<p>I am going to enroll in MS program in Fall 2012. There are huge differences between these two universities, but I’m still caught in a dilemma.</p>
<p>The program in CMU is Architectural-Construction-Engineering Management. It sounds like a well-rounded program but actually focuses on design, sustainability, and IT, with core courses like Value Based Design, BIM and GIS. This program has no thesis but requires intern in the summer. The faculty comes from School of Architecture and CEE.</p>
<p>The program in UMich is thesis-required Construction Engineering and Management, which is all about construction like my undergraduate studies. The curriculum is more traditional, covering contracting, estimating, scheduling, equipment, etc. But the research is focused on computational visualization which is not my interest. It seems that this program is more established than the program in CMU.</p>
<p>I appreciate the dynamic and interdisciplinary approach in CMU as well as the practical curriculum and prestigious academia in UMich. But as an international student I am not sure about the reputation of these two programs in the industry. I would also like to know more about other facts of life in these two universities, such as surrounding city, study pressure, and intern opportunity regarding civil engineering. Thank you all in advance!</p>