College of Architecture, Art and Construction launches into its first semester

The new College of Architecture, Art and Construction (CAAC) at Clemson University launched its first semester in Fall 2023, welcoming 1,199 majors and graduate students to campus. In its first year, CAAC has attracted students from 39 states and 21 countries around the world.

“This college represents a dynamic collection of programs with stellar faculty and students,” said Interim Dean George J. Petersen. “We are building on a foundation of success.”

Home to five undergraduate degree programs and 12 graduate programs, the college perpetuates more than a century of design, art and construction education at Clemson. It was formed on July 1, 2023 from the existing School of Architecture, Department of Art and Nieri Department of Construction, Development and Planning.

“The College of Architecture, Art and Construction combines nationally recognized and preeminent faculty with well-established academic programs to facilitate the college’s new identity and forward momentum,” said Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Robert H. Jones. “This remarkably dynamic combination positions it on a trajectory of excellence and continued growth to support the University’s strategic plan to deliver a No. 1 student experience and transform lives statewide and beyond.”

The college greeted an incoming class of 165 first-year students for its five undergraduate programs to which 2,079 potential students applied in 2023.

“The caliber of our students has never been higher,” Petersen said.

The college enters its first semester with 78 full-time faculty members offering a total of 288 courses, contributing 12,987 credit hours.

While the college unites programs that have been historically housed on campus in Lee Hall, it also extends Clemson’s reach across the state and around the globe, giving students the opportunity for immersive, hands-on learning experiences. The Nieri Department of Construction Development and Planning offers students job-site experiences in the three-acre Experiential Learning (XL) Yard, and its Master of Real Estate Development program is housed in downtown Greenville at GreenvilleONE. The School of Architecture’s trademarked Fluid Campus® system operates in Charleston; Barcelona, Spain; and Genoa, Italy. This year, the CAAC will also celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the Department of Art’s MFA program, featuring work from alumni artists ranging from South Carolina to Japan.