ACCE PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT
Updated: Sep 28
As part of our continued communication effort, we are highlighting specific accredited programs within the ACCE system. These are randomly selected schools, professional development programs, and workforce initiatives. We hope this helps the ACCE community better appreciate the work behind accreditation, reaccreditation, and certification. Enjoy this feature on Colorado State University’s ACCE-accredited Bachelor of Science in Construction Management program.
Colorado State University Construction Management: 80 Years of Building Industry Leaders
For 80 years, Colorado State University's Department of Construction Management has prepared generations of professionals to shape the built environment with skill, integrity, and vision. As the department celebrates its 80th anniversary in 2026, it stands as one of the country's most respected construction management programs—combining academic excellence, hands-on learning, innovative research, and deep industry engagement to prepare graduates for successful careers across the construction industry.
At the heart of the program's long-standing success is its commitment to quality, reflected in its accreditation by the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE). Colorado State University's Bachelor of Science in Construction Management has maintained ACCE accreditation since 1985, reflecting decades of continuous improvement, rigorous academic standards, and alignment with the evolving needs of the construction profession.
Eight Decades of Excellence
Founded in 1946, CSU's Construction Management program was created to meet the growing demand for technically skilled and leadership-oriented construction professionals. Over the past eight decades, the department has graduated more than 6,500 alumni who have become executives, project managers, estimators, superintendents, preconstruction specialists, and industry leaders throughout the United States and around the world.
Today, the program continues to build upon that remarkable legacy by integrating construction science and management, business, engineering fundamentals, sustainability, leadership development, and emerging technologies into a comprehensive educational experience. Over the decades, the program has attracted award-winning faculty who lead the way in teaching, research, and professional service.
Experiential Learning
Colorado State University has long embraced the philosophy that the best construction managers are developed through practical experience as well as classroom instruction.
Students participate in internships, industry-hosted competitions, community-focused service projects through the CM Cares service-learning program, and experiential learning opportunities that allow them to apply classroom concepts to real-world construction challenges.
In fact, 100 percent of Construction Management students complete over 600 hours of structured internship, giving them invaluable professional experience while building relationships with future employers. The program also reports that based on the most recently available statistics, 95 percent of students have career plans secured before graduation, demonstrating the strength of CSU's employer network and industry reputation.
The curriculum prepares graduates in every aspect of construction management and takes a balanced approach that produces graduates ready to contribute immediately upon entering the workforce, with the adaptability needed for long-term career growth.
Inspiring the Next Generation
Each summer, the department hosts the High School Summer Institute, an immersive program that introduces high school students to construction management and related careers through hands-on activities, classroom instruction, and engagement with industry professionals. Created to broaden awareness of career pathways in the built environment, the institute has served more than 220 students over the past nine years. Many participants have gone on to study construction management, engineering, or architecture at Colorado State University and other institutions, helping build a strong pipeline of future talent for the industry.
Strong Industry Partnerships
A hallmark of Colorado State University's Construction Management program is its close partnership with the construction industry.
The department’s Professional Advisory Development Board (PADB) was established in January 2000 to support and promote the program. The PADB comprises representatives from various sectors of the construction industry with a vested interest in continuously improving the program and its graduates. Industry representatives actively participate in recruiting, mentoring, student competitions, guest lectures, and advisory activities that help keep the curriculum aligned with current industry practices. These activities provide students with exceptional networking opportunities while ensuring graduates are prepared to meet the demands of modern construction organizations.
CSU’s Construction Management Department hosts two career fairs each year. What began as a modest event in 1999 has grown into one of the university’s most dynamic and sought-after recruiting platforms, setting new records for both industry and student participation last year.
This collaboration between academia and industry exemplifies the mission shared by both CSU and ACCE: Producing graduates who are ready to lead projects safely, efficiently, ethically, and collaboratively from day one.
The Value of ACCE Accreditation
One defining characteristic of Colorado State University's Construction Management program is its long-standing ACCE accreditation.
For students, ACCE accreditation provides confidence that the curriculum meets nationally recognized standards developed in collaboration with construction educators and industry leaders. ACCE evaluates every accredited program against comprehensive student learning outcomes that ensure graduates have the technical knowledge, communication abilities, ethical foundation, and management skills today's construction employers expect.
For employers, ACCE accreditation serves as a trusted indicator that graduates have completed a rigorous educational program focused on the competencies required for professional success. These competencies include estimating, scheduling, project controls, safety planning, ethics, technology, construction law, sustainability, quality management, and effective leadership—skills that enable graduates to make meaningful contributions from the beginning of their careers.
Accreditation is not simply a one-time achievement. It represents an ongoing commitment to assessment, continuous improvement, faculty engagement, and responsiveness to the changing needs of the construction industry. CSU's accreditation history reflects decades of dedication to maintaining these high standards while continually enhancing the educational experience for its students.
Building Future Leaders
The construction industry continues to evolve rapidly through advances in digital technology, sustainability, artificial intelligence, including robotics, and data-driven project management. Colorado State University's Construction Management program continues to evolve alongside the industry, preparing graduates to embrace innovation while maintaining the leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills that have defined the profession for generations.
As the department celebrates 80 years of excellence, its future is every bit as promising as its past. Experienced faculty, strong industry engagement, experiential learning, and long-standing ACCE accreditation ensure Colorado State University will continue producing construction professionals equipped to lead the next generation of projects that build stronger communities and a better future.
For students seeking a nationally respected education and for employers seeking graduates prepared to make an immediate impact, Colorado State University's ACCE-accredited Construction Management program remains a model of excellence—one that has built industry leaders since 1946 and will continue to do so for decades to come.
That is all for now! More program highlights to come!!
Steve Nellis
President / CEO American Council for Construction Education Steve.Nellis@ACCE-HQ.org www.acce.edu
