Prospective Students - History:

Timeline

HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL OF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION

1935
• Building Construction began as a program under the Department of Architecture. 
• University of Florida Building Construction is the oldest continuing construction program in the country. 

1948
• Master's degree program created; first in the U.S. 

1957
• Building Construction became a department under Professor Herman Block. 

1965
• Professor Loys Johnson became chairman of the department. 
• In March, 1965, Professor Johnson invited represetatives of other schools of construction to meet at the University of Florida to form an organization. The name Associated Schools of Construction was adopted, with eight schools attending. Later that year the first meeting was held at Michigan State, with 24 schools represented. There are now approximately 85 member schools. Attending that first meeting were Professor Johnson, Halperin and Trimmer. 

1971
• Founding of the American Institute of Constructors(AIC), with Professor Johnson as one of the charter members. 
• One of the first projects of the AIC was to set up a nationally recognized group for accreditation of construction programs from which the American Council for Construction Education was formed. 

1975
• Building Construction became the first construction program in the country to be accredited by the American Council for Construction Education. 
• College of Architecture & Fine Arts was divided into two colleges, with Building Construction going into the College of Architecture. 

1976
• Building Construction became the School of Building Construction. 

1977
• Building Construction was recognized by the Associated General Contractors as the outstanding construction program. 

1989
• M.E. Rinker, Sr. and the CSR/Rinker Materials Corporation pledged a $5 million endowment to the School of Building Construction. These contributions combined with the State of Florida's matching program enabled the school to receive 9.5 million dollars. The School was then renamed the "M.E. Rinker School of Building Construction." 

1989
• Ali Markus became the first person to receive Ph.D through joint program with College of Education. Building Construction now has its own Ph.D program with Rick Coble and Leon Wetherington becoming the first people to receive their Ph.D. 

TODAY
• More than 85 colleges and universities offer a four-year degree in construction in the U.S., with over 200 more worldwide. 
• University of Florida's School of Building Construction has over 4,000 graduates; more than any other school of construction.