UALR will welcome its first students this fall in two degree programs in the Department of Construction Management and Civil and Construction Engineering. New programs will include a bachelor of science degree in architectural and construction engineering and a master of science degree in construction management.

The new degrees double the programs being offered in the construction management department in UALR’s George W. Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology (EIT).

“UALR is the only public institution of higher education in Arkansas to offer any of these degree programs,” said Dr. Eric Sandgren, dean of the EIT college.

Architectural engineering is the discipline concerned with the planning, design, construction, and operation of buildings intended for human occupancy or habitation. Examples include high-rise and low-rise office buildings, commercial buildings, schools, hospitals, apartment buildings, arenas, stadiums, and more.

The M.S. program in construction management has been designed to educate leaders for the construction industry. The degree will allow professionals in the construction industry to expand their knowledge and enhance their skills, but it will also make it possible for people from other backgrounds to enter the construction industry.

Architectural engineers work closely with architects who develop the overall vision for a building, along with civil engineers who plan and design building sites and foundations. They also work with construction companies that convert the architectural concepts and designs into real buildings.

Civil engineering is a broad discipline that prepares students to plan, design, construct, and operate infrastructure, such as highways, bridges, tunnels, locks, dams, levees, airports, railroads, and water and waste-water treatment.

“Adding these new programs gives UALR students the chance to pursue degrees in high-demand fields and secure a bright future in the workplace,” said Dr. Nickolas S. Jovanovic, program coordinator for the civil and construction engineering and the architectural and construction engineering programs. “This kind of work is done right here in Little Rock but also everywhere else in the world. Designing and constructing new buildings and infrastructure will be necessary, not only to replace existing buildings and infrastructure, but also to support an expanding population, both here and abroad.”