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Contact: Julie Navejar
kajam03@tamuk.edu or 361-593-2590

Board of Regents approves architectural engineering bachelor's degree

KINGSVILLE (April 1, 2005) — The Board of Regents of The Texas A&M University System unanimously approved the request to establish a new Bachelor of Science degree in architectural engineering, divide the department of environmental and civil engineering and establish a new department of civil and architectural engineering at Texas A&M University-Kingsville.

“The approval of the bachelor of science degree in architectural engineering by the Board of Regents is another milestone for this university and the Frank H. Dotterweich College of Engineering in particular,” said Dr. Rumaldo Z. Juárez, A&M-Kingsville president.

The next step will be getting approval from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. It will take the THECB approximately two months to give the go-ahead, and the department will be ready to go this fall.

A&M-Kingsville currently offers six baccalaureate degree programs in engineering, which include chemical, natural gas, electrical, civil, mechanical and industrial.

The new department of civil and architectural engineering will be housed within the new engineering building.

The mission of the BS degree program in architectural engineering is to prepare students to assume the necessary design experience in the building industry to become registered engineers with a specialization in Building Architectural Engineering, and to instill in them the importance of lifelong learning, including pursuing advanced studies leading to graduate degrees.

The program will develop engineering graduates with a broad understanding of the problem-solving and design skills necessary to operate in the interdisciplinary arena of architectural engineering. It also will provide candidates with the knowledge and skills of mathematics, science and engineering necessary to pursue post-baccalaureate studies.

In order to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in architectural engineering, students must complete 131 semester credit hours in general education, required, prescribed elective and elective courses. Seventy-seven hours of required courses will include architectural engineering, general engineering, mathematics and science. Students will choose six hours for prescribed elective courses from structural engineering, construction engineering and project management or services engineering courses.

Students also will be encouraged to seek optional non-academic credit summer internships with architectural firms or corporations.

During their last semester, students may take the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam, which is the first step towards becoming a licensed professional engineer.

After earning a bachelor’s degree, graduates become professional engineers by completing the required work experience and state licensing examinations.

Currently, there is only one baccalaureate program in architectural engineering in Texas. It is offered at the University of Texas at Austin and is accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET.)

The estimated cost for the first five years of the new program is $951,600. Funding will be provided by formula funding years three through five of the program with additional funding provided by the Higher Education Assistance Fund, the Texas Engineering Experiment Station extramural funding and the reallocation of existing funds.

“We are extremely proud of Dr. Hector Estrada, associate professor and coordinator of the civil engineering program and the other faculty in civil engineering for having initiated this new program that is in great demand for training these types of professional engineers,” said Juárez.

For more information, call 361-593-3046.

This page last updated 4 April, 2005