RSU launches new elementary education degree to address teacher shortage

Rogers State University will launch a new Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education this fall, aiming to help meet the state’s growing demand for well-trained teachers.

The program was approved in June by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and received final clearance from the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability on July 16.

RSU President Dr. Don Raleigh, a former Oklahoma educator and dean at Liberty University, called the new program both historic and urgently needed.

“This is truly a historic event for Rogers State, and it will be an impactful one for schools in northeast Oklahoma,” Raleigh said. “They will have greater opportunities to employ well-educated and professionally trained teachers.”

RSU had previously partnered with Cameron University to offer an elementary education track on its Claremore campus. Cameron will finish teaching its senior students before ending its operations at RSU.

According to university officials, it has been decades since a public university in Oklahoma received approval for a new teacher education program. RSU plans to expand its offerings in the future to include secondary education and other specialties.

Admissions and Financial Aid

Admission into the elementary education program is required. Current RSU students interested in the new degree should contact academic advisor Skylar Crisenbery at scrisenbery@rsu.edu. New students can apply through the university’s standard admissions process.

To support future educators, the State of Oklahoma’s Inspired to Teach program offers eligible college students up to $25,500 in scholarships and benefits while they complete their teacher training and commit to teaching in Oklahoma schools.

Rogers State University is the only public four-year residential university in the Tulsa metro area. Fall semester classes begin August 18.