•OU’s 90-hour Bachelor of Applied Studies in Social Work “maintains the same major and major support requirements, instructional time, academic rigor, student learning outcomes, and accreditation standards as the current 120-credit-hour program,” university officials said.
The reduction in total credit hours is achieved through fewer general education and elective requirements, “allowing students to complete the degree more efficiently without compromising the quality or depth of social work education.”
The program “responds to Oklahoma’s significant shortage of licensed social workers and the growing demand for social workers serving as child welfare specialists, community mental health case managers, behavioral health rehabilitation specialists, related human services professionals, and in justice-related settings.”
State workforce data indicate that the supply of licensed social workers “falls well below current needs,” while employer and alumni feedback “consistently identify a critical demand for additional bachelor’s-level practitioners.”
According to the Healthy Minds Policy Initiative’s 2023 assessment of the state’s behavioral health workforce, Oklahoma requires 86.5 licensed social workers per 100,000 residents, but currently supplies only 58.3, “highlighting a substantial workforce shortage.”
Labor market information compiled in July showed that Oklahoma has 11,161 people employed in social work/case management, but job projections for 2026-31 are 11,587. The gap represents “a structural shortage that cannot be resolved without expanding the pipeline of bachelor’s prepared social workers.”
By reducing the cost, time, and barriers associated with earning a degree, the program expands access for transfer students, working adults, paraprofessionals, and individuals already serving vulnerable populations.”
•OSU’s 92-hour Bachelor of Applied Science in Artificial Intelligence program addresses “a growing workforce need for professionals with applied artificial intelligence skills while providing students with an accelerated pathway to degree completion.”
AI technologies “continue to transform sectors such as business, healthcare, manufacturing, energy, agriculture, finance, construction, cybersecurity, and government.” Consequently, employers “increasingly seek professionals who can combine expertise in programming, data analytics, machine learning, and the responsible implementation of AI solutions.”
OSU’s program will provide students with “practical, workforce-focused preparation through applied learning experiences that emphasize the design, deployment, and ethical use of AI technologies.”
Graduates of the program will be prepared for positions in AI, data analytics, software development, including occupations such as software developer, data scientist, computer and information systems manager, computer systems analyst, and computer and information research scientist.
Projected employment growth for those occupations over the next five years includes a 22.1% increase for software developers, 31.8% increase for data scientists, 13.2% increase for computer and information systems managers, 8.2% increase for computer systems analysts, and a 12.8% increase for other computer-related occupations.
Students will be required to complete 30 credit hours in general education, 17 credit hours in college/departmental requirements, 36 credit hours in major requirements, and nine credit hours of electives. The program will be offered via traditional and electronic delivery.
•OSU’s Bachelor of Applied Science in Business Essentials and Applications program is designed to expand educational access and increase bachelor’s degree attainment among adult learners, transfer students, military-affiliated students, and other nontraditional populations.
The 90-credit-hour program will provide a flexible and accelerated pathway for individuals who have previously earned college credit but have not completed a bachelor’s degree, allowing them to build upon prior academic coursework and professional experiences while balancing employment and family responsibilities.
The need for degree-completion pathways is particularly significant in Oklahoma. According to 2023 American Community Survey data, approximately 22.3% of Oklahomans age 25 and older have attended college but left without earning a degree, compared to 19.4% nationally Oklahoma also trails the national average in overall postsecondary educational attainment, with 63.9% of adults holding a high school diploma or some college but no bachelor’s degree.
“This data highlights a substantial opportunity to increase educational attainment through programs specifically designed to meet the needs of working adults seeking to complete a four-year degree,” school offidegree cials said.
The program addresses common barriers that prevent degree completion by offering a flexible curriculum, recognizing previously earned academic credit, and reducing the time required to complete an undergraduate degree.
The degree’s applied structure aligns with increasing student demand for educational pathways that provide affordability, efficiency, and direct applicability to career advancement.
The program also reflects broader changes in higher education and employer expectations, which increasingly value demonstrated competencies, applied learning experiences, and industry-relevant skill development alongside traditional academic credentials.
As of July 2025, Oklahoma had approximately 61 available workers for every 100 open jobs, with more than 102,000 job openings statewide.
•A Bachelor of Applied Science in Workforce Development program in a reduced credit-hour format, with options in Automation Manufacturing and Digital Systems and Cyber Defense and Digital Forensics, will be offered by Rogers State University. Graduates will complete 99 to 103 total credit hours.
The program was developed to provide a flexible, workforce- focused degree pathway for traditional students, working adults, career changers, military connected learners, CareerTech graduates, and other place-bound students seeking efficient pathways to degree completion and career advancement.
The curriculum emphasizes applied learning, technical coursework, hands-on laboratory experiences, stackable credentials, and practicum or capstone experiences that allow students to develop workforce-relevant competencies while progressing efficiently toward degree completion.
The program cannot be met as effectively within a traditional 120-credit-hour model because the target industries require faster, more flexible, and more applied pathways into high-demand occupations. A traditional 120-hour structure increases time-to-degree and student cost and may delay entry into fields where employers need graduates with job-ready technical and professional competencies.
Students will complete coursework that develops communication, critical thinking, ethical decision-making, technical problem solving, and professional practice while demonstrating bachelor-level competencies appropriate to their chosen area of study.
Employment opportunities for graduates of the program are expected to be strong due to continued workforce demand in cybersecurity, digital forensics, automation, manufacturing, robotics, and digital systems.
Oklahoma employers, particularly within the Tulsa metropolitan area and surrounding economic centers such as MidAmerica Industrial Park (MAIP), continue to seek individuals with technical knowledge and applied workforce skills to support operations in advanced manufacturing, energy, technology, aerospace, and other data-driven industries.
MAIP is one of the largest industrial parks in the United States and is home to more than 80 companies spanning aerospace, advanced manufacturing, energy, and data-driven industries.