management.

The course curriculum of Master in Construction Management at the Colorado State University is tailor-made for me and fittingly matches my pursuits. I eagerly want to learn subjects like Construction Estimating, Sustainable practices in design and construction, Construction Project Scheduling and cost control through this course and also aspire to be part of the research program on sustainable development, design and construction under the expert mentorship of Professor Rodolfo Valdes-Vasquez. I believe that being associated with such recognized faculty will serve as an ideal opportunity to acquire knowledge about the intricacies of this field.

With the demand for constructions ever increasing right from medieval age, my eventual goal is to pursue a research career in construction management by gaining experience in leadership and team building. After graduating, I want to become a certified construction manager and want to gain experience on commercial and institutional building with a focus on integrating sustainable and eco-friendly design concepts into building. I therefore sincerely look forward to being part of the illustrious academic community of Colorado State University for a challenging and yet fulfilling journey.

Why this example works — strengths and ways to improve

Your statement traces a credible path from architecture student to practising architect seeking management training, and your professional experience is its strongest asset. It is weakened by a long, generic opening, activity listing with little reflection on what management problems you actually met, an unclear goal mixing research and practice, and recurring grammatical slips.

Subject motivation

I could feel the lacunae, especially when it came to actual management

This is your most convincing motivation, rooted in professional experience. However, you never name a specific management gap you encountered, such as a delay, a cost overrun or a coordination failure. The Taj Mahal opening explains your interest in architecture, not construction management, and takes space that this real motivation deserves.

Academic preparation

I have designed Indo-Bangladesh Border Haat

The thesis is relevant because it involved sustainable materials and detailed estimation, which link directly to the CSU modules you name. You could say what estimation methods you used or what you learned about cost. The list of subjects 'studied with deep interest' shows coverage rather than understanding.

Evidence and reflection

not restricted to only men, materials, and machines

This is a genuine insight, but it stays abstract. Phrases like 'enabled me to resolve real-time problems' and 'infused in me a sense of leadership' are skill claims without an example. One concrete problem, what you did about it and what it taught you would carry more weight than several such phrases.

Relevant experience

maintain proper coordination with multiple consultants and vendors

Your work on the hospital projects is strong, relevant evidence and suits a management master's well. Explaining one coordination or deadline challenge on the Iraq or Coimbatore hospital in some detail would show your management thinking directly. The NASA union presidency could also show organising skill if you described it concretely.

Credibility and voice

I have learned how to execute the project single-handedly

Claiming you have learned to run projects 'single-handedly' sits uneasily with your stated management gap and may read as overstated for an early-career architect. The 'steep rise' in managerial demand is asserted without support, and 'medieval age' feels forced. Measured claims would read as more credible.

Structure and format

pursue a research-oriented career in construction management

The chronological order is clear, but your ending contradicts itself by proposing both a research career and certified practice. Choose one goal or explain how the two connect. Proofreading is needed, for example 'lead' should be 'led', 'help me to learn' should be 'helped me learn', and several words have missing spaces.

What you’ve done well

Your hospital projects at Trestle Consulting give you concrete, sector-relevant evidence of working across the project lifecycle.
Your university fit is specific: the modules you name and Professor Valdes-Vasquez's sustainability research connect plausibly to your thesis interests.

How this draft could improve

Shorten the monuments opening and the competition list. Use that space to describe one specific management problem from your work and how it showed you what you need to learn.
Clarify whether your aim is research or professional practice, and keep the conclusion consistent with that choice.
Proofread for tense errors, missing spaces and unsupported claims such as the 'steep rise' in demand and 'single-handedly'.

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