SSC, OU Polytechnic Institute Sign Cybersecurity Transfer Agreement |

Seminole State College and the University of Oklahoma Polytechnic Institute have established a new articulation agreement designed to provide SSC computer science students with a seamless pathway to a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity.

Representatives from the two institutions signed the agreement Sept. 28. Under the partnership, students completing SSC’s Associate in Science in Computer Science with a Cybersecurity Emphasis can transfer their SSC coursework into the Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity program at the OU Polytechnic Institute.

The transfer map outlines a 123-credit-hour path to the bachelor’s degree, consisting of 63 credit hours at SSC followed by 60 credit hours through the OU Polytechnic Institute. The bachelor’s completion portion of the cybersecurity program is currently offered at the OU-Tulsa campus.

“This agreement gives our students a clear destination from the moment they begin the program at SSC,” SSC STEM Division Chair Wendy Rich said. “They can build a strong foundation in computer science and cybersecurity here while knowing the work they complete will continue to move them toward a bachelor’s degree. That kind of clarity is extremely valuable for students planning their education and their careers.”

In this photo, Seminole State College and the University of Oklahoma Polytechnic Institute representatives pose for a group photo. Seated, from left, are SSC President Lana Reynolds and Dr. Teri Reed, Director of the OU Polytechnic Institute. Standing, from left, are SSC Health Sciences Division Chair Emily Carpenter; Dr. Randa Shehab, OU Senior Associate Dean of Engineering; SSC IT Director/CISO Marc Hunter; SSC Dean of Instruction Jessica Isaacs; SSC Vice President for Finance, Grants and Enrollment Melanie Rinehart; SSC Faculty Senate President Lynette Atchley; Dr. John Hassell, OU Associate Professor; Dr. Chenggang Wang, OU Assistant Professor; SSC Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs Dr. Bill Knowles; SSC STEM Division Chair Wendy Slusher-Rich; SSC Assistant Professor of Computer Science Alicia Bailey; Dr. Johnnie-Margaret McConnell, OU Director of Transfer Student Success; and Danielle Dunn, OU Associate Vice President of Marketing. — _{Seminole State College and the University of Oklahoma Polytechnic Institute representatives gathered Sept. 28 for the signing of a new articulation agreement creating a transfer pathway from SSC’s Computer Science program to OUPI’s bachelor’s degree program in cybersecurity. Seated, from left, are SSC President Lana Reynolds and Dr. Teri Reed, Director of the OU Polytechnic Institute. Standing, from left, are SSC Health Sciences Division Chair Emily Carpenter; Dr. Randa Shehab, OU Senior Associate Dean of Engineering; SSC IT Director/CISO Marc Hunter; SSC Dean of Instruction Jessica Isaacs; SSC Vice President for Finance, Grants and Enrollment Melanie Rinehart; SSC Faculty Senate President Lynette Atchley; Dr. John Hassell, OU Associate Professor; Dr. Chenggang Wang, OU Assistant Professor; SSC Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs Dr. Bill Knowles; SSC STEM Division Chair Wendy Slusher-Rich; SSC Assistant Professor of Computer Science Alicia Bailey; Dr. Johnnie-Margaret McConnell, OU Director of Transfer Student Success; and Danielle Dunn, OU Associate Vice President of Marketing.}

SSC’s cybersecurity emphasis provides students with a foundation in computer science while introducing coursework in areas such as information security, programming, scripting and discrete mathematics. The articulation agreement provides a semester-by-semester plan showing how those courses transfer into OU’s cybersecurity curriculum.

The OU Polytechnic Institute, part of OU’s Gallogly College of Engineering, emphasizes hands-on, industry-focused education in technology and engineering-related fields. Its cybersecurity program combines applied coursework with real-world projects and opportunities for industry engagement. OU describes the cybersecurity degree as a 60-credit-hour bachelor’s completion program designed to be completed after a student’s foundational college coursework.

OU Polytechnic Institute Director Teri K. Reed said the partnership reflects the institute’s focus on creating accessible routes into high-demand technology fields.

“We are especially proud the Polytechnic Institute is part of the University of Oklahoma’s first articulation agreement with Seminole State College,” Reed said. “This partnership represents exactly what OUPI was created to do: build flexible pathways that allow students to continue their education in high-demand fields while preparing for the technology careers that are important to Oklahoma’s future. We are excited to celebrate this first and look forward to building on it together.”

SSC Dean of Instruction Jessica Isaacs said the agreement helps remove one of the common uncertainties students face when transferring between institutions.

“Students should not have to wonder whether the courses they have already completed will move them closer to their next degree,” Isaacs said. “By working with OU to align these programs in advance, we can give students a clear academic plan, allow them to begin their education close to home and help them transfer without losing momentum or credit along the way.”

For Dr. John Hassell, associate professor of Software Development and Integration at the OU Polytechnic Institute, the partnership also has a personal connection. Hassell grew up in Wewoka and attended Seminole State before continuing his education at OU.

“I grew up in Wewoka, just down the road from Seminole, and like many people in this region, I looked to Seminole State College as a beacon of opportunity, a place where higher education was within reach for anyone, at any stage of life,” Hassell said. “Seminole State provided the strong academic foundation that prepared me for success at the University of Oklahoma.”

Hassell said the agreement can help today’s students follow a similar path.

“Through this articulation agreement, Seminole State students will have a seamless pathway into OU Polytechnic Institute’s distinctive degree programs, allowing them to advance their careers, strengthen Oklahoma’s workforce, and, if they choose, bring their knowledge and expertise back home to serve the communities that shaped them,” he said.

The articulation agreement is also now listed by both institutions as the transfer pathway from SSC’s Computer Science Cybersecurity Emphasis to the OU Polytechnic Institute’s Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity.