AUGUSTA — Through a collaborative effort with the Bridge Year Program, the University of Maine at Augusta will provide over 250 Maine high school students with college credits they earn in their high school classrooms.

Edward Little High School is among the schools participating in the program.

“The opportunity to complete college level coursework and get credit for it provides high school students with a real feel for what college classes are like before they actually go off to college,” said Gregory Fahy, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at UMA. “The experience also helps them make educated decisions about what career path to follow after graduation,” he added.

The Bridge program, created and coordinated by United Technologies Center, arranges UMA faculty members to work closely with high school teachers to provide juniors and seniors with the opportunity to graduate high school with up to 24 college credit hours under their belt.

In order to earn UMA credits, offered in History, Math, English, Chemistry and Biology, students pay a discounted $40 a credit hour and attend specially designed courses taught by their own teachers in their own schools or at UTC locations.

UMA faculty members provide supervision, support and guidance, including training, certification and course design. In addition, faculty members review student work and do classrooms visits.

On its second year participating in the Bridge program, UMA has significantly expanded its participation. It is now the Bridge program’s lead university in providing credits to high school students.