New Orleans, LA - Northshore Technical Community College (NTCC) and The University of New Orleans (UNO) will now offer a transferable pathway for NTCC students to become eligible for admission in UNO's College of Engineering. UNO President John Nicklow and NTCC Chancellor William Wainwright took part in a signing ceremony today at NTCC's Lacombe STEM campus, which is currently under construction. The ceremony was attended by officials from both institutions as well as St. Tammany Parish President Pat Brister and St. Tammany Parish Public Schools Superintendent Trey Folse. This pathway will give NTCC students a transparent and systematic outline for successfully completing an undergraduate degree from UNO in civil engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, or naval architecture and marine engineering. The students will also receive an associate degree and certificate from NTCC. "I am very excited to be working with our partners at NTCC to expand degree opportunities on the North Shore," Nicklow said. "As an engineer myself, I recognize the valuable skills this discipline has to offer and the broad range of career opportunities that exist." "STEM jobs on the North Shore continue to grow at a rapid pace, as indicated in a recent St. Tammany Economic Development report, and projected in a 2010 study by the National Center for Higher Education Management, which led to legislation advancing our new STEM Campus in Lacombe," Wainwright said. "Essential career pathways in science, technology, engineering and math and partnerships among school systems, community colleges and universities will advance a critical pipeline of talent that supports our local and regional industry partners." NTCC students who have completed the engineering pathway will be admitted as sophomores to UNO's College of Engineering. Students can transfer up to 51 credit hours from NTCC to UNO to be applied toward the 121-129 credit hours (depending on the field of study) needed to complete a bachelor's degree in engineering. In order to graduate from UNO, students must achieve a grade point average of 2.0 or higher in all class work attempted, all class work at UNO and all courses in their major. The University of New Orleans offers the only programs in civil and environmental engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and naval architecture and marine engineering in metro New Orleans.