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News Release
Contacts: Robert T. Tad Perry, Executive Director
Janelle Toman, Director of Information & Institutional Research
T: 605.773.3455
F: 605.773.5320
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, June 26, 2009
SDSU Given Approval to Offer Architecture Programs
PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota State University was given the green light Friday by the Board of Regents to develop a course of study leading to a master’s degree in architecture and a parallel undergraduate degree in architectural studies.
The accredited master of architecture degree is the national standard for licensing of architects. Demand for licensed architects is growing, and regents’ officials said creating the architecture degree in South Dakota is viewed as a major factor in supporting sustained economic growth in South Dakota.
“South Dakotans who wish to pursue an architecture degree right now must leave the state, making it difficult to recruit them back as either interns or licensed architects,” said Regents’ President Terry Baloun. Baloun said the new program also will provide quality professional development opportunities for the state’s current architects, who must meet continuing education requirements to maintain licensure.
University officials will not request new state resources from the legislature, instead funding the new programs through internal reallocations, donations, and student fees. A request for new fees to support the architecture programs will be made next spring when other fees are set by the regents.
SDSU expects about 60 pre-architecture freshmen to enroll in the fall of 2010. It is projected that slightly more than half of those will be admitted to the bachelor degree program in architectural studies a year later. The university expects to begin with 15 students in the master of architecture program in the fall of 2014, and to graduate about the same number with their master’s degrees by 2016.
· In other action involving SDSU, the regents Friday approved two new certificate programs, one in management foundations and another in systems management. These 12-hour certificate programs are targeted to working professionals in a variety of managerial positions across South Dakota. Both programs will be available to students starting this fall.
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