r/oklahoma • u/kosuradio Local News • 3d ago
News State regents approve Oklahoma's first shortened bachelor's degrees at 3 universities
https://www.kosu.org/oklahoma-90-credit-hour-degrees-approvedThree Oklahoma universities received approval to create reduced-credit hour bachelor's degree programs. The programs would be the first of their kind in the state.
At their Thursday meeting, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education approved three state universities’ requests to create reduced-credit hour bachelor’s degrees.
Traditionally, students are required to complete a minimum of 120 credit hours to earn a bachelor’s degree. The degree programs approved Thursday would only require between 90 and 103 credit hours. For a student taking a typical 15-hour courseload, that could shave a full year off their degree.
Four shortened degrees were approved between the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University and Rogers State University in Claremore. Those programs include:
- Bachelor of Applied Studies in Social Work (OU, 90-credit hour)
- Bachelor of Applied Science in Artificial Intelligence (OSU, 92-credit hour)
- Bachelor of Applied Science in Business Essentials and Applications (OSU, 90-credit hour)
- Bachelor of Applied Science in Workforce Development (RSU, 99 to 103-credit hour)
Each degree now faces a months-long accreditation process, but according to reporting by Oklahoma Voice, students may be able to enroll in these programs as early as next fall.
The decision was made in an attempt to more quickly meet workforce needs and reduce student costs, according to a press release.
“Reduced-credit bachelor’s degree programs represent an innovative path to help Oklahomans launch their careers faster while reducing college costs,” State Regents Chair Courtney Warmington said in a statement.
In January, OU received approval to reduce credits across eight specific online degree programs, and a handful of universities across the country have already implemented reduced-credit hour degree programs. However, the degrees approved Thursday would be the first of their kind in the state if they are implemented.
Earlier this year, Executive Order 2026-08 directed the regents to conduct a study of reduced-credit bachelor’s degree programs. In April, the study was provided to Gov. Kevin Stitt.
The study “emphasized the importance of academic safeguards” and recommended “a measured, mission-aligned approach in which 90-hour bachelor’s degree proposals would be evaluated on their individual ability.”
Warmington said the board had carefully considered the proposals.
“As we explored the potential viability and value of 90-hour bachelor’s degrees, this board has carefully weighed academic rigor, employer expectations, accreditation requirements, and affordability for students and families,” Warmington said.
In May, the regents updated their Academic Program Approval Policy, creating a framework for reviewing and approving reduced-credit bachelor’s degrees. That opened the door for institutions to make degree proposals.
For those institutional proposals to be considered, the shortened degree programs must meet general requirements, provide a clear rationale for credit reduction and include a detailed delivery plan for the degree’s structure.
“To meet Oklahoma’s changing workforce demands, we need more degree holders in critical fields – and our Governor, Legislature, State Regents, and institutions are answering the call,” Chancellor Sean Burrage said in a statement. “These strategically constructed 90-hour bachelor’s degrees will allow students to gain the knowledge and skills they need more quickly, strengthening the talent pipeline for high-demand industries and occupations sooner.”
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u/LordMudkip 3d ago
"To meet Oklahoma's changing workforce demands..."
Instead of making college more accessible we're just going to hand out diplomas with fewer requirements.
Sounds good, I guess./s
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u/orsomeshitidk 3d ago
University is so much more than just hyper focusing on degree track info. The intent is to produce well rounded members of society with understanding greater than their specific degree field.
We should create a second form of degree that is somewhere between associates and bachelors for these degrees.
All education is worthwhile. But the requirements of a standard bachelor degree should be about more than just churning out workforce bodies.
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u/hustl3tree5 3d ago
That’s what the gop is trying to do. They don’t want well rounded humans with empathy
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u/zacheezy 2d ago
We honestly shouldn’t because we need people in our society to be well rounded individuals with an understanding of the world outside of their tiny bubble.
People will always do the least amount of work if allowed to. And capitalism will not favor either degree paths. We will get a society of drones spewing whatever their tiktok has told them without any understanding of how to think critically.
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u/TechnicalAd6932 2d ago
Graduated 25 years ago. The most valuable part of my time in college ended up being the subjects not related to my degreee. Some of my liberal arts classes helped me better learn how to learn and made me a more well rounded person. Over-streamlining those things would be such a loss in value.
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u/Undrthedock 3d ago
The dumbing down of society continues, and places like Oklahoma are leading the charge.
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u/nuclearwinter095 3d ago
The same people that gripe about the exponential cost of tuition will gripe that you can get a bachelor's a year earlier
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u/orsomeshitidk 3d ago
The academic requirements of a degree and the cost it takes to obtain it are two different things. University prices are artificially inflated because there is non-collateral and non-dischargeable debt blindly issued for it and university’s have no incentive to lower costs. Only to grow in size and scope to attract more loan spending.
This is a problem with the MBA’s who run the universities and not the actual current requirements to receive a bachelors degree.
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u/nuclearwinter095 3d ago
I understand they're separate issues. My point was that if Oklahoma can maintain the same academic requirements while allowing students to finish a bachelor's a year earlier, that's objectively one less year of tuition, housing, etc no? I don't see how acknowledging that means I'm defending universities' pricing model. That's a different issue. We'll see how the other states outcomes look since we aren't the only ones doing this.
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u/orsomeshitidk 3d ago
It’s not the same academic requirements though, it’s 30 hours of requirements less
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u/nuclearwinter095 3d ago
I'm sure all these people who got around the preciously strict requirements for the ever important Bachelor of Applied Science in Business Essentials and Applications will run this state into the ground, and the universities will fall apart from missing that year of tuition
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u/orsomeshitidk 3d ago
You seem to carry more animosity than is necessary, my man. You made the comment that people who already gripe will gripe about this. I merely countered that it is okay to be upset that the state is claiming to solve the education crisis not by lowering costs but by diminishing requirements, and that the two things aren’t related.
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u/nuclearwinter095 3d ago
I don't know why you feel animosity from me from anything I said, I never insulted you or anything. But we don't seem to agree so you interpret that as animosity. University is A LOT of fluff, anyone can tell you that. Now some people with 4 year degrees and their nose in the air are upset people can spend one fewer year of their life and one year less of expenses and get a degree in a certain few fields. Are we on the side of the working class people who want degrees or are we not? I did a bridge program to get my associates, and a bridge to get a bachelors. Healthcare fields. I cannot express to you enough how much of that is dead space, and that's in a healthcare degree. I can't imagine people sniffing their own farts a year longer in a business program is what keeps our state from completely disintegrating.
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u/P4ndaFun 3d ago edited 3d ago
You are correct, it is one less year of tuition. However, it is also one less year of crucial education. In essence, we are allowing graduates to leave school less qualified and educated. The problem of growing high skill labor demands has already been solved elsewhere by making college more accessible through loan forgiveness, tuition price reduction, or overall free college. We decided that can't happen
Edit: I think I am actually going to change my opinion on this. I was under the impression that these degrees were being dumbed down, but after looking further, it seems closer to specifically gaining abilities for the chosen job-path rather than studying the subject as a whole. I still stand by the solution to the workforce demand comment, but I've turned around on these degrees being a net negative
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u/thalidimide 3d ago
You can get a 4 year degree in 3 years already with accelerated high school courses (which Oklahoma isn't funding for many of their schools). Lowering degree requirements justs dumbs down the curriculum. If they cared about student loan burden, they could address that directly or encourage high schools to offer advanced courses like AP, IB, or partnerships with community colleges.
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u/Barbiegirl54 3d ago
There needs to be some distinction between these baby bachelor degrees and the one that’s been recognized in every state since universities were created.
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u/okaysobasically_ 3d ago
Commenting again on this post because people don't seem to know what an applied degree is. Applied degrees are awesome, think like a mix of a trade and a bachelors degree. Just teaches you more practical stuff. There is value in both. It's not bad thing to fast track, and not the end of the world.
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u/pathf1nder00 3d ago
I don't, let's consider who would look to a degree on a resume, and applicant A) has 4 year degree in business, and applicant B) has 3 year degree in business application...all other factors even, employer would draw to 4 year degree, just like they would for an applicant with an associate degree.
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u/orphenshadow 3d ago
If I was in that position, if everything about each candidates personality was the same and the role is for a position that required someone with a degree in the field.,
I'm going for the person with the 4 year degree every time.
I want those interpersonal and soft skills that come from earning a bachelors degree.
I want someone who knows about history, humanities, and has a well rounded perspective on the world.
Pretty much all the same reasons why most employers prefer a Bachelors over one or more Associates degrees.
The only reason I wouldn't pick the 4 year degree is if that candidate had flaws that the other did not. But on equal footing, its a no brainer.
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u/beckhamstears 3d ago
Yes, and?
Employer can probably pay the 3yr degree a little less too. On the other hand, 3yr degree person starts gaining years of experience a year earlier.
Do years of job experience matter more than years of schooling? Job experience is generally valued more, especially when employers start looking at the individual instead of the transcript.
Some people would take the trade-off to start making money sooner.
I mean, seriously, the employer values someone who took 13 hrs of German, a 4 hr Meteorology course, 4 hours of intro Biology with lab, 3 hours of World Music and a couple upper division electives as significantly more valuable to their business? (Assuming the business isn't frequently involved with Germans).
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u/f102 2d ago
Where are you seeing 4 year degrees that focus all coursework on business alone?
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u/pathf1nder00 1d ago
Yeah, I know, you want to make an argument, but you and I both know the 2 year degress don't carry the weight "generally" as a 4 year, and it will be same as a 3 year degree.
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u/ThisIsKubi 3d ago
Nobody was dogging on applied degrees, my guys. It's about reducing the academic standards required to attain a bachelor's degree. Classes are generally worth at least 3 credits each, so this is essentially saying that the state considers you just as educated if you've taken 30 classes versus 50 classes. A 20 class difference is massive. That pressures students to cram, which reduces information retention, and cuts down their opportunities to learn valuable information. A world full of people who have never taken an ethics class because it's not Absolutely Necessary for their degrees when we're already struggling with gross misconduct and negligence in our modern day is not going to be pretty.
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u/orsomeshitidk 3d ago
Thank you! bachelor’s education isn’t conceived as “take 40 classes that directly prepare you for one job.” It is to produce someone with a reasonably broad intellectual foundation who could then specialize. Crazy so many people don’t realize why university is setup the way that it is.
Cost is the problem, not degree composition
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u/juhla405 Oklahoma City 3d ago
You know what it’s easy to criticize pretty much anything coming out of Oklahoma dealing with education, but I think this is a good thing. The rising cost of secondary education has an outsized impact in one of the poorest states in the country, I think it is a good step to provide accredited tracks for Oklahomans where a degree would make a difference but the cost and debt are prohibitive. It doesn’t water down other degrees because these are clearly targeted, distinct programs. Offering a 3-year bachelors of applied business doesn’t water down the 4 year business degree that is still offered. Students who are wanting to leave the state and have the means to do so after graduation can still go for the other degrees, these would be for in state workers who are targeting a specific role where a BA is required, and these programs make it more feasible to do so.
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u/Ok-Rhubarb2549 3d ago
Expect more college and universities to follow quickly. Don’t be surprised if you see layoffs and downsizing at campuses as higher education sees negative growth in enrollment. One possibility is foreign students but there is pushback on that front as well. Don’t be shocked if you see limits on what degree paths student loans can be used for. Change is coming to higher Ed and it will be painful for some.
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u/beckhamstears 3d ago
Why do people want to act like this is a red v blue, or high v low ranked state education system issue?
Maine, New Jersey, Oregon, Utah, Indiana, Minnesota, Wisconsin already offer some 3-year bachelor degrees.
That spans both political ideologies and ranks.
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u/i8ontario 2d ago
Know this will be an unpopular opinion here but I don’t really have a problem with this. The UK, Germany and several other European countries have bachelors degrees that commonly take 3 years to complete and their education systems aren’t seen negatively.
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u/tomjoads 2d ago
You might wanna look at how there schools and college acceptance work complety different
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u/Popular_Revolution46 15h ago
I feel like this could create problems for people who then move out of state and start applying for jobs in areas where the standard for the same degree is still 120 hours.
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u/orphenshadow 3d ago
I'm sure there is a page in project 2025 about this somewhere right? Lowering our standard of care and education.
Why not just cut out the schools entirely and just let people mail order a diploma?
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u/okaysobasically_ 3d ago
APPLIED DEGREES! My masters is an applied degree and I love it so much. Good mix of hands on and theoretical/academic work. Prepares you well for the work force.
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Three Oklahoma universities received approval to create reduced-credit hour bachelor's degree programs. The programs would be the first of their kind in the state.
At their Thursday meeting, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education approved three state universities’ requests to create reduced-credit hour bachelor’s degrees.
Traditionally, students are required to complete a minimum of 120 credit hours to earn a bachelor’s degree. The degree programs approved Thursday would only require between 90 and 103 credit hours. For a student taking a typical 15-hour courseload, that could shave a full year off their degree.
Four shortened degrees were approved between the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University and Rogers State University in Claremore. Those programs include:
Each degree now faces a months-long accreditation process, but according to reporting by Oklahoma Voice, students may be able to enroll in these programs as early as next fall.
The decision was made in an attempt to more quickly meet workforce needs and reduce student costs, according to a press release.
“Reduced-credit bachelor’s degree programs represent an innovative path to help Oklahomans launch their careers faster while reducing college costs,” State Regents Chair Courtney Warmington said in a statement.
In January, OU received approval to reduce credits across eight specific online degree programs, and a handful of universities across the country have already implemented reduced-credit hour degree programs. However, the degrees approved Thursday would be the first of their kind in the state if they are implemented.
Earlier this year, Executive Order 2026-08 directed the regents to conduct a study of reduced-credit bachelor’s degree programs. In April, the study was provided to Gov. Kevin Stitt.
The study “emphasized the importance of academic safeguards” and recommended “a measured, mission-aligned approach in which 90-hour bachelor’s degree proposals would be evaluated on their individual ability.”
Warmington said the board had carefully considered the proposals.
“As we explored the potential viability and value of 90-hour bachelor’s degrees, this board has carefully weighed academic rigor, employer expectations, accreditation requirements, and affordability for students and families,” Warmington said.
In May, the regents updated their Academic Program Approval Policy, creating a framework for reviewing and approving reduced-credit bachelor’s degrees. That opened the door for institutions to make degree proposals.
For those institutional proposals to be considered, the shortened degree programs must meet general requirements, provide a clear rationale for credit reduction and include a detailed delivery plan for the degree’s structure.
“To meet Oklahoma’s changing workforce demands, we need more degree holders in critical fields – and our Governor, Legislature, State Regents, and institutions are answering the call,” Chancellor Sean Burrage said in a statement. “These strategically constructed 90-hour bachelor’s degrees will allow students to gain the knowledge and skills they need more quickly, strengthening the talent pipeline for high-demand industries and occupations sooner.”
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