New England Institute of Technology in Warwick is a private, nonprofit technical college that offers associate's and bachelor's degrees in over 30 programs. As of 2011, it has a student body of about 3,000. The New England Association of Schools and Colleges accredits its programs. The school offers five building-technology programs, including Electrical Technology, Building Construction & Cabinetmaking Technology, Refrigeration/Air Conditioning Technology, Plumbing Technology and Heating Technology. The Associate in Science Degree program in Building Construction Technology focuses on residential construction as well as some aspects of the commercial building trade. The program has two tracks: Building Construction and Cabinetmaking, and Building Construction and Design.
The Community College of Rhode Island has five campuses and one satellite location. It is the largest public college that offers heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) training in the state. The HVAC program falls under the college's Online Career and Workforce Training division. The coursework is completed online at each student's own pace. Coursework consists of training modules, reading assignments, applied exercises, industry terminology familiarization, quizzes and a final exam. The school helps students find internships and apprenticeships to develop practical skills in HVAC installation and repair.
The Trades Training Center of Rhode Island, located in North Kingstown, offers entry-level to advanced certified training in the building, construction and transportation fields. In the building and construction fields, courses include basic welding, electrical level one, plumbing level one and pipe fitting level one. All courses are 200-hour, five-week courses held Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The core curriculum modules include Intro to Construction, Intro to Hand Tools, Intro to Construction Drawings, Math and Intro to Materials Handling, as well as trends in green building. The school boasts a 20,000-square-foot facility that houses its administrative offices, classrooms and work areas.
The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in Providence was founded in 1877 and is one of the oldest colleges of art and design in the United States. It offers bachelor's and master's degree programs in 19 architecture, design, fine arts and art education majors. The program prepares students to enter the profession by addressing the knowledge required for making architecture, and underscores the responsibilities in practicing it. Undergraduate courses include Design Principles, The Making of Things, Environmental Design and Wood & Steel. RISD's three-year Master of Architecture program emphasizes the design studio and challenges those with experience in architectural studio work.