The American Institute of Constructors (AIC) is proud to spotlight the success of our long‑standing academic partners, Louisiana State University (LSU) and the Bert S. Turner Department of Construction Management.

This distinguished LSU Construction Management program has set a high bar for higher education in both preparing students for high‑demand careers and driving innovation across the construction industry.

From expanding capacity with a new School of Construction to earning top honors in national competition, LSU is demonstrating what it looks like when a program puts professionalism, construction ethics, and real‑world readiness at the center of its mission.

LSU New School Of Construction: Meeting Workforce Demand And Driving Innovation

As announced by the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE), LSU is in the process of transforming its construction management department into the LSU School of Construction. This move reflects both the scale of the program and the growing demand for qualified construction professionals.

This planned transition is designed to accomplish several important goals for students and the industry:

• Prepare more students for in‑demand careers in construction management, project leadership, and related fields
• Deepen industry engagement through stronger partnerships with contractors, owners, and professional organizations
• Advance research and innovation that addresses real challenges in safety, sustainability, technology, and project delivery

By elevating construction management into a dedicated school, LSU is signaling to students, employers, and the broader industry that construction is a critical, knowledge‑driven profession – not simply a trade learned on the job. This initiative aligns with our mission to advance construction professionalism and ethics wherever projects are built.

“We’re #1” – LSU Wins 2026 Construction Management Competition

In addition to its strategic growth, the Construction Management students at LSU recently earned national recognition. In March 2026, LSU ranked No. 1 in a national construction management student competition, affirming the strength of its curriculum, faculty mentorship, and student preparation.

This national result reflected several strengths in how LSU prepares its students:

• The ability to analyze complex project scenarios under time pressure
• A strong command of core construction management principles
• Professional, confident communication in high‑stakes presentation settings

This achievement underscores what many in the industry already know about LSU: its graduates are entering the field ready to contribute quickly, think critically, and lead with professionalism.

AIC + LSU: A Partnership Built On Professionalism

AIC has been honored to work alongside LSU for many years through our professional certification program and broader ethics and professionalism initiatives. In 2025, this relationship was elevated even further when LSU and the LSU Online Construction Management program became an AIC Legacy Sponsor.

This legacy sponsorship reflects years of concrete collaboration between AIC and the Bert S. Turner Department of Construction Management, including several key commitments from LSU:

• Incorporating our CAC Level I exam into the Construction Management degree program as a recognized part of student preparation
• Using the CAC exam results for student learning outcomes assessment
• Comparing CAC exam student performance to national averages for indicators of program success or improvement
• Serving as an AIC Certification Testing Site, which gives students and professionals convenient, proctored access to AIC exams on campus
• Accepting AIC exams as a Prior Learning Assessment (PLA), allowing working professionals to earn academic credit toward their degrees based on verified, proctored certification performance

By elevating LSU to Legacy Sponsor status, AIC recognized the school’s long‑standing alignment with our mission and its integral role in shaping the next generation of construction professionals. This partnership continues to serve as a model for how academic institutions and professional organizations can collaborate to advance industry standards.

Why the LSU Construction Management Example Matters

LSU’s trajectory – growing into a School of Construction, investing in research and industry partnerships, and winning national competitions – offers a model for how higher education can respond to the construction industry’s rapidly changing needs.

When academic programs commit to several key practices, the impact on students and employers is significant:

• Treat construction management as a strategic, leadership‑oriented discipline
• Embed ethics, professionalism, and certification into the student experience
• Partner with organizations like AIC and ACCE to align with industry standards

By following this path, programs help ensure that the next generation of constructors is prepared not just to build projects, but to lead teams, manage risk, and uphold the trust of owners and the public.

AIC congratulates LSU, its faculty, and its students on these significant milestones and looks forward to continuing our partnership as the university expands its impact through the School of Construction.

A Call To Other Construction Education Programs

The success of the LSU Construction Management program is a reminder that when higher education and industry work together, everyone benefits – students, employers, and the communities we serve.

Construction Management and related programs that want to bring ethics and professionalism to the forefront of their student experience have several clear ways to collaborate with AIC:

• Integrate AIC certification exams into curricula and student milestones
• Become a CAC Level I testing site to provide convenient, proctored exam access on campus
• Incorporate the AIC Code of Ethics into courses, projects, and student organizations

If you are interested in exploring how your institution can partner with AIC, we invite you to contact us to start the conversation. To learn more about collaborating with AIC, contact us directly at [email protected]. We look forward to supporting your program!