Degree in Offsite Design and Delivery
A pioneering university program equipping professionals with the skills to lead the shift from projects to products in construction.
Vision
The U.S. needs a graduate degree that trains professionals to lead the transition from Engineer-to-Order delivery toward Configure-to-Order (CTO) markets. A degree in Offsite Design and Delivery will become the nation’s first program explicitly focused on modularization, manufacturing-informed design, digital integration, and industrialized delivery systems. Graduates will be equipped to bridge architecture, engineering, construction, and manufacturing, entering the workforce fluent in factory workflows, digital standards, and governance tools. This degree positions universities not as passive observers but as leaders in shaping the next generation of housing and infrastructure.
Problem
No accredited U.S. degree program yet addresses offsite construction as a system in its own right. Architecture and engineering degrees emphasize bespoke design; construction management degrees emphasize contracts and site logistics. Missing are programs that teach interoperability, platform logic, and productization. Without such training, firms reinvent processes, governments face bottlenecks, and students lack pathways into one of the fastest-growing areas of the building industry.
Current Awkward Hybrid
Some universities experiment with modular electives or short certificates, but these remain fragmented. They rely on single faculty champions and are disconnected from industry standards. Students gain exposure but not credentials; employers see interest but not mastery. The result is a patchwork — education lagging industry demand.
CTO Solution
A specialized degree (either undergraduate, or master’s) anchors offsite education in a coherent, accredited pathway. Curriculum integrates design studios with manufacturing labs, digital configurators with legal frameworks, and industry residencies with applied research. The program produces graduates who can configure rather than reinvent, align rather than duplicate, and scale rather than isolate. In a CTO marketplace, this degree becomes the professional benchmark for leadership.
| GRANT PROPOSAL EXECUTIVE SUMMARY |
Project Narrative
The Center for Offsite Construction (CfOC), housed at NYIT, will develop the program in collaboration with industry fellows, manufacturers, and regulators. The curriculum builds on existing strengths in architecture and construction but adds new courses in product platforms, interface standards, legal frameworks, configurator software, and digital-to-factory workflows. Advisory input will come from CfOC’s Senior Research Fellows and the Modular Building Institute. Pilot studios and residencies will connect students with live modular projects, testing new delivery methods in real time. The program will be submitted for institutional and accreditor approval within two years, with the first cohort entering soon after.
Deliverables
- Full curriculum map with course descriptions and learning outcomes.
- Faculty appointments and industry co-teaching partnerships.
- Studio and lab spaces adapted for manufacturing-informed pedagogy.
- Pilot projects and student residencies with partner manufacturers.
- Accreditation submission package and institutional approvals.
Budget
Budget
| Project Phase | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Phase 1: Program Framing & Development | $95,000 |
| Phase 2: Curriculum Development (Institute Approvals) | $165,000 |
| Phase 3: NY State Board of Ed | $140,000 |
| Phase 4: Teaching Infrastructure | $110,000 |
| Phase 5: Pilot Courses & Student Residencies | $122,500 |
| Phase 6: Accreditation Submission & Program Launch | $100,000 |
| Total | $732,500 |
Key Outcomes
- First accredited U.S. Master’s program in Offsite Design & Delivery.
- Enrollment of diverse students drawn from architecture, engineering, and construction.
- Graduates prepared to lead manufacturing-informed project delivery.
- New academic–industry pipelines for research, internships, and employment.
Assessment
Evaluation will track the program’s accreditation progress, the number of students enrolled, industry placement of graduates, and the integration of CTO methods in coursework and projects. Feedback loops from industry partners will shape continuous updates to curriculum and standards.
Key Partners
- NYIT School of Architecture & Design: Host institution, curriculum development.
- Center for Offsite Construction (CfOC): Program leadership, research integration.
- Unnamed Accrediting Body: Currently being developed by the CfOC & MBI.
- Modular Building Institute (MBI): Industry outreach and program validation.
- FullStack Modular, DPR Construction, Cloud Apartments, and other Senior Research Fellows’ firms: Pilot project partners.
- Accreditation experts: Guiding approval and alignment with broader accrediting frameworks.
Progress
| Timeline | Description |
|---|---|
| Phase 1 | |
| July 2024 Senior Research Fellow Retreat | Application to ANSI to review CfOC Procedures, earn “Accredited Standards Author status, membership. |
| January 2025 Draft Model curriculum | (2) $10k donations. FullStack Modular & Nullary() Group |
| March 2025 Symposium The Future of Design and Delivery | Present accreditation idea, and model degree as a call to action in the offsite construction space. |
| January 2025 Draft Model curriculum | Generalization to both undergraduate and graduate contexts. |
| Phase 2 ← We are Here (at step in bold) | |
| Open Proposal for Alumni Comment & Review | TBD |
| School of Architecture Curriculum Committee Review & Approval | TBD |
| Institute Curriculum Committee Review & Approval | TBD |
| Phase 3 | |
| NY State Board of Education Application | TBD |
| NY State Board of Education Review & Approval | TBD |
| Phase 4 | |
| NY Tech Degree Program Set-up | TBD |
| Recruitment (Faculty & Students) | TBD |
| Phase 5 | |
| Enroll First Cohort | TBD |
| Teach First Classes | TBD |
| Analyze Instructor Feedback and Refine Curricula | TBD |
| Phase 6 | |
| TBD Scale Pilot to More Cohorts | TBD |
| TBD Revenue & Additional CfOC Research | TBD |