Toronto – Three new joint programs between the University of Toronto at Scarborough (UTSC) and Centennial College were formalized today, bringing the number of joint programs offered to six.
Beginning in 2004, students will be able to enter programs in health informatics, environmental science and technology, and industrial microbiology directly from high school.
Journalism and new media are currently being offered to students already enrolled at UTSC and will be open to students coming from high school this fall. A new degree-granting paramedicine program – a first in Canada – will also welcome its first class in the fall of 2003.
“Students graduating from the paramedicine program will have their bachelor of science in addition to their paramedic license, meaning they have the basis to go on to do graduate research work,” says Gail Beagan, chair of community health and wellness at Centennial College.
Students of the joint programs will graduate from UTSC with an honours bachelor degree in arts or science and may also qualify for a diploma or certificate from Centennial College.
“What we’re really doing here is turning what would be six years of university and college into only four,” says Karen McCrindle who oversees UTSC’s journalism students. Several of the programs give students the opportunity to do a field placement in a professional environment.
The partnership has been several years in the making. Centennial is leasing land at the corner of Morningside and Ellesmere to build a new teaching facility. The money from the lease agreement is going toward the construction costs of UTSC’s new academic resource centre. The physical proximity of the institutions will greatly benefit joint program students.
“Joint programs are not unprecedented at U of T,” says professor emerita and advisor to UTSC, Joan Foley. “The University of Toronto at Mississauga has a similar arrangement with Sheridan College in other fields. Centennial offers excellent programs and it just made sense to combine our strengths.”
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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
University of Toronto at Scarborough
Office of Advancement
Tel: (416) 287-7089
Fax: (416) 287-7106
advancement@utsc.utoronto.ca