TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama College of Engineering will offer a new construction engineering program, beginning this fall, to meet the growing needs of the industry. The program, approved by the UA Board of Trustees today, will begin accepting students for August 2006.

“We’re extremely excited about our new construction engineering program,” said Dr. Chuck Karr, dean of the UA College of Engineering. “This program will definitely satisfy a need that exists in the state. We believe that it will be a tremendous asset for the young people in Alabama who are interested in construction engineering, the citizens who depend heavily on Alabama growth and development, and the construction industry, which is so important to the future of our state.”

Leaders in the construction engineering industry have expressed their desire for UA to launch this program and have said the impact will be far-reaching.

“Alabama is unique in that we have a large group of construction firms that are continually hiring and looking for more educated construction graduates,” said Thomas Doster III, chairman of Doster Construction Co. Inc. “I see this program benefiting The University of Alabama, the students, and the construction industry. The students graduating from the program will be highly marketable and in demand because of their specialized training and experience.”

UA construction engineering students will be required to complete 67 hours in the major. Two key features of the program are a required internship or co-op experience in the construction industry prior to a student’s senior year and a culminating construction engineering management project in the last semester.

“The culminating project will be developed with an industrial partner, and students will interact with the industrial partner throughout the course,” said Dr. Ken Fridley, professor and head of civil, construction and environmental engineering. “At the conclusion of the course, the students will be required to present their culminating and comprehensive design project to an industrial board.”

With these experiences, in tandem with traditional classroom instruction, Fridley said graduates will be well prepared to enter the construction industry and have an immediate impact.

“This program will provide wonderful opportunities for students, and we are confident that our investment in the program will pay tremendous dividends,” said Karr.

For more information, contact the department of civil, construction and environmental engineering, 205/348-6550.

In 1837, The University of Alabama became the first university in the state to offer engineering classes and was one of the first five in the nation to do so. Today, the College of Engineering has about 1,800 students and more than 95 faculty. It has been fully accredited since accreditation standards were implemented in the 1930s.