Higher Education on Buildings: Case Study in the North Dakota Region

Abstract

Because of the growing demand for local skilled professionals to improve the health, energy efficiency, and sustainability of residential and commercial buildings in North Dakota, this case study reports the current situation of higher education relating to buildings in the state’s vicinity, including Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. In this region, 116 programs relating to buildings were found in 41 postsecondary institutions, and both their majors and courses were then studied with frequency lists. The frequency information was analyzed over nine sets of curriculum areas at both graduate and undergraduate levels for the four states. After the current state of buildings in North Dakota was investigated, strategies were then proposed to rectify current issues regarding higher education on buildings, including but not limited to forming a comprehensive and interdisciplinary program on buildings (e.g., architectural engineering), providing more graduate programs, developing more courses in areas that lack adequate coursework, and increasing student enrollment. These strategies will greatly promote the health, energy efficiency, and sustainability for new and existing buildings in the four-state region of Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota.