2023-2024 Academic Catalog 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
2023-2024 Academic Catalog

Special Programs


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Continuing Education

The Continuing Education Program allows OBU faculty to respond quickly to the changing needs of adults in the campus community and the community at large. Courses in topics of timely interest can be fielded as the need arises and offered on schedules planned with the working person in mind. Credit may be for academic hours or for Continuing Education units as needed.

Integrated OBU Bachelor’s Degree/MBA Degree Program

Students at Oklahoma Baptist University are more likely to complete their bachelor’s degrees in four years than at most colleges in the region. Now, our Integrated Bachelor’s Degree/MBA Degree Program gives you the chance to complete both undergraduate and graduate degrees in five years.

No matter what your discipline of study, you can begin work toward a Master of Business Administration degree at OBU while completing your undergraduate degree. You don’t have to major in a business field to qualify for the integrated program. you only need to complete the prescribed 12 hours of business courses and meet other College of Graduate and Professional Studies admission standards before provisional admission to the OBU MBA program will be granted. For more information, review the College of Graduate and Professional Studies catalog.

Integrated OBU Bachelor’s Degree/MFT Degree Program

Through an integrated program, OBU provides the opportunity for students from all disciplines to begin work toward a Master of Marriage and Family Therapy degree while completing an undergraduate degree at OBU. Through the program, students from any academic discipline can pursue completion of both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree within approximately six years. For more information, review the College of Graduate and Professional Studies catalog.

Joe L. Ingram School of Christian Studies

The Joe L. Ingram School of Christian Studies, formerly the Ministry Training Institute, offers courses in Christian studies through online and off-campus centers located throughout the state of Oklahoma and other states. The SCS provides college-level courses which can be applied toward a variety of ministry emphases, a Diploma, an Associate of Arts Degree, or a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Christian Studies. Courses are taught by qualified faculty using materials prepared by members of the College of Theology and Ministry. For more information, review the College of Graduate and Professional Studies catalog.

* Note: Beginning Fall 2019, we will not be accepting new students into the Diploma in Christian Studies Program

Travel-Study Programs

OBU believes that living and studying in a culture other than one’s own greatly enhances personal and spiritual growth as well as educational and career development. OBU operates excellent summer and January Term courses abroad, administered by OBU faculty especially for students’ areas of interest. The University has a student-faculty exchange agreement with Seinan Gakuin University in Japan for those interested in Asian studies. OBU students are also encouraged to consider a wide variety of semester or year abroad programs run by reputable, high-quality educational institutions on every continent. What distinguishes OBU’s International Studies is the determination to place each student in the program most appropriate to the specific needs, interests, and abilities of that individual.

Other study opportunities in international settings are available to students through cooperative arrangements between OBU and other Christian colleges and universities. OBU is a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities and the Consortium for Global Education, an association of Southern Baptist Colleges and universities. Each of these organizations is committed to providing opportunities for students to study and do service projects overseas. Students interested in Study Abroad programs should contact the director of Global Mobilization.

January Term

January Term offers students a three-week session to complete courses in a compressed format. OBU also offers unique January Term courses which provide focused learning or missions experiences. January Term enrollment is required for all first-year students.

Students who register for at least one January Term course, and who resided in campus housing during the preceding fall semester or will reside in campus housing for the following spring semester, are eligible for free campus housing during the three-week term. Meal plans must be purchased separately.

Two tuition-free courses will be offered for students. Freshmen who are on academic probation from the preceding fall semester will be required to take a tuition-free Success 101 course during January Term. Students on academic probation from the fall semester who have previously taken Success 101 will be required to take Success 102 during January Term.

Summer Session

A summer session of eight weeks (including two mini-terms of four weeks, which may be taken separately if desired) allows students to take up to 12 hours of work. Summer offerings are scheduled on demand and are comparable in content to the courses offered in the fall and spring semesters.

Southwest Baptist University Department of Physical Therapy

Given the similarity of our missions and values, the physical therapy program at Southwest Baptist University (SBU) desires to facilitate the admission process for graduates of Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU). It is our intention that this process be facilitated by assuring that students of OBU who take the following courses will meet prerequisite requirements for the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program (DPT) at SBU. In addition, SBU will give preference points in the selection of candidates to OBU graduates. The DPT program at SBU starts each Fall and is completed in 33 months. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis starting in September of each year.

Applicants for the physical therapy program at SBU are required to have English composition and demonstrate computer competency. This agreement assumes that Oklahoma Baptist will continue to have these same requirements for graduation.

A student who completes a baccalaureate degree in any major at OBU and the requirements for admission to the DPT program at SBU as listed below will automatically receive preference points and be eligible for the admission process.

  1. Students must have a minimum of 3.00 overall grade point average.
  2. Students must complete the graduate record exam (GRE).
  3. Students must complete the PT application through PTCAS by the deadline of the intended enrollment date.
  4. Students must document up to 40 hours experience/observation in physical therapy.
  5. International students must meet eligibility requirements as outlined in section on Admission to the University in the Southwest Baptist University catalog.
  6. Students must complete all of the following prerequisite courses with a minimum of a “C” and a 3.25 prerequisite GPA. Prerequisites should not be taken pass/fail.
  7. Completion of the following support courses (not calculated into prerequisite GPA).
    • Medical Terminology: NURS 1153 Medical Terminology at a “B” grade or higher
    • Exercise Physiology: not required, but highly recommended; HHP 3804 with a “B” grade or higher will be exempt from completing the exercise physiology component of the DPT program
    • Pathophysiology: not required, but highly recommended; NURS 3513 Pathophysiology and Nursing Care of the Pediatric Client and NURS 3523 Pathophysiology and Nursing Care of the Acutely Ill Adult Client

The admissions requirements are subject to change. Updates to the requirements can also be found in the most current SBU graduate catalog.

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

OBU serves as a satellite campus for Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary of Fort Worth, Texas. Faculty employed by the seminary provide instruction leading to the Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Christian Education degrees. Contact OBU’s Dean of Spiritual Life for further information.

Union University College of Pharmacy

The Union University College of Pharmacy (UUCOP) has partnered with Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU) to offer direct admission to the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree program to interested undergraduate students. The purpose of the Direct Admission Program is to recruit highly qualified students early in their college careers and to streamline their admission to the Doctor of Pharmacy program at Union University.

The Direct Admission Program guarantees admission to the UUCOP, pending successful adherence to progression and matriculation criteria. Direct Admission students are not required to take the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT). In some cases, undergraduate research opportunities may be available to qualified students.

Students admitted to OBU as freshmen automatically qualify for direct admission to the UUCOP. A currently enrolled OBU student must complete a minimum of 28 of the required pharmacy prerequisite hours at OBU (at least 14 hours of science and math) with a minimum 3.0 GPA.

To enter the Direct Admission program or to maintain eligibility:

  1. Students must notify the UUCOP Office of Admissions of the desire for Direct Admission by completing the form and submitting it to the UUCOP Office of Admissions no later than October 15. Registration with the UUCOP is critical as space is limited for each admitted class.
  2. Maintain a cumulative GPA of ≥3.0; to be attained by the Spring semester a year prior to matriculation.
  3. Achieve an ACT score ≥22 prior to matriculation into the UUCOP.
  4. Register for and complete a minimum of 14 hours per semester (fall and spring) at OBU.
  5. Submit an unofficial copy of student transcript to the UUCOP Office of Admissions at the conclusion of each semester.
  6. Complete all pharmacy prerequisites prior to matriculation into the UUCOP with a grade of “C” or higher in each course.
    • Biology: BIOL 2034 Plant Biology and BIOL 2044 Animal Biology
    • General Chemistry: CHEM 1105 Gen Chem I (or CHEM 1054 & 1063) and CHEM 1115 Gen Chem II
    • Organic Chemistry: CHEM 3104 and CHEM 3114 Organic Chem I and II
    • Human Anatomy and Physiology: BIOL 2354 Human Anatomy and BIOL 2364 Human Physiology
    • Physics: PHYS 2515 University Physics I
    • Microbiology: BIOL 2274 Microbiology
    • Calculus: MATH 2013 and MATH 2023 Analytic Calculus I and II
    • Statistics: MATH 2003 Basic Statistics
    • Written Composition: ENGL 1153 and ENGL 1163 English Composition I and II
    • Communications/Speech: COMS 1092 Introduction to Speech Communication
    • Humanities Electives: FNAR 2063 Arts and Western Culture or FNAR 2163 Arts and Ideas or PHIL 1043 Intro to Philosophy
    • Social Sciences Elective: PSYC 1223 or SOCI 1223 or POLI 1223 or ECON 1203

The prospective pharmacy student should take courses that will increase the strength of the applicant’s candidacy include biochemistry, immunology, genetics, and a second semester of physics. Not all introductory courses in the sciences, calculus, or statistics will be accepted in fulfillment of pre-pharmacy requirements.

For all science, calculus, or statistics courses, the prospective pharmacy student should take courses which are suitable for science majors intending graduate study and should include laboratories when available.

Elective courses must conform to the following distribution and requirements:

  • Humanities electives include courses from arts, history, language, literature, or philosophy.
  • Social Sciences electives include courses from anthropology, economics, political science, psychology, or sociology

The admission requirements are subject to change. Updates to the requirements can also be found in the most current Union University graduate catalog.

Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC)

AFROTC is a nationwide program that allows students to pursue commissions (become officers) in the United States Air Force (USAF) while simultaneously attending college. AFROTC classes are held on college campuses throughout the United States and Puerto Rico; students can registered through normal course registration processes. AFROTC consists of four years of Aerospace Studies classes (Foundations of the USAF, Evolution of USAF and Space Power, Air Force Leadership Studies, and National Security Affairs/ Preparation for Active Duty), and a corresponding Leadership Laboratory for each year (where students apply leadership skills, demonstrate command and effective communication, develop physical fitness, and practice military customs and courtesies). College students enrolled in the AFROTC program (known as “cadets”) who successfully complete both AFROTC training and college degree requirements will graduate and simultaneously commission as Second Lieutenants in the Active Duty Air Force.

The AFROTC program is currently offered at the University of Oklahoma, but they have a crosstown agreement that allows our students to enroll in AFROTC and become full-fledged cadet participants. For more information on AFROTC course descriptions, please review http://www.ou.edu/enrollment/course_catalog.html and browse for the AERO classes. For more information on the AFROTC program, please review http:/ou.edu/rotc/air-force.html.

Focus On The Family Institute

Through a cooperative agreement with Focus on the Family Institute, OBU students may take a semester of courses for credit in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Students interested in this program should contact the Senior Vice President for Academic Services.

Off-Campus Semester and Summer Programs

The Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU), an association of more than 100 institutions in the U.S. and Canada, offers the following semester and summer programs to students of its member institutions. The programs provide a unique opportunity for students to make the world their classroom, going beyond the confines of the traditional classroom. These interdisciplinary learning opportunities are available to upperclass students. For further information, contact either the Academic Center or the CCCU.

Semester Programs

American Studies Program (ASP)

Founded in 1976, the American Studies Program has served hundreds of students from member institutions as a “Washington, D.C. campus.” ASP uses Washington as a stimulating educational laboratory where collegians gain hands-on experience with an internship in their chosen field. Internships are tailored to fit the student’s talents and aspirations and are available in a wide range of fields. They also explore pressing national and international issues in public policy seminars which are issue-oriented, interdisciplinary and led by ASP faculty and Washington professionals. ASP bridges classroom and marketplace, combining biblical reflection, policy analysis and real-world experience. Students are exposed to on-the-job learning that helps them build for their future and gain perspective on the calling of God for their lives. They are challenged in a rigorous course of study to discover for themselves the meaning to Christ’s lordship in putting their beliefs into practice. The aim of the program is to help Council schools prepare their students to live faithfully in contemporary society as followers of Christ. Students earn 16 semester hours of credit.

China Studies Program (CSP)

The China Studies Program enables students to engage this large and intriguing country from the inside. While living in, and experiencing Chinese civilization firsthand, students participate in seminar courses on the historical, cultural, religious, geographical and economic realities of this strategic and populous nation. In addition to the study of standard Chinese, students are given opportunities such as assisting Chinese students learning English or working in an orphanage, allowing for one-on-one interaction. The program introduces students to the diversity of China, including Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an and Xiamen. This interdisciplinary, cross-cultural program enables students to deal with this increasingly important part of the world in an informed, Christ-centered way. Students earn 16 semester hours of credit.

Contemporary Music Program (CMP)

The Contemporary Music Program provides students the opportunity to live and work in the community while seeking to understand how God will have them integrate music, faith and business. Both interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary in nature, the CMP offers two tracks: the Artist Track and the Executive Track. The Artist Track is tailored to students considering careers as vocalists, musicians, songwriters, recording artists, performers, producers and recording engineers. The Executive Track is designed for business, arts management, marketing, communications and other majors interested in possible careers as artist managers, agents, record company executives, music publishers, concert promoters and entertainment industry entrepreneurs. Both Artist and Executive Track students receive instruction, experience and a uniquely Christian perspective on creativity and the marketplace, while working together to create and market a recording of original music. Both tracks include course work, labs, directed study and a practicum. Students earn 16 semester hours of credit.

Honours Programme-CMRS, Oxford (HP-O)

Honors and other highly qualified students have the exciting opportunity to study in England through this interdisciplinary semester in Oxford. The rigorous academic program, aimed at increasing critical thinking skills and scholarship from an integrated Christian perspective, allows participants to choose from a wide variety of tutorial study programs in numerous disciplines, including the arts, religion, history, literature and philosophy. In addition to two tutorials, students participate in a seminar and an integrative course through which they produce a scholarly project or term paper. Field trips provide opportunities for experiential learning in England’s rich historical setting. Students earn 16 semester hours of credit.

Latin American Studies Program (LASP)

Students of CCCU colleges have the opportunity to live and learn in Latin America through the Latin American Studies Program, based in San Jose, Costa Rica. The program introduces students to a wide a range of experiences through the study of the language, literature, culture, politics, history, economics, ecology and religion of the region. Living with a Costa Rican family, students experience and become a part of the dayto-day lives of typical Latin Americans. Students also take part in a service opportunity and travel for three weeks to nearby Central American nations. Students participate in one of four concentrations: Latin American Studies (offered both fall and spring terms); Advanced Language and Literature (limited to Spanish majors and offered both fall and spring terms); International Business and Management (offered only in fall terms); and Tropical Sciences (offered only during spring terms). Student in all concentrations earn 16 semester credits.

Los Angeles Film Studies Center (LAFSC)

The Los Angeles Film Studies Center is designed to train students of Council institutions to serve in various aspects of the film industry with both professional skill and Christian integrity. Students live, learn and work in the LA area near major studios. The curriculum consists of two required seminars focusing on the role of film in culture and the relationship of faith to work in this very influential industry. In addition, students choose two elective courses from a variety of offerings in film studies. Internships in various segments of the film industry provide students with hands-on experience. The combination of the internship and seminars allow students to explore the film industry within a Christian context and from a liberal arts perspective. Students earn 16 semester hours of credit.

Middle East Studies Program (MESP)

This program, based in Cairo, Egypt, allows Council students to explore and interact with the complex and strategic world of the modern Middle East. The interdisciplinary seminars give students the opportunity to explore the diverse religious, social, cultural and political traditions of Middle Eastern people. In addition to seminars, students study the Arabic language and work as volunteers with various organization in Cairo. Through travel to Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Syria and Turkey, students are exposed to the diversity and dynamism of the region. MESP encourages and equips students to relate to the Muslim world in an informed, constructive and Christ-centered manner at a time of tension and change. Students earn 16 semester hours of credit.

Russian Studies Program (RSP)

RSP students are exposed to the depth and diversity of the culture during a semester spent in Russia’s three largest cities: Moscow, St. Petersburg and Nizhni Novgorod. In addition to three seminar courses entitled History and Sociology of Religion in Russia; Russian Peoples, Cultures and Literature; and Russia in Transition, students receive instruction in the Russian language, choosing either 4 or 6 semester hours of language coursework. For those choosing 4 hours of Russian, a seminar course, International Relations and Business in Russia, is available. RSP strives to give students as wide an experience as possible in this complex nation, beginning with time in Moscow, the heart of both medieval and modern Russia. Students then spend 12 weeks in Nizhni Novgorod, a strategic city on the Volga River. After six weeks of language instruction, students live with a Russian family for the remainder of their stay in this city. Students also participate in a service opportunity in Nizhni Novgorod. The program concludes with time in the complex and intriguing city of St. Petersburg, the Russian “window to the West.” Students earn 16 semester hours of credit. 

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