ACADEMIC NEWS
(above) Julie Tremaine, Josh Santiago, and Emma Peters find good spaces to study in the ARC at Levitt.
New Format for Engineering Majors York College has announced a partnership with the University of North Dakota (UND), among other possible institutions in the future, to offer a dual degree program in engineering that will allow students to complete both degrees from the York campus. While an engineering major isn’t new to York College, what is new is the educational format. "This agreement will provide a pathway for our students to receive training in the engineering field, opening up a wider range of professional career choices for them," YC Provost Dr. Shane Mountjoy said. "Our pre-engineering students have continually expressed a desire to stay engaged on our campus, and we are excited that this partnership will allow them to remain in York while they complete their studies." Through the Dual-Degree Natural Science Program, students will be able to earn a Bachelor of Science in Natural Science from York College while also earning a Bachelor of Science from an engineering program at another university that has been approved by the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET). UND is fully accredited via ABET. To earn the B.S. in Natural Science from York College, students must fulfill all the requirements listed in the natural science degree plan and then complete an additional 24 hours, approved by York College, of the 120 required hours through the partner institution. Most students will complete the upper-division coursework from the partner institution, UND at present, which offers coursework through distance education. This allows students to complete both degrees from the York campus. Students will travel to North Dakota during one summer to complete required labs.
20 | Heritage | FALL 2021
Each student will receive personalized advising at York College regarding the requirements of a specific engineering field. The expected time to complete a dual degree program is five years. In previous and ongoing engineering degree partnerships, York College students have been able to complete three years in preengineering courses at York, but they would have to transfer for two final years of engineering courses at such places as Washington University in Missouri. Those agreements continue, as those engineering programs continue to be highly regarded.
YC Joins the Lower Cost Models Consortium York College has signed an agreement with the Lower Cost Models Consortium (LCMC) to offer academic programs that create new pathways to employment for students in high-demand areas. By partnering with over 100 institutions that share the mission to create lower-cost, career-ready experiences for students, York College plans to begin offering students new degree programs within high-demand fields by Fall 2022. “This opens the door for specialized partnerships in the future, something student feedback has identified as a need," commented Dr. Shane Mountjoy, provost at York College. "Joining the LCMC helps us find other pathways that will allow our students to pursue specialized majors while remaining on our campus.” “We are excited to welcome York College into the LCMC,” said President Docking of the LCMC Steering Committee.
