Beginning in the fall 2020 semester, the University of New Orleans will enroll students in the state’s first bachelor’s degree program in urban construction management. The program will focus on urban residential and commercial development, coupled with rehabilitation and restoration of existing infrastructure and historic preservation.

“This program was developed in direct response to the demand from the local construction industry,” said Taskin Kocak, dean of the College of Engineering. “As such, the curriculum includes an experiential component through internships, increased soft skills-building courses and modern construction technology embedded into the courses and labs.”

Graduates of the program will be able to understand different urban residential and commercial construction techniques; evaluate sustainability principles in planning, design and construction of an urban construction project; manage an urban construction project effectively; and formulate restoration plans and manage the rehabilitation of historic structures. 

“GNO, Inc. is thrilled to continue supporting the UNO urban construction management degree program with our regional industry partners. The new offering was created through our GNOu program—GNO, Inc.’s signature workforce initiative to connect employers with higher education institutions. Utilizing GNOu, nearly 20 construction companies across the region worked with UNO to design a program reflecting their hiring needs and industry trends,” said Michael Hecht, president and CEO of GNO, Inc. “As a result of this collaborative effort, UNO students will have a pipeline to high-paying jobs with some of the region’s largest employers; employers will have a pipeline of talent from a local university; and the region will have a stronger labor base. This type of ‘triple-win’ is the goal of GNOu, and we congratulate UNO on their lead role.”

Urban construction management becomes the fifth bachelor’s degree program offered by the University of New Orleans’ College of Engineering. It has the only civil and environmental engineering, mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering programs in metro New Orleans, and one of a handful of naval architecture and marine engineering programs in the country. 

“We are grateful for the collaboration and support of GNO, Inc. and our industry partners who helped us build this in-demand degree program, which will benefit our students and our region,” said UNO President John Nicklow. 

To request information on the urban construction management program, or to apply, click here.