Ardmore Higher Education Center
Encyclopedia
The Ardmore Higher Education Center (AHEC) is a consortium-model higher education
delivery system which provides academic degree
programs from four participating institutions of higher education located in southern Oklahoma
. Freshman
through graduate courses
are offered and students can earn college credits
for the purposes of transfer to another college
(for completing a degree), or students may complete their degree program at AHEC.
created a pilot higher education program called the Ardmore Higher Education Program (which later became the Ardmore Higher Education Center) and housed it on the campus of Ardmore High School; 110 students enrolled in the first semester and chose from among ten college course. By 1977, the pilot program was made permanent by statute
and was placed under the administration
of the Office of the Chancellor for Oklahoma Higher Education.
By the early 1980s, (due to increasing enrollment) a new building was constructed on property belonging to the Ardmore School District (funded, in part, from an endowment
from the Noble Foundation). With more space, enrollment expanded to more than 750 students (with more than 90 college courses then available). It was now formally known as the Ardmore Higher Education Center.
In 1985 new legislation
was passed and an independent governing Board of Trustees was established, with its members appointed by the Governor of Oklahoma
.
Enrollment has continued to expand over the past two decades and presently AHEC provides educational opportunities to nearly 1,300 students (on average) per semester; the students have more than 200 courses from which to chose.
Students who do not pursue a degree may enroll in courses that further their professional credentials as elementary school
teacher
s, school administrators, school psychologists, school psychometrists, and licensed professional counselors. All degree programs are fully accredited through one of the four participating colleges.
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
delivery system which provides academic degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
programs from four participating institutions of higher education located in southern Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
. Freshman
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
through graduate courses
Graduate school
A graduate school is a school that awards advanced academic degrees with the general requirement that students must have earned a previous undergraduate degree...
are offered and students can earn college credits
Class (education)
A class in education has a variety of related meanings.It can be the group of students which attends a specific course or lesson at a university, school or other educational institution, see Form ....
for the purposes of transfer to another college
Articulation (education)
In Australia and United States education, articulation or more specifically course articulation, refers to the process of comparing the content of courses that are transferred between postsecondary institutions such as TAFE institutes, colleges or universities...
(for completing a degree), or students may complete their degree program at AHEC.
Participating institutions
The four participating institutions for AHEC are:- Murray State CollegeMurray State CollegeMurray State College, is a public, co-educational community college located in southeastern Oklahoma with the main campus located in Tishomingo, Oklahoma. The college is named in honor of former Oklahoma Governor William H...
, a community collegeCommunity collegeA community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...
located in Tishomingo, OklahomaTishomingo, OklahomaTishomingo is the largest city and the county seat of Johnston County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 3,162 at the 2000 census. It was the first capital of the Chickasaw Nation. Murray State College, a community college, with an annual enrollment of 1,600 students is located in...
; - East Central UniversityEast Central UniversityEast Central University is a four year public university in Ada, Oklahoma, located in the south central region of the state. The university also has courses available in McAlester, Shawnee, Ardmore, and Durant....
, located in Ada, OklahomaAda, OklahomaAda is a city in and the county seat of Pontotoc County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 16,008 at the 2000 census. As of 2009, the city population was estimated at 17,019....
; - Southeastern Oklahoma State UniversitySoutheastern Oklahoma State UniversitySoutheastern Oklahoma State University, often referred to as Southeastern and abbreviated as SE, or SOSU, is a public university located in Durant, Oklahoma, with an undergraduate enrollment of approximately 4,229 as of 2009.-History:...
, located in Durant, OklahomaDurant, OklahomaDurant is a city in Bryan County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 15,877 at the 2010 census. Durant is the principal city of the Durant Micropolitan Statistical Area, which had a population of 42,416 in 2010...
; and - Oklahoma State University–Oklahoma CityOklahoma State University–Oklahoma CityOklahoma State University–Oklahoma City is a coeducational public university located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Originally a branch of Oklahoma State University–Stillwater beginning in 1961, its name changed from Oklahoma State University Technical Institute to its current designation in 1990. It...
(an academic unit of Oklahoma State University located in Stillwater, OklahomaStillwater, OklahomaStillwater is a city in north-central Oklahoma at the intersection of U.S. 177 and State Highway 51. It is the county seat of Payne County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 45,688. Stillwater is the principal city of the Stillwater Micropolitan Statistical...
).
History of AHEC
In 1974, the Oklahoma LegislatureOklahoma Legislature
The Legislature of the State of Oklahoma is the biennial meeting of the legislative branch of the government of Oklahoma. It is bicameral, comprising the Oklahoma House of Representatives and the Oklahoma Senate, with all members elected directly by the people. The House of Representatives has 101...
created a pilot higher education program called the Ardmore Higher Education Program (which later became the Ardmore Higher Education Center) and housed it on the campus of Ardmore High School; 110 students enrolled in the first semester and chose from among ten college course. By 1977, the pilot program was made permanent by statute
Statute
A statute is a formal written enactment of a legislative authority that governs a state, city, or county. Typically, statutes command or prohibit something, or declare policy. The word is often used to distinguish law made by legislative bodies from case law, decided by courts, and regulations...
and was placed under the administration
Public administration
Public Administration houses the implementation of government policy and an academic discipline that studies this implementation and that prepares civil servants for this work. As a "field of inquiry with a diverse scope" its "fundamental goal.....
of the Office of the Chancellor for Oklahoma Higher Education.
By the early 1980s, (due to increasing enrollment) a new building was constructed on property belonging to the Ardmore School District (funded, in part, from an endowment
Financial endowment
A financial endowment is a transfer of money or property donated to an institution. The total value of an institution's investments is often referred to as the institution's endowment and is typically organized as a public charity, private foundation, or trust....
from the Noble Foundation). With more space, enrollment expanded to more than 750 students (with more than 90 college courses then available). It was now formally known as the Ardmore Higher Education Center.
In 1985 new legislation
Legislation
Legislation is law which has been promulgated by a legislature or other governing body, or the process of making it...
was passed and an independent governing Board of Trustees was established, with its members appointed by the Governor of Oklahoma
Governor of Oklahoma
The governor of the state of Oklahoma is the head of state for the state of Oklahoma, United States. Under the Oklahoma Constitution, the governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the Oklahoma executive branch, of the government of Oklahoma...
.
Enrollment has continued to expand over the past two decades and presently AHEC provides educational opportunities to nearly 1,300 students (on average) per semester; the students have more than 200 courses from which to chose.
Degree programs offered
AHEC offers degree programs in the following areas of academic study:- Associate's degreeAssociate's degreeAn associate degree is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by community colleges, junior colleges, technical colleges, and bachelor's degree-granting colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study usually lasting two years...
; - Bachelor's degreeBachelor's degreeA bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
(criminal justiceCriminal justiceCriminal Justice is the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts...
, business management, elementary education, counseling, and nursingNursingNursing is a healthcare profession focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life from conception to death....
); and - Master's degreeMaster's degreeA master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
(business administration, educationEducationEducation in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
, human resourcesHuman resourcesHuman resources is a term used to describe the individuals who make up the workforce of an organization, although it is also applied in labor economics to, for example, business sectors or even whole nations...
, and psychological servicesPsychologyPsychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
).
Students who do not pursue a degree may enroll in courses that further their professional credentials as elementary school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
s, school administrators, school psychologists, school psychometrists, and licensed professional counselors. All degree programs are fully accredited through one of the four participating colleges.
See also
- East Central UniversityEast Central UniversityEast Central University is a four year public university in Ada, Oklahoma, located in the south central region of the state. The university also has courses available in McAlester, Shawnee, Ardmore, and Durant....
- Murray State CollegeMurray State CollegeMurray State College, is a public, co-educational community college located in southeastern Oklahoma with the main campus located in Tishomingo, Oklahoma. The college is named in honor of former Oklahoma Governor William H...
- Southeastern Oklahoma State UniversitySoutheastern Oklahoma State UniversitySoutheastern Oklahoma State University, often referred to as Southeastern and abbreviated as SE, or SOSU, is a public university located in Durant, Oklahoma, with an undergraduate enrollment of approximately 4,229 as of 2009.-History:...
- Oklahoma State University–Oklahoma CityOklahoma State University–Oklahoma CityOklahoma State University–Oklahoma City is a coeducational public university located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Originally a branch of Oklahoma State University–Stillwater beginning in 1961, its name changed from Oklahoma State University Technical Institute to its current designation in 1990. It...
- Higher educationHigher educationHigher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
- Community collegeCommunity collegeA community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...
- Ardmore, OklahomaArdmore, OklahomaArdmore is a business, cultural and tourism city in and the county seat of Carter County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a population of 24,283, while a 2007 estimate has the Ardmore micropolitan statistical area totaling 56,694 residents...