| 1 | 06/17/25 4:13 PM | 09/09/25 8:19 AM | Oklahoma State University | Bachelor of Science in Middle Level Education | 561 | JW Reviewed | HP Reviewed | Protest Period Expired | 06/17/25 | 07/03/25 |  | | Approved by State Regents | September 4, 2025 | 07/08/25 | 07/23/25 | | | Sent | 06/18/25 |  | 07/03/25 | Sent | 07/08/25 | Chris Francisco | chris.francisco@okstate.edu | No | Yes | Candace Thrasher | candace.thrasher@okstate.edu | Stillwater | Traditional Only | A Bachelor of Science in Middle Level Education, with options in mathematics and science, provides an additional certification pathway to students interested in teaching grades six through eight. This degree program would assist in alleviating some of the secondary teaching shortages across the state and nation. The Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE, 2022) indicated that secondary mathematics and science have the largest numbers of emergency certified teachers. There are currently no middle-level degree programs in Oklahoma, despite a certification pathway for middle-level certification in the state, and this being an option across many other states. Thus, OSU is positioned to uniquely contribute to addressing the teacher shortage and serve as a leader in this area of STEM education. Graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Middle Level Education will enter a field that desperately needs professionals and will be extensively prepared to address the unique educational needs of middle-level students. The curriculum was structured to meet both OSU guidelines and certification and accreditation requirements for mathematics and science teacher certification. In addition to the standard 40 credit hours of general education, coursework aligns to requirements for middle-level certification, standards for teaching middle-level mathematics or science, and the accreditation requirements established by the Office of Educator Support (OES). Alignment to the Oklahoma State Assessment Tests (OSAT) required as part of teacher certification was also used to develop the curriculum for both degree options. No new courses are required as professional education courses already aligned to intermediate and secondary mathematics and science exist. A combination of existing elementary and secondary education coursework will serve to meet the curriculum requirements for the
degree program. | Middle Level Education graduates can be certified in their respective option area, preparing them to teach mathematics or science at public and private institutions. Other career paths could include areas associated with mathematics and science education, such as nonprofits or industry related to K-12 programming, including informal education organizations. | According to the U.S. Department of Education (https://tsa.ed.gov/#/reports), secondary Science, Mathematics, and STEM are experiencing teacher shortages nationally and within the state. The Oklahoma State School Boards Association
(https://www.ossba.org/2022/09/14/teacher-staffing-survey-shows-record-vacancies/) reported 1,019 teacher vacancies at the beginning of the 2022-23 academic year, which was significantly higher than the previous year, at 680 vacancies, despite initiatives for alternative certification. A middle-level option provides an additional certification pathway to teachers interested in teaching grades six through eight, which will alleviate some of the secondary teaching shortages. | | | 13.1203 | | Fall 2025 | Stillwater | 06/13/25 | Mathematics Education, Science Education | SOME of the courses in the program can be completed entirely online | 120 | A Bachelor of Science in Middle Level Education, with options in mathematics and science, provides an additional certification pathway to students interested in teaching grades six through eight. This degree program would assist in alleviating some of the secondary shortages across the state and nation. The Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE, 2022) indicated that secondary mathematics and science are two of the disciplines with the largest numbers of emergency certified teachers. | According to the U.S. Department of Education (https://tsa.ed.gov/#/reports), secondary science, mathematics, and STEM are experiencing teacher shortages nationally and within the state. The Oklahoma State School Boards Association (https://www.ossba.org/2022/09/14/teacher-staffing-survey-shows-record-vacancies/) reported 1,019 teacher vacancies at the beginning of the 2022-23 academic year, which was significantly higher than the previous year, at 680 vacancies, despite initiatives for alternatively certifying teachers. A middle level option provides an additional certification pathway to teachers interested in teaching grades six through eight, which will alleviate some of the secondary shortages.
Middle Level Education graduates will be able to be certified in their respective option area, preparing them to teach mathematics or science at public and private institutions. Other career paths could include areas associated with mathematics and science education, such as non-profits or industries related to K-12 programming, such as informal education organizations. | There are currently no middle level degree programs in the state of Oklahoma, despite the existence of a certification pathway for middle level certification in the state and this being an option across many other states. Thus, OSU would be positioned to uniquely contribute to addressing the teacher shortage as well as serve as a leader in this area of STEM education. Graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Middle Level Education will enter a field that is in desperate need of professionals and will be extensively prepared to address the unique educational needs of middle level students. The curriculum is structured to meet both OSU guidelines and certification and accreditation requirements for mathematics and science teacher certification. In addition to the standard 40 credit hours of general education, coursework aligns to requirements for middle level certification, standards related to teaching middle level mathematics or science, and the accreditation requirements established by the Office of Educator Support (OES). Alignment to the Oklahoma State Assessment Tests (OSAT), required as part of teacher certification, was also used to develop the curriculum for both degree options. There are no new courses required as there already exist professional education courses aligned to intermediate and secondary mathematics and science. A combination of existing elementary and secondary education coursework will serve to meet the curriculum requirements for the degree program. | There are currently no middle level degree programs in the state of Oklahoma. This degree program would assist in alleviating some of the secondary shortages across the state and nation. | Fall 2029 | 12 | 2029 | 5 | 2029-2030 | Traditional Only | | Yes | No | | | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | No Protest | 06/25/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/23/25 | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/30/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/09/25 | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/17/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | September 4, 2025 | | | | No | No | Students will take the same education courses as the secondary science and mathematics majors, so there is no new funding required for this degree. | 0 | NA | | NA | NA | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | 05/07/25 1:20 PM | 09/08/25 1:47 PM | University of Oklahoma | Bachelor of Science in Health Information Systems | 542 | JW Reviewed | HP Reviewed | Protest Period Expired | 05/07/25 | 05/22/25 | | | Approved by State Regents | September 4, 2025 | 06/18/25 | 07/03/25 | | | Sent | 05/07/25 | | 05/22/25 | Sent | 06/18/25 | Andre-Denis Wright | andre.wright@ou.edu | No | Yes | Grey Allman | greyallman@ou.edu | Norman, Tulsa | Both Traditional and Online | The Bachelor of Science in Health Information Systems prepares students to leverage technology, data, and cybersecurity to enhance healthcare efficiency, security, and patient outcomes. Through a combination of technical training and healthcare-focused applications, graduates are equipped to manage health information systems, support clinical decision-making, and drive innovation in digital health. | The Bachelor of Science in Health Information Systems prepares students for careers in one of the fastest-growing fields in healthcare. As technology continues to reshape healthcare delivery, professionals with expertise in health informatics, data management, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence are in high demand. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment for health information technologists is expected to grow 16% nationally from 2023 to 2033, with Oklahoma projecting a 12% increase in job opportunities over the next decade. This demand is driven by the widespread adoption of electronic health
8 : Healthcare Information Systems, B.S.
records (EHRs), telemedicine, and AI-enabled healthcare solutions, as well as the need for secure and interoperable health data systems. Graduates of this program will be well-equipped to address critical challenges in data infrastructure, system interoperability, cybersecurity, and health IT integration, ensuring efficient and secure patient care.
In Oklahoma, there are approximately 2,310 health information professionals, with a projected increase to 2,580 by 2030, creating an estimated 200 job openings annually.
As the healthcare industry continues to evolve, there is an increasing demand for skilled professionals who can analyze healthcare data, implement emerging technologies, and enhance operational efficiency in medical organizations. This program aligns with national and regional workforce needs, preparing graduates for high-impact roles in hospitals, research institutions, insurance companies, and government agencies. | There are limited opportunities for students seeking advanced education in Health Information Management (HIM, CIP Code 51.0706). Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) provides bachelor's and master's degrees in HIM, both accredited
by CAHIIM. Additionally, Rose State College offers an applied associate degree in HIM, also CAHIIM-accredited with limited enrollment. However, the state lacks a Bachelor of Science program in Health Information Systems (CIP Code 51.2706) that integrates medical informatics, data analytics, data interoperability, AI, and cybersecurity. In addition, no surrounding state offers this type of comprehensive bachelor's degree in Health Information Systems. | | Next Available | 512706 | ABET | Fall 2026 | Norman, Tulsa | 06/12/25 | Healthcare Information Systems | SOME of the courses in the program can be completed entirely online | 120 | The Bachelor of Science in Health Information Systems prepares students to leverage technology, data, and cybersecurity to enhance healthcare efficiency, security, and patient outcomes. Through a combination of technical training and healthcare-focused applications, graduates are equipped to manage health information systems, support clinical decision-making, and drive innovation in digital health. | The Bachelor of Science in Health Information Systems prepares students for careers in one of the fastest-growing fields in healthcare. As technology continues to reshape healthcare delivery, professionals with expertise in health informatics, data management, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence are in high demand. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment for health information technologists is expected to grow 16% nationally from 2023 to 2033, with Oklahoma projecting a 12% increase in job opportunities over the next decade. This demand is driven by the widespread adoption of electronic health
8 : Healthcare Information Systems, B.S.records (EHRs), telemedicine, and AI-enabled healthcare solutions, as well as the need for secure and interoperable health data systems. Graduates of this program will be well-equipped to address critical challenges in data infrastructure, system interoperability, cybersecurity, and health IT integration, ensuring efficient and secure patient care.
In Oklahoma, there are approximately 2,310 health information professionals, with a projected increase to 2,580 by 2030, creating an estimated 200 job openings annually.
As the healthcare industry continues to evolve, there is an increasing demand for skilled professionals who can analyze healthcare data, implement emerging technologies, and enhance operational efficiency in medical organizations. This program aligns with national and regional workforce needs, preparing graduates for high-impact roles in hospitals, research institutions, insurance companies, and government agencies.
Career Opportunities for Health Information Systems Graduates
Graduates of this program can pursue careers in various high-demand roles, including:
• Health Information Technologist
• Clinical Informatics Specialist
• Healthcare Data Analyst
• Health Information Manager
• EHR Systems Administrator
• Telehealth Technology Coordinator
• Cybersecurity Specialist for Healthcare IT
• Clinical Decision Support Analyst
• Interoperability Specialist
• AI & Machine Learning Specialist in Healthcare
• Application Specialist
• Data Quality Manager
• Healthcare IT Consultant
• Project Manager
• Database Administrator
• Systems Analyst
These career paths highlight the strong job market for health informatics professionals at the national, state, and regional levels, reinforcing the importance of a comprehensive and future-ready Health Information Systems degree. | The healthcare industry is undergoing rapid transformation due to advancements in technology, data analytics, and cybersecurity, creating a critical demand for professionals skilled in health information systems. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects 16% growth nationally for health information technologists from 2023 to 2033, outpacing the average for all occupations. In Oklahoma, the field is expected to grow by 12%, with 200 new job openings annually, reflecting the increasing reliance on electronic health records (EHRs), telemedicine, AI-driven analytics, and cybersecurity solutions. Despite this demand, challenges remain in data interoperability, privacy protection, and the integration of emerging technologies into healthcare systems. The Bachelor of Science in Health Information Systems directly addresses these workforce needs by preparing graduates with technical expertise, analytical skills, and regulatory knowledge to modernize healthcare data management and improve patient care.
The Bachelor of Science in Health Information Systems equips students with expertise in medical informatics, health IT, data analytics, and cybersecurity to enhance healthcare delivery. Students gain hands-on experience with electronic health records (EHR), clinical decision support, and regulatory compliance. The curriculum integrates technical skills with healthcare operations, preparing graduates to improve patient care, streamline workflows, and support data-driven decisions. Emphasizing adaptability, the program covers AI in healthcare, telemedicine, and health data privacy, ensuring graduates are well-prepared to meet the evolving needs of the healthcare industry. | There are limited opportunities for students seeking advanced education in Health Information Management (HIM, CIP Code 51.0706). Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) provides bachelor's and master's degrees in HIM, both accredited
by CAHIIM. Additionally, Rose State College offers an applied associate degree in HIM, also CAHIIM-accredited with limited enrollment. However, the state lacks a Bachelor of Science program in Health Information Systems (CIP Code 51.2706) that integrates medical informatics, data analytics, data interoperability, AI, and cybersecurity. In addition, no surrounding state offers this type of comprehensive bachelor's degree in Health Information Systems. | Fall 2030 | 18 | 2030 | 15 | 2030-2031 | Both Traditional and Online | | Yes | No | No Protest | 05/07/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 05/08/25 | | | No Protest | 05/08/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 05/07/25 | | | No Protest | 05/15/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 05/07/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 05/07/25 | | | No Protest | 05/08/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 05/21/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 05/07/25 | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | No Protest | 06/23/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/25/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/23/25 | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/30/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | September 4, 2025 | | | This program will be delivered in a traditional and online format. For online components, this program will use several technologies to deliver content that is very similar to what is received by traditional students. These include Canvas, ZOOM, and related recording technologies. | No | Yes | The Oklahoma State Legislature stepped forward with a $10 million appropriation that allows OUPI to aggressively recruit top-tier faculty who will design and build first-class teaching and research labs at OU-Tulsa. This program will be funded from generous support, such as the Endowed Associate Director position and similar Professorships. Local foundations and private sector partners, including the George Kaiser Family Foundation, Google, and others, have also provided strong, ongoing support. The sustainability will be in the student enrollments for the program. | 3 | NA | | NA | The initial hiring for the Health Information Systems program is anticipated to be one Associate Director with an existing endowed position from the George Kaiser Family Foundation, along with two Rank Renewable Term (RRT) faculty and one Tenured/Tenure Track (TTT) faculty. There is one additional endowed position of a Professorship, again from the George Kaiser Family Foundation, that will assist in recruiting highly qualified faculty in the last three positions: the two RRT and one TTT positions. This hiring has been built into the pro form budget that we maintain for this program. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | 05/07/25 1:14 PM | 09/08/25 1:44 PM | University of Oklahoma | Bachelor of Science in Digital Manufacturing | 541 | JW Reviewed | HP Reviewed | Protest Period Expired | 05/07/25 | 05/22/25 | | | Approved by State Regents | September 4, 2025 | 06/18/25 | 07/03/25 | | | Sent | 05/07/25 | | 05/22/25 | Sent | 06/18/25 | Andre-Denis Wright | andre.wright@ou.edu | No | Yes | Grey Allman | greyallman@ou.edu | Norman, Tulsa | Both Traditional and Online | A Bachelor of Science in Digital Manufacturing equips students with the skills to integrate cutting-edge digital tools—such as CAD, automation, real-time data analytics, and digital twins—into modern production environments. The program prepares graduates to help manufacturers, especially small and mid-sized businesses, adopt smart manufacturing strategies that improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance competitiveness. | A report by the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance in April of 2024 stated the state would experience a worker shortage of nearly 20,000 people by 2028. In Oklahoma, significant investment has been made in manufacturing including the aerospace industry where 60,000 new direct and indirect jobs will be created over the next decade (EDA Build Back Better Regional Challenge - THETA). According to 2024 study by Deloitte found U.S. manufacturing industry could see a net need for as many as 3.8 million jobs between 2024 and 2033 as significant investment continues to drive growth. In addition, Deloitte stated "the manufacturing industry is facing exponential opportunity, yet still should prioritize strategies that will address the skills and applicant gap, especially as the acceleration of digital skills-based jobs continues." | Oklahoma has only one ABET-accredited Manufacturing Engineering Technology (CIP Code 150613) bachelors degree program at Southwestern Oklahoma State University. Therefore, there is a geographical separation in the existing program and our proposed program. There are other programs in the state with the first four numbers of the CIP Code (1506) and these are located at Oklahoma Panhandle State and have content in industrial technology. Again, a geographical difference. Neighboring states offer limited alternatives: Kansas has a program at Pittsburg State, Texas at Texas A&M, but Arkansas and Missouri have none ( ABET). With Oklahoma’s manufacturing sector growing—159,944 jobs in 2024 (IndustrySelect®)— the lack of accessible, specialized programs restricts workforce development, particularly for digital skills, highlighting an unmet need. | | Next Available | 150613 | ABET Computing Accreditation Commission | Fall 2026 | Norman, Tulsa | 06/12/25 | Digital Manufacturing | SOME of the courses in the program can be completed entirely online | 120 | A Bachelor of Science in Digital Manufacturing equips students with the skills to integrate cutting-edge digital tools—such as CAD, automation, real-time data analytics, and digital twins—into modern production environments. The program prepares graduates to help manufacturers, especially small and mid-sized businesses, adopt smart manufacturing strategies that improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance competitiveness. | A report by the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance in April of 2024 stated the state would experience a worker shortage of nearly 20,000 people by 2028. In Oklahoma, significant investment has been made in manufacturing including the aerospace industry where 60,000 new direct and indirect jobs will be created over the next decade (EDA Build Back Better Regional Challenge - THETA). According to 2024 study by Deloitte found U.S. manufacturing industry could see a net need for as many as 3.8 million jobs between 2024 and 2033 as significant investment continues to drive growth. In addition, Deloitte stated "the manufacturing industry is facing exponential opportunity, yet still should prioritize strategies that will address the skills and applicant gap, especially as the acceleration of digital skills-based jobs continues."
Using resources that highlight the need for the manufacturing industry's updating to a digital focus, the following titles top the list of potential future jobs (MxD Newsletter, Hays Talent Solutions, and Old National Bank)
• Digital Manufacturing Engineering Technologist • Additive Manufacturing Specialist
• Robotics Specialist
• Industrial Automation Engineering Technologist
• CNC Programmer
• Digital Twin Developer
• Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) Architect
• CAD/CAM Designer
• Manufacturing Execution System (MES) Specialist
• Maintenance Technician (specializing in automated systems)
• Human-Machine Interface (HMI) Designer | The U.S. manufacturing sector is undergoing a transformation, integrating automation, digital twins, real-time data analytics, and smart systems to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve product quality. However, a significant skills gap exists, particularly among small and mid-sized manufacturers that lack the expertise to implement these advanced technologies. Oklahoma’s growing manufacturing base, including aerospace, energy, and industrial production, requires a workforce skilled in digital-first operations to remain competitive.
A Bachelor of Science in Digital Manufacturing prepares students to bring cutting-edge technology into real-world production environments, equipping them with expertise in CAD, automation, connected systems, and predictive maintenance. This program enables graduates to modernize manufacturing processes, integrate smart technologies, and drive economic growth at both the state and national levels. Whether helping established manufacturers adopt new technologies or assisting startups in building digitally optimized operations, graduates will gain the skills needed to shape the future of modern manufacturing. | Oklahoma has only one ABET-accredited Manufacturing Engineering Technology (CIP Code 150613) bachelors degree program at Southwestern Oklahoma State University. Therefore, there is a geographical separation in the existing program and our proposed program. There are other programs in the state with the first four numbers of the CIP Code (1506) and these are located at Oklahoma Panhandle State and have content in industrial technology. Again, a geographical difference. Neighboring states offer limited alternatives: Kansas has a program at Pittsburg State, Texas at Texas A&M, but Arkansas and Missouri have none ( ABET). With Oklahoma’s manufacturing sector growing—159,944 jobs in 2024 (IndustrySelect®)— the lack of accessible, specialized programs restricts workforce development, particularly for digital skills, highlighting an unmet need. | Fall 2031 | 20 | 2030 | 16 | 2030-2031 | Both Traditional and Online | | Yes | No | No Protest | 05/07/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 05/08/25 | | | No Protest | 05/08/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 05/15/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 05/07/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 05/07/25 | | | No Protest | 05/08/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 05/21/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 05/07/25 | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/30/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | September 4, 2025 | | | This program will be delivered in a traditional and online format. For online components, this program will use several technologies to deliver content that is very similar to what is received by traditional students. These include Canvas, ZOOM, and related recording technologies. | No | Yes | The Oklahoma State Legislature stepped forward with a $10 million appropriation that allows the Polytechnic Institute to aggressively recruit top-tier faculty who will design and build first-class teaching and research labs in Norman. The sustainability will be in the student enrollments for the program. | 2 | NA | | NA | The initial hiring for the Digital Manufacturing program is anticipated to be one Associate Director along with two Rank Renewable Term (RRT) faculty and one Tenured/Tenure Track (TTT) faculty. This hiring has been built into the pro form budget that we maintain for this program. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | 06/17/25 1:06 PM | 09/08/25 3:21 PM | Oklahoma Panhandle State University | Associate of Applied Science in Paramedicine | 071 | JW Reviewed | HP Reviewed | Protest Period Expired | 06/17/25 | 07/03/25 | | | Approved by State Regents | September 4, 2025 | 07/07/25 | 07/23/25 | | | Sent | 06/18/25 | | 07/03/25 | Sent | 07/08/25 | Charla Lewis | charla.lewis@opsu.edu | Yes | N/A | | | Goodwell Main Campus | Traditional Only | The Associate of Applied Science in Paramedicine at Oklahoma Panhandle State University is a 60-credit-hour degree program designed to prepare students for careers as licensed paramedics, capable of delivering advanced pre-hospital emergency care in both rural and urban settings. Housed within the College of Agriculture, Science, and Nursing, the program combines foundational coursework in the biological sciences with specialized paramedicine training aligned with national standards and Oklahoma licensure requirements.
Students will complete general education courses in English, mathematics, American history, and government, alongside rigorous science coursework including General Chemistry I, Principles of Biology I, Human Anatomy, and Human Physiology—essential to understanding pharmacological interventions and pathophysiology in emergency medical contexts.
The paramedicine core includes a sequenced series of courses that cover all National EMS Education Standards for paramedics:
Emergency Medical Technician – Basic (EMT-B)
Paramedic Care I, II, and III
Rescue Awareness and Incident Management
These courses integrate classroom instruction, high-fidelity simulation training, and hands-on clinical experience in hospital emergency departments, ambulance services, and fire/rescue settings.
Upon successful completion, graduates will be eligible to sit for the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) Paramedic certification exam and apply for licensure through the Oklahoma State Department of Health.
Designed to serve the rural and medically underserved regions of the Oklahoma Panhandle and surrounding tri-state area, the AAS in Paramedicine addresses urgent healthcare workforce needs and offers a critical pathway to employment in high-demand emergency services roles. | Within a 120-mile radius of Goodwell—including Guymon (OK), Liberal (KS), and Dumas (TX)—there are currently over 50 paramedic job openings, reflecting a sustained and region-wide demand for qualified emergency medical personnel. Regional healthcare employers, including rural hospitals, ambulance authorities, and fire departments, consistently post vacancies, citing difficulty attracting and retaining licensed paramedics.
This area includes multiple rural counties with minimal or no access to paramedic training programs, creating a hiring market that relies heavily on out-of-region recruitment or overtime staffing of current personnel. The consistent presence of job postings in these smaller communities points to an ongoing need for locally trained professionals who are more likely to remain in the region.
Nationally, the demand is also growing—EMTs and paramedics are projected to see a 6% growth in employment over the next decade, faster than average for all occupations. This national trend reinforces the local and regional importance of developing a stable paramedic workforce to meet essential health and emergency service needs. | The Oklahoma Panhandle and surrounding region face a critical shortage of paramedics, made worse by several interrelated factors:
Rural EMS agencies in the area are under financial strain. Proposed changes to ambulance reimbursement rates in Oklahoma threaten to eliminate funding equivalent to a full-time paramedic per agency—an unsustainable hit for already under-resourced services.
Volunteer attrition is accelerating. Fewer individuals are available or willing to serve in unpaid or low-paid emergency roles, and younger residents are less likely to stay or return to serve in rural EMS without clear career pathways.
Nearly all counties in this region are considered ‘ambulance deserts’—meaning they lack consistent and reliable ambulance service with advanced life support capabilities.
No local paramedic training program currently exists within the 120-mile radius, creating a significant barrier to entry for students in the Panhandle who might otherwise pursue this career.
These compounding challenges highlight an urgent workforce development gap. Establishing the AAS in Paramedicine at OPSU directly addresses this unmet need by offering a local, affordable, and accredited pathway into the profession—one that can strengthen regional emergency response systems and improve community health outcomes. | | 071 | 51.0904 | HLC | Fall 2025 | Goodwell Campus | 03/01/19 | AAS in Paramedicine | SOME of the courses in the program can be completed entirely online | 60 | The AAS in Paramedicine prepares students to achieve licensure and deliver advanced, pre-hospital emergency care. Through a blend of academic coursework, simulation laboratories, and clinical internships in hospital and EMS settings, students will meet national EMS educational standards. Upon graduation, they will be eligible for NREMT certification and Oklahoma licensure.
Aligned with Blueprint 2030, this program supports:
Pillar 1: Workforce-ready graduates
Pillar 2: Expanding access and equity through regional pipelines
Pillar 3: Meeting critical healthcare needs in rural communities | Local Market:
There are consistently 50+ paramedic job openings within a 120-mile radius of Goodwell—across Guymon, Liberal (KS), and Dumas (TX)—indicating robust, ongoing regional demand.
Guymon wage data: Average paramedic base pay is $33.41/hour, about $69,400/year, which is 19% higher than the national average.
For paramedic/FF roles, average annual earnings reported at $54,784/year (~$26/hr).
State & National Trends:
Oklahoma lists paramedics as a Top 100 Critical Occupation, projecting 181 positions by 2030 and 166 average annual openings.
The BLS forecasts 6% growth in EMT/paramedic roles through 2032.
Nationwide, nearly 40,000 additional EMS workers are needed to meet demand, reflecting widespread shortages.
These data underscore a strong need for regionally trained paramedics who can serve local communities and address retention challenges in rural emergency services. | Access Barrier: No AAS in Paramedicine exists within 120 miles of Goodwell; current options require relocation to Oklahoma City, Tulsa, or Lawton.
Rural EMS Capacity Limits: Agencies face low volunteer numbers, financial pressures, and workforce shortages. A large proportion of rural counties are considered "ambulance deserts," lacking adequate paramedic coverage.
en.wikipedia.org
Alignment with Blueprint 2030:
Pillar 1: Prepares students to enter healthcare workforce
Pillar 2: Creates a local educational pathway to high-growth jobs
Pillar 3: Builds regional capacity in critical services
Curriculum Summary (60 credits):
25 credits: General Education (English, math, sciences, history/government)
24 credits: Paramedicine Core (EMT-B, Paramedic Care I–III, Rescue Awareness, Incident Management)
9 credits: Science Support (Human Anatomy & Physiology)
2 credits: Electives
Program meets National EMS Education Standards and prepares students for NREMT and Oklahoma licensure. | No existing program: No public institution within 120 miles offers paramedic education or an AAS in Emergency Medical Services.
Urban vs. rural gaps: Existing programs in metro areas do not serve rural student populations effectively.
Supporting Blueprint 2030: This program fulfills a regional training gap, improving equitable access and aligning with statewide goals. | Spring 2031 | 17 | 2030 | 5 | 2030-2031 | Traditional Only | | Yes | Yes | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/25/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/23/25 | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/30/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/09/25 | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/17/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | September 4, 2025 | | | Some courses may be offered online, but most will be in-person. | No | No | The proposed Associate of Applied Science in Paramedicine will be funded through existing institutional resources and will not require new state appropriations or additional funding beyond current allocations.
OPSU already operates an established Emergency Medical Services (EMS) program, which provides a solid foundation of faculty expertise, equipment, and instructional facilities necessary to deliver the paramedicine curriculum. The AAS degree leverages these existing assets while offering a structured, degree-bearing pathway that meets workforce demands and addresses critical healthcare shortages in the Oklahoma Panhandle and surrounding regions.
This program represents a strategic expansion rather than a new cost center. It ensures that OPSU can respond to regional workforce needs, align with Blueprint 2030 goals, and provide students with a locally accessible route to licensure and employment as paramedics. By formalizing paramedicine training into an associate degree, OPSU enhances both student opportunities and community health outcomes without incurring significant new expenses. | 0 | NA | | NA | NA | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | 06/15/25 6:41 PM | 09/08/25 3:07 PM | Rogers State University | Master of Arts in Psychology | 217 | JW Reviewed | HP Reviewed | Protest Period Expired | 06/15/25 | 07/01/25 | | | Approved by State Regents | September 4, 2025 | 07/07/25 | 07/23/25 | | | Sent | 06/16/25 | | 07/01/25 | Sent | 07/08/25 | Susan Willis, Ph.D. | swillis@rsu.edu | Yes | N/A | | | Claremore | Online Only | The purpose of this program is to provide a high-quality, rigorous, accessible, and affordable online option for a Master’s degree in Psychology to help alleviate the need for well-trained mental health professionals in northeastern Oklahoma and beyond. Currently we have over 220 majors in Psychology or Counseling, many of which go directly into a related field of work upon graduation. A significant portion of our graduates also go on to graduate work either immediately after graduation with their BS, or within the first 2-5 years of working in a mental health related field. This program would be highly attractive to those students. Further, as an online program this MA would be available to students already working full-time in mental health or related fields. Often, career advancement in social service agencies or mental health provider organizations requires a Master’s degree, and this program would make such a degree available to local residents of Northeastern Oklahoma and beyond. | Oklahoma currently has a severe shortage of qualified mental health professionals. The most recent report by the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission lists a variety of mental health related critical needs in the Oklahoma job market. In addition to substance abuse and mental health counseling positions, other top 100 critical jobs including childhood and school counseling, social work, career counselors, and human resource management. Notably, jobs specializing in substance abuse, behavioral disorders, and mental health counseling are projected to be among the fastest growing jobs in the state with a growth rate of 19.7% projected through 2032. This is reflected nationally as well, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting an 18% growth in mental health jobs across the nation, and strong growth in other related fields. A report by the Healthy Minds Policy Initiative notes that the federal government designates all 77 Oklahoma counties as mental health professional shortage areas, and that the need must be met by attracting prospective students to behavioral health degree programs that are high-quality, accessible, and affordable. | As noted above, mental health professionals and services in Oklahoma and nationwide are in high demand. This has been the case in Oklahoma over the past several decades, and demand is only projected to grow. Clearly Oklahoma higher education is not keeping up with the demand. RSU already produces a large number of high-quality Bachelor’s students to help alleviate this need for mental health workers in Oklahoma. This proposed MA degree would further our ability to contribute skilled mental health professionals to the Oklahoma workforce.
The proposed Master of Arts in Psychology serves a different purpose than RSU’s existing Master of Science in Community Counseling. The master’s degree in Community Counseling prepares learners to become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), which requires 14 approved internship credit hours in addition to 36 credit hours of classroom work, a total of 60 graduate hours, prior to eligibility to sit for the National Counselor Exam. The proposed Master of Arts in Psychology prepares learners for a broader array of careers, with the convenience of online course delivery without required internship hours. This degree will augment the opportunities for potential mental health and behavior professionals in our region. Furthermore, RSU is one of the most affordable regional universities in the state. The proposed program would therefore be both affordable and accessible to working professionals (as a fully online program), both of which meet existing needs. | | 217 | 42.0101 | none | Fall 2026 | online | 06/12/25 | none | ALL of the courses in the program can be completed entirely online | 33 | This program will provide a high-quality, rigorous, accessible, and affordable option for students and working professionals to obtain a Master of Arts in Psychology in an online format. | The employment prospects for a Master of Arts in Psychology are positive, especially when compared to other occupations. With a current shortage in behavioral health workers, the U.S. Bureau of Labor reports that overall employment of professionals with a masters degree in psychology is expected to grow by and additional 5% over the next 10 years. This is supported by the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, who projects employment growth in most occupational fields of psychology outside of postsecondary teachers, which is projected to have a miniscule drop.
Common career paths for those with a Master of Arts in Psychology include:
• Teaching
• Data analysis
• Social services
• Human resources
• Instructional design
• Social media coordination
• Marketing and advertising
• Healthcare administration
• Doctoral program student
• Non-profit administration
• Mental Health Services
• Addiction Counseling Services
• Various others preferring/requiring a graduate degree
The shortage of mental health professionals in Oklahoma is a significant concern and has various impacts on the state's healthcare system. Here’s a snapshot of the situation:
1. Workforce Shortages:
• Provider Density: Oklahoma has a lower density of mental health professionals compared to the national average. As of recent data, there are about 180 licensed psychologists per 100,000 people in the state, compared to the national average of around 200 per 100,000. A master’s in psychology can increase the probability of acceptance into a Ph.D. program that leads to licensure. Additionally, an MA in psychology provides the coursework needed for a career as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and/or Licensed Marital and Family Therapist (LMFT).
• Geographic Disparities: There are considerable disparities in the availability of mental health services between urban and rural areas. Rural regions often have limited access to mental health professionals, exacerbating issues for residents in those areas.
2. Demand vs. Supply:
• Growing Need: The federal government designates all 77 Oklahoma counties as mental health professional shortage areas. With few exceptions, Oklahoma's supply of behavioral health care providers is not sufficient to meet the demands of the state's population.
• The demand for mental health services in Oklahoma is increasing, partly due to rising awareness and a greater emphasis on mental health. This growing need is not being met adequately due to the shortage of professionals.
• Workforce Shortage: Data from the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services indicates that there are significant gaps in the availability of mental health practitioners, with many counties lacking sufficient providers.
3. Impact on Services:
• Access to Care: The shortage impacts access to timely and effective mental health care, leading to longer wait times and reduced quality of care for patients. This is particularly problematic for those with severe mental health issues who require immediate attention.
• Mental Health Outcomes: Limited access can lead to poorer mental health outcomes, including increased rates of untreated mental illness, substance abuse, and related issues.
4. Training and Retention Issues:
• Training Programs: There is a need for more mental health professionals to be trained and to stay in the state. Oklahoma has made efforts to increase the number of mental health training programs, but there is still a need for more robust initiatives.
5. State Initiatives:
• Legislative Efforts: There have been various legislative efforts and policy changes aimed at addressing these shortages, such as increased funding for mental health services and incentives for professionals to work in underserved areas. | The demand for mental health professionals in Oklahoma has reached critical levels, driven by increasing awareness of mental health issues and a growing need for accessible care and support. Establishing an online Master’s degree in psychology at RSU will address this urgent need, support the state’s mental health workforce, and provide flexible education options for students. Important points include:
1. Alignment with University Mission and Strategic Goals
2. Growing Demand for Mental Health Services
• Rising Mental Health Issues.
• Amplified Support for Mental Healthcare Service.
• Increased Awareness.
3. Shortage of Mental Health Professionals
• Provider Disparities: Oklahoma consistently ranks below the national average in the number of mental health professionals per capita. This is especially true in rural areas
• Impact of Shortage: Significant implications for the overall health of the population, contributing to untreated mental illnesses and exacerbating issues such as substance abuse, homelessness, and incarceration.
4. Flexibility of Online Education
5. Contribution to the Local Economy and Community through job creation in a variety of settings.
The establishment of an online Master’s degree in psychology at RSU is a strategic response to the pressing need for mental health professionals and support services in Oklahoma. | While most Universities in Oklahoma offer a Master’s degree in psychology, only two offer the degree in a fully online modality. The degree at Oklahoma State University is available fully online but is a specialized Master of Science in Educational Psychology. The only other fully online Master’s in Psychology in Oklahoma is offered by Northwestern Oklahoma State University. The proposed program at RSU differs from many other programs (both online as well as on-ground or multi-modal) in that it will be a Master of Arts degree and will have a more multidisciplinary focus than a Master of Science degree available at most other institutions. This is a purposeful decision as RSU currently also offers a Master of Science in Community Counseling program. The MA in Psychology will be a more affordable and accessible option for students seeking a generalized Master’s degree rather than a specialized degree like most available at both RSU and other institutions.
The proposed Master of Arts in Psychology serves a different purpose than RSU’s Master of Science in Community Counseling. The master’s degree in Community Counseling prepares learners to become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), which requires 14 approved internship credit hours in addition to 36 credit hours of classroom work, a total of 60 graduate hours, prior to eligibility to sit for the National Counselor Exam. The proposed Master of Arts in Psychology prepares learners for a broader array of careers, with the convenience of online course delivery without required internship hours. This degree will augment the opportunities for potential mental health and behavior professionals in our region.
Notably mental health professionals in Oklahoma and nationwide are in high demand. This has been the case in Oklahoma over the past several decades, and demand is only projected to grow. Clearly Oklahoma higher education is not keeping up with the demand. RSU already produces a large number of high-quality Bachelor’s students to help alleviate this need for mental health workers in Oklahoma. This proposed MA degree would further our ability to contribute skilled mental health professionals to the Oklahoma workforce. Furthermore, RSU is one of the most affordable regional universities in the state, and it’s graduate tuition rate is one of the most affordable in the nation. The proposed program would therefore be both affordable and accessible to working professionals (as a fully online program), both of which meet existing needs. The graph below displays the average salary for graduates with a master’s degree in psychology five years after graduation in the state of Oklahoma. | Fall, 2031 | 10 | 2030 | 5 | 2030-2031 | Online only | | No | No | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/16/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/16/25 | | | No Protest | 06/16/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/17/25 | | | No Protest | 06/16/25 | | | No Protest | 06/16/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/17/25 | | | No Protest | 06/16/25 | | | No Protest | 06/17/25 | | | No Protest | 06/16/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/25/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/16/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/09/25 | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/17/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | | | | RSU utilizes Blackboard Ultra as our learning management system. Tools available through the LMS allow professors to actively engage online students through discussions, virtual meetings, chat rooms, and a variety of tools to make assignments engaging and rigorous for students. Further, RSU participates in Quality Matters (QM) to ensure our online courses meet the same standards as on-ground classes. | No | Yes | Existing funding | 1 | NA | | NA | Program coordinator is needed | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | 06/15/25 6:58 PM | 09/08/25 3:15 PM | Rogers State University | Associate in Science in Pre-Nursing | 136 | JW Reviewed | HP Reviewed | Protest Period Expired | 06/15/25 | 07/01/25 | | | Approved by State Regents | September 4, 2025 | 07/07/25 | 07/23/25 | | | Sent | 06/16/25 | | 07/01/25 | Sent | 07/08/25 | Susan Willis, Ph.D. | swillis@rsu.edu | Yes | N/A | | | RSU Claremore, Bartlesville, Pryor | Both Traditional and Online | The purpose of the program is to provide a stackable degree for our nursing majors. Since the bachelor’s degree programs for these majors is very rigorous, some students get started and find that they need a break in their college career—this allows them to earn an intermediate degree upon which they can build later, or immediately. The proposed AS pre-nursing uses 58 credit hours that are required as prerequisites for the nursing BSN and only 3 credit hours (1 course) additionally; thus every course taken on the proposed AS degree plan applies to the BSN, except one. | While the pre-nursing AS will not directly lead to employment opportunities, it is a steppingstone in the process of earning a registered nursing license from RSU’s BSN Traditional (pre-licensure) program.
“According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, Oklahoma ranks 46th in the U.S. for nurses per capita with just 7.5 nurses per 1,000 residents. 2022 statistics indicate there were 30,320 RNs statewide.”
Further, “Employment of registered nurses is projected to grow 6 percent from 2023 to 2033, faster than the average for all occupations. About 194,500 openings for registered nurses are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.” https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm#tab-6 | By offering a pre-nursing associate in science (AS) degree, it provides an intermediate milestone and tangible degree for students who may not be accepted into the competitive, upper division nursing program; or for students who are unsuccessful in the upper division bachelor’s coursework for nursing. As stated earlier in this document, this AS does not directly meet a need, but rather decreases barriers and will encourage persistence to complete the BSN. | | | 51.1105 | NA | Spring 2026 | Claremore, Bartlesville, Pryor
*NURS 2112 only offered at Claremore Campus | 06/12/25 | NA | SOME of the courses in the program can be completed entirely online | 63 | To provide an intermediate milestone and tangible degree for students who may not be accepted into the competitive, upper division nursing program; or for students who are unsuccessful in the upper division bachelor’s coursework for nursing. | While the pre-nursing AS will not directly lead to employment opportunities, it is a steppingstone in the process of earning a registered nursing license from RSU’s BSN Traditional (pre-licensure) program.
“According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, Oklahoma ranks 46th in the U.S. for nurses per capita with just 7.5 nurses per 1,000 residents. 2022 statistics indicate there were 30,320 RNs statewide.”
Further, “Employment of registered nurses is projected to grow 6 percent from 2023 to 2033, faster than the average for all occupations. About 194,500 openings for registered nurses are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.” https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm#tab-6 | This stackable degree will benefit our BSN-seeking nursing majors. Since the bachelor’s degree program for these majors is very rigorous, some students get started and find that they need a break in their college career—this allows them to earn an intermediate degree upon which they can build later, or immediately. Further, this pre-Nursing AS will align us with Tulsa Community College who offers a pre-nursing AS. A significant number of RSU’s applicants transfer from TCC bringing their pre-nursing AS with them. | This associate degree will not directly meet a need; however, it provides an incremental degree on the path to earning a BSN. | Fall 2027 | 25 | 2030 | 5 | 2030-2031 | Both Traditional and Online | | Yes | No | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/16/25 | | | No Protest | 06/16/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/17/25 | | | No Protest | 06/16/25 | | | No Protest | 06/16/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/17/25 | | | No Protest | 06/16/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/25/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/09/25 | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/17/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | | | | RSU utilizes Blackboard Ultra as our learning management system. Tools available through the LMS allow professors to actively engage online students through discussions, virtual meetings, chat rooms, and a variety of tools to make assignments engaging and rigorous for students. Further, RSU participates in Quality Matters (QM) to ensure our online courses meet the same standards as on-ground classes. | No | No | Existing funding | 0 | NA | | NA | NA | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | 02/06/25 3:03 PM | 09/08/25 1:29 PM | University of Central Oklahoma | Bachelor of Music in Contemporary Music Performance | 262 | JW Reviewed | HP Reviewed | Protest Period Expired | 02/06/25 | 02/25/25 | | | Approved by State Regents | September 4, 2025 | 04/17/25 | 05/02/25 | | | Sent | 02/10/25 | | 02/25/25 | Sent | 04/18/25 | Dr. Charlotte Simmons | cksimmons@uco.edu | No | Yes | Dr. Lee Anne Paris | lparis@uco.edu | University of Central Oklahoma - Oklahoma City, OK | Traditional Only | The purpose for the proposed B.M. in Contemporary Music Performance is to provide a four-year degree focused on contemporary music performance. The goal of this degree strategy is to use the flexibility of the A.A.S. degrees, B.A.T. degrees, B.M. degrees, and minors to expand student course choice while also adhering to the NASM accreditation requirements for four-year music degrees.
This curriculum was developed using NASM best practices and aligning these with our expertise in preparing students for careers in the music industry.
The contemporary music industry in the United States has matured to the point that it is ready to be supported by a rigorous academic program that focuses on crafting a new generation of industry-savvy, seriously trained musicians and business leaders who have had access to the civic learning available at a public university. In addition to teaching students how to succeed in the music industry, the Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma also serves to grow the local music infrastructure in Oklahoma City. Our students, instructors, and guest artists are all part of a growing artistic movement that connects our city to the vibrant global music industry and creates opportunities for our students and alumni. | According to the National Endowment for the Arts, the projections for employment for the arts is growing. A report posted March 2023 stated that there are 38,965 arts related workers employed in the State of Oklahoma and the total compensation for those workers amounts to 2.4 billion dollars. With those numbers, the students who complete the BM Contemporary Music Performance Degree have a great future ahead of them.
According to Oklahomans for the Arts 2016 Arts & Economic Prosperity 5, for fiscal year 2015 there were a total of 29,165 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) jobs supported by arts and cultural organizations and their audiences in Oklahoma. This information, combined with the National Endowment for the Arts Art Works Artist Employment Projection through 2023 shows the aggregate of musicians, singers, and related workers growing as fast as the average job growth across the country. These two data sets correlate with the Bureau of Labor Statistics listing of 16,830 Oklahoma jobs in Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations to show that Oklahoma has a growing contemporary entertainment and music industry that needs a trained workforce. | No equivalent bachelor’s degree programs exist in the state of Oklahoma.
When ACM@UCO was formed in 2009 there was an unexpectedly high internal demand for a Bachelor’s program that could act as an internal 2+2 degree for students who graduated with their Associates in Applied Science from the ACM@UCO degree programs. The former Bachelor’s in Applied Technology (B.A.T.) in Technology Application Studies, a degree originally formed for use as a 2+2 degree, was at the time unused and currently available. This degree, combined with some course substitutions, has been used as an imperfect solution to our problem for the last nine years. It has high demand and high enrollment, but the former degree sheet and title did not accurately portray the program as it should be run and make it almost impossible to market this degree.
In 2018, 29.3% of A.A.S. Graduates in any of our three programs (Contemporary Music Performance, Contemporary Music Production, and Contemporary Music Business) went on to complete a B.A.T. in Technology Application Studies. Since the implementation of our two new B.A.T. programs, over 50% of our A.A.S. students go on to complete either a B.A.T. in Commercial Music or a B.A.T. in Audio Production. Since 2018, we have now gone from 516 to over 1000 A.A.S. graduates (as of 2024). A true change over the past 6 years was a change from only around 25% of our students declaring the bachelor’s degree as their primary goal to over 65% of our incoming freshmen declaring the bachelor’s degree as their primary degree from the beginning of their college experience. This trend has tremendous value for stabilizing our credit hour production.
However, the lack of a four-year option in contemporary music performance for our A.A.S. in Contemporary Music Performance students has meant that our music performance students are still only hovering around 30% who go on to a bachelor’s program due to the fact that there is not a music performance specific program available within our institution. Our projections show that a similar increase in both student enrollment and retention through a four-year degree would occur with the launch of the B.M. in Contemporary Music Performance. | | None | 50.0903 | National Association of Schools of Music | Fall 2025 | Oklahoma City, OK location of the University of Central Oklahoma | 04/11/25 | Contemporary Music Performance | SOME of the courses in the program can be completed entirely online | 124 | The purpose for the proposed B.M. in Contemporary Music Performance is to provide a four-year degree focused on contemporary music performance. The goal of this degree strategy is to use the flexibility of the A.A.S. degrees, B.A.T. degrees, B.M. degrees, and minors to expand student course choice while also adhering to the NASM accreditation requirements for four-year music degrees. | According to the National Endowment for the Arts, the projections for employment for the arts is growing. A report posted March 2023 stated that there are 38,965 arts related workers employed in the State of Oklahoma and the total compensation for those workers amounts to 2.4 billion dollars. With those numbers, the students who complete the BM Contemporary Music Performance Degree have a great future ahead of them.
According to Oklahomans for the Arts 2016 Arts & Economic Prosperity 5, for fiscal year 2015 there were a total of 29,165 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) jobs supported by arts and cultural organizations and their audiences in Oklahoma. This information, combined with the National Endowment for the Arts Art Works Artist Employment Projection through 2023 shows the aggregate of musicians, singers, and related workers growing as fast as the average job growth across the country. These two data sets correlate with the Bureau of Labor Statistics listing of 16,830 Oklahoma jobs in Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations to show that Oklahoma has a growing contemporary entertainment and music industry that needs a trained workforce. | This curriculum was developed using NASM best practices and aligning these with our expertise in preparing students for careers in the music industry.
The contemporary music industry in the United States has matured to the point that it is ready to be supported by a rigorous academic program that focuses on crafting a new generation of industry-savvy, seriously trained musicians and business leaders who have had access to the civic learning available at a public university. In addition to teaching students how to succeed in the music industry, the Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma also serves to grow the local music infrastructure in Oklahoma City. Our students, instructors, and guest artists are all part of a growing artistic movement that connects our city to the vibrant global music industry and creates opportunities for our students and alumni. | No equivalent bachelor’s degree programs exist in the state of Oklahoma.
When ACM@UCO was formed in 2009 there was an unexpectedly high internal demand for a Bachelor’s program that could act as an internal 2+2 degree for students who graduated with their Associates in Applied Science from the ACM@UCO degree programs. The former Bachelor’s in Applied Technology (B.A.T.) in Technology Application Studies, a degree originally formed for use as a 2+2 degree, was at the time unused and currently available. This degree, combined with some course substitutions, has been used as an imperfect solution to our problem for the last nine years. It has high demand and high enrollment, but the former degree sheet and title did not accurately portray the program as it should be run and make it almost impossible to market this degree. This high demand for an internal 2+2 is shown in Table 1, which depicts graduation numbers for the ACM@UCO A.A.S. and B.A.T. in Technology Application Studies degrees.
Table 1: A.A.S. and B.A.T. Graduates
Fall 2010-Summer 2013 (BAT began Fall 2012): 227 AAS 18 BAT
Fall 2013: 4 AAS 11 BAT
Spring/Summer 2014: 39 AAS 33 BAT
Fall 2014-Summer 2018: 216 AAS 89 BAT
Total Graduates Since Program Launch: 516 AAS 151 BAT
In 2018, 29.3% of A.A.S. Graduates in any of our three programs (Contemporary Music Performance, Contemporary Music Production, and Contemporary Music Business) went on to complete a B.A.T. in Technology Application Studies. Since the implementation of our two new B.A.T. programs, over 50% of our A.A.S. students go on to complete either a B.A.T. in Commercial Music or a B.A.T. in Audio Production. Since 2018, we have now gone from 516 to over 1000 A.A.S. graduates (as of 2024). A true change over the past 6 years was a change from only around 25% of our students declaring the bachelor’s degree as their primary goal to over 65% of our incoming freshmen declaring the bachelor’s degree as their primary degree from the beginning of their college experience. This trend has tremendous value for stabilizing our credit hour production.
However, the lack of a four-year option in contemporary music performance for our A.A.S. in Contemporary Music Performance students has meant that our music performance students are still only hovering around 30% who go on to a bachelor’s program due to the fact that there is not a music performance specific program available within our institution. Our projections show that a similar increase in both student enrollment and retention through a four-year degree would occur with the launch of the B.M. in Contemporary Music Performance. | Spring 2030 | 12 | 2029 | 8 | 2029-2030 | Traditional Only | | Yes | No | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/10/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/10/25 | | | No Protest | 02/12/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/11/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/10/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/10/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/10/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/18/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/18/25 | | | No Protest | 04/21/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/18/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/21/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/18/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/18/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | The majority of courses will be taught in person at UCO's Academy for Contemporary Music, located in downtown Oklahoma City. Some of the courses in the proposed program can also be completed entirely online, and Desire2Learn will be used to maintain assignments, provide additional learning material, offer multiple modalities for communication with students and maintain a repository of grades and assessment data. | No | No | This program will be funded through a reallocation of already existing resources combined with new revenue generated by the program. | 0 | NA | | NA | NA | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | 02/06/25 3:12 PM | 09/08/25 1:29 PM | University of Central Oklahoma | Master of Music in Audio Production | 261 | JW Reviewed | HP Reviewed | Protest Period Expired | 02/06/25 | 02/25/25 | | | Approved by State Regents | September 4, 2025 | 04/17/25 | 05/02/25 | | | Sent | 02/10/25 | | 02/25/25 | Sent | 04/18/25 | Dr. Charlotte Simmons | cksimmons@uco.edu | No | Yes | Dr. Lee Anne Paris | lparis@uco.edu | University of Central Oklahoma - Oklahoma City, OK | Traditional Only | The purpose for the proposed M.M. in Contemporary Music Performance is to provide the first graduate degree in Audio Production in the State of Oklahoma. The way the program is structured means that the A.A.S. in Contemporary Music Performance is an embedded degree within the B.A.T. in Audio Production, and 9 of the upper-division hours of the B.A.T. will count towards a master’s degree as part of an accelerated degree path for students who declare it – students who complete the degree requirements for the B.A.T. in Audio Production will also have a head start towards their graduate studies if they stay with the Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma (ACM@UCO) throughout their educational experience.
The Master’s in Audio Production promotes the University of Central Oklahoma mission and vision of a metropolitan university preparing future leaders to positively impact local, state, and global communities, namely the Oklahoma music, film, and fine arts communities. Additionally, the certificate demonstrates and provides institutional evidence of UCO Values, especially the values of ‘Community’ and ‘Growth.’ ACM@UCO post-production graduate students will provide value and service to the Oklahoma film industry, while engaging the campus community and broader metropolitan community in their creative endeavors. As graduates, students will support the growth and sustainability of the Oklahoma film industry and address the socio-cultural needs of the film community through creativity and innovation.
The proposed degree is part of an overall degree strategy developed as part of the Educators Leadership Academy Academic Leadership Fellows 2017-2018 program. The goal of this degree strategy is to use the flexibility of the A.A.S. degrees, B.A.T. degrees, B.M. degrees, M.M. degrees, M.F.A. degrees, and minors to expand student course choice while also adhering to the NASM accreditation requirements and create accelerated pathways for students who stay with UCO throughout their higher education pathway to receive a robust and complete education.
This program has been created to serve three student populations who have all expressed great interest in a program of this type. First are students who receive the A.A.S. in Music Production and the B.A.T. in Audio Production who can use the accelerated degree program to count 9 of their undergraduate hours towards this degree. Second are students who have graduated from other similarly structured music production four year programs and wish to continue their graduate study in the field. Finally, the third population of students this degree will serve are students who are interested in audio production but received a bachelor’s degree from a traditional music conservatory or university program.
This curriculum was developed using NASM best practices and aligning these with our expertise in preparing students for careers in the music industry. We used industry leaders Middle Tennessee State University, McGill, Southern Utah, New York University, and Columbia College in Chicago as examples of graduate degrees in North America in this field.
The contemporary music industry in the United States has matured to the point that it is ready to be supported by a rigorous academic program that focuses on crafting a new generation of industry savvy, seriously trained musicians and business leaders who have had access to the civic learning available at a public university. In addition to teaching students how to succeed in the music industry, the Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma also serves to grow the local music infrastructure in Oklahoma City. | Oklahoma does not currently offer graduate program options in Audio Engineering. Conversations with our area business stakeholders, the increase in film production in our state, and the growth of the music industry in Oklahoma have made it clear to us that there is a workforce need in the field of audio for post-production projects (which includes films, television, advertising, online media, video games, interactive media, and immersive media), live sound recording, and studio recording. This program builds on the expertise in contemporary music education gained through the past fifteen years at ACM@UCO. | Because Oklahoma does not currently offer graduate study options in Audio Engineering, we have been fielding greater numbers of inquiries and interest in a graduate program the past two years from both internal graduates and graduates of other Oklahoma programs. There is such a growing need for a program of this kind that if we do not take advantage of this opportunity, then we will lose these students to other states that offer the educational resources that they need to thrive in their careers. | | None | 50.0913 | National Association of Schools of Music | Fall 2025 | Oklahoma City, OK location of the University of Central Oklahoma | 04/11/25 | Audio Production | SOME of the courses in the program can be completed entirely online | 33 | The purpose for the proposed M.M. in Contemporary Music Performance is to provide the first graduate degree in Audio Production in the State of Oklahoma. The way the program is structured means that the A.A.S. in Contemporary Music Performance is an embedded degree within the B.A.T. in Audio Production, and 9 of the upper-division hours of the B.A.T. will count towards a master’s degree as part of an accelerated degree path for students who declare it – students who complete the degree requirements for the B.A.T. in Audio Production will also have a head start towards their graduate studies if they stay with the Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma (ACM@UCO) throughout their educational experience. | Oklahoma does not currently offer graduate study options in Audio Engineering. Conversations with our area business stakeholders, the increase in film production in our state, and the growth of the music industry in Oklahoma have made it clear to us that there is a workforce need in the field of audio for post-production projects (which includes films, television, advertising, online media, video games, interactive media, and immersive media), live sound recording, and studio recording. This program builds on the expertise in contemporary music education gained through the past fifteen years at ACM@UCO. | The Master’s in Audio Production promotes the University of Central Oklahoma mission and vision of a metropolitan university preparing future leaders to positively impact local, state, and global communities, namely the Oklahoma music, film, and fine arts communities. Additionally, the certificate demonstrates and provides institutional evidence of UCO Values, especially the values of ‘Community’ and ‘Growth.’ ACM@UCO post-production graduate students will provide value and service to the Oklahoma film industry, while engaging the campus community and broader metropolitan community in their creative endeavors. As graduates, students will support the growth and sustainability of the Oklahoma film industry and address the socio-cultural needs of the film community through creativity and innovation.
The proposed degree is part of an overall degree strategy developed as part of the Educators Leadership Academy Academic Leadership Fellows 2017-2018 program. The goal of this degree strategy is to use the flexibility of the A.A.S. degrees, B.A.T. degrees, B.M. degrees, M.M. degrees, M.F.A. degrees, and minors to expand student course choice while also adhering to the NASM accreditation requirements and create accelerated pathways for students who stay with UCO throughout their higher education pathway to receive a robust and complete education.
This program has been created to serve three student populations who have all expressed great interest in a program of this type. First are students who receive the A.A.S. in Music Production and the B.A.T. in Audio Production who can use the accelerated degree program to count 9 of their undergraduate hours towards this degree. Second are students who have graduated from other similarly structured music production four year programs and wish to continue their graduate study in the field. Finally, the third population of students this degree will serve are students who are interested in audio production but received a bachelor’s degree from a traditional music conservatory or university program.
This curriculum was developed using NASM best practices and aligning these with our expertise in preparing students for careers in the music industry. We used industry leaders Middle Tennessee State University, McGill, Southern Utah, New York University, and Columbia College in Chicago as examples of graduate degrees in North America in this field.
This degree would be the ACM@UCO’s first graduate program, and as such there will be six new classes offered, with the remaining hours filled out with cross-listed courses. The development of these courses will be funded by the new credit hour production created by the students in this new program.
The contemporary music industry in the United States has matured to the point that it is ready to be supported by a rigorous academic program that focuses on crafting a new generation of industry savvy, seriously trained musicians and business leaders who have had access to the civic learning available at a public university. In addition to teaching students how to succeed in the music industry, the Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma also serves to grow the local music infrastructure in Oklahoma City. Our students, instructors, and guest artists are all part of a growing artistic movement that connects our city to the vibrant global music industry and creates opportunities for our students and alumni. | Because Oklahoma does not currently offer graduate study options in Audio Engineering, we have been fielding greater numbers of inquiries and interest in a graduate program the past two years from both internal graduates and graduates of other Oklahoma programs. There is such a growing need for a program of this kind that if we do not take advantage of this opportunity, then we will lose these students to other states that offer the educational resources that they need to thrive in their careers. | Spring 2030 | 10 | 2029 | 5 | 2029-2030 | Traditional Only | | Yes | No | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/10/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/10/25 | | | No Protest | 02/12/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/11/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/17/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/10/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/10/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/18/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/18/25 | | | No Protest | 04/21/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/18/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/21/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/18/25 | | | No Protest | 04/18/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/18/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | The majority of courses will be taught in person at UCO's Academy for Contemporary Music, located in downtown Oklahoma City. Some of the courses in the proposed program can also be completed entirely online, and Desire2Learn will be used to maintain assignments, provide additional learning material, offer multiple modalities for communication with students and maintain a repository of grades and assessment data. | No | No | This program will be funded through a reallocation of already existing resources combined with new revenue generated by the program. | 0 | NA | | NA | NA | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | 05/05/25 9:33 AM | 10/27/25 9:16 AM | University of Oklahoma | Bachelor of Arts in World Languages and Cultures | 543 | JW Reviewed | HP Reviewed | Protest Period Expired | 05/05/25 | 05/21/25 | | | Approved by State Regents | October 23, 2025 | 06/17/25 | 07/03/25 | | | Sent | 05/06/25 | | 05/21/25 | Sent | 06/18/25 | Andre-Denis Wright | andre.wright@ou.edu | No | Yes | Grey Allman | greyallman@ou.edu | Norman | Traditional Only | The University of Oklahoma intends to offer this degree as a combined language major, with tracks in Arabic, Chinese, French, Italian, and German. Adopting a core curriculum for these areas is designed to help students reflect on linguistic structures; language learning processes; the relationship between language and culture, language and cognition; linguistic changes, etc. Once approved, the University plans to delete the stand-alone degrees in these five languages. | Many of our graduates in the five language degrees mentioned above fill roles in various industries, such as business, education, and transportation, all of which are expected to experience steady growth in the next 8-10 years as more workers retire, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2023-2033. Examples of career paths taken by students studying in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, and Italian are careers in education, foreign service, military service, intelligence agencies, International business, tourism, international law, and medicine. | Replacing five individual majors with one degree and streamlined concentrations in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, and Italian, will provide a resource-efficient, adaptable, sustainable model that will enhance cooperation and better serve students. | | Next Available | 169999 | N/A | Fall 2026 | Norman | 06/12/25 | | SOME of the courses in the program can be completed entirely online | 120 | World Languages & Cultures will be a combined degree to replace five separate degrees by way of Level V concentrations in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, and Italian. The five concentrations will have the same major support requirement (perspectives on languages) but otherwise a separate, albeit comparably structured, set of courses that will develop both linguistic and cultural proficiency in the relevant area. Each concentration will blend language skills, cultural studies, history, literature, politics, philosophy, and religion of the regions. It also cultivates more generally intercultural competencies, communication skills, and critical thinking. | Graduates of World Languages and Cultures will enter a wide array of employment fields. Here are the US Bureau of Labor Statistics projections for 2023-2033 for some of these sectors. We have also attached a list of projections for the State of Oklahoma for specific careers that past students have pursued.
Business and Financial Occupations
Overall employment in business and financial occupations is projected to grow faster than the average for all occupations from 2023 to 2033. About 963,500 openings are projected each year, on average, in these occupations due to employment growth and the need to replace workers who leave the occupations permanently.
Community and Social Service Occupations
Overall employment in community and social service occupations is projected to grow faster than the average for all occupations from 2023 to 2033. About 299,400 openings are projected each year, on average, in these occupations due to employment growth and the need to replace workers who leave the occupations permanently.
Education Instruction and Library Occupations
Overall employment in educational instruction and library occupations is projected to grow slower than the average for all occupations from 2023 to 2033. Despite limited employment growth, about 868,000 openings are projected each year, on average, in these occupations largely due to the need to replace workers who leave the occupations permanently.
Management Occupations
Overall employment in management occupations is projected to grow faster than the average for all occupations from 2023 to 2033. About 1.2 million openings are projected each year, on average, in these occupations due to employment growth and the need to replace workers who leave the occupations permanently.
Media and Communication Occupations
Overall employment in media and communication occupations is projected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations from 2023 to 2033. About 109,500 openings are projected each year, on average, in these occupations due to employment growth and the need to replace workers who leave the occupations permanently. | This proposal follows our study of models of consolidated language majors in institutions across the country, including a number of SEC institutions (Texas A&M, University of Florida, University of Kentucky). The advantages of our combined major include its more streamlined (30 hours), standardized degree that will promote greater resource efficiency and alignment in recruiting, in academic advising, and in career preparation. While the different concentrations differ by necessity, the shared major support requirement "perspectives on language" provide all students with the opportunity to reflect in a broader way on their learning or the specific language. (We expect that the major support requirement will evolve with time to include not just methodological perspectives
but also career readiness content.) Already the process of developing this major has created a new level of cooperation and idea generation across the five sections. Finally, consolidated departments have proven to be a more sustainable model for many institutions. Individual language enrollments often vary in response to political and cultural developments outside the control of the department. By joining forces we better insulate ourselves against that inevitable fluctuation. | Although there are other modern language programs in the State, most of these are either offered by community colleges at the Associate's level or are Certificate programs. We are not aware of any other bachelor's degree in the state that offers a degree with the structure and emphasis like the one we propose. | Fall 2031 | 12 | 2030 | 5 | 2030-2031 | Traditional Only | | Yes | Yes | No Protest | 05/06/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 05/07/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 05/07/25 | | | No Protest | 05/06/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 05/06/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 05/07/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 05/07/25 | | | No Protest | 05/06/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 05/20/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 05/06/25 | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | No Protest | 06/23/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/25/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/23/25 | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/30/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/18/25 | | | October 23, 2025 | | | This new program will offered on the Norman campus as a traditional degree with some courses available online. | No | No | No new funds are needed. We are consolidating some of our stand-alone programs into a lower-cost, single degree umbrella program. (Program deletions for some stand-alone degrees will be coming later this fall.) The degree program will be self-supporting from student tuition revenue. | 0 | NA | | NA | NA | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | 06/16/25 1:19 PM | 10/27/25 9:15 AM | Oklahoma Panhandle State University | Bachelor of Science in STEM Studies | 072 | JW Reviewed | HP Reviewed | Protest Period Expired | 06/16/25 | 07/01/25 | | | Approved by State Regents | October 23, 2025 | 07/07/25 | 07/23/25 | | | Sent | 06/16/25 | | 07/01/25 | Sent | 07/08/25 | Charla Lewis | charla.lewis@opsu.edu | Yes | N/A | | | Goodwell Main Campus | Both Traditional and Online | OPSU’s mission centers on our commitment to the preparation of students for success in a global community. In addition to the university’s mission, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education’s Blueprint 2030: Innovating and Elevating Oklahoma Higher Education for Tomorrow’s Workforce guides our efforts. The fundamental goals of Blueprint 2030 are to 1) produce workforce-ready graduates, 2) grow the student pipeline, 3) focus on student success, and 4) improve system efficiency and effectiveness. Several strategies are identified in Blueprint 2030 to help achieve these goals. Key among those that are related to this degree addition include:
• Align higher education programs with workforce demand, with a goal to produce 100,000 degrees and other credentials in STEM and critical occupations by 2030.
• Develop a robust statewide communication and outreach plan to engage the business community.
• Connect students to the workforce through increased availability of engaged learning opportunities.
• Develop and implement a system-wide plan to identify, re-engage and support Oklahoma’s adult learners.
President Dinger has launched an exciting campus-wide plan, The Panhandle Path Forward Initiative. One of the four main goals of the initiative is to analyze Academic Program Innovation and Alignment. The focus of this taskforce is to “align academic offerings with market demands and optimize net tuition revenue.” The Panhandle Path Forward Initiative embodies the strength of shared governance in transforming challenges into actionable opportunities, and the B.S. in STEM Studies degree adequately and purposefully lends support to the initiative. With these goals, strategies, and initiatives in mind, faculty in several different departments at OPSU worked together to develop a proposal for an exciting multidisciplinary degree, a Bachelor of Science in STEM Studies. This is an innovative degree program, and perhaps the only one like it in the state. We believe this STEM Studies degree directly addresses the need to align OPSU degree programs with employer demand – and in an agile manner by offering several different options within the STEM Studies degree. Ultimately, we want this STEM Studies degree to:
• Provide an efficient mechanism to address the ever-evolving, fast-paced workforce demands in a variety of STEM fields
• Promote graduate production without compromising rigor by addressing low enrollment and low productivity in some traditional programs
• Provide an attractive and applicable tool for recruiting students to OPSU
• Build student skills in multiple STEM fields to demonstrate interconnectedness
• Offer a student-tailored course of study, internship, and potential research opportunities
• Encourage reengagement of the “some college, no degree” adult population | On February 20, 2025, the OPSU College of Agriculture, Science, and Nursing held their semi-annual Advisory Board meeting. The STEM Advisory Board subcommittee consisted of regional leaders in education, banking, the energy industry, and a precision ag specialist. Based off feedback from the group, some changes to the proposed core major courses were made and some additional options to the degree were added. The members of the STEM Advisory Board were very supportive and enthusiastic about the STEM Studies Degree proposal. The education and industry leaders showed no hesitation in potentially hiring a graduate with this multidisciplinary and innovative degree. In fact, they praised as favorable the diverse exposure students would receive in the various STEM fields.
In addition to the information gathered at the Advisory Board meeting, research shows the employment outlook in STEM fields is quite promising. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in STEM occupations is projected to grow by 10.4% from 2023 to 2033. This growth rate is significantly higher than the average for all occupations, which is projected to be around 4%. The demand for STEM professionals is driven by advancements in technology, increasing reliance on data, and the need for innovation across various industries. The employment outlook for STEM fields in the Oklahoma Panhandle, Southwest Kansas, and Texas Panhandle regions is promising. Here's a brief overview.
Oklahoma Panhandle – Oklahoma.gov
Growth: The Oklahoma Panhandle is seeing growth in STEM occupations, particularly in agriculture, energy, and education sectors. The state is investing in STEM education and workforce development to meet the increasing demand.
Key Industries: Agriculture, renewable energy, and education are key industries driving STEM job growth in this region.
Southwest Kansas – www.bls.gov
Growth: Southwest Kansas is experiencing growth in STEM fields, especially in agriculture, manufacturing, and healthcare. The region is focusing on developing a skilled workforce to support these industries.
Key Industries: Agriculture, manufacturing, and healthcare are the primary industries contributing to STEM job growth.
Texas Panhandle – www.statesman.com
Growth: The Texas Panhandle is seeing significant growth in STEM occupations, particularly in the energy, healthcare, and technology sectors. The region is benefiting from investments in STEM education and infrastructure.
Key Industries: Energy, healthcare, and technology are the main industries driving STEM job growth in this area.
Regionally and nationally, businesses are investing in STEM education and workforce development to support the growing demand for skilled professionals in various industries, and the proposed BS in STEM Studies degree will directly address these needs. | While there are currently excellent OPSU Programs that produce majors in different areas of science, technology, and mathematics, there is not a multidisciplinary program that directly and simultaneously address STEM as a “metamajor” in a universal or broad manner. This approach can be advantageous for a number of reasons that were addressed in the “Justification” portion of this proposal. | | 070 | 30.9999 (options: 30.9999, 11.1003, 30.7101, 03.0601, 30.0101, 27.0101, 13.1311, 01.9999, 14.0102, 13.1316, 13.1321) | HLC | Fall 2025 | Goodwell Campus | 06/13/25 | General STEM Studies 30.9999
Cybersecurity 11.1003
Data Analytics 30.7101
Ecology and Wildlife 03.0691
Lab Applications 30.0101
Mathematics Academic 27.0101
Mathematics Teaching 13.1311
Precision Agriculture 01.9999
Pre-Engineering 14.0102
Secondary Science 13.1316
Technology Engineering in Schools 13.1321 | SOME of the courses in the program can be completed entirely online | 120 | The purpose of the Bachelor of Science in STEM Studies at OPSU is to provide an innovative, flexible, and multidisciplinary educational pathway that equips students with broad and adaptable STEM knowledge and skills. The program is designed to:
*Align academic preparation with rapidly evolving workforce demands across multiple STEM fields, including agriculture, energy, technology, manufacturing, education, and healthcare.
*Promote workforce-ready graduates who can apply interdisciplinary problem-solving and technological literacy in diverse professional contexts.
*Attract new student populations, including recent high school graduates, transfer students, and adult learners with “some college, no degree,” by offering customizable degree pathways tailored to individual career goals.
*Serve as a mechanism for academic program innovation and optimization, consolidating low-enrollment programs into a cohesive interdisciplinary degree without sacrificing academic rigor or quality.
*Contribute directly to the goals of Oklahoma’s Blueprint 2030 by increasing the number of graduates in STEM and critical occupations, supporting regional economic growth, and enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of higher education in the state. | On February 20, 2025, the OPSU College of Agriculture, Science, and Nursing held their semi-annual Advisory Board meeting. The STEM Advisory Board subcommittee consisted of regional leaders in education, banking, the energy industry, and a precision ag specialist. Based off feedback from the group, some changes to the proposed core major courses were made and some additional options to the degree were added. The members of the STEM Advisory Board were very supportive and enthusiastic about the STEM Studies Degree proposal. The education and industry leaders showed no hesitation in potentially hiring a graduate with this multidisciplinary and innovative degree. In fact, they praised as favorable the diverse exposure students would receive in the various STEM fields.
In addition to the information gathered at the Advisory Board meeting, research shows the employment outlook in STEM fields is quite promising. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in STEM occupations is projected to grow by 10.4% from 2023 to 2033. This growth rate is significantly higher than the average for all occupations, which is projected to be around 4%. The demand for STEM professionals is driven by advancements in technology, increasing reliance on data, and the need for innovation across various industries. The employment outlook for STEM fields in the Oklahoma Panhandle, Southwest Kansas, and Texas Panhandle regions is promising. Here's a brief overview.
Oklahoma Panhandle – Oklahoma.gov
Growth: The Oklahoma Panhandle is seeing growth in STEM occupations, particularly in agriculture, energy, and education sectors. The state is investing in STEM education and workforce development to meet the increasing demand.
Key Industries: Agriculture, renewable energy, and education are key industries driving STEM job growth in this region.
Southwest Kansas – www.bls.gov
Growth: Southwest Kansas is experiencing growth in STEM fields, especially in agriculture, manufacturing, and healthcare. The region is focusing on developing a skilled workforce to support these industries.
Key Industries: Agriculture, manufacturing, and healthcare are the primary industries contributing to STEM job growth.
Texas Panhandle – www.statesman.com
Growth: The Texas Panhandle is seeing significant growth in STEM occupations, particularly in the energy, healthcare, and technology sectors. The region is benefiting from investments in STEM education and infrastructure.
Key Industries: Energy, healthcare, and technology are the main industries driving STEM job growth in this area.
Regionally and nationally, businesses are investing in STEM education and workforce development to support the growing demand for skilled professionals in various industries, and the proposed BS in STEM Studies degree will directly address these needs. | The B.S. in STEM Studies was conceived as a direct response to OPSU’s mission to prepare students for success in a global community and to the strategic objectives of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education’s Blueprint 2030. Blueprint 2030 prioritizes producing workforce-ready graduates, expanding student access, improving student success, and enhancing operational efficiency. The proposed program embodies these priorities through a unique interdisciplinary approach to STEM education.
President Dinger’s Panhandle Path Forward Initiative further reinforces OPSU’s commitment to aligning academic programs with market demands and optimizing net tuition revenue. One of the initiative’s primary goals is to analyze and modernize academic offerings to ensure programs remain responsive, relevant, and sustainable. The B.S. in STEM Studies emerged from collaborative discussions among faculty from several departments, seeking to build a program that is both innovative and versatile.
While OPSU offers strong programs in individual STEM disciplines, the university currently lacks a multidisciplinary program that integrates multiple STEM fields into a single, flexible degree. This gap creates an opportunity for OPSU to:
*Provide students with a broader educational experience that connects disciplines and fosters innovation and interdisciplinary thinking. | There is no known Bachelor of Science in STEM Studies offered as a multidisciplinary, customizable STEM metamajor degree at any other regional university in Oklahoma. While individual STEM disciplines are offered across institutions, this program is unique in its flexible structure, allowing students to tailor coursework across multiple STEM fields. It minimizes duplication by consolidating courses already offered at OPSU and by addressing workforce needs not met by single-discipline degrees. | Spring 2031 | 12 | 2030 | 5 | 2030-2031 | Both Traditional and Online | | Yes | Yes | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/16/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/16/25 | | | No Protest | 06/16/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/16/25 | | | No Protest | 06/16/25 | | | No Protest | 06/16/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/16/25 | | | No Protest | 06/16/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/30/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 06/16/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/09/25 | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/09/25 | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/17/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/08/25 | | | October 23, 2025 | | | Some options may be able to be completed online, others may have a combination of traditional and online coursework while others may be completed on-site only. | No | No | The proposed Bachelor of Science in STEM Studies will be funded through reallocation of existing resources and will not require new state appropriations or significant additional funding.
OPSU plans to support this program by utilizing current faculty, courses, and instructional infrastructure already in place across our mathematics, science, and technology departments. Many of the required courses for the STEM Studies degree are already offered as part of existing majors, ensuring cost-effective implementation.
In alignment with responsible stewardship and Blueprint 2030’s emphasis on institutional efficiency and workforce alignment, OPSU intends to request the suspension of selected low-enrollment or redundant programs whose content will be consolidated under the broader STEM Studies degree. This strategic realignment will enable the university to maintain or improve overall program quality while ensuring financial sustainability.
By streamlining offerings and focusing on a flexible STEM Studies curriculum, OPSU will better serve student interests and regional workforce needs, especially in rural areas where demand for STEM-trained graduates is high. This approach ensures the program is both necessary and fiscally responsible, positioning OPSU to contribute meaningfully to Oklahoma’s STEM workforce goals without requiring new funding. | 0 | NA | | NA | NA | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | 07/08/25 1:00 PM | 10/27/25 9:16 AM | Oklahoma State University | Master of Science in School Psychology | 565 | JW Reviewed | HP Reviewed | Protest Period Expired | 07/08/25 | 07/24/25 | | | Approved by State Regents | October 23, 2025 | 07/25/25 | 08/12/25 | | | Sent | 07/09/25 | | 07/24/25 | Sent | 07/28/25 | Chris Francisco | chris.francisco@okstate.edu | No | Yes | Candace Thrasher | candace.thrasher@okstate.edu | Stillwater | Traditional Only | The M.S. in School Psychology will be in the service of the OSU Ed.S. and Ph.D. degrees and is relevant for students becoming professional school psychologists. The program will immediately have a continuous enrollment of Stillwater resident full-time students. | The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment for school psychologists is expected to grow more than 22 percent from 2010 to 2020, especially for those with doctoral degrees. This increase is higher than the average for all other occupations. School Psychology was ranked the #1 Best Social Service Job and #17 on the list of The 100 Best Jobs according to U.S. News and World Report. With an Unemployment Rate of 0.2% the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports an employment growth rate of 11.3% by 2022.
OSU’s program is the only doctoral school psychology program in the state, which yields eligibility to become A Health Service Psychologist (Board of Examiners) and a Nationally Certified School Psychologist | There are no other M.S. programs in School Psychology at OSU or any other Oklahoma Universities. The M.S. program in School Psychology at OSU is not intended to be a terminal degree. Only students who have been admitted to the OSU Ed.S. or Ph.D. programs are eligible to be admitted to the M.S. in School Psychology degree program. It will be awarded only to students who are en route to one of those degrees. | | | 42.2805 | | Fall 2025 | Stillwater | 12/06/24 | | NONE of the courses in the program can be completed entirely online | 36-40 | The M.S. in School Psychology will support the advanced degrees and provide educational, psychological, and school psychometric foundations to school psychology students en route to either the Ed.S. or Ph.D.. The Ph.D. and Ed.S. school psychology degree programs are scientist-practitioner programs, in which theory, research, and practice are considered integrated components of comprehensive training programs. The M.S. in School Psychology is essential to both the Ph.D. and Ed.S. degrees in providing educational, psychological, and school psychometric foundations critical for students pursuing the Ph.D. and Ed.S. degrees. | The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment for school psychologists is expected to grow more than 22 percent from 2010 to 2020, especially for those with doctoral degrees. This increase is higher than the average for all other occupations. The Oklahoma State Department of Education identified School Psychology as one of five professional critical shortage areas in the public school systems in the state. This ongoing shortage of school psychologists in Oklahoma is consistent with national shortages of school psychologists. | The current proposal is for a new degree, M.S. in School Psychology, to align all OSU school psychology degrees in name, content, and sequence, i.e., M.S., Ed.S., and Ph.D. in School Psychology. The SPSY program area currently awards the M.S. in Educational Psychology – option in School Psychometrics and has since 2002. The new degree will clarify the degree sequence for potential applicants, interested parties in the state, credentialing bodies, and others. It better organizes and identifies the degrees for potential students looking for graduate programs in school psychology. | There are no other Ed.S. or Ph.D. programs in School Psychology at OSU or any other Oklahoma Universities. The M.S. program in School Psychology at OSU is not intended to be a terminal degree. Only students who have been admitted to the OSU Ed.S. or Ph.D. programs are eligible to be admitted to the M.S. in School Psychology degree program. It will be awarded only to students who are en' route to one of those degrees. | Fall 2031 | 6 | 2030 | 3 | 2030-2031 | Traditional Only | | Yes | No | | | | | No Protest | 07/09/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/09/25 | | | No Protest | 07/09/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/09/25 | | | No Protest | 07/09/25 | | | No Protest | 07/09/25 | | | No Protest | 07/09/25 | | | No Protest | 07/09/25 | | | No Protest | 07/09/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/09/25 | | | No Protest | 07/09/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/17/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/09/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/09/25 | | | No Protest | 07/28/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 08/04/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/30/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/28/25 | | | No Protest | 07/28/25 | | | No Protest | 07/28/25 | | | No Protest | 07/28/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/28/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 08/12/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/28/25 | | | October 23, 2025 | | | | No | No | The program requires no new funding. It will be sustained through existing departmental and college resources, with costs already covered under the current doctoral program structure. | 0 | NA | | NA | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | 07/15/25 11:08 AM | 10/27/25 9:19 AM | Seminole State College | Associate in Applied Science, Paralegal | 001 | JW Reviewed | HP Reviewed | Protest Period Expired | 07/15/25 | 07/30/25 | | | Approved by State Regents | October 23, 2025 | 08/12/25 | 08/27/25 | | | Sent | 07/15/25 | | 07/30/25 | Sent | 08/12/25 | Bill Knowles | b.knowles@sscok.edu | Yes | N/A | | | Seminole, OK | Both Traditional and Online | The Paralegal degree program prepares students for careers in a variety of legal fields, or in professions requiring or profiting from legal expertise. Students receive training in a variety of legal courses that include, but are not limited to civil and criminal law, criminal procedures, federal and state court systems, file tracking and document composing and tracking. This program degree equips students with essential legal knowledge, practical skills in research and writing, and an understanding of legal procedures, preparing them to immediately enter the workforce. | This program would support legal fields from Oklahoma's 100 "Critical Occupations list (2022-2032) with the following employment data: 3.5% positive change an average of 322 annual openings and a median annual wage of $55,560. This program represents key areas of opportunity and challenges for the Oklahoma workforce. Paralegal positions fill a skills gap between available jobs and qualified candidates. This occupation offers competitive wages and benefits, contributing to economic independence. Oklahoma paralegals average at $65,900/year ($31.68/hr), with top-tier roles reaching ~$95k. Because paralegal profession is on the Oklahoma top 100 critical professions, Oklahoma’s 6.5% growth indicates a stronger regional demand. | While some institutions in Oklahoma offer paralegal programs, most are concentrated in metropolitan areas (Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Norman). These programs are primarily designed for students living in or near urban centers and may not be easily accessible to individuals in rural or under served areas, particularly in Central, Eastern, and Southeast Oklahoma. This may lead to geographic duplication leaving rural regions under served. The services at Seminole State College provide structured support for first-generation, nontraditional, and low-income students.
The SSC paralegal program can serve our five-county service area of Seminole, Pottawatomie, Lincoln, Okfuskee, and Hughes as well as central, eastern, and southeast Oklahoma regions currently lacking a nearby in-person program. By offering low-cost tuition and flexible course formats (e.g., evening, hybrid, or fully online with support), the program will cater to working adults and part-time students.
The program will be tailored to meet the needs of local employers such as small-town law firms, tribal courts, and municipal agencies that often struggle to find qualified legal support staff. | | N/A | 22.0302 | Our AAS Paralegal program will pursue American Bar Association Accreditation. | Fall 2026 | Seminole, OK | 05/15/25 | N/A | SOME of the courses in the program can be completed entirely online | 62 | The purpose of the paralegal program is to prepare students for employment as skilled legal assistants by providing practical training in legal research, writing, and procedures. The program aims to meet local workforce demands while offering an accessible pathway to a rewarding legal support career. | In 2023, Oklahoma employed approximately 3,060 paralegals and legal assistants, with the BLS projecting a statewide growth rate of 1% from 2023 to 2033 with about 37,300 job openings expected each year due to worker replacement needs. This steady demand supports the continued relevance and value of college paralegal programs in preparing students for entry into the legal field. Paralegals remain integral to the legal profession, with consistent demand driven by turnover and cost-efficiency pressures in law firms and corporations. The state expects approximately 320 openings per year, driven by both new job creation and replacement of retiring workers. Major metro areas in Oklahoma offer the bulk of opportunities: Oklahoma City metro area employs approximately 1,240 paralegals. Tulsa metro area employs approximately 1,010 paralegals. Rural regions like southeast Oklahoma are smaller but still show consistent demand. The national median annual wage for paralegals and legal assistants was $61,010 ($29.33/hr) in May 2024. The highest 10 percent earned more than $98,990. Because paralegal profession is on the Oklahoma top 100 critical professions, Oklahoma’s 6.5% growth indicates a stronger regional demand. | The proposed paralegal program is designed to address a growing demand for qualified legal support professionals in both rural and urban areas of the region. By offering affordable, accessible education and hands-on training in areas such as legal research, litigation procedures, ethics, and document preparation, the program will equip students with the skills needed to work in law firms, courts, government agencies, and corporate legal departments. In addition to meeting workforce needs, the program will help increase access to justice by supporting the legal infrastructure with competent, well-trained paralegals. The program will be tailored to meet the needs of local employers such as small-town law firms, tribal courts, and municipal agencies that often struggle to find qualified legal support staff. | While some institutions in Oklahoma offer paralegal programs, most are concentrated in metropolitan areas (Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Norman). These programs are primarily designed for students living in or near urban centers and may not be easily accessible to individuals in rural or under-served areas, particularly in central, eastern, and southeast Oklahoma. This may lead to geographic duplication leaving rural regions under-served. The services at Seminole State College provide structured support for all students, especially first-generation, nontraditional, and low-income students. The SSC paralegal program can serve our five-county service area of Seminole, Pottawatomie, Lincoln, Okfuskee, and Hughes as well as central, eastern, and southeast Oklahoma regions currently lacking a nearby in-person program. By offering low-cost tuition and flexible course formats (e.g., evening, hybrid, or fully online with support), the program can cater to working adults and part-time students. | Fall 2031 | 17 | 2030 | 5 | 2030-2031 | Both Traditional and Online | | Yes | No | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/15/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/15/25 | | | No Protest | 07/15/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/15/25 | | | No Protest | 07/15/25 | | | No Protest | 07/15/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/15/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/15/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/22/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 07/15/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 08/12/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 08/12/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 08/13/25 | | | No Protest | 08/12/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 08/12/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 08/12/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 08/21/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 08/12/25 | | | October 23, 2025 | | | Brightspace LMS offers modular course design, integrated multimedia tools such as videos, audio lectures, readings, and interactive quizzes, and mobile accessibility allowing students to access coursework anytime, anywhere. Brightspace also provides analytics and progress tracking so instructors and students can monitor performance, and ADA accessibility features meeting compliance standards. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | 12/01/25 1:47 PM | 12/22/25 10:10 AM | Northeastern State University | Doctor of Education in Community Based Leadership | 229 | JW Reviewed | HP Reviewed | Protest Period Expired | 10/07/24 | 10/24/24 | | | Approved by State Regents | December 4, 2025 | 01/27/25 | 02/10/25 | | | Sent | 10/09/24 | | 10/27/24 | Sent | 10/27/24 | Carla Swearingen | swearinc@nsuok.edu | No | Yes | Cari Keller | kellerc@nsuok.edu | Tahlequah | Both Traditional and Online | The Ed.D. in Community-Based Leadership will empower civic, tribal, and educational leaders with the skills to foster collaboration across Oklahoma’s diverse communities, enhancing positive outcomes statewide. The core curriculum centers on leadership studies, emphasizing forward-thinking leadership to effectively initiate change within their organizations. Acknowledging the crucial role regional institutions play in community development, the program will offer specializations in Community Leadership, Native American Leadership, PK-12 Leadership, and Instructional Leadership. The Ed.D. in Community-Based Leadership directly aligns with NSU's mission and vision by equipping future leaders with the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving, globally competitive environment. The program is designed to meet the needs of subject matter experts in various fields who require the skills and expertise to step into leadership roles. The program will connect theory with practice through immersive, application-based learning. Building on NSU's strong track record in leadership and community development at the master’s and existing doctoral level, experienced graduate faculty bring a wealth of knowledge and practical expertise, providing a solid foundation to support and guide students through this advanced leadership program. | Student Demand:
Student demand for a doctoral program in Educational Leadership in Oklahoma is strong, with a Google Search Volume of 1,380, placing it in the 88th percentile nationally. The New Student Enrollment Volume is also high, ranking in the 99th percentile. Completion rates are impressive, and they are also in the 99th percentile. These data highlight significant interest and a steady flow of students pursuing advanced leadership education, confirming strong demand for the Ed.D. program in Community-Based Leadership at NSU.
Employment Demand for Proposed Program:
The employment outlook for graduates of a community-based leadership program in Oklahoma is strong, with an Entry Level Salary of $68,661 (81st percentile) and a Post Entry Level Median Salary of $82,572 (76th percentile). Job postings per graduate are balanced at a 1-1 ratio, and current employment levels are high, with both BLS Current Employment and Job postings in the 99th percentile. These figures highlight a solid demand for individuals with advanced leadership skills, making the proposed NSU Ed.D. program an excellent choice for career advancement. According to OSRHE's Blueprint 2030, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 5.3% growth in demand for doctorally prepared professionals. The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission anticipates a 5.8% job growth for Education Administrators, a sector this degree will target. | Unmet Need for Proposed Program:
Despite strong student and employment demand, only three campuses offer similar advanced Leadership programs, and none with the intended specialization areas of this proposed degree, placing competitive intensity at the 100th percentile. This limited availability underscores the region's significant unmet need for advanced leadership education. The Ed.D. in Community-Based Leadership at NSU is well-positioned to address this gap with its unique, practitioner-based approach tailored to Oklahoma’s tribal, educational, and civic communities. The program will meet the growing demand for leadership education while also providing qualified leaders for critical regional sectors. | | | 13.0401 | N/A | Fall 2026 | Tahlequah | 01/24/25 | Civic Leadership, Indigenous Leadership, Professional Studies, Instructional and Curriculum Leadership | ALL of the courses in the program can be completed entirely online | 60 | The Ed.D. in Community-Based Leadership will empower civic, tribal, and educational leaders with the skills to foster collaboration across Oklahoma’s diverse communities, enhancing positive outcomes statewide. The core curriculum centers on leadership studies, emphasizing forward-thinking leadership to effectively initiate change within their organizations. Acknowledging the crucial role regional institutions play in community development, the program will offer specializations in Civic Leadership, Indigenous Leadership and Instructional and Curriculum Leadership.
The Ed.D. in Community-Based Leadership directly aligns with NSU's mission and vision by equipping future leaders with the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving, globally competitive environment. The program is designed to meet the needs of subject matter experts in various fields who require the skills and expertise to step into leadership roles. The program will connect theory with practice through immersive, application-based learning. Building on NSU's strong track record in leadership and community development at the master’s and existing doctoral level, experienced graduate faculty bring a wealth of knowledge and practical expertise, providing a solid foundation to support and guide students through this advanced leadership program. | Student demand for a doctoral program in Educational Leadership in Oklahoma is strong, with a Google Search Volume of 1,380, placing it in the 88th percentile nationally. The New Student Enrollment Volume is also high, ranking in the 99th percentile. Completion rates are impressive, also in the 99th percentile. These data highlight significant interest and a steady flow of students pursuing advanced leadership education, confirming strong demand for the Ed.D. program in Community-Based Leadership at NSU.
Employment Demand for Proposed Program:
The employment outlook for graduates of a community-based leadership program in Oklahoma is strong, with an Entry Level Salary of $68,661 (81st percentile) and a Post Entry Level Median Salary of $82,572 (76th percentile). Job Postings per graduate are balanced at a 1-1 ratio, and current employment levels are high, with BLS Current Employment and Job Postings, both in the 99th percentile. These figures highlight a solid demand for individuals with advanced leadership skills, making the proposed NSU Ed.D. program an excellent choice for career advancement. According to OSRHE's Blueprint 2030, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 5.3% growth in demand for doctorally prepared professionals. The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission anticipates a 5.8% job growth for Education Administrators, a sector this degree will target.
NSU conducted a survey distributed to alumni, current master's students, and publicly distributed through social media. There were 150 responses. 92.7% of the respondents indicated that an EdD in Community Based Leadership would serve the needs of their community. Respondents included small business owners, community leaders, educators, non-profit leaders, among others. | The Ed.D. in Community-Based Leadership directly aligns with NSU's mission and vision by equipping future leaders with the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving, globally competitive environment. The program is designed to meet the needs of subject matter experts in various fields who require the skills and expertise to step into leadership roles. The program will connect theory with practice through immersive, application-based learning. Building on NSU's strong track record in leadership and community development at the master's and existing doctoral level, experienced graduate faculty bring a wealth of knowledge and practice expertise, providing a solid foundation to support and guide students through this advanced leadership program. | Despite strong student and employment demand, only three campuses offer similar advanced Leadership programs, and none with the intended specialization areas of this proposed degree, placing competitive intensity at the 100th percentile. This limited availability underscores a significant unmet need for advanced leadership education in the region. The Ed.D. in Community-Based Leadership at NSU is well-positioned to address this gap with its unique, practitioner-based approach tailored to Oklahoma’s tribal, educational, and civic communities. The program will meet the growing demand for leadership education while also providing qualified leaders for critical regional sectors. | Fall 2031 | 4 | 2030 | 2 | 2030-2031 | Both Traditional and Online | | No | Yes | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 12/01/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 12/01/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 12/01/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 12/02/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 12/01/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 12/01/25 | | | December 4, 2025 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | 09/03/25 3:36 PM | 12/22/25 10:08 AM | Tulsa Community College | Bachelor of Science in Child Development | 298 | JW Reviewed | HP Reviewed | Protest Period Expired | 09/03/25 | 09/20/25 | | | Approved by State Regents | December 4, 2025 | 10/16/25 | 11/01/25 | | | Sent | 09/05/25 | | 09/20/25 | Sent | 10/17/25 | Angela Sivadon | angela.sivadon@tulsacc.edu | No | Yes | Matt Mounger | matt_mounger@hotmail.com | Tulsa Community College | Both Traditional and Online | The Bachelor of Science in Child Development offers students a comprehensive understanding of human growth and development from birth through age five. The program integrates theory, research, and practice from child studies, psychology, education, and family studies to prepare graduates for careers supporting the healthy development of children in diverse settings. Coursework emphasizes developmental milestones, learning processes, guidance strategies, observation and assessment, family and community engagement, and the influence of cultural and environmental factors. Students gain practical experience through field experiences and practicum, enabling them to apply evidence-based practices that foster the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional well-being of children. Graduates are prepared for roles in early childhood education, youth programs, child advocacy, and family services, or for advanced study in related disciplines. | Preschool Teachers
High turnover and increased legislation aimed at improving the size and quality of public education have improved the employment outlook for preschool teachers. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), preschool education positions are projected to increase by 15% between 2021 and 2031. The BLS reported the median annual salary for preschool teachers, also known as day care center teachers, at $30,210 in May 2021.
Childcare Workers
The BLS predicts employment growth for childcare workers from 2021 to 2031, which is about as fast as the average for all jobs. Your chances of finding a job are good due to increased focus on early education by many state governments and a high turnover rate in this field. As of May 2021, the median salary for starting childcare workers ranged from $22,640 to $30,100, according to the BLS.
Childcare or Preschool Director
A bachelor’s degree and experience in early childhood education are typically required to become a preschool and childcare center director. However, educational requirements vary. Additionally, some employers require these directors to have a nationally recognized credential, such as the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential. The median annual wage for preschool and childcare center directors was $56,270 in May 2024. Employment of preschool and childcare center directors is projected to decline 2 percent from 2023 to 2033. Despite declining employment, about 5,100 openings for preschool and childcare center directors are projected each year, on average, over the decade. All those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire. | • 2024 First Five Fund Oklahoma State Fact Sheet on childcare and early learning,
There are 33,618 children in Oklahoma eligible for Head Start services. Of these, 10,311 children are enrolled in Head Start programs, and 4,618 are enrolled in Early Head Start, indicating that Oklahoma is meeting only a portion of the need for serving children and families in the state.
• Head Start Federal Head Start Teacher Requirements
(Defined by the Head Start Act, Section 648A and Head Start Program Performance Standards)
At least 50% of Head Start teachers nationwide must hold a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education (ECE) or a related field with coursework equivalent to an ECE major, along with experience teaching young children. A bachelor’s degree in child development or ECE qualifies a student for a Head Start teaching role. It also prepares students for leadership positions, as federal law states that the BA is the standard requirement for Head Start teachers.
Oklahoma currently has two university programs with similar goals: OSU's Bachelor of Science in Early Child Care and Development and OSU-SE's Early Intervention & Childhood Development. Although Oklahoma currently has two university programs with similar goals, OSU's Bachelor of Science in Early Child Care and Development and OSU-SE's Early Intervention & Childhood Development, TCC will be set apart by providing stackable credentials that align with the goals of national organizations, such as the National Association for the Education of Young Children, Zero to Three, and Head Start.
TCC will provide stackable credentials that align with the goals of national organizations, such as the National Association for the Education of Young Children, Zero to Three, and Head Start.
We recognize that the goal of having lead teachers with bachelor’s degrees in every infant, toddler, and preschool classroom is ambitious. However, research consistently shows that the first five years of experience form the foundation for all future learning. Outcomes for children from birth to five are highly influenced by the quality of their classroom and the preparation of their teachers.
The BS in Child Development will cover the entire spectrum of development from birth through age five, addressing the need for professionals who can understand and support children during their early stages of life.
In 2015, the National Academy of Medicine published a report, "Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8," which highlighted the fragmentation within the early childhood workforce and emphasized the need for a unified, profession-wide framework.
Following this report, in January 2017, a national Task Force was formed, including leaders from 15 major early childhood organizations such as NAEYC, ZERO TO THREE, and the National Head Start Association. Their mission? To collaboratively define a unified early childhood profession from birth through age 8. Over the course of three years, this task force developed a unifying framework called Power to the Profession.
Power to the Profession identified three tiers of professional development for early childhood educators. This framework allows the TCC program to meet the professional preparation for all three levels. Each level nests into the next higher level without loss of credit and will utilize PLA for the entry-level certificate.
ECE I – Certificate/credential level is met through the CDA (Child Development Associate), taught through the TCC Continuing Education. Once the credential is obtained, the student can receive 6 hours of credit in the academic program towards their Certificate of Mastery.
ECE II – Associate-degree is met with the completion of the AS Non-Teacher Cert. We will change the name of the AS to align with the name of the BS.
ECE III – Bachelor’s degree | | | 190706 | TCC will apply for Accreditation with the National Association for the Education of Young Children. TCC also is accredited by HLC. | Fall 2026 | All Tulsa Community College Campuses | 10/16/25 | | ALL of the courses in the program can be completed entirely online | 121 | The purpose of a bachelor’s degree in child development is to prepare graduates with the knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions needed to support the optimal growth, learning, and well-being of children from birth through five. This degree equips students to understand developmental milestones, apply evidence-based practices, and create nurturing, inclusive environments that promote positive outcomes for children, families, and communities. | Preschool Teachers
High turnover and increased legislation aimed at improving the size and quality of public education have improved the employment outlook for preschool teachers. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), preschool education positions are projected to increase by 15% between 2021 and 2031. The BLS reported the median annual salary for preschool teachers, also known as day care center teachers, at $30,210 in May 2021.
Childcare Workers
The BLS predicts employment growth for childcare workers from 2021 to 2031, which is about as fast as the average for all jobs. The chances of finding a job are good due to increased focus on early education by many state governments and a high turnover rate in this field. As of May 2021, the median salary for starting childcare workers ranged from $22,640 to $30,100, according to the BLS.
Childcare or Preschool Director
A bachelor’s degree and experience in early childhood education are typically required to become a preschool and childcare center director. However, educational requirements vary. Additionally, some employers require these directors to have a nationally recognized credential, such as the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential. The median annual wage for preschool and childcare center directors was $56,270 in May 2024. Employment of preschool and childcare center directors is projected to decline 2 percent from 2023 to 2033. Despite declining employment, about 5,100 openings for preschool and childcare center directors are projected each year, on average, over the decade. All those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Unmet Need for the Proposed Program
• 2024 First Five Fund Oklahoma State Fact Sheet on childcare and early learning,
There are 33,618 children in Oklahoma eligible for Head Start services. Of these, 10,311 children are enrolled in Head Start programs, and 4,618 are enrolled in Early Head Start, indicating that Oklahoma is meeting only a portion of the need for serving children and families in the state.
• Head Start Federal Head Start Teacher Requirements
(Defined by the Head Start Act, Section 648A and Head Start Program Performance Standards)
At least 50% of Head Start teachers nationwide must hold a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education (ECE) or a related field with coursework equivalent to an ECE major, along with experience teaching young children. A bachelor’s degree in child development or ECE qualifies a student for a Head Start teaching role. It also prepares students for leadership positions, as federal law states that the BS is the standard requirement for Head Start teachers. | We recognize that the goal of having lead teachers with bachelor’s degrees in every infant, toddler, and preschool classroom is ambitious. However, research consistently shows that the first five years of experience form the foundation for all future learning. Outcomes for children from birth to five are highly influenced by the quality of their classroom and the preparation of their teachers. This degree does not lead to teacher certification.
The BS in Child Development will cover the entire spectrum of development from birth through age five, addressing the need for professionals who can understand and support children during their early stages of life.
In 2015, the National Academy of Medicine published a report, "Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8," which highlighted the fragmentation within the early childhood workforce and emphasized the need for a unified, profession-wide framework.
Following this report, in January 2017, a national Task Force was formed, including leaders from 15 major early childhood organizations such as NAEYC, ZERO TO THREE, and the National Head Start Association. Their mission? To collaboratively define a unified early childhood profession from birth through age 8. Over the course of three years, this task force developed a unifying framework called Power to the Profession.
Power to the Profession identified three tiers of professional development for early childhood educators. This framework allows the TCC program to meet the professional preparation for all three tiers. Each tier nests into the next higher level without loss of credit and will utilize PLA for the entry-level certificate.
ECE I – Certificate/credential level is met through the CDA (Child Development Associate), taught through the TCC Continuing Education. Once the credential is obtained, the student can receive 6 hours of credit in the academic program towards their Certificate of Mastery.
ECE II – Associate degree is met with the completion of the AS Child Development.
ECE III – Bachelor degree will be met with the completion of the BS in Child Development.
In practice, there are key differences in the competencies required for a bachelor’s degree vs an associate degree, as demonstrated below.
Assistant Educator
Minimum Education: CDA Credential or associate degree
Role:
• Supports Lead Educators in the classroom
• Provides daily care, routines, and learning support
• Builds positive relationships with children & families
Focus Competencies:
• Child development basics
• Health & safety
• Supportive teaching practices
Lead Educator
Minimum Education: Bachelor’s degree in early childhood/child development
Role:
• Primary responsibility for planning, instruction, and assessment of children from birth to age 5
• Designs curriculum & learning environments
• Engages families and connects with community resources
• Accountable for teaching quality & child outcomes
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators (2020), part of the Power to the Profession initiative. | Oklahoma currently has two university programs with similar goals: OSU's Bachelor of Science in Early Child Care and Development and OSU-SE's Early Intervention & Childhood Development. TCC will provide a unique opportunity to award stackable credentials to students as they progress through the program, aligning with the goals of national organizations such as the National Association for the Education of Young Children, Zero to Three, and Head Start | Fall 2031 | 12 | 2030 | 5 | 2030-2031 | Both Traditional and Online | | Yes | Yes | | | | | No Protest | 10/13/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 10/13/25 | | | No Protest | 09/09/25 | | | No Protest | 10/14/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 10/13/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 09/05/25 | | | No Protest | 09/18/25 | | | No Protest | 09/05/25 | | | No Protest | 09/05/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 10/14/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 09/05/25 | | | No Protest | 09/16/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 10/14/25 | | | No Protest | 09/09/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 09/05/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 10/19/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 10/20/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 10/17/25 | | | No Protest | 10/17/25 | | | No Protest | 10/17/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 10/17/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 10/17/25 | | | December 4, 2025 | | | All CHLD courses will be conducted online, with in-person field experience and practicum. Every effort will be made to support students outside the Tulsa area in locating suitable field placements for completing their field experiences and practicum in their local area. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 15 | 10/22/25 8:04 PM | 02/10/26 11:25 AM | University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center | PhD in Cancer Biology | 099 | JW Reviewed | HP Reviewed | Protest Period Expired | 10/22/25 | 11/12/25 | | | Approved by State Regents | February 5, 2026 | 11/13/25 | 11/28/25 | | | Sent | 10/28/25 | | 11/12/25 | Sent | 11/13/25 | Gary E. Raskob | Gary-Raskob@ou.edu | No | Yes | Valerie N. Williams | valerie-williams@ou.edu | Oklahoma City | Traditional Only | The objectives of the Cancer Biology PhD Program are to mentor and train students in the field of cancer research. We aim to train students in research on novel cancer diagnostic tools, molecular mechanisms, disease etiologies, cancer therapies, and quality-of-life measures. The Department of Oncology Science is committed to facilitating interdisciplinary, collaborative, and innovative team science to make the OU Health Sciences Center a world leader in translational cancer research. The mission of the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center is to educate students, residents, and other trainees in professional and graduate programs to become Oklahoma’s future team of healthcare leaders, clinicians, researchers, and educators. | The Cancer Biology PhD Program will provide students in the area access to vast job markets in biomedical and cancer research in academia, industry, research and development, as well as clinical research associates helping with clinical trials and translational research, scientific writers, and grant program managers. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that the employment of medical scientists will grow by 9% from 2024 to 2034, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. Consistent openings: Approximately 9,600 annual openings are projected for medical scientists over the decade, with many roles created to replace workers who change occupations or retire. Role in cancer research: The BLS specifically notes that this growth is driven partly by an aging population, which increases the demand for new treatments for diseases like cancer. Sources: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/medical-scientists.htm. | The Cancer Biology PhD Program is unique in that it will give researchers a specific background in cancer and translational research. The Department of Oncology Science reviewed coursework titles from other top Universities in Oklahoma that offer degrees in Biomedical Sciences, such as Oklahoma State University, the University of Tulsa, and Langston University. The planned academic program of study is not offered in-state, nor is overlapping coursework offered.
In Oklahoma alone, the American Cancer Society estimated that in 2024, there would be 24,450 new cases of cancer and 8,650 cancer-related deaths. The Cancer Biology Ph.D graduate program will train students and facilitate careers in research in Cancer Biology. “Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the United States overall and the leading cause among people younger than 85 years.” See: https://doi.org/10.3322/caac.21820 | | | 26.0911 | Not Applicable | Fall 2025 | Oklahoma City | 09/13/24 | Not Applicable | NONE of the courses in the program can be completed entirely online | 90 | Address the STEM workforce shortage. Oncology and Cancer Biology programs focus on the scientific study of carcinogens; the onset of malignancy in cells, tissues, blood, and organs; the genetics of cancer; the anatomy and physiology of cancer cells; and the study of cancer behaviors and treatments. Includes instruction in gene expression; oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes; viral genes and cancer proliferation; regulation of signal transduction; cancer proteins; hormonal and growth factors in cancer cells; tumor promotion, progression, and metastasis; carcinogen receptors and metabolism; carcinogen ecology; immunological targeting; and studies of genetic, chemical, radiologic, and other treatment therapies. | Oklahoma Workforce data: https://oklahomaworks.gov/oklahoma-workforce-data/critical-occupations/: Demand for research scientists: approximately 40 per year, as of 2022-2024 data projecting need.
Bureau of Labor Statistics data:
There is a projected 10-year employment change from 2022-2032 of over 10% for STEM occupations in the nation (https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/stem-employment.htm).
The Cancer Biology PhD Program will provide students in the area access to vast job markets in biomedical and cancer research in academia, industry, research and development, as well as clinical research associates helping with clinical trials and translational research, scientific writers, and grant program managers. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that the employment of medical scientists will grow by 9% from 2024 to 2034, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. Consistent openings: Approximately 9,600 annual openings are projected for medical scientists over the decade, with many roles created to replace workers who change occupations or retire. Role in cancer research: The BLS specifically notes that this growth is driven partly by an aging population, which increases the demand for new treatments for diseases like cancer. Sources: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/medical-scientists.htm. | The objectives of the Cancer Biology PhD Program are to mentor and train students in the field of cancer research. We aim to train students in research on novel cancer diagnostic tools, molecular mechanisms, disease etiologies, cancer therapies, and quality-of-life measures. The Department of Oncology Science is committed to facilitating interdisciplinary, collaborative, and innovative team science to make the OU Health Sciences Center a world leader in translational cancer research. The mission of the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center is to educate students, residents, and other trainees in professional and graduate programs to become Oklahoma’s future team of healthcare leaders, clinicians, researchers, and educators. | The Cancer Biology PhD Program is unique in that it will give researchers a specific background in cancer and translational research. The Department of Oncology Science reviewed coursework titles from other top Universities in Oklahoma that offer degrees in Biomedical Sciences, such as Oklahoma State University, The University of Tulsa, and Langston University. No such program or overlapping coursework is offered. The proposed program will give researchers a specific background in cancer and translational research. | 2030 | This program will enroll a minimum of 3 Students
In fall 2025 (year) | 2029 | And graduate a minimum of 2 Students
In 2030-2031 (academic year) | 2029-2030 | Traditional Only | | Yes | No | No Protest | 10/28/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 10/29/25 | | | No Protest | 12/05/25 | | | No Protest | 10/28/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 10/28/25 | | | No Protest | 10/28/25 | | | No Protest | 10/28/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 10/29/25 | | | No Protest | 10/28/25 | | | No Protest | 10/28/25 | | | No Protest | 10/28/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 11/11/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 10/28/25 | | | No Protest | 11/13/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 11/13/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 11/13/25 | | | No Protest | 12/05/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 11/14/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 11/13/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 11/13/25 | | | No Protest | 11/13/25 | | | No Protest | 11/13/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 11/25/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 11/13/25 | | | February 5, 2026 | | | The cancer biology curriculum, paired with the Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences (GPiBS), will allow students to grow beyond the basics of biomedical sciences. We are looking to foster innovation in new research ideas and projects, specifically as it relates to cancer biology. Eight new courses will be added. These courses will be funded through the Department of Oncology Science departmental start-up funds. Each mentor who takes on a Graduate Research Assistant will be responsible for funding the student stipend, tuition, overhead costs, and research expenses. Our Principal Investigators will also be utilizing grants where possible. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | 09/11/25 4:00 PM | 03/30/26 11:41 AM | Tulsa Community College | Associate of Applied Science in Music Production | 300 | JW Reviewed | HP Reviewed | Protest Period Expired | 09/11/25 | 09/30/25 | | | Approved by State Regents | February 5, 2026 | 12/04/25 | 12/20/25 | | | Sent | 09/15/25 | | 09/30/25 | Sent | 12/05/25 | Angela Sivadon | angela.sivadon@tulsacc.edu | No | Yes | Matt Mounger | matthew.mounger@tulsacc.edu | Tulsa Community College | Both Traditional and Online | This program is designed to equip students with the fundamental knowledge and skills to work as audio engineers and music producers. It will prepare them to work in the fields of music recording, editing, mixing, and mastering, live sound for concerts and other public events, and music composition and sound design for visual media. It will equip them for work in the field and will also enable them to transfer to a four-year college or university to pursue a baccalaureate degree in music production.
Students will engage in hands-on tasks from the first day of class, learning how to capture or generate the best version of any audio source, and to blend it with other sounds in a variety of applications. They will learn the essential science of how sound waves work in nature, and how they can be translated into electrical and digital signals. They will also learn the foundations of the art of music, both in practice and in theory, to know how sounds can be shaped to communicate emotions beyond what can be said with words. They will learn the fundamentals of songwriting, composition, and music production.
Students will work in TCC's dedicated recording studio - equipped with a control room, multiple tracking rooms, a large collection of microphones, and the latest in analog-digital hybrid recording technology. They will also work in the VanTrease Performing Arts Center for Education, learning to solve audio problems in real-time to present a great sounding experience to an audience. | In addition to the sound technicians needed for concert halls and other performing arts venues in Tulsa and the surrounding area, there are hotels, conference centers, and churches that all employ audio professionals as core team members for their events. The film and TV industries also have an increasing presence in the area, but no local training program for creative professionals wanting to create music or sound for them.
Current TCC students in the Audio Engineering Certificate program are working at the BOK Center, the Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center, and Noise Town, a new recording studio and performance venue in west Tulsa. After taking our music business courses and organizing and running a “Battle of the Bands” event at TCC, several groups of our students booked multiple paid concerts for their bands in Tulsa in the summer of 2025, with more shows coming this fall. Requests have come to TCC from businesses in the community looking for students to help produce podcasts and to mix audio from their recorded events and TCC has been able to place students in those positions. | Currently, there is an unmet need in the Tulsa area for artists/students to receive training and pursue a degree pathway in Music Production at an affordable price.
The arts are here, and the facilities are here. Cain’s Ballroom and the Church Studio are both national icons in the music industry. The Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan Centers are anchor institutions for American popular music scholarship. The professional orchestras, opera company, ballet company, and an entire genre called “the Tulsa Sound” speak for themselves.
TCC’s Southeast Campus already has the VanTrease PACE as a live performance venue. It also has a state-of-the-art recording studio that underwent a major $50,000 renovation in 2024. The studio is being used every day, but it is also being underutilized. It is wired into a large tracking room that could be used for film scoring sessions with a live orchestra, and it has all the equipment necessary to create surround-sound mixes for film or TV. It is just waiting for A.A.S. course offerings in those areas. | | | 50.0913 | | Fall 2026 | Tulsa Community College. All MUSC courses will be at the Southeast Campus | 11/20/25 | | NONE of the courses in the program can be completed entirely online | 60 | This program is designed to equip students with the fundamental knowledge and skills to work as audio engineers and music producers. It will prepare them to work in the fields of music recording, editing, mixing, and mastering, live sound for concerts and other public events, and music composition and sound design for visual media. It will equip them for work in the field and will also enable them to transfer to a four-year college or university to pursue a baccalaureate degree in music production.
Students will engage in hands-on tasks from the first day of class, learning how to capture or generate the best version of any audio source, and to blend it with other sounds in a variety of applications. They will learn the essential science of how sound waves work in nature, and how they can be translated into electrical and digital signals. They will also learn the foundations of the art of music, both in practice and in theory, to know how sounds can be shaped to communicate emotions beyond what can be said with words. They will learn the fundamentals of songwriting, composition, and music production.
Students will work in TCC's dedicated recording studio - equipped with a control room, multiple tracking rooms, a large collection of microphones, and the latest in analog-digital hybrid recording technology. They will also work in the VanTrease Performing Arts Center for Education, learning to solve audio problems in real-time to present a great sounding experience to an audience. | In addition to the sound technicians needed for concert halls and other performing arts venues in Tulsa and the surrounding area, there are hotels, conference centers, and churches that all employ audio professionals as core team members for their events. The film and TV industries also have an increasing presence in the area, but no local training program for creative professionals wanting to create music or sound for them.
Current TCC students in the Audio Engineering Certificate program are working at the BOK Center, the Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center, and Noise Town, a new recording studio and performance venue in west Tulsa. After taking our music business courses and organizing and running a “Battle of the Bands” event at TCC, several groups of our students booked multiple paid concerts for their bands in Tulsa in the summer of 2025, with more shows coming this fall. Requests have come to TCC from businesses in the community looking for students to help produce podcasts and to mix audio from their recorded events and TCC has been able to place students in those positions.
Current TCC students have ambitions to become recording artists, music producers, mixing engineers, mastering engineers, foley artists, and live sound technicians.
Unmet Need:
Currently, there is an unmet need in the Tulsa area for artists/students to receive training and pursue a degree pathway in Music Production at an affordable price.
The arts are here, and the facilities are here. Cain’s Ballroom and the Church Studio are both national icons in the music industry. The Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan Centers are anchor institutions for American popular music scholarship. The professional orchestras, opera company, ballet company, and an entire genre called “the Tulsa Sound” speak for themselves.
TCC’s Southeast Campus already has the VanTrease PACE as a live performance venue. It also has a state-of-the-art recording studio that underwent a major $50,000 renovation in 2024. The studio is being used every day, but it is also being underutilized. It is wired into a large tracking room that could be used for film scoring sessions with a live orchestra, and it has all the equipment necessary to create surround-sound mixes for film or TV. It is just waiting for A.A.S. course offerings in those areas. | The first two semesters of these courses are already being offered at TCC as a one-year Work Ready Certificate in Audio Engineering. TCC’s Audio Engineering courses have filled to capacity with waitlists all three semesters they have been offered. Many of the students currently enrolled are anticipating the expansion into an Associate’s program so they can continue at TCC next fall.
This proposal would maintain and streamline that certificate as a program offering but expand it to a second year for students who want to go deeper in the field to earn an associate's degree or even to continue towards a bachelor’s degree.
The new third- and fourth-semester courses proposed would offer training on additional software and new projects and skills extending beyond live sound and studio-based music recording into music composition, arranging, and scoring for film, tv, games, and online visual media. | Only comparable program in Oklahoma is AAS in Contemporary Music Production offered by UCO at their ACM campus in Oklahoma City. | Fall 2032 | 17 | 2031 | 5 | 2031-2032 | Traditional Only | | Yes | No | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 09/15/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 09/15/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 09/25/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 09/15/25 | | | No Protest | 09/15/25 | | | No Protest | 09/15/25 | | | No Protest | 09/16/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 09/15/25 | | | No Protest | 09/16/25 | | | No Protest | 09/15/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 09/15/25 | | | No Protest | 10/01/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 09/15/25 | | | No Protest | 12/05/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 12/05/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 12/05/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 12/08/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 12/05/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 12/05/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 12/05/25 | | | No Protest | 12/18/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 12/05/25 | | | February 5, 2026 | | | The current schedule plan is for NONE of the classes to be offered entirely online. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 17 | 09/15/25 9:39 PM | 02/10/26 11:49 AM | Tulsa Community College | Associate in Science in Data Analytics | 301 | JW Reviewed | HP Reviewed | Protest Period Expired | 09/15/25 | 10/01/25 | | | Approved by State Regents | February 5, 2026 | 12/04/25 | 12/20/25 | | | Sent | 09/16/25 | | 10/01/25 | Sent | 12/05/25 | Angela Sivadon | angela.sivadon@tulsacc.edu | No | Yes | Matt Mounger | matthew.mounger@tulsacc.edu | Tulsa Community College | Both Traditional and Online | The Data Analytics degree program equips students with the key principles for leveraging data in a variety of contexts, including academic research, business analysis, and formal policy evaluation. This program develops a student’s skillset to develop good questions, evaluate the value of data sets, understand the messages data can tell, and communicate insights to other people. The data analytics degree program prepares students for careers in a variety of different fields, such as data science, data analyst, business intelligence analyst, and public policy analyst. | Oklahoma’s 100 Critical Occupations List (2022-2032) includes the need for data scientists. Therefore, this program aligns with the Critical Occupation List by providing additional support for the needed workforce. A recent employment snapshot provided by the TCC Workforce Development office showed 740 active job advertisements in the Tulsa area. The majority (84.7%) of individuals working in Data Analytics attained at least a bachelor’s degree, but around 10% completed less than a two-year degree. The average salary for a job associated with a general Data Analytics program is $93,300. Data analysis, even at the junior level, is thus an increasingly in-demand position. TCC can thus serve our students and community with providing on-ramps into those careers. | While existing programs within the state offer bachelor’s degrees or graduate level certificates, there are not any existing associates degree or undergraduate certificates in Data Analytics in Northeast Oklahoma. Adding this program to Tulsa Community College could strengthen the pipeline of students for our 4-year partners. Additionally, Tulsa Community College is positioned to serve and support first-generation, non-traditional, and low-income students that will find an entry point to the degree that leads to a livable sustaining wage that they would not otherwise be introduced to. | | | 30.7101 | | Fall 2026 | Tulsa Community College | 11/20/25 | | ALL of the courses in the program can be completed entirely online | 60 | The Data Analytics degree program equips students with the key principles for leveraging data in a variety of contexts, including academic research, business analysis, and formal policy evaluation. This program develops a student’s skillset to develop good questions, evaluate the value of data sets, understand the messages data can tell, and communicate insights to other people. The data analytics degree program prepares students for careers in a variety of different fields, such as data science, data analyst, business intelligence analyst, and public policy analyst. | Oklahoma’s 100 Critical Occupations List (2022-2032) includes the need for data scientists. Therefore, this program aligns with the Critical Occupation List by providing additional support for the needed workforce. A recent employment snapshot provided by the TCC Workforce Development office showed 740 active job advertisements in the Tulsa area. The majority (84.7%) of individuals working in Data Analytics attained at least a bachelor’s degree, but around 10% completed less than a two-year degree. The average salary for a job associated with a general Data Analytics program is $93,300. Data analysis, even at the junior level, is thus an increasingly in-demand position. TCC can thus serve our students and community with providing on-ramps into those careers. | While existing programs within the state offer bachelor’s degrees or graduate level certificates, there are not any existing associates degree or undergraduate certificates in Data Analytics in Northeast Oklahoma. Adding this program to Tulsa Community College could strengthen the pipeline of students for our 4-year partners. Additionally, Tulsa Community College is positioned to serve and support first-generation, non-traditional, and low-income students that will find an entry point to the degree that leads to a livable sustaining wage that they would not otherwise be introduced to. | There are Data Analytics programs at the bachelor’s or graduate level. | Fall 2026 | 25 | 2031 | 5 | 2031-2032 | Both Traditional and Online | | No | Yes | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 09/16/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 09/16/25 | | | No Protest | 09/17/25 | | | No Protest | 09/25/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 09/16/25 | | | No Protest | 09/16/25 | | | No Protest | 09/16/25 | | | No Protest | 09/16/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 09/16/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 09/16/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 09/16/25 | | | No Protest | 10/01/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 09/16/25 | | | No Protest | 12/05/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 12/05/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 12/05/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 12/08/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 12/08/25 | | | No Protest | 12/05/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 12/05/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 12/05/25 | | | No Protest | 12/18/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 12/05/25 | | | February 5, 2026 | | | Program can be done both traditional and Online | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 18 | 01/06/26 11:28 AM | 03/30/26 11:41 AM | Cameron University | Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering | 335 | JW Reviewed | HP Reviewed | Protest Period Expired | 01/06/26 | 01/28/26 | | | Approved by State Regents | March 26, 2026 | 02/03/26 | 02/18/26 | | | Sent | 01/13/26 | | 01/28/26 | Sent | 02/03/26 | Margery Kingsley | margeryk@cameron.edu | No | Yes | Mandy Husak | ahusak@cameron.edu | Lawton | Traditional Only | The proposed BS in Mechanical Engineering program will provide a four-year engineering degree that prepares students for job entry using the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for success in the discipline, prepares students for post-baccalaureate degree programs in engineering or a closely related discipline. | Developing new pathways to engineering degrees is wholly consistent with the goal of increasing the number of certificates and degrees earned in Oklahoma as well as creating pipelines to meet workforce demands in the engineeering profession.
According to a publication from the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, four of the top ten STEM occupations in Oklahoma are engineering related fields. In addition to this large share (35.8% in 2024), engineering is expected to have a projected growth of 5.8% over the next decade with manufacturing representing the largest employment sector. Another report generated using Lightcast, a dataset derived from official government sources, listed mechanical engineering skills as having a 21.2% growth in Oklahoma jobs from 2022 to 2025 across multiple job listings.
Mechanical Engineering is the most versatile engineering discipline and its graduates are routinely employed in manufacturing, government, and private sector positions. Lawton, OK is uniquely poised to become a major hub for STEM employment with the addition of the Fires Innovation Science and Technology Accelerator (FISTA) Park. The FISTA connects established businesses with immediate office and manufacturing space when partnering with other local entities such as Ft. Sill or frequent DOD contractors like Leidos Dynetics, Torch, and Raytheon.
The CU primary service region includes 11 counties in southwest Oklahoma and four counties in north Texas. From January 2017 to January 2019, there were 635 job postings for mechanical engineers or related engineering fields (petroleum, civil, aerospace, environmental, industrial, and materials) in the primary region that CU services. In addition, out of the 75 occupations that the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSRHE) has deemed Oklahoma’s Critical Occupations, 16 represent engineering occupations, and Cameron University is poised to help meet this need. Furthermore, Bureau of Labor and Statistics estimates that Oklahoma will need 3,000 new engineers annual over the next 9 years to keep pace with workforce demands. | No program like this one is offered in southwest Oklahoma. In terms of geographic distance, the closest similar programs in the state are the BS programs at the University of Oklahoma (85 miles) or the University of Central Oklahoma (110 miles), each of which serves a different population base than Cameron University. Indeed, in the geographic region of Oklahoma that lies west of Interstate 35, there is only one pre-engineering program (at OCCC in Oklahoma City, OK) and only one slightly-related BS in Engineering Technology program (SWOSU in Weatherford, OK). | | 335 | 141901 | Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) | Fall 2026 | Lawton | 01/30/26 | None | SOME of the courses in the program can be completed entirely online | 126 | The proposed Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering program will prepare students for entry into the professional practice of engineering using the techniques, skills, and modern tools necessary for success in the workforce or post-baccalaureate study. The proposed program is designed to address the growing demand for trained graduates in engineering-related occupations and will strengthen links to the community and region, lead to enhanced relationships with area schools, serve members of the military community, and stimulate economic and business development in Southwest Oklahoma. | The proposed program will specifically prepare graduates for occupations in the mechanical and aerospace sectors, and generally in all other engineering sectors. Mechanical Engineering is the most versatile engineering discipline and its graduates are routinely employed in manufacturing, government, and private sector positions.
From 2026-2031, Lightcast projects an increase of 301 jobs, representing 6% growth. In job posting analytics from January-December 2025, more than 3,000 jobs were posted aligned with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with a median annual salary of $100.2K.
Given the importance of engineering to the local, regional, and state economy, graduates trained in solving complex problems; applying engineering design; communicating effectively; exhibiting ethical and professional behavior; making informed judgements; demonstrating leadership, collaboration, and teamwork; and analyzing and interpreting data are essential to fill these positions. The proposed BS in Mechanical Engineering directly supports critical occupations, aligns with multiple workforce ecosystems, and will provide a steady pipeline of skilled graduates. | CU currently offers an AAS in Engineering with options in mechanical, civil, industrial, and electrical engineering. The program has experienced consistent enrollment and graduation rates since its beginning; however, graduates wishing to further their education in pursuit of a baccalaureate degree must currently transfer to another institution outside the region or state. Since CU’s student population consists of traditional, non-traditional, returning, and transfer students, many of whom prefer to remain in or migrate to the area for familial, occupational, or other responsibilities, the addition of a BS in Mechanical Engineering program will allow the University to leverage its existing resources to provide a rigorous and enriching experience for these students and provide the region with a previously untapped pool of engineering talent.
In addition, conversations with regional industry partners including FISTA, Goodyear, and Haliburton have consistently indicated the need for an engineering program that will keep graduates in Southwest Oklahoma.
The University has recently expanded its engineering facilities to include new, state-of-the art engineering laboratories at CU that facilitate upper-division engineering laboratories as part of the 3+1 agreement between CU and OU. Those facilities will allow for the laboratory work needed as part of a 4-year mechanical engineering degree. | No program like this one is offered in southwest Oklahoma. In terms of geographic distance, the closest similar programs in the state are the BS programs at the OU (85 miles) or the UCO (110 miles), each of which serves a different geographic service area than CU. In fact, in the geographic region of Oklahoma that lies west of Interstate 35, there is only one pre-engineering program (OCCC in Oklahoma City, OK) and only one slightly-related BS in Engineering Technology program (SWOSU in Weatherford, OK).
The proposed CU program will provide AAS in Engineering students with the option to continue seamlessly into the BS in Mechanical Engineering, without loss of credit hours, ensuring a smooth and efficient transition for degree completion, addressing workforce and educational needs in this region, and filling a gap in the state’s higher education landscape. | Fall 2031 | 12 | 2030 | 5 | 2030-2031 | Traditional Only | | Yes | No | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 01/13/26 | | | No Protest | 01/13/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 01/13/26 | | | No Protest | 01/13/26 | | | No Protest | 01/13/26 | | | No Protest | 01/13/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 01/13/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 01/13/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 01/27/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 01/13/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/03/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/03/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/03/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/03/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/03/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/11/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/03/26 | | | March 26, 2026 | | | Although some classes can completed online, the entire program cannot. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 19 | 11/12/25 1:22 PM | 03/30/26 2:13 PM | Southwestern Oklahoma State University | Master of Education in English Education | 182 | JW Reviewed | HP Reviewed | Protest Period Expired | 11/12/25 | 11/27/25 | | | Approved by State Regents | March 26, 2026 | 12/03/25 | 01/20/26 | | | Sent | 11/12/25 | | 11/27/25 | Sent | 12/22/25 | Patsy Parker | patsy.parker@swosu.edu | No | Yes | Tamera Kisinger | tamera.kisinger@swosu.edu | Weatherford | Online Only | The Master of Education in English is a 33 credit-hour online degree program at Southwestern Oklahoma State University. The program is designed to advance educators' knowledge in English literature, writing, and pedagogy. In addition, the program prepares future candidates for teacher certification. The program focuses on developing educators who use innovative teaching strategies and approaches in the English classroom, address various student needs, engage in educational research, and take on leadership roles in their educational fields. | Over the last decade, the teacher shortage across the United States, but especially in Oklahoma, has caused a significant loss of learning and academic growth in schools. While more highly qualified educators are leaving the classroom, more emergency and alternative teachers step into classrooms. This program addresses major needs of public education: improving the quality of educators, allowing them to grow not only academically but also in their career opportunities, helping emergency and alternative teachers become certified, and enhancing classroom learning while furthering students' futures.
Current Employment: In 2012, Oklahoma issued 32 emergency teacher certifications. By 2024, that number increased sharply to 4,676 emergency teacher certifications. Every year, Oklahoma has over 1,000 teacher vacancies that remain unfilled throughout the school year.
(fullmind.com, oklahomavoice.com, ossba.org)
Projected Growth: With a significant (146x) increase in emergency certifications within the last 12 years, Oklahoma needs strong, solid, knowledgeable, and prepared educators. | While emergency and alternatively certified educators most generally have bachelor's degrees, they often lack the training of how to teach the specific content within their subject areas. This program allows educators to increase their English content knowledge and pedagogies while becoming confident, feeling supported, and ultimately staying in the classroom as fulltime, fully certified educators.
Furthermore, certified educators advance their English content knowledge and enhance their teaching approaches. A Master of Education in English Education opens doors for career advancements and teacher salary increases.
( oklahoma.gov)
Oklahoma also has a large number of adjunct educators in public pre-K - 12 schools, approximately 1,300 in 2025. This program would allow for a pathway toward certification for adjunct educators by giving them the tools and enhanced knowledge they need to be more effective in the classroom.
Teacher retention in Oklahoma was only 41% in 2024. Only 19% of emergency certified teachers returned to the classroom. This program contributes to teacher retention by fulfilling the state's need for qualified educators.
(oej.com)
Additionally, we also envision developing a certificate program, "Teaching College-Level Writing," which could be both a stand-alone, 18-hour certificate and an embedded certificate in this Master's program, which would highlight students' ability to teach dual-crediUconcurrent English classes at the high school level upon completion. There is a huge demand, as adjuncts are highly needed. Individuals who complete the program would be great assets to SWOSU and the state of Oklahoma as a whole.
(okhighered.org) | | | 13.1305 | Once established, the program will seek accreditation via CAEP and NCTE as directed by the Southwestern Oklahoma State University Department of Education. | Fall 2026 | SWOSU | 11/06/25 | Option 1: Foundational English Education Option 2: Advanced Practice English Education | ALL of the courses in the program can be completed entirely online | 33 | The purpose of the Master of Education in English Education program is to create highly qualified English educators who meet the evolving needs of the educational landscape of Oklahoma. The program will deepen educators’ knowledge of literature, writing, and pedagogy, while also engaging them in critical thinking and promoting understanding and awareness of students’ learning needs. | The demand for certified teachers in the United States, and especially in Oklahoma, is experiencing significant growth, reflecting a need for more educators, especially highly qualified ones.
Current employment:
In 2022, there were approximately 42,000 teachers in public schools. In 2025, there were approximately 45,000 teachers in public schools. This number, reflecting a constantly increasing demand for qualified teachers, is in addition to the severe teacher shortage. This indicates a strong demand for educators, especially highly qualified ones.
(nces.gov.edu)
Projected Growth: For Oklahoma, in 2022, 1,300 qualified educators graduated from universities; however, there was a need for over 4,000 educators. This trend has been steadily increasing, showing projected growth in the field of education, especially secondary education.
(research.com) | The United States, especially Oklahoma, is facing a huge teacher shortage, leaving the education of future generations uncertain. As of June 2025, the United States had an estimated 365,967 teachers who were not fully certified. In addition, 45,582 teacher positions across the nation remained unfilled.
Additionally, the interest of college students pursuing a traditional teaching degree is at an all-time low. Over the last decade, numbers have been going down steadily; from 2016-2021 alone, the number of college students seeking traditional teacher degrees has gone down by 30%. Furthermore, teacher attrition is decreasing, as only one fifth of educators are leaving the classroom due to retirement.
English/Language Arts teachers account for some of the largest shortages nationwide, along with special education and math. The demand for English/Language Arts teachers, especially highly skilled ones, is huge and continues to grow dramatically. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics predicts a need for 64,000 secondary teachers annually until 2033 in the US. This monumental need can be alleviated by programs that enhance educators’ knowledge, pedagogy, and quality.
The proposed Master of Education in English Education addresses this need by providing high-quality courses that close pedagogy and content gaps, while inspiring teachers through research, innovation, and reformed teaching approaches and strategies. It also helps educators to become certified in the state of Oklahoma.
Allowing educators to complete this program solely online offers flexibility, as there will be a variety of English content classes. Educators can enjoy high-quality courses that are tailored to their needs and interests. In addition, the three (certified) or four (non-certified) foundational education classes enhance educators' pedagogical understanding. Classes will be offered in 8-week increments, allowing for quicker completion of the program while still receiving high-quality content. Students can complete the degree in two years or less, depending on individual course load. For example, by taking 15 hours in the first two semesters, 3 in the summer, and 15 the next two semesters, educators can fulfill the degree requirements in a realistic time frame while also still teaching in the classroom. However, educators can adjust the class schedule to their specific needs. Overall, this program allows for flexibility and access, as educators from all areas in Oklahoma, the United States, and across the world can complete the Master of Education in English Education while they continue their lives and work. Program participants gain knowledge, learn from experts in their fields, collaborate with other educators, and receive a degree that opens many doors in their futures.
Should the program proposal be accepted, we also envision developing a certificate program, “Teaching College-Level Writing,” which could be both a stand-alone, 18-hour certificate and/or an embedded certificate in this Master’s program, which would highlight students’ ability to teach dual-credit/concurrent English classes at the high school level upon completion.
The Master of Education in English program complies with financial aid regulations and has already generated interest among current educators and students. Within the past academic year, at least three public school teachers have inquired specifically about such a program seeking certification, while others have completed alternative certification and now wish to deepen their content knowledge and instructional skills. One current SWOSU graduate student, who is enrolled in a different instructional program, has expressed a strong interest in switching to a Master of Education in English Education, as they are currently teaching in an English/Language Arts classroom.
Given the current and increasing demand for teachers, especially English/Language Arts ones, we propose a new degree program that develops highly qualified | One other institution, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, offers an online M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction with the opti | Fall 2027 | 6 | 2026 | 3 | 2026-2027 | Online only | | No | No | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 11/13/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 11/12/25 | | | No Protest | 12/05/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 11/17/25 | | | No Protest | 11/12/25 | | | No Protest | 11/12/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 11/12/25 | | | No Protest | 11/14/25 | | | No Protest | 11/12/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 11/12/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 11/24/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 11/12/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 12/31/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 01/02/26 | | | No Protest | 12/26/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 01/05/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 12/22/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 12/22/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 12/22/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 12/22/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 01/13/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 12/22/25 | | | March 26, 2026 | | | Courses are offered online only (including synchronous and asynchronous). | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 20 | 11/12/25 1:59 PM | 03/30/26 2:08 PM | Southwestern Oklahoma State University | Associate in Applied Science in Medical Coding | 183 | JW Reviewed | HP Reviewed | Protest Period Expired | 11/12/25 | 11/28/25 | | | Approved by State Regents | March 26, 2026 | 12/03/25 | 12/20/25 | | | Sent | 11/13/25 | | 11/28/25 | Sent | 12/05/25 | Patsy Parker | patsy.parker@swosu.edu | No | Yes | Tamera Kisinger | tamera.kisinger@swosu.edu | Weatherford | Both Traditional and Online | The AAS in Medical Coding curriculum is designed to prepare students for immediate employment while supporting their long• term educational goals. General education courses develop communication, problem-solving, and analytical skills, while core courses in anatomy, medical terminology, coding systems, and reimbursement equip students with the technical expertise required for entry-level coding roles. Professional practice experiences further reinforce these skills by connecting classroom instruction to real-world applications.
By integrating foundational learning, technical training, and applied practice, the curriculum directly supports the program's objectives: producing workforce-ready graduates who can contribute to the healthcare industry now, and offering a seamless pathway into the BSHIM degree for those seeking future advancement. | The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that there are 3960 people performing billing and coding in Oklahoma and projects a 13% job growth by the year 2026. We surveyed 18 Health Information Management Directors with 13 responding. Of those that responded, 85% directly supervise the coding function in their organization. The breakdown of how many coders were employed in each department include: 1·5 coders= 25%, 6·10 coders= 33%, and those that had over 20 coders was 42%. When asked about how many open positions were available over the last year, 83.33% indicated that they hired between 1· 10 coders in the previous year. For the question, "Does your organization prefer coding personnel to have a coding credential?" The response rate was 100% yes, and 67% stated that they preferred the CCS credential over other coding credentials. | The AAS in Medical Coding will allow students to enter the workforce sooner. This degree will allow students to work in the profession as they complete their BSH IM degree if desired. Of the last three years of graduates, 36% of the students obtained a medical coding position upon graduation. We surveyed 52 students with 38 students responding. When asked the question, "If the coding associate's degree were available while you were in the BSHIM program, which path would you be interested in choosing?" The responses indicated that 2.63% would choose coding associates only, 7.89% indicated BSHIM only, and 89.47% indicated that they would pursue both coding associates and the BSHIM degree; 89.47% responded that they feel the coding associates would have opened more job opportunities; and 62.16% indicated that upon graduation, their job duties included coding responsibilities. | | | 51.0713 | | Fall 2026 | SWOSU Weatherford Campus | 11/06/25 | | ALL of the courses in the program can be completed entirely online | 64 | The Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Medical Coding directly aligns with SWOSU's mission of providing accessible, high-quality education that prepares students for meaningful careers and lifelong success. This program is designed to meet both immediate workforce needs and long-term educational goals.
By offering an AAS pathway, SWOSU will:
1. Support Workforce Readiness: Medical coding is a high-demand field within healthcare. The AAS program equips students with the specialized technical skills and professional competencies needed to enter the workforce more quickly, contributing immediately to the healthcare industry while addressing regional and national shortages in qualified coding professionals.
2. Create a Steppingstone to Advancement: The AAS serves as both a stand-alone credential and a path to the Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management (BSHIM). Students may begin their careers after earning the AAS, then continue working toward the bachelor's degree either while employed or later in their professional journey. This flexible pathway allows students to return to SWOSU when they are ready to seek additional opportunities in leadership, compliance, or advanced HIM roles.
3. Advance SWOSU's Mission: This program expands access to career-oriented education, promotes economic mobility, and provides students with clear pathways from entry-level positions to advanced professional degrees. By meeting students where they are, the AAS reflects SWOSU's commitment to serving diverse learners and strengthening the healthcare system through education. | The AAS in Medical Coding will allow students to enter the workforce sooner. This degree will allow students to work in the profession as they complete their BSH IM degree if desired. Of the last three years of graduates, 36% of the students obtained a medical coding position upon graduation. we surveyed 52 students with 38 students responding. When asked the question, "If the coding associate's degree were available while you were in the BSHIM program, which path would you be interested in choosing?" The responses indicated that 2.63% would choose coding associates only, 7.89% indicated BSHIM only, and 89.47% indicated that they would pursue both coding associates and the BSHIM degree; 89.47% responded that they feel the coding associates would have opened more job opportunities; and 62.16% indicated that upon graduation, their job duties included coding responsibilities.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that there are 3960 people performing billing and coding in Oklahoma and projects a 13% job growth by the year 2026. We surveyed 18 Health Information Management Directors with 13 responding. Of those that responded, 85% directly supervise the coding function in their organization. The breakdown of how many coders were employed in each department include: 1-5 coders= 25%, 6-10 coders= 33%, and those that had over 20 coders was 42%. When asked about how many open positions were available over the last year, 83.33% indicated that they hired between 1-10 coders in the previous year. For the question, "Does your organization prefer coding personnel to have a coding credential?" The response rate was 100% yes, and 67% stated that they preferred the CCS credential over other coding credentials. | The AAS in Medical Coding curriculum is designed to prepare students for immediate employment while supporting their longterm educational goals. General education courses develop communication, problem-solving, and analytical skills, while core courses in anatomy, medical terminology, coding systems, and reimbursement equip students with the technical expertise required for entry-level coding roles. Professional practice experiences further reinforce these skills by connecting classroom instruction to real-world applications.
By integrating foundational learning, technical training, and applied practice, the curriculum directly supports the program's objectives: producing workforce-ready graduates who can contribute to the healthcare industry now, and offering a seamless pathway into the BSHIM degree for those seeking future advancement. | The proposed AAS in Medical Coding at SWOSU does not create unnecessary duplication within the state system. At present, | Fall 2031 | 17 | 2030 | 10 | 2030-2031 | Online only | | No | No | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 11/13/25 | | | No Protest | 12/05/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 11/14/25 | | | No Protest | 11/13/25 | | | No Protest | 11/13/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 11/13/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 11/13/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 11/13/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 11/25/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 11/13/25 | | | No Protest | 12/05/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 12/05/25 | | | No Protest | 12/05/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 12/05/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 12/08/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 12/05/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 12/05/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 12/05/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 12/18/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 12/05/25 | | | March 26, 2026 | | | All courses in this program will be offered through online/web-based instruction, using the Canvas learning management system | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 21 | 05/05/25 1:10 PM | 03/30/26 11:41 AM | Murray State College | Associate of Applied Science in Speech Language Pathology Assistant | 087 | JW Reviewed | HP Reviewed | Protest Period Expired | 05/05/25 | 05/21/25 | | | Approved by State Regents | March 26, 2026 | 02/12/26 | 02/27/26 | | | Sent | 05/06/25 | | 05/21/25 | Sent | 02/12/26 | Becky Henthorn | bhenthorn@mscok.edu | No | Yes | Melanie Whitehead | mwhitehead@mscok.edu | Ardmore, Tishomingo, Online | Both Traditional and Online | This program prepares graduates to work with licensed and certified Speech Language Pathologists. It will consist of 18 hours of general education courses and at least 45 hours of program-specific courses, which will include 100+ hours of clinical experience. | This career field has a projected job growth of 18% in the next 6 years. There were 48 hires in our 9-county service area in 2024 with an average of 7 new positions added annually. | There is currently only one Oklahoma institution offering an AAS in SLPA. A Certified SLP in our area noticed a growing need for assistants in schools and clinics in our service area. She approached us to inquire about the development of a program to resolve this deficit. Students are looking for Allied Health pathways to employment after graduation. | | | 51.0816 | None | Fall 2026 | Online | 04/15/25 | None | ALL of the courses in the program can be completed entirely online | 61 | The purpose of the Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA) program is to prepare graduates for employment as speech-language pathology assistants who work under the supervision of licensed speech-language pathologists in educational, clinical, and healthcare settings. The program is designed to equip students with the academic knowledge, technical skills, and supervised clinical experience necessary to support the assessment and treatment of individuals with speech, language, and communication disorders. Graduates will be prepared to apply for licensure through the Oklahoma Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and pursue national certification through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), as well as meet the workforce needs across school systems, private clinics, and medical environments. | The demand for speech-language pathology services continues to grow due to increased identification of communication disorders across the lifespan, while the availability of licensed speech-language pathologists remains limited—particularly in rural regions of southeastern Oklahoma and northeastern Texas. This significant workforce gap can be partially addressed through the expanded use of qualified speech-language pathology assistants working under licensed supervision.
Regional employment data provide concrete evidence of demand, with approximately 20 unique SLPA job postings identified in the area within the past 12 months. Posted wage ranges of up to $40 per hour reflect strong employer demand, and employers consistently seek candidates who have completed a formal SLPA program, hold or are eligible for national certification, and possess experience working with pediatric and educational populations. | Program Rationale and Background: The most common service delivery model involves a licensed SLP supervising one or more SLPAs, allowing providers to serve a greater number of clients while maintaining professional standards. This collaborative model has become increasingly necessary due to the ongoing shortage of licensed providers and the growing reliance on contracted speech services. Program development began with direct outreach from a local practicing SLP who reported a shortage of qualified SLPAs in the region.
The proposed SLPA program will address this workforce need by offering accessible, high-quality preparation through an online instructional model paired with supervised clinical experiences completed in the student’s home community. This structure allows students to remain in their region while completing the program, increasing the likelihood that graduates will enter and remain in the local workforce. By aligning curriculum and clinical requirements with OBESPA and ASHA certification standards, the program ensures graduates are prepared to meet employer expectations and regulatory requirements immediately upon completion. | There is only one other SLPA program offered in the state, and it is outside of our geographic service area. | 2031 | 17 | 2030 | 5 | 2030-2031 | Online only | | Yes | Yes | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 05/06/25 | | | No Protest | 05/07/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 05/06/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 05/07/25 | | | No Protest | 05/06/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 05/06/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 05/06/25 | | | No Protest | 05/06/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 05/21/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 05/06/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/12/26 | | | No Protest | 02/12/26 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/12/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/12/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/12/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/12/26 | | | No Protest | 02/13/26 | | | No Protest | 02/12/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/24/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/12/26 | | | March 26, 2026 | | | This program will be delivered primarily through online coursework with required clinical and observation experiences completed in the student's local community. This mode of delivery increases access to professional preparation for students in rural and underserved areas. Coursework will be delivered by faculty trained in Quality Matters, utilizing technology such as Blackboard Ultra Learning Management System, access to materials through VitalSource platforms, and the use of supplemental technologies, including Zoom. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 22 | 09/25/25 9:40 AM | 03/30/26 11:41 AM | Rose State College | Associate in Applied Science in Simulation Technology | 157 | JW Reviewed | HP Reviewed | Protest Period Expired | 09/25/25 | 10/09/25 | | | Approved by State Regents | March 26, 2026 | 02/19/26 | 03/06/26 | | | Sent | 09/25/25 | | 10/09/25 | Sent | 02/19/26 | Melissa D. I. Hayt | mhayt@rose.edu | Yes | N/A | | | Rose State College | Both Traditional and Online | Rose State College proposes launching Oklahoma’s first Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) in Simulation Technology, a pioneering program designed to meet the growing demand for skilled simulation maintenance technicians across aerospace, defense, and healthcare sectors. The program will offer hands-on, career-focused training in electronics, system integration, and simulation software, supported by four stackable or stand-alone micro-credentials aligned with industry standards. Students will gain practical experience through access to advanced simulators and real-world maintenance scenarios, preparing them for immediate employment or continued academic advancement. Industry partners such as CAE, Delaware Resource Group (DRG), CymSTAR, and SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital – Midwest are actively involved in shaping the curriculum and have committed to hiring program completers. | The employment demand for simulation technology professionals in Oklahoma is both urgent and growing. According to the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance, nearly 20,000 workers will be needed by 2028 to meet aerospace sector demands. Labor market data from Lightcast identified over 200 job postings for simulation-related roles in the past five years, with 34% requiring an associate degree. DRG alone employs over 600 individuals in simulation roles and maintains continuous hiring to fulfill contracts at major military installations, including Vance, Altus, and Tinker Air Force Bases. Additional employers such as Flight Safety International, SAIC, and CAE have posted dozens of simulation-related positions, further validating the need for a formal training pipeline to supply qualified technicians. | Despite the evident demand, Oklahoma currently lacks a dedicated academic pathway to train simulation maintenance technicians, leaving a critical gap in the workforce pipeline. The proposed A.A.S. in Simulation Technology would be only the second such program in the United States, addressing a unique and underserved niche. Employers like DRG report hiring multiple technicians under single job listings and maintaining ongoing vacancies, indicating that traditional job posting data underrepresents actual hiring needs. Additionally, healthcare institutions such as SSM Health St. Anthony – Midwest have expressed a need for technicians with simulation experience to support clinical training. By establishing this program, Rose State College will fill a vital educational and workforce void, equipping students with the credentials and skills needed to enter high-wage, high-demand careers. | | 157 | 15.0303 | N/A | Fall 2026 | Rose State College (Midwest City) | 02/19/26 | Aerospace Simulation Maintenance Technician, Healthcare Simulation Maintenance Technician | SOME of the courses in the program can be completed entirely online | 63 | The purpose of the A.A.S. in Simulation Technology is to prepare students for high‑demand careers by providing hands‑on training in the maintenance, integration, and operation of advanced simulation systems used across aerospace, defense, and healthcare industries. | The demand for simulation technology professionals in Oklahoma is significant and growing, particularly within the aerospace and defense sector—one of the state’s largest and fastest-growing industries. According to the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance, nearly 20,000 additional aerospace workers will be required by 2028, highlighting the ongoing need for technically skilled employees. Oklahoma’s 100 Critical Occupations report (2021–2030) further identifies that more than half of the state’s high‑demand jobs require an associate degree or higher preparation, including several of the highest‑paying technical roles. Among these, Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians are projected to see rapid employment growth, consistent with national projections reported by O*NET Online. With Oklahoma serving as home to the world’s two largest Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facilities, the state continues to be a national hub for simulation‑enabled training and operations.
The demand for simulation technology professionals in Oklahoma is significant and growing, particularly within the aerospace and defense sector—one of the state’s largest and fastest-growing industries. According to the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance, nearly 20,000 additional aerospace workers will be required by 2028, highlighting the ongoing need for technically skilled employees. Oklahoma’s 100 Critical Occupations report (2021–2030) further identifies that more than half of the state’s high‑demand jobs require an associate degree or higher preparation, including several of the highest‑paying technical roles. Among these, Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians are projected to see rapid employment growth, consistent with national projections reported by O*NET Online. With Oklahoma serving as home to the world’s two largest Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facilities, the state continues to be a national hub for simulation‑enabled training and operations.
Labor market data from Lightcast reinforces this demand, identifying more than 200 job postings for simulation-related positions in the past five years across 17 employers. Approximately 34 percent of these postings required an associate degree, demonstrating clear alignment between employer needs and the proposed program’s educational focus. Delaware Resource Group (DRG)—a long‑standing industry partner—illustrates the gap between posted job openings and actual workforce demand. Although DRG accounted for only eight postings in the Lightcast dataset, the company employs more than 600 individuals in simulation roles worldwide and maintains continuous hiring to meet contractual obligations. DRG currently lists 14 open simulation technician positions, despite only four appearing online, because they routinely fill multiple positions under a single posting.
DRG’s scope of operations amplifies the need for a trained workforce. The company maintains technician staffing at multiple Oklahoma‑related sites, including Will Rogers Air National Guard (6.5 FTE), Vance Air Force Base (12 FTE), Altus Air Force Base (5 FTE), and an upcoming contract at Tinker Air Force Base (7 FTE). Technicians in these roles must earn CompTIA Security+ certification, and the average annual salary across these positions is approximately $60,000. DRG additionally recruits for two high‑need roles not represented in Lightcast data—Field Service Representatives (earning $38/hour and deployed globally) and System Administrators (with 15–20 active vacancies at any time). These positions require similar technical competencies to those provided in the proposed A.A.S. curriculum.
Beyond DRG, several employers with even greater posting volume demonstrate broad regional workforce demand for simulation‑related skills. Lightcast identifies Flight Safety International (73 postings), SAIC (47 postings), CAE (46 postings), and Cherokee Nation (17 postings) among the most active employers. Coll | The proposed Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) in Simulation Technology is designed to address a critical and rapidly growing workforce need across Oklahoma’s aerospace, defense, and healthcare sectors. As simulation-based training becomes a core operational requirement for both industry and clinical environments, employers increasingly need technicians skilled in maintaining complex electronic, mechanical, and software-integrated systems. The program’s purpose is to create a dedicated, career-focused educational pathway that equips students with practical competencies in electronics, system integration, troubleshooting, and simulation operations. Through hands-on learning with advanced simulators, industry-aligned micro‑credentials, and direct involvement from leading employers such as CAE, Delaware Resource Group (DRG), CymSTAR, and SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital – Midwest, the program will prepare graduates for immediate entry into high‑demand technical roles while also supporting long‑term academic progression.
The need for this program is both urgent and unmet. Labor market data and employer feedback demonstrate a significant shortage of qualified simulation maintenance technicians, with nearly 20,000 aerospace workers needed statewide by 2028 and more than 200 simulation‑related job postings in recent years. Companies like DRG employ hundreds of simulation personnel and report constant hiring to meet military and commercial contract demands—often filling multiple positions under a single posting, signaling that available data underrepresents true workforce needs. Oklahoma currently has no academic program dedicated to this specialty, and only one comparable program exists nationwide. By establishing the A.A.S. in Simulation Technology, Rose State College will fill a crucial gap in the state’s workforce pipeline, providing students with a clear, credentialed pathway into stable, high‑wage careers while meeting an essential industry and community need. | There are no other programs in Simulation Technology in Oklahoma. | Fall 2031 | 17 | 2030 | 5 | 2030-2031 | Traditional Only | | Yes | Yes | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 09/25/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 09/25/25 | | | No Protest | 09/25/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 09/25/25 | | | No Protest | 09/26/25 | | | No Protest | 09/25/25 | | | No Protest | 09/25/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 09/26/25 | | | No Protest | 09/26/25 | | | No Protest | 09/25/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 09/25/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/20/26 | | | No Protest | 02/20/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/19/26 | | | No Protest | 02/20/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/19/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/19/26 | | | No Protest | 02/19/26 | | | No Protest | 02/19/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/27/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/19/26 | | | March 26, 2026 | | | Students can take general education courses online; Sim Tech courses will be taught on campus. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 23 | 04/29/25 9:47 AM | 04/20/26 9:33 AM | Northeastern State University | School Psychology, Ed.S. | 232 | JW Reviewed | HP Reviewed | Protest Period Expired | 04/29/25 | 05/14/25 | | | Approved by State Regents | April 16, 2026 | 02/23/26 | 03/10/26 | | | Sent | 04/29/25 | | 05/14/25 | Sent | 02/23/26 | Carla Swearingen | swearinc@nsuok.edu | No | Yes | Cari Keller | kellerc@nsuok.edu | Tahlequah, Broken Arrow | Both Traditional and Online | The Specialist in Education (Ed.S.) in School Psychology program at Northeastern State University is designed to address the urgent need for highly trained school psychologists. This program focuses on preparing culturally sensitive practitioners capable of serving diverse populations, including rural, suburban, and Native American communities. The curriculum emphasizes a comprehensive approach, incorporating assessment, mental health, academic interventions, crisis management, and family-school-community collaboration. This program aims to foster professionals adept at supporting students' academic, social, behavioral, and emotional success, responding effectively to the increasing challenges in mental health and educational disparities. | Lightcast data for Oklahoma indicates a robust growth in the employment demand for school psychologists, with a significant increase in job postings from 2021 to 2023. Specifically, there were 2,382 job postings in this period, reflecting a posting intensity of 2-to-1. In 2021, there were 383 positions for school psychologists, which expanded by 12.79% to 72 new annual openings by 2023. However, despite this growth and the Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting a 4% increase in the field nationally, Oklahoma still drastically falls short of the recommended ratio, with only one school psychologist per 3,301 students, emphasizing a critical shortage, especially in rural and Native American communities where culturally competent professionals are urgently needed. | The proposed Ed.S. program in School Psychology at Northeastern State University is strategically designed to mitigate the severe shortage in Oklahoma. This initiative aims to substantially increase the number of trained school psychologists, addressing the significant service gap, particularly for the underserved eastern part of the state. Currently, the state only sees about 25 completions annually in school psychology programs, which is inadequate to meet the rising demand and ongoing shortages. By establishing this new program, Northeastern State University plans to produce culturally competent professionals capable of serving Oklahoma’s diverse populations, directly impacting regional deficits and supporting broader state and national objectives to enhance educational outcomes and mental health services. | | | 42.2805 | National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) | Fall 2027 | Tahlequah, Broken Arrow, hybrid | 02/19/26 | N/A | SOME of the courses in the program can be completed entirely online | 72 | Northeastern State University proposes a Specialist in Education (Ed.S.) in School Psychology to address urgent mental health and educational support needs among children and youth across Oklahoma. Consistent with NSU’s mission to serve rural, suburban, and Native American populations, the program will prepare culturally responsive school psychologists to support academic achievement, social-emotional development, and school-wide systems of care. The program aligns with the National Association of School Psychologists standards and is designed to strengthen school-based mental health services, intervention capacity, and multi-tiered systems of support across the region. | Lightcast data for Oklahoma indicates a robust growth in the employment demand for school psychologists, with a significant increase in job postings from 2021 to 2023. Specifically, there were 2,382 job postings in this period, reflecting a posting intensity of 2-to-1. In 2021, there were 383 positions for school psychologists, which expanded by 12.79% to 72 new annual openings by 2023. However, despite this growth and the Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting a 4% increase in the field nationally, Oklahoma still drastically falls short of the recommended ratio, with only one school psychologist per 3,301 students, emphasizing a critical shortage, especially in rural and Native American communities where culturally competent professionals are urgently needed.
According to the most recent Lightcast data, during the 2024-2025 academic year, there were 45 minimum job postings with only 28 graduate completions (62% available to fill positions).
Demand for school psychologists is strong and well-documented. A regional needs assessment of 438 certified educators and administrators across 10 northeastern Oklahoma counties found that 92% reported insufficient school psychologist capacity in their districts and that 96% indicated that expanding access to trained school psychologists is highly important statewide. | In the face of a growing national mental health crisis and persistent educational disparities, the need for highly trained School Psychologists has never been more urgent. Because part of Northeastern State University's mission is to serve rural, suburban, and Native American populations, establishing a Specialist in Education (EdS) in School Psychology graduate program here is both timely and transformative in addressing these challenges. By leveraging our university’s commitment to accessible, high-quality education and our unique position at the intersection of these diverse populations, this program will cultivate culturally sensitive and responsive practitioners equipped to meet the pressing, ever-changing needs of schools, students, families, and communities in our region. This initiative aligns with state and national priorities, promising not only to improve academic and mental health outcomes but to elevate our institution as a leader in preparing future-ready School Psychologists.
According to the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) training standards, the specialist-level program of study in School Psychology consists of the following:
A minimum of 3 years of full-time study at the graduate level or the equivalent, inclusive of structured field experiences. At least 60 graduate semester hours or the equivalent, with at least 54 hours exclusive of credit for the supervised specialist-level internship experience. The supervised internship experience must be taken for academic credit, with a minimum of 1,200 clock hours, including at least 600 hours in a school setting, and completed over one academic year on a full-time basis or two consecutive academic years on a half-time basis. Institutional documentation of completion of the School Psychology specialist-level program.
The proposed program aligns with state and national efforts to expand the mental health workforce in schools. Federal initiatives have recognized the need to increase the number of school-based mental health professionals to support student well-being and academic achievement. Furthermore, recent state education policies require all school districts to implement a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS), formerly known as Response to Intervention. School Psychologists are ideally situated to develop and implement these types of system-wide changes. | After examining the geographic locations of the School Psychology programs in Oklahoma, it is clear that there are no graduate training programs in School Psychology on the eastern side of the state. Northeastern State University is well placed to serve students on the eastern side of Oklahoma.
In Oklahoma, there are 4 graduate programs that lead to degrees or certificates in School Psychology. All require in-person attendance primarily. One program, offered at East Central University in Ada, is not NASP-approved. The remaining three programs hold NASP approval or conditional approval:
Oklahoma State University (EdS, PhD) – Stillwater, OK
Southwestern Oklahoma State University (EdS) – Weatherford, OK
University of Central Oklahoma (EdS) – Edmond, OK
Percentage growth was calculated only from programs with continuous graduate production across the reporting period. Programs with zero graduates in the baseline year are reported as new, inactive, or intermittent, consistent with standard institutional research practices.
University of Central Oklahoma: 2020-2021 grads = 0; 2024-2025 grads = 4; % growth = N/A (reactivated program or intermittent output)
Southwestern Oklahoma State University: 2020-2021 grads = 8; 2024-2025 grads = 12; % growth = 50% (sustained program)
East Central University: 2020-2021 grads = 0; 2024-2025 grads = 0; % growth = N/A (no graduates)
Oklahoma State University: 2020-2021 grads = 0; 2024-2025 grads = 0; % growth = N/A (intermittent output) | Fall 2032 | 12 | 2032 | 8 | 2031-2032 | Both Traditional and Online | | Yes | Yes | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 05/02/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/29/25 | | | No Protest | 04/29/25 | | | No Protest | 04/29/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/29/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/29/25 | | | No Protest | 04/29/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 05/12/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/29/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/23/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/23/26 | | | No Protest | 02/24/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/23/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/24/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/24/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/23/26 | | | No Protest | 02/24/26 | | | No Protest | 02/23/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/23/26 | | | April 16, 2026 | | | The Ed.S. in School Psychology follows a structured three-year, full-time model aligned with NASP specialist-level preparation standards. During the fall and spring semesters of Years 1 and 2, the program operates in a hybrid format that combines face-to-face and synchronous virtual instruction. Didactic and theory-based coursework may be delivered through live virtual sessions to increase access while preserving real-time faculty engagement and academic rigor. In contrast, assessment courses and other skills-based training that require administration of standardized instruments, supervised practice, modeling, and direct performance feedback will be delivered face-to-face on campus to ensure competency development and adherence to professional standards.
Summer terms are intentionally designed as fully online academic sessions focused on foundational knowledge, research literacy, developmental theory, and professional formation. These content areas are well-suited to structured online delivery and allow students to maintain academic progression while preserving the integrity of campus-based clinical and assessment training during the regular academic year.
Clinical training experiences, including practica and the third-year internship, are site-based and supervised in school settings in accordance with NASP requirements. Applied competencies are developed through direct supervision, structured evaluation, and documented performance assessment, ensuring graduates meet specialist-level standards for practice in schools. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 24 | 01/30/26 1:42 PM | 04/20/26 9:42 AM | Rogers State University | Master of Science in Automation, Data Analytics, & Sustainable Practices | 215 | JW Reviewed | HP Reviewed | Protest Period Expired | 01/30/26 | 02/14/26 | | | Approved by State Regents | April 16, 2026 | 02/16/26 | 03/11/26 | | | Sent | 01/30/26 | | 02/14/26 | Sent | 02/18/26 | Dr. Susan Willis | swillis@rsu.edu | Yes | N/A | | | Claremore | Both Traditional and Online | The MS in Automation, Data Analytics & Sustainable Practices will provide coursework and practical application in preparing learners to become automation/data professionals. The degree is a 30 Credit Hours, thesis or non-thesis program that provides learners with the tools and skills required to manage critical and emerging technological issues confronted in manufacturing, energy and agricultural industries.
Graduates will be prepared for exams leading to the following certifications:
ISA Certified Automation Professional® (CAP®)
Certified Control Systems Technician (CCST)
Professional Engineer (PE) - Control Systems Engineering
Vendor-Specific Certifications (e.g., Siemens, National Instruments) | According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 18 percent of all jobs required a master’s degree by the end of 2022 (www.bls.gov). Current data available from O*NET (Bureau of Labor Statistics) for Computer and Information Systems Managers and Digital Forensics Analysts are listed as a “Bright Outlook” occupations. Every Bright Outlook occupation matches at least one of the following criteria: Projected to grow faster than average (employment increase of 5% or more) over the period 2022-2032 for the US nationwide and or projected to have 100,000 or more job openings over the period 2022-2032 for the US nationwide(www.bls.gov). Additionally, each are “New & Emerging” occupations which are “expected to grow rapidly” (www.bls.gov). Oklahoma Works, Top 100 Critical Occupations, lists Computer and Information Systems Managers as having an average salary of $120,016.00, more than double the state average, and an expected 7% growth (oklahomaworks.gov). | Northeast Oklahoma's robust industrial base is actively undergoing a technological transformation, with numerous companies in key sectors requiring the skills this program will provide. | | 215 | 11.9999 | none | Fall 2026 | Claremore | 01/30/26 | thesis
non-thesis | ALL of the courses in the program can be completed entirely online | 30 | The MS in Automation, Data Analytics & Sustainable Practices will provide coursework and practical application in preparing learners to become automation/data professionals. The degree is a 30 Credit Hours, thesis or non-thesis program that provides learners with the tools and skills required to manage critical and emerging technological issues confronted in manufacturing, energy and agricultural industries.
Graduates will be prepared for exams leading to the following certifications:
ISA Certified Automation Professional® (CAP®)
Certified Control Systems Technician (CCST)
Professional Engineer (PE) - Control Systems Engineering
Vendor-Specific Certifications (e.g., Siemens, National Instruments) | According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 18 percent of all jobs required a master’s degree by the end of 2022 (www.bls.gov). Current data available from O*NET (Bureau of Labor Statistics) for Computer and Information Systems Managers and Digital Forensics Analysts are listed as a “Bright Outlook” occupations. Every Bright Outlook occupation matches at least one of the following criteria: Projected to grow faster than average (employment increase of 5% or more) over the period 2022-2032 for the US nationwide and or projected to have 100,000 or more job openings over the period 2022-2032 for the US nationwide(www.bls.gov). Additionally, each are “New & Emerging” occupations which are “expected to grow rapidly” (www.bls.gov). Oklahoma Works, Top 100 Critical Occupations, lists Computer and Information Systems Managers as having an average salary of $120,016.00, more than double the state average, and an expected 7% growth (oklahomaworks.gov). | The curriculum achieves the objectives of the program as it will prepare students to bridge the communication gap between IT security professionals and key business stakeholders, and to lead, design, and frame a business case for investment to senior executives, Boards of Directors, and government officials. Students will learn, hands-on, to identify, assess, and manage cyber risk, and to develop and implement a proactive cybersecurity strategy to effectively defend, mitigate, and recover from a cyber-attack. The curriculum emphasizes skills in leadership, ethics, management, critical thinking, analytic problem solving, and communication to prepare students to meet and respond to the varying issues presented by the rapidly changing cyber ecosystem. | No other institution currently offers an MS STEM centric automation, analytics, and sustainability degree with a technology, analytical, and management emphasis. Northeast Oklahoma's robust industrial base is actively undergoing a technological transformation, with numerous companies in key sectors requiring the skills this program will provide. Employers in the Mid-America Industrial Park in Pryor, the Port of Catoosa, and locally tell us there is great demand for graduates with these skills. | 2032 | 10 | 2031 | 8 | 2031-2032 | Both Traditional and Online | | No | Yes | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 01/31/26 | | | No Protest | 02/02/26 | | | No Protest | 01/30/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/02/26 | | | No Protest | 01/30/26 | | | No Protest | 01/30/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 01/30/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 01/30/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/10/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 01/30/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | April 16, 2026 | | | The Learning Management System (LMS) platform at Rogers State is Blackboard Ultra. The course offerings are a mixture of in-person learning and online learning. The online courses will be developed using Quality Matters (QM) principles and ultimately earning QM certification to ensure that each course is consistent in quality, design, and accessibility. Traditional classroom instruction will be provided by qualified instructors in technology. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 25 | 01/30/26 1:30 PM | 04/20/26 9:44 AM | Rogers State University | Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education; Options: Art, Biology, Business, Computer Science, English, Math, Psychology/Sociology, Social Studies | 137 | JW Reviewed | HP Reviewed | Protest Period Expired | 01/30/26 | 02/14/26 | | | Approved by State Regents | April 16, 2026 | 02/16/26 | 03/11/26 | | | Sent | 01/30/26 | | 02/14/26 | Sent | 02/18/26 | Dr. Susan Willis | swillis@rsu.edu | Yes | N/A | | | Claremore | Both Traditional and Online | To offer a bachelor's degree in Secondary Education. The program will prepare highly qualified teachers to teach upper-level students (6th – 12th grade) in either public or private school in Business, English, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. | As reported by the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE), there were 1,019 teaching vacancies in Oklahoma schools during the 2022-23 academic year (most recently reported outcomes), the highest number reported since the Oklahoma State School Boards Association began conducting its annual survey nine years prior. According to this projection, the number of teaching vacancies will increase by 206 each year, and more than 794 emergency certificates per year will be issued for grades 1-8 alone. Further, the OSDE reports that more than 20% of students in the state reside in northeast Oklahoma. Consequently, we can predict more than 200 teacher vacancies per year in our region, and this gap will continue to grow if unabated. | Oklahoma is facing a significant shortage of qualified teachers. As a result, many school districts resort to issuing emergency certifications and hire individuals who may not have the necessary qualifications and training to effectively address classroom challenges. A bachelor's degree in secondary education will provide highly qualified teachers to teach upper-level students (6th – 12th grade). | | | 131205.00 | National accreditation for Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs) is overseen by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), with state-level oversight by Oklahoma Educational Quality and Accountability (OEQA). | Fall 2026 | Claremore | 01/30/26 | Art
Biology
Business
Computer Science
English
Mathematics
Psychology and Sociology
Social Studies | SOME of the courses in the program can be completed entirely online | 121 | To offer a bachelor's degree in Secondary Education. The program will prepare highly qualified teachers to teach upper-level students (6th – 12th grade) in either public or private school in Art, Biology, Business, Computer Science, English, Mathematics, Psychology/Sociology, and Social Studies. | As reported by the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE), there were 1,019 teaching vacancies in Oklahoma schools during the 2022-23 academic year (most recently reported outcomes), the highest number reported since the Oklahoma State School Boards Association began conducting its annual survey nine years prior. According to this projection, the number of teaching vacancies will increase by 206 each year, and more than 794 emergency certificates per year will be issued for grades 1-8 alone. Further, the OSDE reports that more than 20% of students in the state reside in northeast Oklahoma. Consequently, we can predict more than 200 teacher vacancies per year in our region, and this gap will continue to grow if unabated. | A bachelor's degree in secondary education at Rogers State University (RSU) will fulfill several important objectives for students and the northeastern Oklahoma region. Currently, RSU offers an associate's degree in secondary education with an articulation agreement with Cameron University for a bachelor’s in secondary education. This program is ending. A bachelor's degree in secondary education at RSU will allow students to enroll as freshmen at RSU while accepting one or more scholarships for which our associate degree seekers are not eligible. Further, it will enhance the learning experience when completing the 4-year degree at one university rather than two. The design and purpose of this program are multifaceted, focusing on enhancing the baccalaureate educational experience of students, addressing the demand for well-qualified educators in northeastern Oklahoma, and fulfilling accreditation and state licensure requirements. | Although there are other secondary education programs at most regional universities, most of them are specific to the department and face low enrollment issues. A complete secondary education program with various options only exists in two other universities. Having the program structured in this way allows the departments to offer the pedagogy classes but keep the program within the education department and combine the numbers from the options. In addition, the employment demand demonstrates that multiple universities offering education programs is still not meeting the teacher demand in Oklahoma. | 2031 | 15 | 2030 | 10 | 2030-2031 | Both Traditional and Online | | Yes | No | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 01/31/26 | | | No Protest | 02/02/26 | | | No Protest | 01/30/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 01/31/26 | | | No Protest | 02/02/26 | | | No Protest | 01/30/26 | | | No Protest | 01/30/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 01/30/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 01/30/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/10/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 01/30/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | April 16, 2026 | | | The Learning Management System (LMS) platform at Rogers State is Blackboard Ultra. The course offerings are a mixture of in-person learning and online learning. The online courses will be developed using Quality Matters (QM) principles and ultimately earning QM certification to ensure that each course is consistent in quality, design, and accessibility. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 26 | 01/24/26 11:52 AM | 06/03/26 2:12 PM | Northeastern State University | M.Ed. Elementary Education | | JW Reviewed | HP Reviewed | Protest Period Expired | 01/24/26 | 02/11/26 | | | Approved by State Regents | May 29, 2026 | 03/11/26 | 03/27/26 | | | Sent | 01/27/26 | | 02/11/26 | Sent | 03/12/26 | Carla Swearingen | swearinc@nsuok.edu | No | Yes | Cari Keller | kellerc@nsuok.edu | Tahlequah, Broken Arrow | Both Traditional and Online | Northeastern State University proposes the Master of Science in Elementary Education, which is designed for licensed or aspiring teachers seeking advanced preparation in curriculum design, assessment, and instructional strategies for grades 1–8. The program emphasizes research-based practice, culturally responsive pedagogy, and classroom leadership, preparing graduates to enhance student learning and assume instructional leadership roles within schools. Offered fully online, the degree provides flexible access for working educators across Oklahoma and the surrounding region. | Employment demand for graduates in Elementary Education is substantial and sustained across Oklahoma and the surrounding region. Lightcast data show a 10.5 percent increase in elementary education positions between 2021 and 2023, resulting in approximately 1,190 annual job openings statewide. These positions represent a 16 percent higher employment concentration than the national
average, supported by steady recruitment activity across public school districts. Gray DI data reinforce this pattern, with a Google search volume of 36,058 for Elementary Education programs, ranking in the 90th percentile nationally, and an enrollment volume in the 98th percentile. The job posting analysis indicates a posting intensity of 3-to-1, confirming ongoing hiring activity and strong demand for qualified teachers and instructional leaders. Collectively, these data confirm a durable and expanding market for educators, supporting NSU’s proposal to offer advanced professional preparation in Elementary Education. | A clear unmet need exists for graduate study in Elementary Education within Oklahoma. Gray DI and Lightcast data show that only one institution in the state currently reports completions in this field, with just two graduates statewide in 2023. Lightcast further confirms a sharp decline of more than ninety-five percent in program completions since 2012, demonstrating that teachers have limited access to advanced study in elementary instruction. Institutions serving online in-market students rank in the second percentile nationally, underscoring the absence of online pathways for working educators. The Fall 2025 survey conducted by NSU reinforces this finding, with 46 percent of respondents expressing interest in a master’s degree in Elementary Education. Respondents emphasized the need for a program aligned with classroom practice and accessible online, noting limited awareness of existing options. Collectively, these data confirm that Oklahoma teachers are seeking a graduate program designed for advanced preparation in elementary instruction, a need not currently met by the state’s limited offerings. NSU’s proposed program directly addresses this shortage by expanding access to high-quality, classroom-centered professional development for teachers across the state. | | | 13.1202 | N/A | Fall 2026 | Online | 02/19/26 | N/A | ALL of the courses in the program can be completed entirely online | 30 | The purpose of the Master of Education in Elementary Education is to provide advanced graduate study for elementary teachers who seek to strengthen their teaching, expand their professional knowledge, and increase their contributions within schools. Designed for educators currently teaching grades 1-8 within Oklahoma's elementary certification grade range, the program offers research-based graduate coursework directly linked to classroom practice.
Graduates of the program will develop deeper expertise in child development, curriculum design, classroom management, technology integration, current educational research, MTSS (multi-tiered support system), and assessment practices. Through this course of study, candidates will be better prepared to improve instruction, respond to diverse student needs, and contribute more effectively to school improvement efforts.
The program also offers an additional graduate degree option for elementary educators who wish to further their education through a coherent course of study built entirely from existing courses in the Northeastern State University catalog. The program also qualifies for the TEACH Grant, which may provide financial support to graduate students who commit to teaching in high-need fields and low-income schools.
In addition, the Master of Education in Elementary Education provides graduates with the opportunity to apply to the Oklahoma State Department of Education to use the degree instead of the Oklahoma Subject Area Test (OSAT), subtests 1 and 2 for elementary education, consistent with state requirements. In this way, the program creates an accessible pathway for aspiring and current educators to advance their professional preparation while helping address workforce needs in elementary education in Oklahoma. | Workforce demand and employment opportunities for the proposed M.Ed. in Elementary Education are substantial in Oklahoma and align with current state workforce and educational priorities. State workforce projections indicate that employment for elementary teachers will increase from 15,356 positions in 2022 to 16,196 positions in 2032, an increase of 840 jobs, with an average of 1,133 annual openings. These annual openings reflect both new positions and the need to replace teachers who leave the profession or move into other roles. These data indicate sustained statewide demand for elementary educators.
The proposed program also aligns with documented educator workforce needs in Oklahoma. State reporting shows continued pressure in the teacher pipeline, including declining numbers of traditionally prepared teacher candidates and continued reliance on nonstandard certification pathways. Oklahoma has continued to use provisional and emergency certification routes to fill staffing gaps, which indicates an ongoing need to strengthen preparation, retention, and advancement opportunities for practicing teachers.
Market data specific to Elementary Education and Teaching, CIP 13.1202, also supports the need for the proposed program. A recent Oklahoma program report identified only 2 master’s level completions in this field in 2023, and a single institution produced both. In contrast, the same report identified 9,455 related jobs, 1,190 annual openings, and 1,215 unique job postings in Oklahoma. These figures suggest a limited supply of in-state graduate students relative to workforce demand.
The Gray DI market report further supports demand for employment and student interest. That report identified 158 job postings, 1,386 current employment positions, and a 90th percentile Google search volume for the program area. It also reported 463 total completions in the broader market, including 298 online completions by in-market students and 165 on-ground completions at in-market institutions. These data suggest that student demand exists, but that advanced study in this field is being met through a limited number of institutions and delivery formats.
The program also aligns with Oklahoma’s current priorities for teacher retention and career advancement. Oklahoma’s teacher advancement framework includes advanced, lead, and master teacher designations tied to stipend opportunities. Current state guidance lists annual stipend amounts of $3,000, $5,000, and $10,000 for those designation levels, with additional funding opportunities available in certain high need settings. The proposed M.Ed. in Elementary Education provides a graduate credential directly related to classroom practice and therefore supports teachers who wish to strengthen their qualifications while continuing to serve in elementary schools.
The proposed program also responds to anticipated educational needs. Elementary teachers are expected to address increasingly complex instructional demands related to curriculum, assessment, classroom management, child development, instructional technology, current research, and MTSS (multi-tiered support system). By deepening teacher knowledge and practice in these areas, the M.Ed. in Elementary Education supports instructional quality, student learning, and school improvement across Oklahoma.
Overall, the proposed M.Ed. in Elementary Education aligns with state workforce demand for a critical occupation, responds to ongoing educator pipeline and retention challenges, and addresses a gap between employer demand and current master’s-level degree production in the field. | The proposed M.Ed. in Elementary Education is designed to expand graduate study options for elementary educators through a focused program built on existing institutional capacity. The program will strengthen teacher expertise in child development, curriculum design, classroom management, instructional technology, current research, MTSS (multi-tiered support system), and assessment practices, all of which are central to effective elementary teaching.
The program also provides a practical and accessible pathway for educators seeking professional advancement. It qualifies for the TEACH Grant program, which may provide financial support to eligible graduate students who commit to teaching in high-need fields and low-income schools. In addition, graduates may apply to the Oklahoma State Department of Education to use their degree in place of the Oklahoma Subject Area Test (OSAT) subtests 1 and 2 for elementary education, consistent with state requirements.
All proposed courses are already in the NSU catalog and are taught regularly. As a result, no new or additional courses will be required for implementation of the degree program. The proposed M.Ed. in Elementary Education consolidates these existing courses into a coherent, subject-area-specific degree in elementary education, an identified shortage area in Oklahoma. In doing so, the program supports both initial teacher hiring needs and longer-term retention by providing a focused graduate credential aligned with workforce needs in elementary education. | The proposed M.Ed. in Elementary Education does not create unnecessary duplication within Oklahoma. Gray DI and OSRHE data indicate that options for an elementary education-specific master's degree are limited in Oklahoma. The duplicate program review identified only three other Oklahoma universities offering an elementary education master's degree. This indicates that the number of comparable programs is limited and that the field is not saturated.
OSRHE data for the same CIP further confirms that unnecessary duplication is limited. As indicated above, only a small number of institutions currently offer programs in this area, demonstrating that statewide availability remains limited. In this context, the proposed program would expand access to a subject-area-specific graduate degree rather than duplicate a broadly available offering.
The proposed NSU program would therefore fill a limited, specialized niche rather than duplicate a crowded field. By consolidating existing coursework into a subject-area-specific M.Ed. in Elementary Education, NSU would expand access to a focused graduate option for elementary teachers without introducing unnecessary competition in a heavily populated program area. Gray DI data also suggest that the online master's in elementary education market presents a viable opportunity for NSU recruitment. In this context, the proposed program would provide elementary teachers with an additional, accessible option for advanced study while supporting workforce needs in Oklahoma's elementary education sector. | Fall 2026 | 12 | 2031 | 5 | 2031-2032 | Online only | | No | No | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 01/27/26 | | | No Protest | 01/30/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 01/27/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 01/27/26 | | | No Protest | 01/27/26 | | | No Protest | 01/27/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 01/27/26 | | | No Protest | 01/30/26 | | | No Protest | 01/27/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/10/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 01/27/26 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/12/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/12/26 | | | No Protest | 03/12/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/12/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/13/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/12/26 | | | No Protest | 03/12/26 | | | No Protest | 03/12/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/25/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/12/26 | | | May 29, 2026 | | | The proposed M.Ed. in Elementary Education will be offered in a fully online format. This delivery model is intended to provide accessible graduate study for working elementary educators by allowing them to complete coursework within their professional and personal schedules while maintaining progress toward degree completion.
Courses will be delivered through Blackboard using organized weekly or module-based instruction, including clearly stated learning outcomes, aligned assignments, instructional materials, and regular opportunities for active engagement. Students will engage with course content through readings, recorded lectures, instructional resources, applied assignments, and standards-aligned learning activities. Engagement with other students will be supported through structured discussions, collaborative activities, and peer interaction designed to promote professional dialogue and shared reflection on elementary practice. Engagement with the instructor will occur through the instructor's regular presence in the course, announcements, feedback, communication, and guidance throughout each module.
Course content will be aligned with CAEP Elementary Education standards and NSU Graduate College policies to ensure academic consistency and professional relevance. To support instructional quality, courses will be reviewed according to NSU quality standards for online learning. In addition, all faculty teaching in the program have completed a structured online teaching development process designed to prepare them for effective online instruction. Together, these elements are intended to ensure that the program's online delivery maintains the same academic quality, engagement, and rigor expected of graduate study at NSU. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 27 | 03/10/26 1:23 PM | 06/03/26 2:12 PM | Rogers State University | Bachelor of Science in Nutrition | 138 | JW Reviewed | HP Reviewed | Protest Period Expired | 03/10/26 | 03/26/26 | | | Approved by State Regents | May 29, 2026 | 04/08/26 | 04/24/26 | | | Sent | 03/11/26 | | 03/26/26 | Sent | 04/09/26 | Dr. Susan Willis | swillis@rsu.edu | Yes | N/A | | | Claremore | Both Traditional and Online | This degree is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the science of nutrition and its application to health and wellness. In addition, the curriculum meets the requirements for admission to graduate programs in nutrition leading to certification and licensure. A unique feature of this program is coursework related to hospitality management in relation to the nutrition field. | The demand for dietitians and nutritionists in Oklahoma is higher than the national average, with 1,061 jobs in 2025 compared to the national average of 856 jobs for an area of this size. This indicates a strong regional need for professionals in this field. Additionally, the number of jobs is expected to grow by 10.2% by 2035, which is higher than the national growth rate of 6.5%. This growth suggests that there will be an increasing demand for qualified dietitians and nutritionists in the coming years.
Lightcast data highlights that the majority of dietitians and nutritionists in Oklahoma work in the general medical and surgical hospitals industry sector, followed by offices of other health practitioners and the federal government. This diversity in employment sectors indicates that graduates with a degree in nutrition would have various career opportunities.
Furthermore, the median wage for dietitians and nutritionists in Oklahoma is $67,434, which, although lower than the national median of $73,840, still represents a competitive salary. The job posting activity in Oklahoma is about average, with 101 job postings per month, indicating a steady demand for professionals in this field.
Given these factors, creating a bachelor's degree in nutrition would help meet the growing demand for dietitians and nutritionists in Oklahoma, provide students with diverse career opportunities, and contribute to the overall health and well-being of the community.
*Data from Lightcast. | Even though other universities offer a degree in nutrition, the need is not being met based on the data for demand in Oklahoma. See "employment demand" above. | | | 30.1901 | This program has been developed to meet the accreditation standards of the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND).
Accreditation by the ACEND is essential for graduates to be eligible for supervised practice experiences and eventual credentialing as Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs). Without ACEND accreditation, graduates would be unable to enter the professional dietetics workforce. Seeking accreditation ensures program credibility, student employability, alignment with national standards, and the program's long-term sustainability. | Fall 2026 | Claremore | 03/10/26 | NA | SOME of the courses in the program can be completed entirely online | 122 | The Bachelor of Science in Nutrition at Rogers State University is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the science of nutrition and its application to health and wellness. This program aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote healthy eating habits, prevent nutrition-related diseases, and improve overall quality of life. In addition, the curriculum meets the requirements for admission to graduate programs in nutrition leading to certification and licensure. A unique feature of this program is coursework related to hospitality management in relation to the nutrition field. | Lightcast data highlights that the majority of dietitians and nutritionists in Oklahoma work in the general medical and surgical hospitals industry sector, followed by offices of other health practitioners and the federal government. This diversity in employment sectors indicates that graduates with a degree in nutrition would have various career opportunities.
Furthermore, the median wage for dietitians and nutritionists in Oklahoma is $67,434, which, although lower than the national median of $73,840, still represents a competitive salary. The job posting activity in Oklahoma is about average, with 101 job postings per month, indicating a steady demand for professionals in this field.
Given these factors, creating a bachelor's degree in nutrition would help meet the growing demand for dietitians and nutritionists in Oklahoma, provide students with diverse career opportunities, and contribute to the overall health and well-being of the community.
*Data from Lightcast. | The Bachelor of Science in Nutrition program addresses the growing demand for nutrition professionals who can contribute to the improvement of public health. With the increasing prevalence of nutrition-related health issues, there is a critical need for qualified individuals who can provide expert guidance on healthy eating and lifestyle choices. This program aims to fill that gap by producing graduates who are well-equipped to meet the nutritional needs of all populations.
Offering a bachelor's degree in nutrition would help meet the growing demand for dietitians and nutritionists in Oklahoma, provide students with diverse career opportunities, and contribute to the overall health and well-being of the community. See specifics in Employment Demand Section.
In addition, recruiters at RSU have reported for several years that there is a great interest in a major in nutrition. Currently, limited nutrition courses are offered in the nursing and allied health areas but there is no degree or minor in nutrition available. | Even though other universities offer a degree in nutrition, the need is not being met based on the data for demand in Oklahoma. The demand for dietitians and nutritionists in Oklahoma is higher than the national average, with 1,061 jobs in 2025 compared to the national average of 856 jobs for an area of this size. This indicates a strong regional need for professionals in this field. Additionally, the number of jobs is expected to grow by 10.2% by 2035, which is higher than the national growth rate of 6.5%. This growth suggests that there will be an increasing demand for qualified dietitians and nutritionists in the coming years. | Fall 2031 | Fall 2026 enrollment of 10 | 2030 | minimum of 10 in Fall 2030 | 2030-2031 | Both Traditional and Online | | Yes | No | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/11/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/11/26 | | | No Protest | 03/11/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/11/26 | | | No Protest | 03/11/26 | | | No Protest | 03/13/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/11/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/11/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/25/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/11/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/09/26 | | | No Protest | 04/09/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/13/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/09/26 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/10/26 | | | No Protest | 04/09/26 | | | No Protest | 04/09/26 | | | No Protest | 04/09/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/17/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/09/26 | | | May 29, 2026 | | | The Learning Management System (LMS) platform at Rogers State is Blackboard Ultra. The course offerings are a mixture of in-person learning and online learning. The online courses will be developed using Quality Matters (QM) principles and ultimately earning QM certification to ensure that each course is consistent in quality, design, and accessibility. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 28 | 09/19/25 10:36 AM | 06/03/26 2:12 PM | Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology | Associate in Applied Science in John Deere Tech | 144 | JW Reviewed | HP Reviewed | Protest Period Expired | 09/19/25 | 10/07/25 | | | Approved by State Regents | May 29, 2026 | 04/02/26 | 04/18/26 | | | Sent | 09/22/25 | | 10/07/25 | Sent | 04/03/26 | Ronna Vanderslice | ronna.vanderslice@okstate.edu | No | Yes | Mandy Husak | mandy.husak@okstate.edu | Okmulgee | Traditional Only | OSUIT intends to develop and seek approval to offer an Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in John Deere Tech to address emergent industry demands. The program is designed to prepare students with specialized skills in diagnostics, repair, and maintenance of John Deere agricultural and construction equipment. Students will receive comprehensive training in diesel engines, hydraulics, powertrains, electronics, and precision technology systems, with coursework and practical experiences tailored specifically to John Deere machinery. In partnership with John Deere and affiliated dealerships, the curriculum will incorporate factory-certified training programs, hands-on internships, and direct pathways to employment in the industry. Graduates will be equipped to enter the workforce as competent and job-ready technicians. | The demand for skilled diesel technicians, particularly those knowledgeable in John Deere equipment, is rising sharply due to significant industry growth, technological advancements, and replacement needs driven by an aging workforce. Agricultural and construction sectors continue to expand nationally and regionally, increasing the need for highly trained technicians who can maintain and repair sophisticated machinery. Several key industry partners and dealerships within Oklahoma and surrounding states have reported persistent difficulties in recruiting qualified entry-level technicians proficient in John Deere systems, signaling strong employment opportunities for program graduates. | Currently, there is a shortage of technicians trained specifically on John Deere equipment, creating a workforce gap that threatens productivity and growth within the agricultural and construction equipment sectors. This gap is exacerbated by an aging technician population approaching retirement and insufficient entry-level training programs focused on John Deere technologies. The proposed AAS in John Deere Tech will directly address this unmet need by providing targeted, industry-aligned education and training that prepares graduates to fill critical roles in dealerships and service centers. The program supports regional economic development by supplying employers with a skilled talent pool, ensuring industry sustainability and competitiveness.
This program will strengthen the workforce pipeline in Oklahoma and surrounding regions, support local and national employers, and align with OSUIT’s mission to provide industry-driven technical education that meets both student and employer needs. | | | 010205 | Associated Equipment Distributors (AED) | Fall 2027 | Okmulgee | 03/06/26 | None | SOME of the courses in the program can be completed entirely online | 66 | The AAS in John Deere Tech program is designed to prepare students with specialized skills in diagnostics, repair, and maintenance of John Deere agricultural and construction equipment. Students will receive comprehensive training in diesel engines, hydraulics, powertrains, electrical and electronics, and precision technology systems with coursework and practical experiences tailored to John Deere machinery. In partnership with John Deere and affiliated dealerships, the curriculum will incorporate factory-certified training programs, hands-on internships, and direct pathways to employment in the industry. | The demand for skilled diesel technicians, particularly those knowledgeable in John Deere equipment, is rising sharply due to significant industry growth, technological advancements, and replacement needs driven by an aging workforce. Agricultural and construction sectors continue to expand nationally and regionally, increasing the need for highly trained technicians who can maintain and repair sophisticated machinery. Several key industry partners and dealerships within Oklahoma and surrounding states have reported persistent difficulties in recruiting qualified entry-level technicians proficient in John Deere systems, signaling strong employment opportunities for program graduates. | Currently, there is a shortage of technicians trained specifically on John Deere equipment, creating a workforce gap that threatens productivity and growth within the agricultural and construction equipment sectors. This gap is exacerbated by an aging technician population approaching retirement and insufficient entry-level training programs focused on John Deere technologies. The proposed AAS in John Deere Tech will directly address this unmet need by providing targeted, industry-aligned education and training that prepares graduates to fill critical roles in dealerships and service centers. The program supports regional economic development by supplying employers with a skilled talent pool, ensuring industry sustainability and competitiveness. This program will strengthen the workforce pipeline in Oklahoma and surrounding regions, support local and national employers, and align with OSUIT’s mission to provide industry-driven technical education that meets both student and employer needs. | From 2026-2031, Lightcast projects an increase in 1,249 jobs, representing a 3% growth. In job posting analytics from January 2025-January 2026, more than 4,259 unique job openings were posted aligned with the occupations listed in the Employment Outlook table, with a median annual salary of $44,672. Considering that only 12 students earned baccalaureate degrees in the most closely related discipline in 2024-2025, there is ample room for a new AAS program at OSU-IT to produce qualified graduates who can enter the workforce immediately.
Only one somewhat-related program exists in the state, and is a baccalaureate, not associate’s program. Therefore, the program is not duplicative of any other program in the state and will prepare students with foundational knowledge and technical skills, provide training opportunities throughout the state, and help fill a need for John Deere technicians. | Fall 2030 | 17 | 2029 | 5 | 2029-2030 | Traditional Only | | Yes | No | | | | | No Protest | 09/22/25 | | | No Protest | 09/22/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 09/22/25 | | | No Protest | 09/22/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 09/23/25 | | | No Protest | 09/22/25 | | | No Protest | 09/22/25 | | | No Protest | 09/22/25 | | | No Protest | 09/22/25 | | | No Protest | 09/22/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 09/22/25 | | | No Protest | 09/22/25 | | | No Protest | 09/22/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 10/01/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 09/22/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/03/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/03/26 | | | No Protest | 04/03/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/06/26 | | | No Protest | 04/03/26 | | | No Protest | 04/03/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/03/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/03/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/13/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/03/26 | | | May 29, 2026 | | | N/A | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 29 | 10/03/25 3:17 PM | 06/03/26 2:12 PM | Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology | Associate in Applied Science in Logistics and Supply Chain Technology | 145 | JW Reviewed | HP Reviewed | Protest Period Expired | 10/03/25 | 10/28/25 | | | Approved by State Regents | May 29, 2026 | 04/02/26 | 04/18/26 | | | Sent | 10/13/25 | | 10/28/25 | Sent | 04/03/26 | Ronna Vanderslice | ronna.vanderslice@okstate.edu | No | Yes | Mandy Husak | mandy.husak@okstate.edu | Okmulgee | Online Only | OSUIT proposes a fully online AAS in Logistics and Supply Chain Technology program that prepares graduates for front-line and lead‑level roles in warehousing, distribution, inventory control, and transportation coordination. The curriculum integrates safety/quality, WMS/TMS fundamentals, inventory and order management, and data‑driven problem solving. Two industry‑recognized credentials—MSSC Certified Logistics Associate (CLA) and MSSC Certified Logistics Technician (CLT)—will be embedded in the parent program, providing immediate value to employers and stackable credentials for students. | Independent analyses (FORVIS, Oct. 2024; EAB Market Insights) identify supply chain and logistics as a critical occupation in Oklahoma with strong 10 year job growth (~15%) and rising posting activity. Employers report difficulty filling entry- to mid-level logistics roles and prefer candidates with both applied skills and certifications. The proposed AAS directly meets this demand by combining online access for working/rural learners with job ready competencies and embedded credentials. | A brief landscape scan found only three comparable AAS programs in Oklahoma/North Texas—Rose State College, Dallas College, and Tarrant County College—and none are fully online. Meanwhile, EAB reports supply chain management conferrals grew rapidly (≈17% annual average) despite stagnant institutional supply. OSUIT’s fully online AAS fills this availability gap, expands access statewide, and strengthens OSUIT’s role as a leader in workforce-aligned online education. | | | 520203 | None | Fall 2026 | Okmulgee, Online | 03/06/26 | None | ALL of the courses in the program can be completed entirely online | 60 | The Associate in Applied Science in Logistics and Supply Chain Technology prepares students for operational roles in logistics, distribution, inventory control, and supply chain coordination through applied coursework, industry-aligned competencies, and embedded certification preparation. The program supports workforce readiness while also providing a strong foundation for transfer into bachelor’s-level business and supply chain programs. The program is proposed in response to sustained workforce demand for logistics and supply chain professionals across Oklahoma and the region. Labor market analyses from EAB Market Insights and state-aligned workforce data identify logistics, transportation, warehousing, inventory management, and distribution as high-demand occupational areas. Employer job posting activity remains strong, reflecting ongoing demand for workers with applied operational skills rather than solely managerial or theoretical preparation. | Labor market data indicate sustained demand for logistics and supply chain–related occupations in Oklahoma. According to EAB Market Insights using Lightcast labor market analytics, occupations aligned with logistics, materials, and supply chain management, including transportation, storage, and distribution roles, are projected to grow by approximately 15% over the next decade statewide. When projected growth is combined with replacement needs due to turnover and retirements, these occupations account for an estimated 200–250 job openings annually in Oklahoma.
Employer job posting data further support this demand. Oklahoma employers consistently post openings for logistics technicians, inventory specialists, transportation coordinators, distribution operations staff, and warehouse leads. Postings emphasize applied operational competencies such as inventory control, transportation coordination, warehousing operations, safety and quality practices, and basic data and systems proficiency. Many of these roles do not require a bachelor’s degree for entry but do require job-ready skills aligned with an applied associate-level program.
These indicators demonstrate clear and ongoing workforce demand and job opportunities for graduates of the proposed program. | Employers in Oklahoma consistently report difficulty filling entry- to mid-level logistics roles that require proficiency in inventory systems, transportation coordination, warehousing operations, safety and quality practices, and the use of digital tools to support operational decision making. Industry feedback and workforce analyses emphasize the importance of candidates who can demonstrate job-ready competencies, systems thinking, and familiarity with end-to-end supply chain processes. These needs align directly with an applied associate-level program focused on operational readiness.
A review of the competitive landscape indicates limited availability of associate-level logistics and supply chain programs in Oklahoma and surrounding regions, with no comparable programs offered fully online. As a result, access to applied logistics education remains constrained for working adults, rural learners, and place-bound students. The proposed fully online delivery model addresses this gap by expanding statewide access while maintaining academic rigor and workforce relevance. | From 2026-2031, Lightcast projects an increase in 1,981 jobs, representing a 4% growth. In job posting analytics from January 2025-January 2026, more than 9,130 unique job openings were posted aligned with the occupations listed in the Employment Outlook table, with a median annual salary of $42,112. Considering that only 13 students earned certificates or baccalaureate degrees in logistics and supply chain management in 2024-2025 across the state, there is ample room for a new AAS program at OSU-IT to produce qualified graduates who can enter the workforce immediately.
Although three other certificate and baccalaureate programs with a matching CIP code in logistics and supply chain management exist in the state, none of these programs are at the Associate’s level. One somewhat-related AAS in Business Administration-Supply Chain Management program does exist at Rose State College, but the program is anchored in a business administration core, including accounting, business law, ethics, marketing, management, information systems, and microcomputer applications. Supply chain content is concentrated in the option requirements. As structured, the program emphasizes broad business preparation with a supply chain emphasis, rather than a dedicated logistics and supply chain operations curriculum. Therefore, the program is not duplicative of any other program in the state and will prepare students with foundational knowledge and technical skills in the discipline, resulting in graduates that can address the current gap in the workforce.
In contrast, the proposed AAS in Logistics and Supply Chain Technology at OSUIT is intentionally designed as a standalone, applied logistics program. While the program includes a limited business and transfer-aligned core, the curriculum is driven by a technical logistics core focused on logistics foundations, inventory and materials management, transportation, distribution and warehousing systems, applied logistics data and digital tools, lean logistics and continuous improvement, integrated supply chain operations with MSSC CLT readiness, and a faculty-guided capstone-practicum. This structure prioritizes operational fluency, systems thinking, and applied skill development aligned to entry-level and lead-level logistics roles, rather than general business administration.
Out of state, institutions such as Dallas College and Tarrant County College offer associate-level logistics or supply chain programs that are primarily face-to-face or hybrid and designed to serve local metropolitan populations. These programs do not provide statewide online access for Oklahoma residents.
Collectively, existing offerings do not provide a fully online, operations-focused associate in applied science degree. The proposed program addresses this unmet need by expanding statewide access to a dedicated, applied logistics degree aligned with Oklahoma workforce demand. | Fall 2029 | 17 | 2028 | 5 | 2028-2029 | Online only | | No | No | | | | | No Protest | 10/13/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 10/13/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 10/21/25 | | | No Protest | 10/13/25 | | | No Protest | 10/13/25 | | | No Protest | 10/13/25 | | | No Protest | 10/13/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 10/13/25 | | | No Protest | 10/14/25 | | | No Protest | 10/13/25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 10/21/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 10/13/25 | | | | | | | No Protest | 10/13/25 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/03/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/03/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/06/26 | | | No Protest | 04/03/26 | | | No Protest | 04/03/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/03/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/03/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/13/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 04/03/26 | | | May 29, 2026 | | | The program will be delivered fully online through Canvas, the institution’s learning management system. Courses will utilize asynchronous instruction, applied assignments, digital tools, and faculty-guided projects. Required instructional materials will be provided through the institution’s textbook affordability program embedded within Canvas using VitalSource, ensuring students have immediate, low-cost access to course materials. Students will also have access to advising, academic support services, and library resources consistent with other online programs. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 30 | 02/13/26 1:14 PM | 06/03/26 2:12 PM | University of Central Oklahoma | Master of Science in Couple/Marriage and Family Therapy | 265 | JW Reviewed | HP Reviewed | Protest Period Expired | 02/13/26 | 03/05/26 | | | Approved by State Regents | May 29, 2026 | 03/11/26 | 03/26/26 | | | Sent | 02/18/26 | | 03/05/26 | Sent | 03/11/26 | Dr. Charlotte Simmons | cksimmons@uco.edu | No | Yes | Dr. Lee Anne Paris | lparis@uco.edu | UCO main campus in Edmond, OK | Traditional Only | The Master of Science in Couple/Marriage and Family Therapy (CMFT) is a full-time program that qualifies graduates to provide clinical care to couples, families, and individuals, and advance the field of CMFT. A marriage and family therapy graduate degree currently operates as an option under the Family and Child Studies program, housed within the department of Human Environmental Sciences (HES). However, transitioning to a stand-alone program is essential to meet the long-term goals of accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE). A dedicated program structure will provide the necessary focus, resources, and curricular alignment to meet COAMFTE standards, enhance professional identity development, and ensure graduates are fully prepared to excel as licensed marital and family therapists.
The curriculum prepares students to work in private practice, schools, and community settings, as well as pursue doctoral studies. Classroom and clinical field experiences provide intensive training in systemic approaches, ensuring students are poised to positively impact their communities. The CMFT program requires a minimum of 51 graduate hours, 300 hours of clinical contact, and a capstone experience. CMFT curriculum includes coursework in assessment, systemic foundations, relational interventions, ethics and professionalism, family and human development, and clinical practice. By emphasizing transformative learning and the development of ethical and engaged professionals, the CMFT program embodies UCO’s commitment to preparing leaders who positively impact their communities.
The CMFT Program Goals align with COAMFTE accreditation standards and the UCO mission:
PG 1: Conceptual knowledge of systemic therapy: Educate systemic therapists who demonstrate proficiency in systemically oriented theories, methods, interventions, and clinical practice.
PG 2: Commitment to ethical practice: Develop systemic therapists who are competent in ethical decision-making and committed to responsible and ethical practice.
PG 3: Equity and cultural humility: Educate and develop systemic therapists who demonstrate cultural humility and are socio-culturally attuned to equitably serve diverse communities.
PG 4: Scholarship and research-informed practice: Train and educate systemic therapists to evaluate, produce, and disseminate research as scholars and to provide research-informed practice.
PG 5: Professional CMFT Identity: Promote transformative learning experiences that build a professional couple/marriage and family therapy identity and integrate peer, client, and instructor feedback into clinical practice. | Marriage and family therapy and mental health is a growing field with high demand. Mental health counselors are featured on OSRHE’s 100 Critical Occupations list and Oklahoma Employment Security Commission’s Critical Occupations list, indicating a need for highly trained mental health professionals. According to the Oklahoma Labor Market Employment Projections, mental health jobs are fifth highest growing occupation.
The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) conducted a study in 2022 on mental health in America. The survey found that 90% of respondents acknowledged a mental health crisis in America,1/3 of participants were unable to receive mental health services, and 47% reported wanting mental health services within the past year.
100% of the current MFT option’s students who chose to pursue a career in MFT have landed jobs within the community. It is anticipated that this statistic will only be reinforced with the proposed CMFT program.
The current MFT option limits graduates to employment and licensure in Oklahoma. The proposed CMFT program will align with COAMFTE standards and eventually seek COAMFTE accreditation. Accreditation will make the proposed CMFT program more portable to other states in the US. For example, Colorado requires out-of-state applicants to complete additional paperwork if the applicant did not attend a COAMFTE accredited program.
The current MFT option hosted an Advisory Board meeting in November 2024. The MFT option coordinator and primary adjunct instructor were present, along with current students, former students, and licensed marital and family therapists from the field were in attendance. Field therapists expressed appreciation for the current option, recognized the abilities in graduates, suggested room for growth, and endorsed a new program seeking COAMFTE accreditation. Graduates of the current option advocated for a stronger emphasis on diversity and cultural humility within the program and increased clinical experience prior to graduation. These suggestions will be implemented with the proposed CMFT program. | As the leading metropolitan university in the state, UCO offers a unique advantage to students seeking a master’s in marriage and family therapy. UCO is accessible and inclusive, making it a desirable choice for prospective CMFT students. The proposed CMFT program is poised to meet a growing demand among students seeking training in MFT. As the need for qualified mental health professionals continues to rise, students are looking for programs that offer comprehensive training backed by COAMFTE.
The current MFT program has seen growth since 2019. In 2023, the program had 20 prospective MFT student applications and implemented program interviews before admitting students to the program. Sixteen applicants were interviewed, and 14 positions were offered. Applications to the current program were up 250% for the 2025-2026 admission cycle. COAMFTE accreditation standards necessitate a 1:15 ratio, and the proposed CMFT program will be designed to align with COAMFTE requirements.
2019-2020: 4 UCO students enrolled; 0 UCO degrees awarded
2020-2021: 6 UCO students enrolled; 7 UCO degrees awarded
2021-2022: 6 UCO students enrolled; 4 UCO degrees awarded
2022-2023: 6 UCO students enrolled; 4 UCO degrees awarded
2023-2024: 10 UCO students enrolled; 4 UCO degrees awarded
2024-2025: 17 UCO students enrolled; 7 UCO degrees awarded
The separation, restructuring, and expansion of the current MFT program into the proposed CMFT program will be a benefit to UCO students. The proposed CMFT program will allow for a more focused and specialized curriculum, fostering deeper expertise and professional readiness among students. For example, the proposed CMFT program will offer specialized training in attachment-focused and evidence-based modalities such as Emotionally Focused Therapy. This highly sought-after training will be unique to UCO, making it stand apart from other MFT programs. With an updated curriculum aligned with COAMFTE requirements, graduates will find it easier to transfer their education and credentials across state lines, expanding their career options nationwide. | | None | 51.1505 | Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) | Fall 2026 | UCO main campus in Edmond, OK | 01/22/26 | | NONE of the courses in the program can be completed entirely online | 51 | The Master of Science in Couple/Marriage and Family Therapy (CMFT) is a full-time program that qualifies graduates to provide clinical care to couples, families, and individuals, and advance the field of CMFT. | Marriage and family therapy and mental health is a growing field with high demand. Mental health counselors are featured on OSRHE’s 100 Critical Occupations list and Oklahoma Employment Security Commission’s Critical Occupations list, indicating a need for highly trained mental health professionals. According to the Oklahoma Labor Market Employment Projections, mental health jobs are fifth highest growing occupation.
The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) conducted a study in 2022 on mental health in America. The survey found that 90% of respondents acknowledged a mental health crisis in America,1/3 of participants were unable to receive mental health services, and 47% reported wanting mental health services within the past year.
100% of the current MFT option’s students who chose to pursue a career in MFT have landed jobs within the community. It is anticipated that this statistic will only be reinforced with the proposed CMFT program.
The current MFT option limits graduates to employment and licensure in Oklahoma. The proposed CMFT program will align with COAMFTE standards and eventually seek COAMFTE accreditation. Accreditation will make the proposed CMFT program more portable to other states in the US. For example, Colorado requires out-of-state applicants to complete additional paperwork if the applicant did not attend a COAMFTE accredited program.
(Please see attachment for additional employment data.) | A marriage and family therapy graduate degree currently operates as an option under the Family and Child Studies program, housed within the department of Human Environmental Sciences (HES). However, transitioning to a stand-alone program is essential to meet the long-term goals of accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE). A dedicated program structure will provide the necessary focus, resources, and curricular alignment to meet COAMFTE standards, enhance professional identity development, and ensure graduates are fully prepared to excel as licensed marital and family therapists.
The curriculum prepares students to work in private practice, schools, and community settings, as well as pursue doctoral studies. Classroom and clinical field experiences provide intensive training in systemic approaches, ensuring students are poised to positively impact their communities. The CMFT program requires a minimum of 51 graduate hours, 300 hours of clinical contact, and a capstone experience. CMFT curriculum includes coursework in assessment, systemic foundations, relational interventions, ethics and professionalism, family and human development, and clinical practice. By emphasizing transformative learning and the development of ethical and engaged professionals, the CMFT program embodies UCO’s commitment to preparing leaders who positively impact their communities.
The CMFT Program Goals align with COAMFTE accreditation standards and the UCO mission:
PG 1: Conceptual knowledge of systemic therapy: Educate systemic therapists who demonstrate proficiency in systemically oriented theories, methods, interventions, and clinical practice.
PG 2: Commitment to ethical practice: Develop systemic therapists who are competent in ethical decision-making and committed to responsible and ethical practice.
PG 3: Equity and cultural humility: Educate and develop systemic therapists who demonstrate cultural humility and are socio-culturally attuned to equitably serve diverse communities.
PG 4: Scholarship and research-informed practice: Train and educate systemic therapists to evaluate, produce, and disseminate research as scholars and to provide research-informed practice.
PG 5: Professional CMFT Identity: Promote transformative learning experiences that build a professional couple/marriage and family therapy identity and integrate peer, client, and instructor feedback into clinical practice. | As the leading metropolitan university in the state, UCO offers a unique advantage to students seeking a master’s in couple/marriage and family therapy. UCO is accessible and inclusive, making it a desirable choice for prospective CMFT students. The proposed CMFT program is poised to meet workforce demand, as interest in CMFT training continues to rise alongside the growing need for qualified mental health professionals. According to Lightcast projections, job opportunities in the field are expected to grow by 13%, underscoring the need for programs that provide comprehensive and accredited preparation for the expanding behavioral health workforce.
The current MFT program has seen growth since 2019. In 2023 the program had 20 prospective MFT student applications and implemented program interviews before admitting students to the program. Sixteen applicants were interviewed, and 14 positions were offered. Applications to the current program were up 250% for the 2025-2026 admission cycle. COAMFTE accreditation standards necessitate a 1:15 ratio, and the proposed CMFT program will be designed to align with COAMFTE requirements.
Although two other State System institutions (Oklahoma State University and Cameron University) offer CMFT training tracks, the separation, restructuring, and expansion of the current MFT program into the proposed CMFT program will be a benefit to UCO students. The proposed CMFT program will allow for a more focused and specialized curriculum, fostering deeper expertise and professional readiness among students. For example, the proposed CMFT program will offer specialized training in attachment-focused and evidence-based modalities such as Emotionally Focused Therapy. This highly sought-after training will be unique to UCO, making it stand apart from other MFT programs. With an updated curriculum aligned with COAMFTE requirements, graduates will receive a more rigorous education and find it easier to transfer their education and credentials across state lines, expanding their career options nationwide. | Fall 2031 | 6 | 2030 | 3 | 2030-2031 | Traditional Only | | Yes | No | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/18/26 | | | No Protest | 02/20/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/18/26 | | | No Protest | 02/18/26 | | | No Protest | 02/18/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/18/26 | | | No Protest | 02/18/26 | | | No Protest | 02/18/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/18/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/11/26 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/11/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/11/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/13/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/11/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/11/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/11/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/11/26 | | | May 29, 2026 | | | All courses will be taught in person at UCO's main campus, located in Edmond, OK. Desire2Learn will be used to maintain assignments, provide additional learning material, offer multiple modalities for communication with students, and maintain a repository of grades and assessment data. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 31 | 01/29/26 9:43 AM | 06/03/26 2:13 PM | Cameron University | Associate in Science in Agriculture | 501 | JW Reviewed | HP Reviewed | Protest Period Expired | 01/29/26 | 02/14/26 | | | Approved by State Regents | May 29, 2026 | 03/12/26 | 03/27/26 | | | Sent | 01/30/26 | | 02/14/26 | Sent | 03/12/26 | Margery Kingsley | margeryk@cameron.edu | No | Yes | Mandy Husak | ahusak@cameron.edu | Lawton | Both Traditional and Online | Cameron University proposes an Associate in Science in Agriculture to address a clear and growing need for accessible, workforce-ready training in agricultural sciences in Southwest Oklahoma. The curriculum integrates animal science, plant science, soil science, economics, livestock feeding, and statistics as well as guided electives chosen to complement the student’s interests and career goals. The program will provide graduates with technical training, a solid academic foundation, and the flexibility to either enter into the workforce directly or to continue seamlessly into a baccalaureate degree. | The proposed program will prepare graduates for occupations as agricultural technicians, science technicians, crop and animal farmworkers, equipment operators, landscapers and groundskeepers, pesticide applicators, and graders and sorters. From 2025-2030, Lightcast projects an increase of 603 jobs, representing 2% growth for these occupations in the discipline. In job posting analytics from January-December 2025, more than 1,787 unique jobs were posted aligned with these occupations, with a median annual salary of $36,500. Given the importance of agriculture to the regional and local economy, graduates trained in modern production practices, equipment operation, and land management are essential to fill these positions. The proposed AS in Agriculture directly supports critical occupations, aligns with multiple workforce ecosystems, and will provide a steady pipeline of skilled graduates for both local and statewide demand. | A review of the OSRHE official Degree Program Inventory confirms that, while several institutions in Oklahoma offer Associate’s degrees in Agriculture, the majority of these programs are concentrated in Central and Northern Oklahoma (Oklahoma State University–Oklahoma City, Northern Oklahoma College, Eastern Oklahoma State College, and Connors State College.) An additional program, the AS in Agricultural Sciences is offered at Western Oklahoma State College (WOSC) in Altus. Since CU and WOSC serve different geographic service areas and the program curricula differ, there is no unnecessary duplication of programs.
The proposed CU program provides students with the option to continue seamlessly into Cameron’s BS in Agriculture, without loss of credit hours, ensuring a smooth and efficient transition for degree completion, addressing workforce and educational needs in this region, and filling a gap in the state’s higher education landscape. | | 501 | 010000 | None | Fall 2026 | Lawton | 01/30/26 | None | SOME of the courses in the program can be completed entirely online | 66 | Cameron University proposes an AS in Agriculture to address a clear and growing need for accessible, workforce-ready training in agricultural sciences in Southwest Oklahoma. The curriculum integrates animal science, plant science, soil science, economics, livestock feeding, and statistics as well as guided electives chosen to complement the student’s interests and career goals. The program will provide graduates with technical training, a solid academic foundation, and the flexibility to either enter into the workforce directly or to continue seamlessly into a baccalaureate degree. | The proposed program will prepare graduates for occupations as agricultural technicians, food science technicians, crop and animal farmworkers, equipment operators, landscapers and groundskeepers, pesticide applicators, and graders and sorters. Given the importance of agriculture to the regional and local economy, graduates trained in modern production practices, equipment operation, and land management are essential to fill these positions. The proposed AS in Agriculture directly supports critical occupations, aligns with multiple workforce ecosystems, and will provide a steady pipeline of skilled graduates for both local and statewide demand.
Agriculture remains one of the most important industries in Oklahoma and Comanche County, encompassing livestock production, crop management, food systems, and resource conservation. Local and regional employers continue to express the need for graduates who are skilled, adaptable, and workforce-ready, but who may not necessarily hold a bachelor’s degree. An AS in Agriculture helps meet this need by providing technical training, a solid academic foundation, and the flexibility for students either to enter the workforce directly or to continue seamlessly into the BS in Agriculture should they later choose to pursue advanced study. | The proposed AS in Agriculture responds to a clear and growing need for accessible, workforce-ready training in agricultural sciences within Southwest Oklahoma. While Cameron University currently offers a BS in Agriculture, many students in our service area are not seeking a four-year degree. Instead, they are motivated by immediate employment opportunities, transfer flexibility, or personal interest in agriculture as it relates to family farms, agribusiness, or natural resource management. Our experience with other Associate in Science and Associate in Applied Science programs demonstrates that two-year degrees are highly popular, particularly among first-generation college students, working adults, and those seeking a more affordable entry point into higher education. | From 2026-2031, Lightcast projects an increase in 915 jobs, representing 3% growth. In job posting analytics from January 2025-January 2026, more than 2,239 unique jobs were posted aligned with the occupations listed in the Employment Outlook table, with a median annual salary of $36,500. Considering that only 184 students completed Associate’s degrees in Agriculture at institutions across of the state in Oklahoma in 2024-2025, there is ample room for a new AS program at CU to produce qualified graduates to fill the projected job openings.
While eight other Associate-level agriculture programs exist in the state, all serve different geographic service areas and possess curricula that differ from the proposed program. Additionally, the proposed program is unique in that it provides students with the option to continue seamlessly into CU’s BS in Agriculture, without loss of credit hours, ensuring a smooth and efficient transition for degree completion, addressing workforce and educational needs in this region, and filling a gap in the state’s higher education landscape. | Fall 2029 | 25 | 2028 | 5 | 2028-2029 | Traditional Only | | Yes | No | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 01/30/26 | | | No Protest | 01/30/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 01/31/26 | | | No Protest | 01/30/26 | | | No Protest | 01/30/26 | | | No Protest | 01/30/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 01/30/26 | | | No Protest | 01/30/26 | | | No Protest | 01/30/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/10/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/12/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/12/26 | | | No Protest | 03/12/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/12/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/13/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/12/26 | | | No Protest | 03/12/26 | | | No Protest | 03/12/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/25/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/12/26 | | | May 29, 2026 | | | N/a | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 32 | 02/13/26 11:14 AM | 06/03/26 2:13 PM | University of Central Oklahoma | Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences | 266 | JW Reviewed | HP Reviewed | Protest Period Expired | 02/13/26 | 03/05/26 | | | Approved by State Regents | May 29, 2026 | 03/11/26 | 03/26/26 | | | Sent | 02/18/26 | | 03/05/26 | Sent | 03/11/26 | Dr. Charlotte Simmons | cksimmons@uco.edu | No | Yes | Dr. Lee Anne Paris | lparis@uco.edu | UCO main campus in Edmond, OK | Traditional Only | The proposed program’s objectives are to prepare students for careers in Biomedical Sciences with a robust suite of courses that emphasize discipline knowledge and technical skills. To achieve these objectives, we are proposing the creation of a Biomedical Sciences program within the Biology Department. Historically, students trained for careers in Biomedical Sciences as Biology majors. Discipline knowledge in Biology grew rapidly, and in 2015-16 the Biology Department partially separated Biomedical Sciences students from other Biology students by creating a Biomedical Sciences option within our Biology program. Ever since, the Biomedical Sciences option has had the largest number of majors and graduates in the Biology program. Further growth in discipline knowledge has led us to this proposal to create a Biomedical Sciences program to house the Biomedical Sciences option. This plan will allow us to better tailor student education to accommodate the rapid growth in the last decade of discipline knowledge in Biomedical Sciences. Specifically, a new program would allow curriculum growth and development that is not constrained by the rule requiring 50% overlap of courses between options in a program.
Because the new program will house an existing option, no new curricular resources are needed. While 6 new courses are being proposed, all six are resdesigns of existing courses. Existing faculty within the Biology Department are qualified to teach these courses and existing resources are in place.
Students who graduate from this program will be able to:
1. Evaluate the complexity and function of vertebrate systems at the level of the gene, cell, tissue, organ, and organ system;
2. Demonstrate skills in observational and experimental study by formulating testable hypotheses, gathering data using laboratory-based techniques, and analyzing data to assess hypotheses;
3. Comprehend and assess scientific literature and its relevancy to biomedical issues;
4. Communicate biomedical principles and experimental results in written and oral formats to technical and non-technical audiences.
The focus of the proposed B.S. in Biomedical Sciences is to enable students to become contributors to biomedical professions, including but not limited to medical practitioners, dentists, optometrists, veterinarians, and biomedical researchers. Students are prepared for professional school, graduate school, and the workforce through practical experiences in courses, labs, and campus-supported activities such as research opportunities and internships. These experiences meet the goal to provide “transformative education experiences to students” in the UCO Mission Statement. This practical knowledge will provide the basis for students graduating from this program to be informed contributors and leaders in their fields.
Both the department and students benefit from an international perspective. Several faculty members have conducted research in countries well beyond the borders of the United States. Continued collaborations with scientists and students in those and other nations add to the cultural diversity at UCO. This collaboration is consistent with the UCO Vision and Central Six statements that reference serving the global community and respecting other cultures. | The US Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that job opportunities for graduates of Biomedical Sciences programs are increasing at rates of 5-28% above the average job. Nationally, there are currently 8900 professional openings for medical scientists, with 11% future growth projected. In Oklahoma, there are currently 43 biology positions on indeed.com, and 634 science positions on linkedin.com. Students graduating with a Biomedical Sciences degree from UCO have ample opportunities for employment and/or entry into professional programs. In 2023, of those that self-reported, approximately 70% (18/26) of our graduates gained entry to professional programs, including Medical School, Dental School, Physician Associate programs, and Physical Therapy programs. Other graduates entered graduate programs in Biomedical Sciences, and others entered the workforce. | We are proposing the creation of a Biomedical Sciences Program to house our Biomedical Sciences option, which is currently in the Biology program in the Biology Department. Creating a separate program for Biomedical Sciences will allow us to better tailor student education to accommodate the rapid growth in the last decade of discipline knowledge in Biomedical Sciences.
Historically, most students in the Biology program at UCO have been pursuing a career in biomedical sciences. In 2015-16, we created a Biomedical Sciences option to better serve those students, and ever since Biomedical Sciences has been the option in our program with the most conferred degrees. Over the past five years, the Biology Department has averaged 420 declared Biomedical Science Majors and awarded an average of 63 B.S. degrees in Biomedical Sciences, which was second most in the College of Mathematics and Science. | | None | 26.0102 | None | Fall 2026 | UCO main campus in Edmond, OK | 01/22/26 | | NONE of the courses in the program can be completed entirely online | 124 | The proposed program’s objectives are to prepare students for careers in Biomedical Sciences with a robust suite of courses that emphasize discipline knowledge and technical skills. The focus of the proposed B.S. in Biomedical Sciences is to enable students to become contributors to biomedical professions, including but not limited to medical practitioners, dentists, optometrists, veterinarians, and biomedical researchers. | The US Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that job opportunities for graduates of Biomedical Sciences programs are increasing at rates of 5-28% above the average job. Nationally, there are currently 8900 professional openings for medical scientists, with 11% future growth projected. In Oklahoma, there are currently 43 biology positions on indeed.com, and 634 science positions on linkedin.com. Students graduating with a Biomedical Sciences degree from UCO have ample opportunities for employment and/or entry into professional programs. In 2023, of those that self-reported, approximately 70% (18/26) of our graduates gained entry to professional programs, including Medical School, Dental School, Physician Associate programs, and Physical Therapy programs. Other graduates entered graduate programs in Biomedical Sciences, and others entered the work force.
(Please see attachment for additional employment data.) | To achieve the purpose described above, we are proposing the creation of a Biomedical Sciences program within the Biology Department. Historically, students trained for careers in Biomedical Sciences as Biology majors. Discipline knowledge in Biology grew rapidly, and in 2015-16 the Biology Department partially separated Biomedical Sciences students from other Biology students by creating a Biomedical Sciences option within our Biology program. Ever since, the Biomedical Sciences option has had the largest number of majors and graduates in the Biology program. Further growth in discipline knowledge has led us to this proposal to create a Biomedical Sciences program to house the Biomedical Sciences option. This plan will allow us to better tailor student education to accommodate the rapid growth in the last decade of discipline knowledge in Biomedical Sciences. Specifically, a new program would allow curriculum growth and development that is not constrained by the rule requiring 50% overlap of courses between options in a program.
Because the new program will house an existing option, no new curricular resources are needed. While 6 new courses are being proposed, all six are resdesigns of existing courses. Existing faculty within the Biology Department are qualified to teach these courses and existing resources are in place.
Students who graduate from this program will be able to:
1. Evaluate the complexity and function of vertebrate systems at the level of the gene, cell, tissue, organ, and organ system;
2. Demonstrate skills in observational and experimental study by formulating testable hypotheses, gathering data using laboratory-based techniques, and analyzing data to assess hypotheses;
3. Comprehend and assess scientific literature and its relevancy to biomedical issues;
4. Communicate biomedical principles and experimental results in written and oral formats to technical and non-technical audiences.
The focus of the proposed B.S. in Biomedical Sciences is to enable students to become contributors to biomedical professions, including but not limited to medical practitioners, dentists, optometrists, veterinarians, and biomedical researchers. Students are prepared for professional school, graduate school, and the workforce through practical experiences in courses, labs, and campus-supported activities such as research opportunities and internships. These experiences meet the goal to provide “transformative education experiences to students” in the UCO Mission Statement. This practical knowledge will provide the basis for students graduating from this program to be informed contributors and leaders in their fields.
Both the department and students benefit from an international perspective. Several faculty members have conducted research in countries well beyond the borders of the United States. Continued collaborations with scientists and students in those and other nations add to the cultural diversity at UCO. This collaboration is consistent with the UCO Vision and Central Six statements that reference serving the global community and respecting other cultures. | The only institutions that offer a Biomedical Sciences degree (CIP Code 26.0102) are Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences and Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center. These degrees are graduate level degrees (Master’s and Doctorate) which are different from our proposed bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences. Oklahoma City University offers a bachelor’s degree in Biology: Allied Health, and Southern Nazerene University offers a biology degree with a similar core curriculum, but we do not have access to the data on enrollment and graduates for this private institution.
Historically, most students in the Biology program at UCO have been pursuing a career in biomedical sciences. In 2015-16, we created a Biomedical Sciences option to better serve those students, and ever since Biomedical Sciences has been the option in our program with the most conferred degrees. Over the past five years, the Biology Department has averaged 420 declared Biomedical Science Majors and awarded an average of 63 B.S. degrees in Biomedical Sciences, which was second most in the College of Mathematics and Science.
The OSRHE Strategic Plan: Blueprint 2030 identifies STEM disciplines as a high priority growth area, indicating programs like ours are needed. Of the six RUSO institutions, five have programs that prepare undergraduates for careers in biomedical sciences. Most other 4-year colleges in Oklahoma have a version of a biomedical sciences degree, and most community colleges offer Associate Degrees related to biomedical sciences.
Our current Biomedical Sciences Major in our Biology Program is already an essential part of the matrix of Biomedical Sciences programs in Oklahoma. Switching from a Biomedical Sciences degree in a Biology Program to a Biomedical Sciences degree in a Biomedical Sciences program will not add to the existing duplication in Oklahoma. | Fall 2032 | 75 | 2031 | 20 | 2031-2032 | Traditional Only | | Yes | No | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/18/26 | | | No Protest | 02/20/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/18/26 | | | No Protest | 02/18/26 | | | No Protest | 02/18/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/18/26 | | | No Protest | 02/18/26 | | | No Protest | 02/18/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/18/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/18/26 | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/11/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/11/26 | | | No Protest | 03/11/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/11/26 | | | No Protest | 03/11/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/13/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/11/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/11/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/11/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/11/26 | | | May 29, 2026 | | | All of the courses will be taught in person at UCO's main campus, located in Edmond, OK. Desire2Learn will be used to maintain assignments, provide additional learning material, offer multiple modalities for communication with students and maintain a repository of grades and assessment data. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 33 | 02/13/26 11:18 AM | 06/26/26 3:37 PM | University of Central Oklahoma | Education Specialist in School and Professional Counseling | 267 | JW Reviewed | HP Reviewed | Protest Period Expired | 02/13/26 | 03/05/26 | | | Approved by State Regents | June 25, 2026 | 03/11/26 | 03/26/26 | | | Sent | 02/18/26 | | 03/05/26 | Sent | 03/11/26 | Dr. Charlotte Simmons | cksimmons@uco.edu | No | Yes | Dr. Lee Anne Paris | lparis@uco.edu | UCO main campus in Edmond, OK | Both Traditional and Online | The Education Specialist (Ed.S.) in School and Professional Counseling program provides advanced study for individuals seeking to expand their professional qualifications in both school and clinical counseling. The program combines 33 hours of the necessary coursework to be eligible to take the Oklahoma School Counseling exam to become a School Counselor at the K-12 level. This program also includes the additional 27 hours required to be eligible to take the Licensed Professional Counselor exam in the state of Oklahoma.
Upon successful completion of the program, candidates will be equipped with the knowledge, skills, and professional competencies required to provide comprehensive developmental and mental health services within educational and community settings. Graduates are prepared to assume roles that support the academic, career, and personal/social development of students while also addressing broader mental health needs across diverse populations.
The curriculum will possess two paths that will result in an Ed.S. The first path would be for students who do not currently possess a master’s degree or students who currently possess a master‘s degree in a non-related mental health master's degree. The core course curriculum will not change from the existing 60-hour Master of Education in School and Professional Counseling. Additional electives are being added in order to provide more tailored instruction specific to the needs of both school and private practice mental health professionals.
At the guidance of the Oklahoma Board of Behavioral Health Licensure (BBHL), a second path will be available for students who currently possess a master’s degree in a mental health field as approved by the Oklahoma BBHL. Such students must take 27 hours of the Ed.S. rotation from UCO. Due to the student's previous master's degree and UCO's required 27 hours, the student would obtain an Ed.S. The students' previous master’s degree would allow them to utilize the approved coursework hours to combine with a minimum of 27 hours from UCO to have at least 60 hours and meet the Oklahoma BBHL requirements to sit for the National Counselor Examination (NCE). The same 27-hour requirement would also go into effect for previous UCO school counseling students beginning in Fall 2026.
The School and Professional Counseling program will continue to reflect UCO’s mission through the Education Specialist degree by providing a transformative education experience and helping students learn to become the most effective professional. Students specifically work with UCO faculty who continue to work within the community, schools and other organizations in addition to furthering their own education past their terminal degrees to ensure students are provided with the most current and up to date knowledge, research and topics being discussed inside and outside of the school system and private practices. UCO thrives on offering students a more intimate, personal and practical experience through relationships and flexibility. This stands true as classes are offered in the evening and in a hybrid synchronous format to accommodate working individuals, those with families and other non-traditional situations.
Students will have several opportunities to demonstrate the acquired knowledge, skills and provide services directly in our community (and beyond) through working with local school systems and in private practices within the community. Our students will be able to demonstrate leadership skills and advocacy throughout the program and after completion of the program. Students will be able to be active members at the state and national level through continued education, research and mentorships. | Both School and Professional Counseling jobs (and related) are within the top 100 critical occupations as indicated by OSRHE dashboard. The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission (OESC) lists both school related and mental health counselors in their top 100 of critical occupations. The OESC also shared in their Industry and Occupational Employment Projections report there are anywhere from 360 to 640 openings for school related and mental health counselors per year. Our program continually receives requests from school districts, schools, and private practices about current/graduate students in order to assist with filling positions.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025) states the “employment of school and career counselors and advisors is projected to grow 4 percent from 2024 to 2034” and approximately 31,000 jobs openings are projected each year. This need is further amplified in the need to lower the school counselor to student ratio. In Oklahoma the American School Counselor Association found from the 2023-2024 school year each school counselor has an average of 361 students when the national recommendation is 250 students to one school counselor. In addition to the continued demand for school counselors, the Bureau of Labor Statistic's Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025) projects the “employment of substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors is projected to grow 17 percent from 2024 to 2034” with over 48,000 projected openings each year. These statistics clearly demonstrate the need for more school and professional counselors in our surrounding area but also at the state and national level. | The current number of students in the School and Professional Counseling Master’s and LPC Certificate options in the program indicates a clear demand. Converting our current 60-hour master’s degree in School and Professional Counseling to an Ed.S. will provide a unique avenue for individuals in both the school and clinical setting to demonstrate their already extensive knowledge as well as provide opportunities for those who already possess master’s degrees to further their education and be eligible to sit for the NCE with the goal of obtaining licensure from the Oklahoma BBHL. | | None | 13.1101 | Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation | Fall 2026 | UCO main campus in Edmond, OK | 01/22/26 | School and Professional Counseling | ALL of the courses in the program can be completed entirely online | 60 | The Education Specialist (Ed.S.) in School and Professional Counseling program provides advanced study for individuals seeking to expand their professional qualifications in both school and clinical counseling. | Both School and Professional Counseling jobs (and related) are within the top 100 critical occupations as indicated by OSRHE dashboard. The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission (OESC) lists both school related and mental health counselors in their top 100 of critical occupations. The OESC also shared in their Industry and Occupational Employment Projections report there are anywhere from 360 to 640 openings for school related and mental health counselors per year. Our program continually receives requests by school districts, schools and private practices about current/graduate students in order to assist with filling positions.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025) states the “employment of school and career counselors and advisors is projected to grow 4 percent from 2024 to 2034” and approximately 31,000 jobs openings are projected each year. This need is further amplified in the need to lower the school counselor to student ratio. In Oklahoma the American School Counselor Association found from the 2023-2024 school year each school counselor has an average of 361 students when the national recommendation is 250 students to one school counselor. In addition to the continued demand for school counselors, the Bureau of Labor Statistic's Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025) projects the “employment of substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors is projected to grow 17 percent from 2024 to 2034” with over 48,000 projected openings each year. These statistics clearly demonstrate the need for more school and professional counselors in our surrounding area but also at the state and national level.
(Please see attachment for additional employment data.) | The program combines 33 hours of the necessary coursework to be eligible to take the Oklahoma School Counseling exam to become a School Counselor at the K-12 level. This program also includes the additional 27 hours required to be eligible to take the Licensed Professional Counselor exam in the state of Oklahoma.
Upon successful completion of the program, candidates will be equipped with the knowledge, skills, and professional competencies required to provide comprehensive developmental and mental health services within educational and community settings. Graduates are prepared to assume roles that support the academic, career, and personal/social development of students while also addressing broader mental health needs across diverse populations.
The curriculum will possess two paths that will result in an Ed.S. The first path would be for students who do not currently possess a master’s degree or students who currently possess a master‘s degree in a non-related mental health master's degree. The core course curriculum will not change from the existing 60-hour Master of Education in School and Professional Counseling. Additional electives are being added in order to provide more tailored instruction specific to the needs of both school and private practice mental health professionals.
At the guidance of the Oklahoma Board of Behavioral Health Licensure (BBHL), a second path will be available for students who currently possess a master’s degree in a mental health field as approved by the Oklahoma BBHL. Such students must take 27 hours of the Ed.S. rotation from UCO. Due to the student's previous master's degree and UCO's required 27 hours, the student would obtain an Ed.S. The students' previous master’s degree would allow them to utilize the approved coursework hours to combine with a minimum of 27 hours from UCO to have at least 60 hours and meet the Oklahoma BBHL requirements to sit for the National Counselor Examination (NCE). The same 27-hour requirement would also go into effect for previous UCO school counseling students beginning in Fall 2026.
The School and Professional Counseling program will continue to reflect UCO’s mission through the Education Specialist degree by providing a transformative education experience and helping students learn to become the most effective professional. Students specifically work with UCO faculty who continue to work within the community, schools and other organizations in addition to furthering their own education past their terminal degrees to ensure students are provided with the most current and up to date knowledge, research and topics being discussed inside and outside of the school system and private practices. UCO thrives on offering students a more intimate, personal and practical experience through relationships and flexibility. This stands true as classes are offered in the evening and in a hybrid synchronous format to accommodate working individuals, those with families and other non-traditional situations.
Students will have several opportunities to demonstrate the acquired knowledge, skills and provide services directly in our community (and beyond) through working with local school systems and in private practices within the community. Our students will be able to demonstrate leadership skills and advocacy throughout the program and after completion of the program. Students will be able to be active members at the state and national level through continued education, research and mentorships. | The current number of students in the School and Professional Counseling Master’s and LPC Certificate options in the program indicates a clear demand. Converting our current 60-hour master’s degree in School and Professional Counseling to an Ed.S. will provide a unique avenue for individuals in both the school and clinical setting to demonstrate their already extensive knowledge as well as provide opportunities for those who already possess master’s degrees to further their education and be eligible to sit for the NCE with the goal of obtaining licensure from the Oklahoma BBHL.
There is currently not another Ed.S. program in the state at this time addressing the area of school and mental health counseling. By changing our current 60-hour master’s degree of School and Professional Counseling to an Ed.S. program, it will not only allow future students the opportunity to earn an Ed.S. but provide opportunities for students from other universities who have a school counseling/mental health master’s degree the opportunity to earn an Ed.S. while being able to obtain approved coursework through the Oklahoma BBHL to enable them to sit for the Licensed Practical Counselor (LPC) licensure exam. The current hour coursework in the M.S. Ed. (60 hour) is already commensurate with high expectations that better align with an Ed.S. versus a Master’s degree.
While the program as an Ed.S. would temporarily be a duplicate of the current 60 hour master’s, the master’s and certificate options would no longer be necessary once the Ed.S. is approved by the Oklahoma BBHL. The masters in School and Professional Counseling and LPC certificate would be deleted and the Ed.S program will be a stand-alone program resulting in students earning an Education Specialist Degree (Ed.S.).
Comparing the two current programs that appear to be the most similar to ours, there is a significant difference. There is also a difference between our current program and the other two universities. Our current School and Professional Counseling Program has seen a 125% graduate increase over the past four years. The demand in our community is large. Students want to be in our program. This can be attributed to our expansion of offering a pathway to pursue LPC licensure in response to the need of school districts for licensed mental health professionals. This increase started after COVID-19 and as a result many graduates have gone on to become LPCs in the school setting. We also have started to offer our program hybrid synchronously which provides opportunities for students to access class and coursework from anywhere in the state. This change has increased our enrollment as well: we now have students from all over Oklahoma. Student feedback continues to be positive with some noting that our hybrid synchronous model is their reason for selecting our program over other programs. Based upon this feedback, it is expected that more students from beyond the OKC metro will continue to enroll in our program. | Fall 2031 | 6 | 2030 | 3 | 2030-2031 | Online only | | No | No | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/18/26 | | | No Protest | 02/20/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/18/26 | | | No Protest | 02/18/26 | | | No Protest | 02/18/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/18/26 | | | No Protest | 02/18/26 | | | No Protest | 02/18/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 02/18/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/11/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/11/26 | | | No Protest | 03/11/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/11/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/13/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/11/26 | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/11/26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Protest | 03/11/26 | | | | | | | | | | | June 25, 2026 | | | The current M.S. programs in School Counseling, School and Professional Counseling and LPC Certificate are all currently approved to be online. The program is currently taught in an online synchronous format to allow for consistent interaction between students and faculty while providing a semi-flexible learning environment. It is the intent for the Ed.S. to continue in this online synchronous format. Student response has been positive; stating they appreciate the option to interact with peers and instructors while minimizing time to travel from work and campus. The Ed.S. will allow for other students beyond the immediate area the potential for access to the program. The program currently uses Zoom for class meetings and D2L to deliver online program content. It is our intent to continue using these technological tools. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |