On Wednesday UNBC's senate authorized the creation of a school of engineering to unify the university's engineering programs – including the new civil engineering program.
UNBC interim president and vice-chancellor Geoffrey Payne said the move represents a milestone for engineering programs at UNBC.
"It's absolutely exciting," Payne said. "It's the next step for the suite of engineering programs at UNBC."
In addition to civil engineering, UNBC now offers environmental engineering, joint environmental engineering and master of engineering in integrated wood design.
Previously the programs were offered by separate schools within the university. The move will unify the faculty and students into a single unit, and help facilitate the development of the degree programs.
The community and industry response to UNBC's move into offering engineering programs has been strong, he said.
Students at the university are able to get hands-on learning in the field, through co-op and experiential learning programs in partnership with industry, he said.
Engineering faculty members are also engaging in research to tackle issues relevant to industry in the north, he said.
"This is to really solidify UNBC's footprint in the engineering space," Payne said. "The future is bright."
