221 Swenson Civil Engineering Bldg
1405 University Drive
Duluth, MN 55803
United States
About this Program
Students can get a special certification via the Resilient Precast in the Engineering Curriculum (RPEC) Program. This program is funded by the PCI Foundation.
Precast concrete structures are durable and especially resilient.
This multidisciplinary program combines traditional concrete engineering skills with cutting-edge knowledge related to resilience and business management.
This is a unique program that gives students the opportunity to collaborate directly with Molin Concrete Products, a national leader in this field. They will be exposed to precast concrete during an introductory reinforced concrete course and refine their knowledge in more advanced courses, through participation in a Big Beam competition, and as part of a senior design capstone project.
Molin Concrete will provide tours of their production facilities and job sites to connect classroom experiences to reality for our students.
Acquired Skills
In addition to learning about precast concrete structures, RPEC Certification includes a business organizational management class and completing a resiliency-based capstone project that will benefit the community.
Students will:
- Learn how to design precast concrete
- Learn how to apply resiliency-based values to decision making
- Hone professional and communication skills
- Complete a capstone project that may benefit the community
- Graduate with a deeper knowledge related to engineering, resiliency and business
- Receive an official UMD certificate denoting expertise in resilient precast concrete
Admissions and Scholarships
Industry partnership with Molin Concrete Products, PCI Midwest, and the MN Prestress Association makes it possible to offer ten $2,425 scholarships for participants in this undergraduate program who maintain a 3.0 or higher GPA.
Apply for RPEC scholarships through the general SCSE Engineering Scholarship application.
Requirements
Fall Semester:
- CE 4128/5128 - Prestressed Concrete Structures (3 credits)
- CE 4255 - Senior Design Resiliency Capstone Project in collaboration with Molin (4 credits)
Spring Semester:
- CE 4126 - Design of Concrete Structures (3 credits)
- BUS 2400 - Fundamentals of Organizational Management (2 credits)*
- CE 4100 - Management in Precast Concrete (1 credit)*
* These two courses combine to count as a 3 credit Technical or CE Elective via petition. A sample RPEC undergraduate course plan is available to help incorporate these courses into your degree program.
How do I start? At the One Stop Certificate Program website.
Before you apply or if you want more details, contact the RPEC Program Director:
Dr. Mary Christiansen
Associate Professor
Dept. of Civil Engineering
Univ. of Minnesota Duluth
109 SCiv; 1405 University Dr
Duluth, MN 55812
218-726-7810