The College of Earth and Mineral Sciences and the Eberly College of Science propose to restructure some majors as part of their recommendations to the University Future Committee.

The College of Earth and Mineral Sciences plans to replace the current fuel science major with a new program in energy and environmental engineering.

The new major would incorporate energy usage and its environmental effects and would be taught by fuel science and chemical engineering faculty.

Harold Schobert, fuel science department chairman, said the new major would cater to more students because it would give them chemical engineering training as well as an understanding of energy-use systems and air and water quality.

"They will have very significant career opportunities," Schobert said, adding that the proposed major fits into the developing trend incorporating chemical engineering with environmental concerns.

"We hope to really put Penn State in the forefront of education," he said.

The proposals will be reviewed by the future committee, then submitted to University President Joab Thomas, who will announce final recommendations in the spring.

The Eberly College of Science also plans to restructure some majors.

The college has recommended a possible merger of the computer engineering and computer science departments.

The proposal to the future committee includes a survey of 46 computer engineering and 58 computer science seniors, which reads, "If your major were not offered here, what would be your second choice?"

Results show a majority of computer science students would leave Penn State if the major is eliminated, but computer engineering students would choose another major at the University.

Senior Bryan Strope said he would probably switch to nuclear engineering if computer science is not offered.

"I disagree with what they're doing," Strope said, adding that the departments should not be merged because they deal with different areas of study.

But the college hopes to retain students in both departments with the merger.

Several possibilities about structuring the merger are under consideration, said Joseph Lambert, associate head of the computer science department, adding that other universities nationwide are doing similar mergers.

"It may be a way of being more cost-effective," Lambert said.

The college also recommended using $534,446 to create a laboratory for the characterization of materials and a center for mesoscopic science, which would deal with areas such as electrically conducting polymers and oxide ceramic crystals.