Posted April 07, 2008

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee -- The University of Tennesse at Chattanooga will begin offering a degree in construction management beginning this fall, according to an announcement made by UTC on April 7.

The degree program represents a partnership between the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of East Tennessee and the UTC College of Engineering and Computer Science.

The construction industry is the second largest employer in the nation.  Of the 116 million workers in the U.S., more than 6 million workers or 5.1 percent are employed in the construction industry.  (US Dept of Labor)

Over the next ten years, the demand for construction services will be astronomical.  The United States will need to replace 375,000 bridges as part of $360 billion spent on roadwork.  Mass transit will need $72 billion worth of construction.  The nation's infrastructure will use $3.3 trillion in construction and related services.  We will need to repair or renovate one out of three schools at a cost of $60 billion.  (Associated General Contractors of America 2004)

Members of the Chattanooga construction industry--comprised of contractors, developers, architects, and affiliates--have had a strong desire for a four-year degree program in Construction Management to educate future construction managers, superintendents, estimators, and business owners.

Currently, no colleges or universities in the state of Tennessee offer a baccalaureate or graduate program in Construction Management.

The B.S. in Engineering Technology Management (ETM) with the concentration in Construction Management at UTC will provide graduates with the knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors that are valued and sought by the construction industry both locally and regionally. The new program also can be taken as a 2+2 degree program with the Chattanooga State and Cleveland State Community Colleges

Associated General Contractors (AGC) of East Tennessee is the major sponsor of this program. A three-year grant of $150,000 from AGC of East Tennessee will be used to hire a faculty member in the Construction Management or related area to develop and teach most of the specialty courses.  AGC of East Tennessee will also provide scholarships for qualified students who want to pursue a degree in Construction Management.

For more information about the new degree program contact Cindy Carroll, 423-425-4363 or cindy-carroll@utc.edu.

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