This fall, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s College of Engineering is rolling out three new academic concentrations, each designed to meet the shifting demands of today’s job market. These additions are part of a broader strategic effort to prepare students for high-demand fields that are growing rapidly and require specialized expertise. As per this new release from ULL, students enrolled in the engineering and technology management program can now choose concentrations in construction management and manufacturing management, while civil engineering majors can pursue a concentration in structural engineering and coastal hazards.
According to Dr. Ahmed Khattab, dean of the College of Engineering, these new concentrations reflect the college’s commitment to aligning educational opportunities with the real-world needs of industry and society. He emphasized that each addition is carefully planned to strengthen the employability and leadership potential of graduates. Since 2020, the college has introduced a total of 11 new concentrations, showing a strong dedication to evolving alongside the workforce.
Dr. Khattab explained that the newest concentrations aim to give students an edge in sectors that are expanding faster than the national average. By equipping graduates with targeted technical knowledge, hands-on training, and critical leadership skills, the college is preparing them to confront complex engineering challenges and contribute meaningfully to society.
One of the new offerings, the manufacturing management concentration, is designed to support the future of advanced manufacturing. This program blends technical training with managerial instruction, preparing students for a wide array of career paths. Graduates will be qualified for roles such as manufacturing specialist, plant manager, product manager, production designer, and industrial production supervisor.
The curriculum emphasizes practical and emerging topics that are highly relevant in today’s manufacturing world. Students will engage with applied mechatronics, robotics for advanced manufacturing, facility planning, supply chain management, manufacturing processes, programmable control systems technology, and industrial safety and operations. The goal is to ensure graduates are well-prepared not just to work in the field, but to lead.
Similarly, the construction management concentration is crafted to provide students with hands-on experience and leadership development in construction. This concentration covers every major stage of the construction process and readies students for critical roles such as project manager, estimator, scheduler, controls specialist, and construction safety expert.
Coursework in this concentration covers a wide range of industry-relevant topics, including construction materials and methods, building information modeling (BIM), cost estimation and budgeting, project planning and control, industrial and construction safety, and professional communication and teamwork. By immersing students in these areas, the program seeks to create graduates who are well-rounded and ready to take on the demands of modern construction projects.
The third new concentration, structural engineering and coastal hazards, focuses on a growing national priority: infrastructure resilience. This concentration prepares civil engineering students to work on some of the most urgent engineering challenges of our time, including designing hurricane-resistant buildings and protecting vulnerable coastlines from erosion.
Students in this concentration will take courses in structural mechanics, steel and bridge design, reinforced concrete, resilient structures, and structural engineering design. They will also study wind engineering and coastal hazards in depth. These areas of focus will help graduates play essential roles in improving the economic and environmental sustainability of coastal communities, which are increasingly at risk due to climate change and severe weather events.
By offering these new concentrations, the College of Engineering is not only addressing current workforce needs but also anticipating future ones. The integration of leadership training with deep technical expertise ensures that graduates are not only job-ready but also capable of stepping into key decision-making roles in their industries.
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