Oregon Tech Launches Construction Management Degree and Mass-Timber Residence Hall

Klamath Falls, Oregon, October 3, 2025

News Summary

Oregon Tech announced two coordinated campus investments: a new Bachelor of Science in construction management beginning in the fall term and a $35-million, four-story mass-timber residence hall for 517 students. The degree emphasizes applied, hands-on learning with specialization tracks in heavy (horizontal) and general (vertical) construction, courses in estimating, law, scheduling, safety, MEP systems, and internships, and will be led initially by an interim director. The 86,710-square-foot residence hall uses prefabricated CLT panels to reduce waste and embodied carbon, sources local contractors and suppliers, and creates opportunities for students to gain real-world experience tied to campus construction.

Oregon Tech to Launch New Construction Management Degree and Build $35M Mass-Timber Residence Hall

Oregon Tech will offer a new construction management program beginning fall 2025. The same campus is moving forward with a $35-million mass timber residence hall to add on-campus housing. Both announcements address workforce, sustainability, and student experience needs.

What’s happening now (top facts first)

The new program is a Bachelor of Science in construction management. The program was developed in collaboration with the Beavers Charitable Trust, construction companies, donors, and community partners. The school says the collaboration reflects a shared commitment to addressing growing workforce needs in Oregon and beyond. Oregon Tech announced that Professor Jared Emard will serve as the interim program director for the new construction management program.

Construction of the residence hall has an estimated completion date of December 2025. The new residence hall will be four stories tall and will have room for 517 students. The residence hall will cover 86,710 square feet. The project budget is $35 million and aims to address the college’s need for more on-campus housing while showcasing mass timber construction as a way to reduce the building’s carbon footprint.

Program details and purpose

The Bachelor of Science in construction management will focus on applied, hands-on learning to prepare students with technical, managerial, and leadership skills necessary to thrive in the construction industry. The program will give graduates the ability to manage complex projects, collaborate effectively across disciplines, and contribute to the economic growth of their communities.

The program will offer two specialized options: Heavy construction (horizontal) and General construction (vertical). The Heavy construction (horizontal) option is focused on infrastructure such as highways, bridges, and utilities. The General construction (vertical) option is focused on buildings, facilities, and large-scale commercial and residential projects.

Courses and requirements include a range of subjects and experiences: construction cost estimating and control; construction law; construction project scheduling; construction safety; equipment, methods and materials; internships; mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems; a senior project; structural analysis and design; and sustainable construction. The program emphasizes internships and a senior project as part of applied learning.

For more information about Oregon Tech’s construction management program, visit: www.oit.edu/academics/degrees/construction-management

Residence hall: design, construction, and student input

The four-story residence hall is designed to showcase mass timber construction and will be one of the first in Oregon to utilize mass timber floors and roofs with panelized wood frame walls. Prefabricated cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels will be used to reduce labor, material waste, and the building’s carbon footprint while creating a high-quality, safe living environment for students.

The project aims to create a warm, long-lasting space for student relaxation and collaboration. Students participated in a steering committee that guided the new space’s aesthetic, and the project team expects engineering, technology, and management students to have hands-on training opportunities with architects and builders connected to the work.

The construction partnership includes a local firm: Oregon Tech is partnering with Bogatay Construction, Inc., of Klamath Falls for the residence hall construction. Project leaders report that 89% of the project’s work is coming from firms within a 100-mile radius of campus, reinforcing local economic benefits.

Context and related local items

The announcements arrive amid mixed signals for construction in the region. Two Oregon tech hubs — Corvallis Microfluidics and the Pacific Northwest Mass Timber Tech Hub — were left out of a more than half-billion dollar federal funding announcement after being named among 31 finalists last year. Separately, state construction work that rebounded after the pandemic has shifted as some major public and industrial projects finish.

Other construction and industry notices in the same period include renovation groundbreakings and acquisitions on unrelated projects, signaling continued activity across education and private construction sectors.

Who is leading the academic side

Academic leadership for the program will include interim direction by a named faculty member with industry and community ties to help launch the curriculum and partnerships. The college dean overseeing the effort described the program as filling a much-needed training gap and noted industry and community support was essential to creating the program.

Timeline and next steps

The construction management major will begin instruction in fall 2025. Construction of the new residence hall has an estimated completion date of December 2025. Over the coming months the school will finalize program details, hire faculty and staff, and continue construction and prefabrication work for the residence hall.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Key features at a glance

Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic

Additional Resources

• Herald and News: Oregon Tech launches new construction management program
• Wikipedia: Construction management
• Spaces4Learning: Oregon Tech mass-timber residence hall
• Google Search: Oregon Tech mass timber residence hall
• KOBI5: Oregon Tech’s new $35-million mass-timber residence hall
• Google Scholar: mass timber cross-laminated timber student housing
• OregonLive: Oregon Tech hubs left out of federal funding blitz
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Oregon Institute of Technology
• OregonLive: Oregon construction jobs slip as homebuilding slides
• Google News: Oregon construction jobs 2025

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