MSU Texas, SWOSU formalize two new academic partnerships

Midwestern State University and Southwestern Oklahoma State University will formally recognize two new academic partnerships during a ceremonial signing event at 9 a.m. on Oct. 2 at FISTA Innovation Park in Lawton, Okla. The partnerships expand educational opportunities for students pursuing careers in educational leadership and pharmacy. 

The agreements strengthen collaboration between the neighboring institutions by creating new pathways for students to earn advanced degrees while supporting workforce needs across Oklahoma, Texas, and the region. 

Educational Leadership Partnership Creates Doctoral Pathway 

A memorandum of understanding between SWOSU’s Department of Education and MSU’s West College of Education establishes a pathway for graduates of SWOSU’s Master of Education in Educational Administration program to be considered for admission into MSU’s Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership program. 

Under the agreement, up to 15 SWOSU graduates each academic year may apply for consideration for admission to the Ed.D. program at MSU Texas. The partnership is designed to support the preparation of educational leaders who will serve schools, colleges, and communities throughout Oklahoma, Texas, and the surrounding region. 

Students seeking admission through the partnership will complete MSU’s standard graduate admissions process, including academic and professional credential reviews, writing assessments, recommendations, and an admissions interview. Admission will remain competitive and is not guaranteed. 

To help make doctoral study more affordable, the agreement provides scholarship support through the MSU Texas Dr. Billie Doris McAda Graduate School for eligible SWOSU students enrolled in the Ed.D. program, subject to available funding. The scholarship is intended to help offset differences between Oklahoma resident tuition costs and Texas in-state tuition rates. 

Students in the program will enroll full-time and complete six credit hours each semester as they progress through the doctoral curriculum. The pathway provides advanced academic preparation in educational leadership but does not lead to principal or superintendent certification in Texas or Oklahoma. 

Pharmacy Agreement Establishes Early Admission Program 

A second agreement between the SWOSU College of Pharmacy and MSU Texas creates an early admission 3+4 program that allows qualified MSU Texas students to earn both a bachelor’s degree and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree