Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City, Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology and the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education are expanding opportunities for Oklahomans to turn industry credentials into college credit and create a more direct path toward a college degree.

Through the credential-to-degree initiative, qualifying credentials earned through CareerTech programs can be applied as college credit toward the statewide Associate of Applied Science in Applied Technology degree framework approved by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. To enhance accessibility for students throughout the state, a majority of the courses required for degree completion are offered online, allowing for enhanced academic flexibility.

“Expanding educational access for students throughout the state is a core component of our land-grant mission,” OSU System President Jim Hess said. “By acknowledging previously attained competencies and aligning academic instruction with career prospects in all 77 counties, this collaboration establishes streamlined routes toward degree completion and meets Oklahomans exactly where they live and work.”

Under the initiative, a student completes a qualifying CareerTech program and earns the associated industry certification. College credit is then calculated using a consistent formula based on the program’s clock hours divided by 40. For example, a 960-hour advanced cybersecurity program can provide 24 semester hours of credit, while a 1,463-hour Licensed Practical Nurse program can provide 36 semester hours.

“It’s been exciting to work with the team at Oklahoma State,” said Brent Haken, state director of Oklahoma CareerTech. “Far more than words on a paper, these articulation agreements represent a true belief in the value of people and what they have chosen to make their career. Oklahoma CareerTech is honored to help more Oklahomans find career success and be a part of their educational journey. Partnerships like these bring real educational value that results in prosperous people.”

At OSU-OKC, 150 credentials from 56 certifying organizations are accepted across eight industry categories, with up to 30 semester hours of credit available toward the 60-hour degree.

“This partnership gives OSU-OKC an opportunity to build on the knowledge and skills students are already gaining as they earn industry credentials through Career Tech,” said Dr. Ronna Vanderslice, provost of OSU-OKC. “For working adults and students who want to move quickly toward a degree, providing a seamless pathway can make higher education more accessible and efficient while helping students move more directly toward the careers they are pursuing. Ultimately, this benefits not only individual students but the communities and industries they serve.”

At OSUIT, 187 credentials from 59 certifying organizations are accepted across eight industry categories, with up to 42 tri-semester hours available toward the 60-hour degree. OSUIT’s pathways include programs in transportation, distribution and logistics and digital media, among other fields.

“OSUIT has a long history of preparing students for the workforce, and this initiative strengthens that mission by creating clear pathways from CareerTech credentials into higher education,” said Dr. Richie Roberts, provost of OSUIT. “The opportunities in transportation, distribution and logistics, and digital media are especially important as Oklahoma’s economy continues to evolve. By allowing students to build on credentials they have already earned, we can help more Oklahomans advance their education, strengthen their careers and contribute to the state’s workforce.”

Credentials align with 35 of Oklahoma’s Top 100 Critical Occupations. The matched occupations account for approximately 27,600 average annual job openings, representing 43% of all openings across the full top 100 list.

The collaboration reflects a broader effort to strengthen connections between Oklahoma’s career and technology education system and higher education while creating more flexible opportunities for students and workers.

By recognizing skills students have already demonstrated through industry credentials, the partnership helps remove unnecessary barriers between technical education and degree attainment. For students, that can mean a more direct route to a college degree. For employers and communities, it creates opportunities for more Oklahomans to add higher education credentials to the workforce skills they already possess.

Fall enrollment for this degree program is currently open at both OSU-OKC and OSUIT.