The State Regents for Higher Education gave their blessing last week to three universities seeking permission to offer new degree programs.
The institutions, and the programs they proposed, include Oklahoma State University, Master of Science in School Psychology; the University of Oklahoma, Bachelor of Arts in World Languages and Cultures; and Panhandle State University, Bachelor of Science in STEM Studies.
University of Oklahoma The University of Oklahoma received the green light to offer the Bachelor of Arts in World Languages and Cultures.
The B.A. in World Languages and Cultures program will combine five language concentrations offered at OU and will develop both linguistic and cultural proficiency in the relevant areas.
The program will replace five separate, stand-alone programs by way of 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 set of courses that will develop 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 intercultural competencies, communication skills, and critical thinking.
Graduates of the Bachelor of Arts in World Languages and Cultures will be equipped to enter a wide array of employment fields including business and financial services, community and social services, education, library sciences, management, media, and communication.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, business and financial occupations are projected to generate approximately 963,500 job openings annually by 2033, driven by both sector growth and workforce replacement needs. Similarly, community and social services occupations are expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations, with an estimated 299,400 openings per year by 2033.
While educational instruction and library occupations are projected to grow more slowly, they will still account for approximately 868,000 annual openings, primarily due to turnover.
The proposed Bachelor of Arts in World Languages and Cultures program will consist of 120 total credit hours. Existing faculty will teach the courses in the program, OU administrators reported.
Since 2021, OU has taken the following program actions in response to the Academic Planning/Resource Allocation initiative: 18 degree and/ or certificate programs were deleted, while 66 degree and/ or certificate programs were added.
OU offers 385 degree and/ or certificate programs: 84 certificates, 130 baccalaureate degrees,111 master’s degrees, and 60 doctoral degrees.
Oklahoma State Univ.
The regents approved Oklahoma State University’s request to offer the Master of Science in School Psychology.
The M.S. in School Psychology program will support advanced degrees and provide educational, psychological, and school psychometric foundations to school psychology students enroute to either the Education Specialist (Ed.S.) in School Psychology or the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Educational Psychology programs.
The Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and the Ed.S. in School Psychology 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 program is essential to both the Ph.D. and Ed.S. programs in providing educational, psychological, and school psychometric foundations critical for students pursuing these higher-level programs.
The master’s program will allow OSU to align school psychology programs in name, content, and sequence (i.e., M.S., Ed.S., and Ph.D. in School Psychology).
OSU currently offers the Master of Science in Educational Psychology program with an option in School Psychometrics. With approval of the M.S. in School Psychology program, OSU plans to delete the M.S. in Educational Psychology program.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment for school psychologists is expected to grow over the next eight years, especially for those with doctoral degrees.
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 critical shortage has occurred for more than a decade, and school districts continue to report difficulty in filling vacancies.
Nationally, the recommended ratio of school psychologists to students is 1-to-500; Oklahoma’s ratio is closer to 1-to-1,800. This ongoing shortage of school psychologists in this state is consistent with national shortages of school psychologists.
The Master of Science in School Psychology program will consist of 36 to 40 total credit hours, and existing faculty members will teach the courses in the program.
Since 2021, OSU has taken the following program actions in response to the Academic Planning/Resource Allocation initiative: five degree and/or certificate programs were deleted, and 100 degree and/or certificate programs were added.
OSU offers 413 degree and/ or certificate programs: 145 certificates, 124 baccalaureate degrees, 88 master’s degrees, and 55 doctoral degrees.
Panhandle State Univ.
Oklahoma Panhandle State University was authorized to a Bachelor of Science in STEM Studies, with options in General STEM Studies, Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, Ecology and Wildlife, Lab Applications, Mathematics Academic, Mathematics Teaching, Precision Agriculture, Pre-Engineering, Secondary Science, and Technology Engineering in Schools.
The Bachelor of Science in STEM Studies program “will provide an innovative, flexible, and multidisciplinary educational pathway that equips students with broad and adaptable STEM knowledge and skills,” OPSU officials said.
The program 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 State Regents’ Blueprint 2030.
That blueprint prioritizes producing workforce-ready graduates, expanding student access, improving student success, and enhancing operational efficiency.
The bachelor’s program embodies these priorities through a unique interdisciplinary approach to STEM education. President Julie 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 bachelor’s program aims to align academic preparation with evolving workforce needs across STEM fields by producing workforce-ready graduates equipped with interdisciplinary problem-solving and technological skills. It also seeks to attract diverse student populations through customizable degree pathways.
The OPSU College of Agriculture, Science, and Nursing hosted its semi-annual Advisory Board meeting on Feb. 20. A STEM Advisory Board subcommittee comprised of regional leaders in education, banking, energy, and precision agriculture provided valuable feedback that led to refinements in the STEM Studies program.
The school received numerous letters of support from local business and industry, such as Scott Power and Equipment, Cimarron National Grassland, Northwest Region Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, Panhandle Telephone Cooperative, Guymon Public Schools, and Turpin Public Schools. Each of these employers indicated the proposed program would help to meet its employment needs.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, STEM occupations are projected to grow by 10.4% nationally by 2033, outpacing the average for all occupations. According to Oklahoma.gov, the Oklahoma panhandle, southwest Kansas, and Texas panhandle are experiencing notable growth in the fields of agriculture, energy, education, healthcare, and technology. These trends highlight the urgent need for a skilled STEM workforce and affirm the proposed program’s alignment with both local economic development and broader workforce demands.
The Bachelor of Science in STEM Studies program may share similar content with programs offered by Cameron University in Lawton, Chickasha’s University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, OU, OSU, and several other institutions of higher learning.
The B.S. in STEM Studies program will consist of 120 total credit hours, and current faculty will teach the courses.
OPSU offers 34 degree and/or certificate programs: five certificates, five Associate in Arts or Science degrees, two Associate in Applied Science degrees, 21 baccalaureate degrees, and one master’s degree.