Tennessee Tech University is one step closer to launching a brand-new Bachelor of Architecture degree program following a unanimous vote by the university’s Board of Trustees during their quarterly meeting on June 25.

The proposed 154-credit-hour program is designed to meet a surging regional need for licensed architects and architectural managers. Students enrolled in the program will receive comprehensive instruction in architectural design, history and theory, building structures, environmental systems, site planning, and professional standards.

The university’s proposal is backed by job outlook data projecting an 18% increase in demand for architects across Tennessee between 2020 and 2030, a trend heavily fueled by the state’s ongoing population boom.

According to a Supply and Demand Report from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC), architectural and engineering managers are currently in high demand across the Northern Middle, Upper Cumberland, and East regions of the state.

“An academic program at Tennessee Tech University in architecture would support the increasing demand for architects, architectural managers and related architecture employees,” the university stated in its written proposal.

The initiative has garnered strong local backing, receiving formal letters of support from key community partners including Habitat for Humanity of the Upper Cumberland, Upland Design Group, and AEI (a local architectural firm).

University leaders are aiming to officially launch the program in fall 2027. The timeline is currently pending final approval from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.