Our History
The Construction Management program at Colorado State University is one of the top-ranked programs in the nation. Since its inception in 1946, more than 6,000 students have graduated, many of them going on to become leaders in their field as presidents and CEOs of major construction companies. The program is accredited by the American Council for Construction Education.
Our academic program is interdisciplinary, with course requirements in business, engineering, and the humanities as well as the applied courses in construction science and construction management. Our focus is on the integration of management systems and other technologies into the construction process. These requirements provide a wide scope of educational experiences that create a broad range of career options for graduates.
Visit the sixtieth anniversary of the Department of Construction Management’s commemorative booklet, “Celebrating the Past, Building the Future,” A Historical Perspective of Construction Education at Colorado State University from 1946 to 2006.
Historical Highlights by Decade
1940s
1946: In response to a study that concluded that the building industry required more and better-trained manpower, industry partners provide funds to Colorado A&M to establish the college’s first interdepartmental degree program: Light Construction and Marketing.
1949: The first class of 10 Light Construction and Marketing students graduates.
1950s
1957: Colorado A&M College becomes Colorado State University. The Light Construction and Marketing program moves from the College of Engineering to the College of Sciences and Arts.
1959: An internal advisory committee is formed and renames the program Industrial-Construction Management. Within three years, program enrollment triples.
1960s
1962: James W. Young becomes the first full-time construction education professor hired specifically from industry. Young increases industry liaisons, initiates numerous curriculum changes, and is the founding member of the Associated Schools of Construction.
1970s
1977: The Department of Industrial Sciences and the ICM program move into Guggenheim Hall, whose classic columns and elegant architecture is home to today’s Department of Construction Management.
1979: The American Council of Construction Education is established to promote, support, and accredit construction education programs that exceed the council’s rigorous standards.
1980s
1985: Colorado State’s ICM program receives its first accreditation from ACCE.
1987: ICM program is renamed Construction Management and becomes part of the new College of Applied Human Sciences in 1988.
1990s
1996: The Professional Advisory Development Board is established, and CM’s 50-year anniversary gala takes place.
2000s
2002: The Phelps Internship Placement Program is established, placing students in required construction industry internships.
2003: A Colorado State/construction industry partnership results in successful remodeling of Guggenheim Hall using sustainable building practices.
2004: Construction Management’s first Ram Built Gala raises more than $30,000 for the James Parnell Student Development Fund.
2006: Construction Management awards degrees to 205 graduating students. A new, industry-supported Asphalt Laboratory opens in the fall. Construction Management pursues funding an endowment to bring a heavy civil focus to the curriculum.
2008: Construction Management establishes an enrollment cap and academic pre-qualification standards to enhance the quality of education provided to students.
2009: Construction Management officially opens the Preconstruction Center, a $5 million project sponsored by 170 companies and organizations.
2010s
2010: ACCE awards the program a 6-year accreditation. Construction Management achieves the first phase goal of $0.5 million for the Heavy Civil Chair endowment. CM students petition the University Board of Governors to self-impose a professional fee to support the program.
2011: CM Cares is established, a service-learning program infusing traits of community service, leadership, team building, and ethics through construction-related community service.
2020s
2023: ACCE awards the program a seven-year reaccreditation.