| 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. | | | | | | | | |