The first cohort of students in the online Masters in Construction Business (MCB) program is now in their second semester. The program, which has been ranked #2 nationally by Online Master’s Degrees, has proven to be a great success. The MCB degree blends courses from the Gibbs College of Architecture’s Haskell and Irene Lemon Division of Construction Science and the Price College of Business. It is designed to provide students with knowledge and skills in executive business processes in the context of construction management.
The program is designed to be completed in 16 months and it is almost completely online, allowing great flexibility for students with busy careers. Created in order to bring students together that have some professional experience related to the planning, design, and construction industry and build on the knowledge gained in the workplace, the Construction Business Program helps students develop executive business skills in the context of construction management while gaining valuable real-world experience along the way. Because students all have professional experience of some kind, they are able to learn from each other as well as their instructors.
Sarkis Hakopyan
When interviewed about why he chose the program, Sarkis Hakopyan said, “USC had a project management Master’s that’s online. It’s kind of designed around working individuals. But it wasn’t what Oklahoma had, where they merged the Master’s [in Business] program and Construction Management to one curriculum, which I thought was unique. And at least from my research, Oklahoma was the only school that offered that.”
Sarkis, who has been working in the construction industry for nearly nine years, said he was interested in pursuing a Masters in Construction Business because, “there’s certain things in the construction trades, and even just management in general, where the philosophies and management strategies have changed. And I feel like what I learned 10 years ago, I would say a majority of it still applies, but I think there’s a lot of room for me to improve, and build on my foundation of knowledge and build on my experience. And, you know, I also think it helps me grow from a professional standpoint. […] And it supplements what I already know today, right? I mean, for example, we just took classes on leadership and investments, right? I didn’t take leadership and investments when I was studying construction management at Cal State Northridge. So there are certain things that I feel helped me grow […] make me a better leader in the workplace.”
Patrick Houlehan
Patrick Houlehan, another MCB student who has been working in the construction industry for more than nine years and is currently a Project Superintendent, spoke on how exciting it is to work with students from across the country, “I think that’s been the most interesting thing is meeting people in the program that are also balancing work, personal lives, and school, and getting to learn what they do. Through group projects and class discussions, we get to share approaches and perspectives to complete our work. There are people spread across the country, which brings different backgrounds and experiences to the program (Owners Reps, Designers, General Contractors, Subcontractors, Suppliers, Business Owners) and that’s something I have enjoyed learning.”
Patrick, who travels often for work which has included several NCAA facilities throughout the country, also noted the online flexibility of the MCB program was key and helped the University of Oklahoma program stand out from others.
Gibbs College is incredibly proud to host the MCB program and its impressive students. If you are interested in learning more or applying to the MCB program, click the link below.
Petya Stefanoff, Chair of the Educational Committee with the American Planning Association, Oklahoma Chapter (APA-OK) and Gibbs College PhD candidate, has developed a new training program for local government officials. The program, focused on land use, zoning principles, and land development, recently certified its first graduates with Certified Citizen Planner status.
Gibbs Construction Science and Architecture students recently traveled to Dublin, Ireland, to compete in the Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) Region 8 Student Competition. The team partnered with Czech Technical University and secured third place in the Design-Build category.
Gibbs College is pleased to present the exhibition Vollendorf in Oklahoma: The Architecture of Dean Bryant Vollendorf during the Spring 2026 semester. It will be on display in Gould Hall, on the OU-Norman Campus, from February 16, 2026 - March 13, 2026.
