BIDDEFORD — A new partnership between University of New England and the University of Maine School of Law will save students who are pursuing studies in maritime law time and money.

The University of Maine School of Law is located in Portland and part of the University of Maine school system. University of New England is a private university based in Biddeford with campuses in Portland as well as Tangier, Morocco.

Representatives from both schools announced the partnership Wednesday afternoon at the Arthur P. Girard Marine Science Center at the UNE campus in Biddeford.

Through the agreement, qualifying students can earn an undergraduate degree in marine affairs and a law degree in a total of six years instead of the standard seven, saving students both time and money, said UNE President James Herbert.

There are many schools across the nation that like UNE have undergraduate marine science programs, but UNE is one of only four schools with undergraduate marine affairs programs, and the Maine School of Law is one of only six in the country with a specialized program in marine law, said Herbert.

“We have two real gems right here in southern Maine and we’re going to put them together for this accelerated program. It’s very exciting,” said Herbert.

Jeanne Hey, dean of the college of arts and sciences at UNE said the marine affairs degree is an ideal start to a legal career, as the program covers marine law, policy and trends as well as impacts on the environment and institutions that oversee coastal and marine systems.

Herbert said the school has responded to Maine’s presence in the marine economy by furthering the breadth of its marine programs.

Danielle Conway, dean of the University of Maine School of Law, said the partnership helps establish the two schools as leaders in marine affairs.

“No one can do it like we can do it,” she said.

Herbert said be believes the new matriculation agreement will attract students from Maine and beyond, and the schools will make it a goal to attract as many students as possible into staying in Maine after graduation.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 780-9015 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.