After years of being able to cross-register for individual classes, beginning with the 2008–2009 academic year, high school students were able to apply to a fully dual degree program from both Brown and the Rhode Island School of Design. According to President Simmons, the new program combined, “Brown’s strengths in science and engineering, humanities and arts, and social sciences with RISD’s renowned programs in art and design studies and the liberal arts…offering students an extraordinary opportunity to draw on the offerings of two outstanding institutions.” At the end of the five-year program, students are awarded both a Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) from Brown and a Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) from RISD.