A handful of University of Cincinnati students will participate in a pilot program this fall that will enable them to receive both a bachelor's and master's degree in engineering in five years.

        “Something like what we're offering will be the model for engineering programs (nationwide),” said Anant Kukreti, department head in civil and environmental engineering.

        The first round of five students will earn a bachelor's degree in civil engineering and a master's degree in environmental engineering. The goal is to expand the program by 10 students each year over the next five years, Dr. Kukreti said. Eventually, the degree programs will vary beyond civil and environmental engineering to other specialties.

        The program, which administrators expect to be highly demanding, will be offered only to a select few incoming freshmen. It will still involve the six quarters of co-op that is already mandatory.

        “It's innovative,” said Kristi Nelson, vice provost for academic planning. “This is the first one at UC, but those in engineering think the market is right for this.”

        During the first four co-ops, students will be allowed to take undergraduate and then graduate courses online. The last two co-ops, in the fourth and fifth years, will be funded research at the university.

        Though “distance learning” classes are offered at other colleges, they will be required in this program.

        “I do not know of a single graduate program where that is a requirement,” Dr. Kukreti said.

        The concept was developed last fall and discussed in committees and with students. The move was primarily made to address employee expectations of students who graduate with engineering degrees.

        In October 2001, for example, the American Society of Civil Engineers passed a resolution that said the master's degree should be the professional degree.

        Though licensing boards have not made that recommendation mandatory, UC officials say they want students to be ready.

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