To ensure Oklahoma’s college graduates are prepared for jobs today and tomorrow, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education have completed a comprehensive review of degree programs across all public institutions.
This initiative examined 357 low-producing programs and resulted in strategic changes at the campus level to better align academic offerings with workforce needs.
The Regents’ policy requires all academic programs to be reviewed to ensure quality and establishes minimum productivity standards (majors enrolled, degrees conferred).
The special review process completed this year resulted in state system campuses identifying 41 programs to be deleted and 21 programs to be suspended.
Of the remaining degree programs, 193 will be retained with action plans in place to boost enrollment and productivity, signaling meaningful institutional investment in improvement. These plans include updating curricula, developing or enhancing collaborations with other institutions, and implementing strategies to attract more students.
Three programs offered at two southwest Oklahoma institutions of higher education are slated to be restructured. Those include:
• Western Oklahoma State College, at Altus: Associate in applied science in Criminal Justice.
• University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, at Chickasha: Bachelor of Arts in Music, and BA in Communications.
“Our institutions have shown remarkable leadership throughout the review process,” said State Regents’ chair Courtney Warmington. “This effort underscores the state system’s commitment to aligning academic offerings with workforce demand, elevating student success, and prioritizing responsible stewardship of state resources.”
Several other remaining low-producing degree programs are classified as low-cost or shared-cost, meaning the programs require minimal resources to operate. Those include offerings at Cameron University in Lawton, WOSC and USAO. Those programs are:
• CU: BA in English Education, BA in Social Studies Education, and Associate in Science in Interdisciplinary Studies.
• USAO: Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, BS in Mathematics, BS in Education of the Deaf, BA in Art, and Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art.
• WOSC: Associate in Applied Science in Child Development.
State Regents are protecting degrees in critical occupations essential to Oklahoma’s workforce pipeline, even if enrollments are modest. Of those 102 other low-producing programs, more than 80% reflect STEM or other high-need fields, including engineering, education, computer science, health professions, and natural sciences.
“This review and the positive response from our public colleges and universities demonstrate our shared commitment to accountability and innovation,” Chancellor Sean Burrage said. “By phasing out programs that no longer meet student or workforce needs and shielding programs in STEM and other crucial fields, we are ensuring that public higher education remains future-focused and responsive.”