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Students interested in both the environment and engineering can soon take advantage of a unique joint undergraduate/graduate program offered by the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) and the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering (FASE).

UTSC Dean & Vice-Principal (Academic) Rick Halpern and ��������οEngineering Dean Cristina Amon signed a memorandum of understanding, agreeing to the creation of the joint degree program on June 6.

Participants in the five-year program will graduate with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Environmental Science and a Master of Engineering degree (MEng) in either Chemical or Civil Engineering.

In the first three years, students work on their BSc requirements. In their fourth year, they continue to take some undergraduate courses and some graduate courses. In the fifth year, they take their remaining graduate courses.

“This agreement marks two historic firsts: the first collaboration between FASE and UTSC and the first program of its kind in Canada,” Amon said at the signing ceremony.

The program is expected to start in September 2013.

Though it may mean harder work for students, the agreement creates a new opportunity for them and shortens the timeframe to graduation, said Bill Gough, vice-dean, graduate education and program development at UTSC.

“I think the excitement of being included in engineering in this fashion overrides the sense of extra work that has to be done,” he said.

Halpern noted that several other faculties and departments at ��������οare also considering joint bachelor’s/master’s degree programs.

“We have others cued up behind us,” said Halpern.

Amon and Halpern thanked Gough and Chris Damaren, vice-deans of graduate studies at UTSC and ��������οEngineering respectively, for bringing the program to fruition.

“This is a happy moment,” Halpern said. “It’s been a pleasure working with the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering.”

Amon in turn said she was glad of the opportunity to collaborate with UTSC. “Our strengths complement each other perfectly,” she said.

Terry Lavender is a writer with the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering at the University of Toronto.