TCC Partners with Norman Public Schools to Offer Associate Degrees Through Online Learning Program

Tulsa Community College has partnered with Norman Public Schools to offer high school students the opportunity to enroll in TCC's Dual Credit Programs. The program will be all virtual for NPS students and will utilize mostly open-source curriculum, with little to no cost for books.

Tulsa Community College has partnered with Norman Public Schools to give high school students the opportunity to earn an associate degree at a reduced cost by the time they finish high school.

This established associate degree program will be all virtual for NPS students and utilizes mostly open-source curriculum, with little to no cost for books. The total cost of the program for students will be approximately $5,500, nearly half the average cost of an associate degree.

NPS contacted TCC to propose a partnership based on its experience in delivering degrees to high school students. TCC Dual Credit Programs has graduated high school seniors with associate degrees since 2018 with an increasing number of graduates each year.

“As the largest provider of dual credit degrees in the state, TCC is proud to partner with Norman Public Schools to provide its students opportunities to receive a cost-effective college education in their pursuit of a four-year degree to any Oklahoma university,” said TCC President and CEO Dr. Leigh Goodson. “TCC now offers dual credit programs to 13 school districts in the state, and the number of high school students concurrently obtaining associate degrees with high school diplomas continues to grow.”

“I often say that NPS would not be the district it is without the support of our community partners, and we are thrilled to add TCC to this list. We were drawn to TCC’s well-established associate degree program for several reasons, including the virtual format, its use of mostly open-source curriculum and its proven process,” said NPS Superintendent Dr. Nick Migliorino. “The model TCC has created and uses with schools in Tulsa was very appealing to us, especially since it had already been vetted and there are students going through the program.”

NPS high school juniors and seniors will pursue an AA Liberal Arts degree that allows students to customize their senior year with courses for their future bachelor’s degree transfer to any Oklahoma university. Students will also be eligible for High School Plus One to earn up to one year or 31 credit hours of transferable college credit. NPS has more than 1,400 students who meet the criteria for the associate degree program who are not currently enrolled in AP or concurrent courses.

“These high school students will have the option of getting a head start on accruing college credit, allowing them to potentially finish a bachelor’s degree in half the time. TCC will provide a combination of in-person and online support for students to help students explore careers and majors,” said Director of Dual Credit Programs Melissa Steadley.

Students will complete 61 college credit hours in six semesters using dual credit, which also helps students with high school requirements for graduation. The associate degree will utilize both online live courses and asynchronous online courses for flexible student scheduling, fully supported by a TCC dual credit coordinator, academic advisors, and student support resources.

Informational meetings for parents will begin in January and the first cohort will begin in Fall 2024.