Construction management master’s student Bernard Nartey considered Purdue University his “home” long before he ever started graduate school. His wife is an alum, his son goes to Purdue, and, as a resident of West Lafayette, Indiana, Nartey is surrounded by Boilermaker pride. Visiting campus reminds him of the great work that’s happening at Purdue.
“The campus is very beautiful and grand,” Nartey said. “Just walking around, you get the sense that this is a very accomplished place.”
Nartey, who’s a professional project manager and civil engineer, has long been drawn to Purdue’s legacy as a top engineering institution with a reputation for innovative thinking. He considers himself a life-long learner who knows how to combine academic thinking with practical application. When he started thinking about possible graduate program options, he was convinced Purdue would be a great fit.
“I knew Purdue would match what I was looking for in terms of academic rigor.” Nartey said. “I just had to find the right program.”
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After browsing Purdue webpages, Nartey found the university’s online Master of Science in Construction Management program. Since Nartey’s job was in project management, he figured the program could give him some new perspectives on the field and more knowledge about the construction industry specifically. And since the flexible program was fully online, Nartey could keep working. Plus, his company offered to pay his tuition costs.
“Logistically, it made a lot of sense,” Nartey said. “It was a chance to get a new perspective on the field and learn the most modern trends and techniques available.”
Nartey had pursued a master’s in project management before at the University of Pretoria in South Africa, but he didn’t complete the program. Studying at Purdue was another chance to complete his master’s and distinguish himself in the fast-moving field of project management.
“Project management is very competitive,” Nartey said. “The field is changing all the time, particularly from a technological perspective.”
At Purdue, Nartey learned about emergent trends in construction management that will be crucial for the future. One of his classes, for example, focused on sustainability in construction. Another class focused on lean construction technology, a trend that’s making a big impact. He’s also taken coursework in coaching and mentoring. All of his classes have been readily applicable to his career as a project manager.
“The application is very clear,” Nartey said. “I’m currently developing a program for training and mentoring, so I’m using some of the concepts I’ve learned about training and mentoring at Purdue to help develop that program.”
Though Nartey is taking classes online, he doesn't see the program as different from an on-campus program. He is always able to interact with his professors and other classmates, and the quality of the instruction is identical to Purdue’s on-campus courses.
“I was surprised by how engaging and easy to follow all the online instruction videos were,” Nartey said. “And it’s easy to get feedback on assignments – all my professors are very responsive and generous when it comes to offering feedback. There’s no sacrifice in terms of quality.”
Nartey plans to graduate in December of 2023. As for what’s next, he has multiple goals in mind. Completing Purdue’s program gave him practical skills he can see himself using in his current career, but it also reaffirmed his commitment to being a life-long learner. In the future, he’d like to pursue a doctorate degree – hopefully also at Purdue – and go into research.
“My ultimate dream is to be able to combine academic research with industry work and be able to teach classes and do private consulting at the same time,” Nartey said. “Purdue has given me the opportunity to continue my educational journey and move closer to that goal.”
For more information about Purdue’s 100% online Master of Science in Construction Management, please visit the program’s webpage.
