OK Higher Ed Expands: Tulsa Campuses Offer Full Degrees

Oklahoma's higher education sector is experiencing significant growth within the Tulsa metropolitan area, largely due to recent legislative changes. Senate Bill 701, enacted earlier in 2025, empowers the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to grant "functional exceptions." These exceptions allow regional university campuses, such as Northeastern State University's Broken Arrow campus and Oklahoma State University's downtown Tulsa campus, to offer freshman and sophomore-level courses, thus expanding degree pathways.

Northeastern State University, with its primary campus in Tahlequah, plans to offer over 20 lower-division undergraduate courses on its Broken Arrow campus, providing a complete four-year educational experience. Similarly, OSU will now allow students to begin and complete all their undergraduate studies in Tulsa, establishing a full pre-medicine pathway linked to its Health Sciences Center. This expansion addresses the long-standing need for a comprehensive, four-year public institution within Tulsa.

Other institutions like Langston University and the University of Oklahoma are also exploring expanded offerings, alongside existing programs at Rogers State University and Tulsa Community College. These developments signify a proactive approach to aligning educational opportunities with regional workforce needs, aiming to foster economic prosperity and enhance educational access for Oklahomans.