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Keyano partners with Mount Royal University to offer BSc in Environmental Science

(Photo: Guy Harmer of Keyano College watches as Dr. Jeff Goldberg of Mount Royal University signs a Memorandum of Understanding at Keyano College on March 8, 2016. Bradley Karp / REPORTER. COPYRIGHT ROGERS MEDIA)

It took roughly seven years, but on Tuesday Keyano College and Mount Royal University signed an agreement that will enable students to earn a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science while staying in Wood Buffalo.

“There’s a lot of stipulations about degree education, you have to change the way business is done at each institution and you just have to get through all those things,” said Guy Harmer, Dean of Arts, Science, Business, and Education at Keyano College. “It takes many years to do something like this.”

The program will focus on environmental issues, problems and solutions that are associated with natural resources. Graduates of the program can pursue a career in industry or with the government.

“We were hearing from industry that they wanted people with degrees so this was a natural step and so we think it was the right thing to do at this moment,” said Harmer. “The oil patch is greening, so we’re selling our oil now on that it’s environmentally friendly and so the oil companies hire many, many environmental scientists to work on reclamation.”

After finishing Keyano’s two-year Environmental Technology Diploma program students will enter directly into the third year of the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science program at Mount Royal University.

Students can begin the program in September 2016.

The program is the fourth Bachelor’s Degree program offered jointly with other another educational institution in the province. Students can also earn a Bachelor’s in Nursing, Education, and Business Administration.