The University of Oklahoma Polytechnic Institute (OUPI) at OU-Tulsa is focused on high-demand, advanced and applied technology-based education. OUPI prepares graduates to transform industries in Oklahoma by offering innovative programs meeting growing demands in the field including
From curriculum to on-site training, programs at OUPI will help meet the changing academic and workforce needs of the Tulsa region largely thanks to our close working relationship with industry partners.
The University of Oklahoma Polytechnic Institute offers bachelor’s degree completion programs as well as masters and doctoral level programs in critical STEM fields. Classes are expected to begin in 2024.
Polytechnic means learning by doing. Getting a hands on education in a digital world. Fueling innovation by embracing technology. Educating and enriching students right here in Tulsa to lead Oklahoma to the next level.
The Oklahoma State Legislature stepped forward with a $10 million dollar appropriation that allows OUPI to aggressively recruit top-tier faculty who will design and build first-class teaching and research labs at OU-Tulsa. Local foundations and private sector partners including the George Kaiser Family Foundation, Google and others have also provided strong, on-going support.
Additional partners who are working with OUPI at OU-Tulsa include
Tulsa and Northeast Oklahoma are building a technology-based economy and the region has a gap in public education needed to meet those needs. Oklahoma will see a 16% growth in computer science and information technology jobs by 2026, and the state is already short more than 300 engineers. OUPI at OU-Tulsa will create a pipeline of extremely skilled graduates with experience in high-demand fields, leading to high-paying jobs that will retain talent in the state and attract new students.
Graduates will be ready to fill vital jobs in areas like telehealth, autonomous technology, electric vehicles, cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, and software engineering.
James J. Sluss Jr. is the interim director of the OU Polytechnic Institute. A national search for a permanent, founding director is currently underway.
In his role, Sluss will lead the design of its academic programs, which will initially focus on six concentration areas: cybersecurity, data science, software engineering, advanced mobility, embedded systems and medical informatics; develop the hiring strategy for the institute’s first wave of faculty; engage with industry stakeholders on curriculum; and work with the OU Foundation to garner additional philanthropic support.
Sluss will continue to serve as interim president of OU-Tulsa as he takes on this additional role.
