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Overview

Oklahoma City University has been leading students to their creative edge for 120 years. We are a diverse community of academic achievers, big thinkers, creative artists and active servant leaders. At OCU, you will have boundless opportunities to create, lead and serve. You will find friendships, mentorships and connections to employers and community leaders.

Majors

Minors

Oklahoma City University offers several programs leading to professional licensure within the state of Oklahoma. States vary in what professions they require to be licensed and how licensure is acquired. Some states require an individual to graduate from an accredited program. Others require individuals to obtain additional coursework, additional fieldwork, background checks, passage of additional state licensing exams, additional fees, or other requirements.

Accreditation Statement

Oklahoma City University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, a national accreditation body, recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For more information, visit OCU’s Accreditation Website.

State Authorization

Oklahoma City University is a member of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (NC-SARA), which allows us to provide distance learning programs and coursework to residents of states other than Oklahoma. NC-SARA membership, however, does not grant reciprocity or exempts us from state professional licensing requirements. As a result, licensing requirements in Oklahoma may not be recognized as sufficient to obtain a license in any other state.

Relocation

Should a student relocate during the course of a program to another state, it may impact the student’s ability to remain in the program, meet the state licensure requirements, and/or continue to receive financial aid funding. Prior to considering relocation, please contact your program to discuss authorization and licensure eligibility requirements.

International Students

Prior to enrolling in any program at OCU, prospective students living and/or working outside of the United States should confirm with the appropriate certifying agency whether successful completion of any degree program at OCU will meet the credentialing requirements of the country in which they intend to seek employment as to certain types of employment or for advanced/specialized educational programs.

Professional Licensure Requirements

The curriculum for programs customarily leading to licensure at OCU have been designed to meet the licensure/certification requirements in Oklahoma, as well as preparing students to apply for licensure exams in the state of Oklahoma. The licensure boards in each state are responsible for establishing the requirements for licensure/certification for their state. Students who intend to return or move to any state other than Oklahoma need to review the professional licensure disclosures pertaining to their program and consult with the state professional licensing board. The state professional licensing boards make the ultimate decision as to whether or not an individual will be eligible for licensure based on the rules and regulations in place at the time the individual submits their application for licensure.

Oklahoma City University shall not be held liable if the student is unable to qualify for licensure or certification in any jurisdiction or cannot obtain a practicum/internship location, since all situations are unique and requirements may change.

See the list below of professional licensure programs offered at Oklahoma City University, for specific information identifying how a particular OCU program aligns with professional licensure or certification outside the State of Oklahoma. The U.S. Department of Education regulation, 34 CFR 668.43 (a) (5) (v), requires an institution to disclose whether the program will fulfill educational requirements for licensure or certification for each state. The administrative departments that offer the programs have made the following determination regarding their curriculum. If not specifically stated as meeting or not meeting the licensure requirements of the state, a determination has not been made by the department.

Accounting (Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting, Master of Science in Accounting)

The process of earning a Certified Professional Accounting (CPA) license is done by meeting specific education requirements, passing the Uniform CPA Exam and meeting professional experience criteria. The individual state’s Board of Accountancy will set its own requirements for students seeking CPA licensure in their jurisdiction which, in turn, creates discrepancies between one state’s requirements vs. another. It is highly recommended that students seeking licensure or certification in another state inquire directly to the jurisdiction where employment is desired. More information can be found via the state’s Board of Accountancy. Additionally, students can investigate the jurisdiction of desired employment’s State Specific Requirements to accurately map out a licensure path.

In general, most states require 150 credit hours of education (including bachelor’s degree program) to qualify for licensure. It is for this reason that only the BBA in Accounting, combined with the Master of Science in Accounting, will meet the educational requirements for all states and territories. The bachelor program alone will not satisfy state licensure education requirements. Some states also require specific coursework to sit for the CPA Exam. These specifics are all included in the above link for State Specific Requirements. It is important that students understand these coursework requirements when creating their plan of study.

For more information, visit the department website at https://www.okcu.edu/business/graduate/masters/accounting.

Nursing

Bachelor of Science, Nursing

The BSN program at Oklahoma City University has verified that the curriculum meets the educational requirements for professional licensure in the following states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas and Washington.

If the state is not listed, OCU has not determined if the program meets the licensure requirements for that state. Click here for a full list of all applicable state board contact information: https://www.nc-sara.org/professional-licensure-directory.

Students seeking education in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at Oklahoma City University must complete all clinical hours required for clinical courses at designated facilities in Oklahoma.

Nurse Practitioner

The Nurse Practitioner Program at Oklahoma City University has verified that the curriculum meets the educational requirements for professional licensure in the following states: Alaska, Arkansas, California, Florida, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.

If the state is not listed, OCU has not determined if the program meets the licensure requirements for that state. Click here for a full list of all applicable state board contact information: https://www.nc-sara.org/professional-licensure-directory

Students seeking education in a nurse practitioner certification eligible specialty track at Oklahoma City University must be licensed as an RN in Oklahoma or hold a compact license to practice as a registered nurse in Oklahoma. All clinical hours must be completed with qualified preceptors in the state of Oklahoma.

For more information, visit OCU's Doctor of Nursing Practice program page.

Physical Therapy

The Doctor of Physical Therapy program meets the requirements for professional licensure in Oklahoma. To learn more about the licensure requirements for each state, visit the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) website: www.fsbpt.org.

For more information, visit Doctor Of Physical Therapy

Physician Assistant

The Oklahoma City University Physician Assistant Program is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). OCU’s Physician Assistant graduates are eligible to sit for the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. Successful passage of this examination is required for physician assistant state licensure in the United States. To learn more about licensure requirements for each state, visit Statutory and Regulatory Requirements for Initial Licensure and License Renewal or the individual licensing board site links found at https://www.aapa.org/advocacy-central/state-advocacy/state-licensing/list-of-licensing-boards/.

For more information, visit Master Of Physician Assistant Studies.

Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program

The Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program (PsyD) is not currently accredited by the Council on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association (APA). We are following the steps necessary to achieve accreditation. Our application for accreditation on contingency was approved, and our site visit has been completed. We are pending approval at the next CoA meeting. Requirements for licensure as a psychologist vary from state to state and can include additional examinations (such as the EPPP and a state-specific examination), background checks, additional experience and fees. State boards evaluate each applicant individually to determine eligibility and make the final determination regarding licensure. For more information on a state-by-state basis, visit https://www.asppb.net/page/psybook.

For more information, visit  Doctorate Of Phychology: Clinical Psychology.

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