University of Central Oklahoma
Encyclopedia
The University of Central Oklahoma, often referred to as UCO, is a coeducational public university
located in Edmond, Oklahoma
. The university
is the third largest in Oklahoma, with almost 18,000 students and approximately 434 full-time and 400 adjunct faculty. Founded in 1890, the University of Central Oklahoma was one of the first institutions of higher learning to be established in what would become the state of Oklahoma
, making it one of the oldest universities in the southwest region of the United States of America.
It is home to the Academy of Contemporary Music staffed by members of the rock band The Flaming Lips. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognized the University of Central Oklahoma as the 2009-2010 Individual Conference Champion for using more green power
than any other school in the Lone Star Conference
.
The Territorial Legislature located the new school in Edmond, provided certain conditions were met. First, Oklahoma County had to donate $5,000 in bonds, and Edmond had to donate 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) of land within one mile (1.6 km) of the town; the land was eventually donated by Anton Classen. Ten of those acres had to be set aside for the new school. The remaining land had to be divided into lots which would be sold to raise money for the new school. On Oct. 1, 1891 Richard Thatcher was elected the 1st President of Territorial Normal School of Oklahoma.
The conditions all were met, with the city of Edmond donating an additional $2,000 in bonds. The first class, a group of 23 students, met for the first time Nov. 1, 1891, in the Epworth League Room, located in the unfurnished First Methodist Church. A marker of Oklahoma granite was placed in 1915 near the original site by the Central Oklahoma Normal School Historical Society. It can be seen at Boulevard and Second Street.
Old North Tower was the first building constructed in the summer of 1892 on the campus of what was then Territorial Normal School. Occupancy began Jan. 3, 1893. The school first operated as a normal school
with two years of college work and a complete preparatory school. In 1897, the first graduating class—two men and three women—received their Normal School diplomas.
In 1904, Territorial Normal became Central State Normal School. Statehood was still three years away. On Dec. 29, 1919, the State Board of Education passed a resolution making Central a four-year teachers’ college conferring bachelor's degrees. From 1901 until 1961, UCO housed a laboratory school in which local elementary schoolchildren were schooled by UCO faculty and soon-to-be teaching graduates.
Two years later, the Class of 1921 had nine members, the first graduates to receive the four-year degrees. Two decades later, Central State Teacher's College became Central State College. In 1939, the Oklahoma Legislature
authorized the institution to grant both Bachelor of Arts
and Bachelor of Science
degrees.
On March 11, 1941, Central State became part of a coordinated state system of post-secondary education overseen by the Oklahoma Regents for Higher Education, and joined institutions with similar missions as a regional institution.
In 1954, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education gave Central permission to offer the Master of Teaching Degree, which became the Master of Education
in 1969. In 1971, the college was authorized to grant the Master of Arts
in English and the Master of Business Administration
degrees.
On April 13, 1971, the state legislature officially changed the institution's name to Central State University. Old North Tower was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.
On May 18, 1990, during the university's Centennial Year, legislation was passed changing the name to the University of Central Oklahoma, though many of the students still refer to the University as "Central" or "Central State."
UCO has the state's largest undergraduate Computing Science program, which is accredited by ABET
. The Department of Physics
is ranked among the top 20 in the United States and the only university in Oklahoma to receive this ranking by the American Institute of Physics
. The University of Central Oklahoma School of Music Jazz Division is the largest in the state and one of the largest in the region. The Nursing program is the second largest in Oklahoma and the UCO Debaters are consistently rated one of the top in the nation. The College of Education is the largest in the state of Oklahoma and has graduated more than 50,000 teachers since the school was established in 1890. UCO is consistently recognized as having one of the best Colleges of Education in the region.
UCO is also the only institution in the state of Oklahoma that offers Undergraduate Degrees
in Forensic Science, Humanities
, Funeral Services, Photo Journalism, Biomedical Engineering
, Golf Management, Business Legal Studies and Insurances. UCO is also the only University in the state of Oklahoma to offer a Master of Science
in Athletic Training, a Master of Science in Forensic Science and a Master of Music
in Jazz
Studies
UCO offers over 135 degree options.
Studies Division of the University of Central Oklahoma School of Music. The Jazz Program was started in 1974 by Dr. Kent Kidwell. Since 1974, the Jazz program grew to what it is today. Current Jazz faculty include Lee Rucker, who is the director of the Jazz Lab and also serves as director of 3rd Jazz Ensemble. Mr. Rucker also teaches applied Jazz Improvisation
. Brian Gorrell is the Head of the Jazz Studies Division, Recording studio and is the director of the 1st Jazz Ensemble. Mr. Gorrell also teaches Applied Saxophone
, Applied Jazz Piano
and is the Jazz Graduate Advisor. Jeff Kidwell is the director of the 2nd Jazz Ensemble and teaches applied trombone
. Other faculty include Clint Rohr, Mitch Bell, Danny Vaughan, Dr. David Hardman and Dr. James Klages.
The UCO Jazz Lab is located on the corner of 5th and Littler St. in Edmond, Oklahoma. The Jazz Lab was built in 2001. It was built with a stage, classrooms, Hideaway Pizza and the Jazz Lab Recording Studio
. Students utilize the Jazz Lab on a daily basis. The UCO Jazz Studies Division offers numerous performance ensembles which include:
The School of Music currently offers an undergraduate Minor in Jazz Studies and a Master of Music
in Jazz Studies with Majors either in Performance or Commercial Music Production. The UCO Jazz Lab also Hosts the Annual Recording Technology Workshop and The Annual Guitar Techniques Workshop During the summer. The UCO Jazz Ensembles have received many awards. In 2008, The UCO Jazz Ensemble I revived the "Outstanding University Jazz Ensemble" award at the 2006 and 2008 UNT Jazz Festival. In 1983 UCO's Dixieland
band was ranked No.1 in the nation and in 1975, UCO Jazz Ensemble I received top honors at the Wichita Jazz Festival and since then, all UCO Jazz Bands have participated in the event.
Since it opened, The Jazz Lab has won "Best Place for Live Music" multiple times in the Edmond Life & Leisure's Reader's Choice annual poll, and has been repeatedly won the award for The Best Live Music Venue in the Oklahoma Gazette
’s Best of OKC readers’ poll. The Jazz Lab has featured many famous performers including:
In addition to featuring some of the biggest names in jazz, The UCO Jazz Lab features the Best local and regional musicians from various genres every Thursday, Friday and Saturday Nights.
UCO is well known for its broadcasting
program. UCentral
is the student media network of the University of Central Oklahoma.The University currently operates two radio stations and a TV station. The school operates an FM radio station, 90.1 KCSC
, which plays classical music
, opera
, and features news from the BBC
.
The school's Mass Communication Department also operates a second radio station, KCSC-HD2 which is student run and known as ed 90.1. It can be heard on the UCO campus and all across the Oklahoma City
area on 90.1 HD-2 and online at ed901.com. This station plays mainly adult hits
from the '90s and today.
The school also operates a television station which is also student run. The TV station, known as UCentral
, airs alternative rock music videos throughout most of the day and features a newscast along with other student produced shows. It can be seen on Cox Cable Digital Channel 125 in the Edmond area.
The Vista is UCO's student produced newspaper. Founded in 1903, it is distributed free of charge on the UCO campus and designated off-campus locations.
The student media website,UCO360 features the journalistic and entertainment efforts of UCentral student programs such as NewsCentral, The Huddle, Conspiracy, Broncho 411 and The Vista. UCO360.com offers students the ability to provide input as to what information is important to them and a venue to express their opinions. Additionally, everyone around the world can enjoy live television programming from UCentral TV via UStream. UCO360 also incorporates such social media mediums as Youtube, Twitter and Facebook.
and is the largest school in the conference. In 2010 it applied to join the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association
. On July 30, 2010, the application was approved with the starting date tentatively scheduled for the 2012-2013 academic year. Both men's and women's teams are nicknamed the "Bronchos." UCO currently competes in baseball
, men's and women's basketball
, women's cross-country and track and field, football
, men's and women's golf
, women's soccer
, softball
, women's tennis
, volleyball
, and wrestling
, and women's rowing.
Public university
A public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities. A national university may or may not be considered a public university, depending on regions...
located in Edmond, Oklahoma
Edmond, Oklahoma
Edmond is a city in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area in the central part of the state. As of the 2010 census, the population was 81,405, making it the sixth largest city in the state of Oklahoma....
. The university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
is the third largest in Oklahoma, with almost 18,000 students and approximately 434 full-time and 400 adjunct faculty. Founded in 1890, the University of Central Oklahoma was one of the first institutions of higher learning to be established in what would become the state of 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...
, making it one of the oldest universities in the southwest region of the United States of America.
It is home to the Academy of Contemporary Music staffed by members of the rock band The Flaming Lips. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognized the University of Central Oklahoma as the 2009-2010 Individual Conference Champion for using more green power
Green Power
Green Power is a Hong Kong-based non-governmental organization concerned with the city's environmental issues. The NGO was founded in 1988 by a group of volunteers who made environmental education the foremost priority of the organization....
than any other school in the Lone Star Conference
Lone Star Conference
The Lone Star Conference is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II. Member institutions are located in the southwestern United States, with schools in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico...
.
History
The University of Central Oklahoma was founded on December 24, 1890, when the Territorial Legislature voted to establish the Territorial Normal School, making UCO the oldest public institution of higher education in Oklahoma. Classes were first held in November 1891, whereas Oklahoma A&M College held its first classes in December 1891 and the University of Oklahoma began in fall 1892.The Territorial Legislature located the new school in Edmond, provided certain conditions were met. First, Oklahoma County had to donate $5,000 in bonds, and Edmond had to donate 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) of land within one mile (1.6 km) of the town; the land was eventually donated by Anton Classen. Ten of those acres had to be set aside for the new school. The remaining land had to be divided into lots which would be sold to raise money for the new school. On Oct. 1, 1891 Richard Thatcher was elected the 1st President of Territorial Normal School of Oklahoma.
| School Names |
| Territorial Normal School of Oklahoma 1890-1903 |
| Central State Normal School 1904-1918 |
| Central State Teachers College 1919-1938 |
| Central State College 1939-1970 |
| Central State University 1971-1991 |
| University of Central Oklahoma 1991–present |
The conditions all were met, with the city of Edmond donating an additional $2,000 in bonds. The first class, a group of 23 students, met for the first time Nov. 1, 1891, in the Epworth League Room, located in the unfurnished First Methodist Church. A marker of Oklahoma granite was placed in 1915 near the original site by the Central Oklahoma Normal School Historical Society. It can be seen at Boulevard and Second Street.
Old North Tower was the first building constructed in the summer of 1892 on the campus of what was then Territorial Normal School. Occupancy began Jan. 3, 1893. The school first operated as a normal school
Normal school
A normal school is a school created to train high school graduates to be teachers. Its purpose is to establish teaching standards or norms, hence its name...
with two years of college work and a complete preparatory school. In 1897, the first graduating class—two men and three women—received their Normal School diplomas.
Two years later, the Class of 1921 had nine members, the first graduates to receive the four-year degrees. Two decades later, Central State Teacher's College became Central State College. In 1939, the Oklahoma Legislature
Oklahoma 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...
authorized the institution to grant both Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
and Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degrees.
On March 11, 1941, Central State became part of a coordinated state system of post-secondary education overseen by the Oklahoma Regents for Higher Education, and joined institutions with similar missions as a regional institution.
In 1954, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education gave Central permission to offer the Master of Teaching Degree, which became the Master of Education
Master of Education
The Master of Education is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in a large number of countries. This degree in education often includes the following majors: curriculum and instruction, counseling, and administration. It is often conferred for educators advancing in...
in 1969. In 1971, the college was authorized to grant the Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in English and the Master of Business Administration
Master of Business Administration
The Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...
degrees.
On April 13, 1971, the state legislature officially changed the institution's name to Central State University. Old North Tower was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.
On May 18, 1990, during the university's Centennial Year, legislation was passed changing the name to the University of Central Oklahoma, though many of the students still refer to the University as "Central" or "Central State."
Academic profile
The University of Central Oklahoma in 2009 was ranked in the top 10% on the Forbes Magazine list of America's Best Colleges out of over 4,000 colleges and universities in the United States.UCO has the state's largest undergraduate Computing Science program, which is accredited by ABET
Abet
Abet may refer to:* Abet Guidaben , former Philippine Basketball Association basketball player* ABET, Inc., a non-profit organization that accredits higher education programs in applied science, computing, engineering, and technology....
. The Department of Physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
is ranked among the top 20 in the United States and the only university in Oklahoma to receive this ranking by the American Institute of Physics
American Institute of Physics
The American Institute of Physics promotes science, the profession of physics, publishes physics journals, and produces publications for scientific and engineering societies. The AIP is made up of various member societies...
. The University of Central Oklahoma School of Music Jazz Division is the largest in the state and one of the largest in the region. The Nursing program is the second largest in Oklahoma and the UCO Debaters are consistently rated one of the top in the nation. The College of Education is the largest in the state of Oklahoma and has graduated more than 50,000 teachers since the school was established in 1890. UCO is consistently recognized as having one of the best Colleges of Education in the region.
UCO is also the only institution in the state of Oklahoma that offers Undergraduate Degrees
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...
in Forensic Science, Humanities
Humanities
The humanities are academic disciplines that study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural sciences....
, Funeral Services, Photo Journalism, Biomedical Engineering
Biomedical engineering
Biomedical Engineering is the application of engineering principles and design concepts to medicine and biology. This field seeks to close the gap between engineering and medicine: It combines the design and problem solving skills of engineering with medical and biological sciences to improve...
, Golf Management, Business Legal Studies and Insurances. UCO is also the only University in the state of Oklahoma to offer a Master of Science
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
in Athletic Training, a Master of Science in Forensic Science and a Master of Music
Master of Music
The Master of Music is the first graduate degree in Music awarded by universities and music conservatories. The M.Mus. combines advanced studies in an applied area of specialization with graduate-level academic study in subjects such as music history, music theory, or music pedagogy...
in Jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
Studies
Schools and colleges
UCO is composed of seven schools and colleges:- College of Fine Arts & Design
- School of Music
- Department of Art
- Department of Design
- Department of Theatre Arts
- Department of Dance
- Academy of Contemporary Music
- College of Business Administration
- Department of Accounting
- Department of Economics
- Department of Finance
- Department of Information Systems & Operations Management
- Department of Management
- Department of Marketing
- Professional Golf Management
- College of Liberal Arts
- Department of English
- Department of History & Geography
- Department of Humanities & Philosophy
- Department of Mass Communication
- Department of Modern Languages
- Department of Political Science
- Department of Sociology, CJ & SAS
- College of Education and Professional Studies
- Department of Adv. Professional Services
- Department of Curriculum and Instruction
- Department of Human Environmental Sci.
- Department of Kinesiology & Health Stud.
- Department of Occupational Tech. Educ.
- Department of Professional Teacher Edu.
- Department of Psychology
- Department of Special Services
- Department of Teacher Education Services
- College of Mathematics and Science
- Department of Biology
- Department of Chemistry
- Department of Computer Science
- Department of Funeral Services
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics
- Department of Nursing
- Department of Engineering & Physics
- Jackson College Of Graduate Studies
Degrees
- Associate's Degree (ACM@UCO)
- Associate of Applied Science
- 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...
- Bachelor of Applied TechnologyApplied TechnologyApplied Technology, Australia founded by Owen Hill in 1975, was a pioneer producer of home computers that ran CP/M on Zilog Z80 microprocessors. Their MicroBee computer was the first commercial personal computer manufactured in Australia....
- Bachelor of Arts
- Bachelor of Arts in Education
- Bachelor of Business Administration
- Bachelor of Fine Arts
- Bachelor of Fine Arts Education
- Bachelor of Music
- Bachelor of Music EducationMusic educationMusic education is a field of study associated with the teaching and learning of music. It touches on all domains of learning, including the psychomotor domain , the cognitive domain , and, in particular and significant ways,the affective domain, including music appreciation and sensitivity...
- Bachelor of Science
- Bachelor of Science in Education
- Bachelor of Forensic Science
- Bachelor of Applied Technology
- Master's Degree
- Master of ArtsMaster of Arts (postgraduate)A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
- Master of Business AdministrationMaster of Business AdministrationThe Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...
- Master of EducationMaster of EducationThe Master of Education is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in a large number of countries. This degree in education often includes the following majors: curriculum and instruction, counseling, and administration. It is often conferred for educators advancing in...
- Master of Fine ArtsMaster of Fine ArtsA Master of Fine Arts is a graduate degree typically requiring 2–3 years of postgraduate study beyond the bachelor's degree , although the term of study will vary by country or by university. The MFA is usually awarded in visual arts, creative writing, filmmaking, dance, or theatre/performing arts...
- Master of MusicMaster of MusicThe Master of Music is the first graduate degree in Music awarded by universities and music conservatories. The M.Mus. combines advanced studies in an applied area of specialization with graduate-level academic study in subjects such as music history, music theory, or music pedagogy...
- Master of ScienceMaster of ScienceA Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
- Master of Forensic Science
- Master of Arts
- Certificates:
- Funeral Service
- Non-Degree Pre-Professional Programs:
- Pre-DentalDentistryDentistry is the branch of medicine that is involved in the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and the adjacent and associated structures and their impact on the human body. Dentistry is widely considered...
- Pre-EngineeringEngineeringEngineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
- Pre-Medical
- Pre-Occupational TherapyOccupational therapyOccupational therapy is a discipline that aims to promote health by enabling people to perform meaningful and purposeful activities. Occupational therapists work with individuals who suffer from a mentally, physically, developmentally, and/or emotionally disabling condition by utilizing treatments...
- Pre-OptometryOptometryOptometry is a health care profession concerned with eyes and related structures, as well as vision, visual systems, and vision information processing in humans. Optometrists, or Doctors of Optometry, are state licensed medical professionals trained to prescribe and fit lenses to improve vision,...
- Pre-PharmacyPharmacyPharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
- Pre-Physician's Assistant
- Pre-Physical TherapyPhysical therapyPhysical therapy , often abbreviated PT, is a health care profession. Physical therapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, diagnosis, treatment/intervention,and rehabilitation...
- Pre-Radiological Technology
- Pre-Veterinary MedicineVeterinary medicineVeterinary Medicine is the branch of science that deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, disorder and injury in non-human animals...
- Pre-Dental
UCO Jazz Lab
The UCO Jazz Lab is home for the celebrated JazzJazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
Studies Division of the University of Central Oklahoma School of Music. The Jazz Program was started in 1974 by Dr. Kent Kidwell. Since 1974, the Jazz program grew to what it is today. Current Jazz faculty include Lee Rucker, who is the director of the Jazz Lab and also serves as director of 3rd Jazz Ensemble. Mr. Rucker also teaches applied Jazz Improvisation
Improvisation
Improvisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment and inner feelings. This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or...
. Brian Gorrell is the Head of the Jazz Studies Division, Recording studio and is the director of the 1st Jazz Ensemble. Mr. Gorrell also teaches Applied Saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
, Applied Jazz Piano
Jazz piano
Jazz piano is a collective term for the techniques pianists use when playing jazz. The piano has been an integral part of the jazz idiom since its inception, in both solo and ensemble settings. Its role is multifaceted due largely to the instrument's combined melodic and harmonic capabilities...
and is the Jazz Graduate Advisor. Jeff Kidwell is the director of the 2nd Jazz Ensemble and teaches applied trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
. Other faculty include Clint Rohr, Mitch Bell, Danny Vaughan, Dr. David Hardman and Dr. James Klages.
The UCO Jazz Lab is located on the corner of 5th and Littler St. in Edmond, Oklahoma. The Jazz Lab was built in 2001. It was built with a stage, classrooms, Hideaway Pizza and the Jazz Lab Recording Studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
. Students utilize the Jazz Lab on a daily basis. The UCO Jazz Studies Division offers numerous performance ensembles which include:
- Jazz Ensembles I, II & III
- Undergraduate and Graduate Combos
- Latin Jazz Ensemble
- The Jazz Guitar Ensemble I & II
The School of Music currently offers an undergraduate Minor in Jazz Studies and a Master of Music
Master of Music
The Master of Music is the first graduate degree in Music awarded by universities and music conservatories. The M.Mus. combines advanced studies in an applied area of specialization with graduate-level academic study in subjects such as music history, music theory, or music pedagogy...
in Jazz Studies with Majors either in Performance or Commercial Music Production. The UCO Jazz Lab also Hosts the Annual Recording Technology Workshop and The Annual Guitar Techniques Workshop During the summer. The UCO Jazz Ensembles have received many awards. In 2008, The UCO Jazz Ensemble I revived the "Outstanding University Jazz Ensemble" award at the 2006 and 2008 UNT Jazz Festival. In 1983 UCO's Dixieland
Dixieland
Dixieland music, sometimes referred to as Hot jazz, Early Jazz or New Orleans jazz, is a style of jazz music which developed in New Orleans at the start of the 20th century, and was spread to Chicago and New York City by New Orleans bands in the 1910s.Well-known jazz standard songs from the...
band was ranked No.1 in the nation and in 1975, UCO Jazz Ensemble I received top honors at the Wichita Jazz Festival and since then, all UCO Jazz Bands have participated in the event.
Since it opened, The Jazz Lab has won "Best Place for Live Music" multiple times in the Edmond Life & Leisure's Reader's Choice annual poll, and has been repeatedly won the award for The Best Live Music Venue in the Oklahoma Gazette
Oklahoma Gazette
The Oklahoma Gazette is a weekly multi-award-winning independent paper distributed throughout Oklahoma City. It covers statewide news dealing with topics such as theater, music, and sports...
’s Best of OKC readers’ poll. The Jazz Lab has featured many famous performers including:
- Wynton MarsalisWynton MarsalisWynton Learson Marsalis is a trumpeter, composer, bandleader, music educator, and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. Marsalis has promoted the appreciation of classical and jazz music often to young audiences...
- George WinstonGeorge WinstonGeorge Winston is an American pianist who was born in Michigan, and grew up mainly in Miles City, Montana as well as Mississippi and Florida. He attended Stetson University in Deland, Florida and lives in Santa Cruz, California.-Background:...
- Chris BottiChris BottiChristopher Stephen "Chris" Botti , is an American trumpeter and composer. In 2007, Botti was nominated for two Grammy Awards including Best Pop Instrumental Album. On December 4, 2009, he was nominated for three more Grammy Awards including Best Pop Instrumental Album and Best Long Form Music Video...
- Kenny WernerKenny WernerKenny Werner is an American jazz pianist.-Biography:Kenny Werner is a world-class pianist and composer. His prolific output of compositions, recordings and publications continue to impact audiences around the world....
- Christopher CrossChristopher CrossChristopher Cross is an American singer-songwriter from San Antonio, Texas. His debut album earned him five Grammys. He is perhaps best known for his Top Ten hit songs, "Sailing", "Ride Like the Wind", and "Arthur's Theme ", the last of which he performed for the film Arthur starring Dudley Moore...
- United States Army Jazz Ambassadors
- David Gibson
- Ann Hampton CallawayAnn Hampton CallawayAnn Hampton Callaway is a multiplatinum-selling singer, composer, lyricist, pianist, and actress. She is best known for writing and singing the theme to the TV series The Nanny, writing songs for Barbra Streisand and starring in the Broadway musical Swing!.-Career:Callaway was described by the New...
- Steve TyrellSteve TyrellSteve Tyrell is an American jazz musician.-Early career:Upon moving to New York City at the age of 18, he was made head of A&R and promotion at Scepter Records...
- Miguel ZenonMiguel ZenonMiguel Zenón is an alto saxophonist, composer and bandleader.-Biography:Miguel Zenón was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. While studying at the Escuela Libre de Musica in San Juan, he won a scholarship to the “Berklee in Puerto Rico” program of the Berklee College of Music and a scholarship to...
- Diane Shuur
- Pat MethenyPat MethenyPatrick Bruce "Pat" Metheny is an American jazz guitarist and composer.One of the most successful and critically acclaimed jazz musicians to come to prominence in the 1970s and '80s, he is the leader of the Pat Metheny Group and is also involved in duets, solo works and other side projects...
- Lynn SeatonLynn SeatonLynn Seaton is a jazz bassist associated with bebop and swing.He is rarely the lead, with 1991's Bassman's Basement being an exception. He has appeared on several albums, including Nirvana by Bucky Pizzarelli....
- Jane MonheitJane MonheitJane Monheit is a jazz and adult contemporary vocalist for Concord Records. She has collaborated with artists such as Michael Bublé, Ivan Lins, Terence Blanchard and Tom Harrell, and has received Grammy nominations for two of her recordings.-Early life:Jane Monheit was raised in Oakdale, New York...
- John PizzarelliJohn PizzarelliJohn Paul Pizzarelli, Jr. is an American jazz guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and bandleader. He has had a lengthy career as a recording artist, performing for a variety of labels that include Telarc Records, RCA Records and Chesky Records, among others...
- Boz ScaggsBoz ScaggsWilliam Royce "Boz" Scaggs is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. He gained fame in the 1970s with several Top 20 hit singles in the United States, along with the #2 album, Silk Degrees. Scaggs continues to write, record music and tour.-Early life and career:Scaggs was born in Canton,...
- Peter Krauss
- Maynard FergusonMaynard FergusonMaynard Ferguson was a Canadian jazz musician and bandleader. He came to prominence playing in Stan Kenton's orchestra, before forming his own band in 1957...
- Leon RussellLeon RussellClaude Russell Bridges , known professionally as Leon Russell, is an American musician and songwriter, who has recorded as a session musician, sideman, and maintained a solo career in music....
- Phil WoodsPhil WoodsPhilip Wells Woods is an American jazz bebop alto saxophonist, clarinetist, bandleader and composer.-Biography:...
- Chick CoreaChick CoreaArmando Anthony "Chick" Corea is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, and composer.Many of his compositions are considered jazz standards. As a member of Miles Davis' band in the 1960s, he participated in the birth of the electric jazz fusion movement. In the 1970s he formed Return to Forever...
- Tierney SuttonTierney SuttonTierney Sutton is an American jazz singer.A three-time Grammy Nominee for "Best Jazz Vocal Album" and "a selection by Jazzweek as Vocalist of the Year in 2005," Sutton was born in Wisconsin and was educated at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut and the Berklee College of Music in...
In addition to featuring some of the biggest names in jazz, The UCO Jazz Lab features the Best local and regional musicians from various genres every Thursday, Friday and Saturday Nights.
UCentral Student Media
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
program. UCentral
UCentral
UCentral is the student media network of the University of Central Oklahoma, featuring the student TELEVISION; the campus RADIO station, ed90.1; the media WEBSITE and social networking sites of UCO360.com; and the campus NEWSPAPER, The Vista. UCentral is located within the Mass Communication...
is the student media network of the University of Central Oklahoma.The University currently operates two radio stations and a TV station. The school operates an FM radio station, 90.1 KCSC
KCSC
KCSC is a classical music radio station serving the Oklahoma City area and is owned by University of Central Oklahoma.-History:KCSC was originally a student-run classical music station when it signed on in 1966. KCSC adopted its name from when the university was known as Central State College...
, which plays classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
, opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
, and features news from the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
.
The school's Mass Communication Department also operates a second radio station, KCSC-HD2 which is student run and known as ed 90.1. It can be heard on the UCO campus and all across the Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
area on 90.1 HD-2 and online at ed901.com. This station plays mainly adult hits
Adult hits
Adult hits is a radio format, popular in the early 2000s, that does not adhere to a specific music genre, but instead draws from a wider playlist...
from the '90s and today.
The school also operates a television station which is also student run. The TV station, known as UCentral
UCentral
UCentral is the student media network of the University of Central Oklahoma, featuring the student TELEVISION; the campus RADIO station, ed90.1; the media WEBSITE and social networking sites of UCO360.com; and the campus NEWSPAPER, The Vista. UCentral is located within the Mass Communication...
, airs alternative rock music videos throughout most of the day and features a newscast along with other student produced shows. It can be seen on Cox Cable Digital Channel 125 in the Edmond area.
The Vista is UCO's student produced newspaper. Founded in 1903, it is distributed free of charge on the UCO campus and designated off-campus locations.
The student media website,UCO360 features the journalistic and entertainment efforts of UCentral student programs such as NewsCentral, The Huddle, Conspiracy, Broncho 411 and The Vista. UCO360.com offers students the ability to provide input as to what information is important to them and a venue to express their opinions. Additionally, everyone around the world can enjoy live television programming from UCentral TV via UStream. UCO360 also incorporates such social media mediums as Youtube, Twitter and Facebook.
Academic buildings
- The Art and Design Building
- Max Chambers Library
- Communications Building
- Center For Transformative Learning
- Education Building
- Evans Hall
- Health and Physical Education Building
- Math and Computer Science Building
- Coyner Health Sciences Building
- Human Environmental Science Building
- Howell Hall
- Laboratory Annex
- UCO Jazz Lab
- Liberal Arts Building
- Michell Hall Theatre
- Business Building
- Music Building
- Thatcher Hall
- Wantland Hall
- Forensic Science Institute
- Center For Transformative Learning
Other campus buildings
- Wantland StadiumWantland StadiumThe Wantland Stadium is home to the University of Central Oklahoma, American football team. It has a 10,000 seat capacity. Wantland Stadium underwent a dramatic facelift in the summer of 2005 with the addition of a three-level press box that includes club seating and new stands on both sides of...
- Lillard Administration Building
- Old North
- Buddy's(Central Cafeteria)
- Stephenson Park Theatre
- Nigh University Center
- Housing Office
- Ropes Course
- University Commons Clubhouse
- Edmond Chamber of Commerce
- Department of Public Safety
- Alumni House
- Hamilton Field HouseHamilton Field HouseHamilton Field House is a basketball venue on the campus of the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Oklahoma. It opened on January 8, 1965 when the Central Oklahoma men’s basketball team defeated intrastate rival Northeastern State University 64-52...
- Central Plant
- Wellness Center
- Physical Plant
- Y Chapel of Song
Residential buildings
UCO has five residence halls on campus.- Murdaugh Hall - traditional-style men's residence hall; houses up to 290 students.
- West Hall - traditional-style women's residence hall; can house up to 452 students.
- The University Suites - co-ed suite-style residence hall; houses up to 302 students and contains a computer lab and dining facility.
- University Commons apartments - consists of multiple apartment buildings, which include two-bedroom and four-bedroom apartments. The Commons Clubhouse is a 3000 sq ft (278.7 m²) community building with a TV lounge, computer lab, and recreation room.
- Central Plaza - high-rise residence hall opened in 2005, located southeast of the main campus; contains a dining facility. It was previously operated as a RamadaRamadaRamada is a hotel chain owned and operated by Wyndham Worldwide.- History :The lodging chain was founded in 1953 by longtime Chicago restaurateur Marion W...
hotel.
Off-Campus buildings
- Outdoor Activities and Recreation Center (Lake Arcadia)
- Small Business Development Center (Downtown OKCOklahoma cityOklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
) - The Academy of Contemporary Music (BricktownBricktown (Oklahoma City)Bricktown is an entertainment district just east of downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma . It was formerly a major warehouse district. The major attractions of the district are the AT&T Bricktown Ballpark, the navigable Bricktown Canal, and the 16-screen Harkins movie theatre...
) - Selman Living Laboratory (Freedom, OK)
Athletics
UCO athletes participate in the NCAA Division II Lone Star ConferenceLone Star Conference
The Lone Star Conference is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II. Member institutions are located in the southwestern United States, with schools in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico...
and is the largest school in the conference. In 2010 it applied to join the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association
The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association is a college athletic conference which operates in the states of Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and effective in 2012 in Oklahoma in the Midwestern United States. The conference was formerly known as the Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic...
. On July 30, 2010, the application was approved with the starting date tentatively scheduled for the 2012-2013 academic year. Both men's and women's teams are nicknamed the "Bronchos." UCO currently competes in baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, men's and women's basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, women's cross-country and track and field, football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, men's and women's golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, women's soccer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
, women's tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, and wrestling
Collegiate wrestling
Collegiate wrestling, sometimes known in the United States as Folkstyle wrestling, is a style of amateur wrestling practised at the collegiate and university level in the United States. Collegiate wrestling emerged from the folk wrestling styles practised in the early history of the United States...
, and women's rowing.
Police Department
The UCO Police Department is a full service police department. It operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. There are 17 sworn commisioned police officers, 6 full time civilian employees and several part time student employees. The officers attend the Oklahoma State Police Academy (CLEET) in Ada and then a 10 week Field Training Program before working on their own. All officers are cross commissioned with the City of Edmond Police Department and thus enforce Edmond City Ordinances and utilize the city jail and city court system.Presidents of UCO
- Joshua B. Gibson 1873-1891
- Richard Thatcher 1891-1893
- George W. Winans 1893-1894
- E.R. Williams 1894-1895
- E.D. Murdaugh 1895-1901
- F.H. Umholtz 1901-1906
- T.W. Butcher 1906-1908
- James A. McLaughlin 1908-1911
- Charles Evans 1911-1916
- Grant B. Grumbine 1916-1917
- J.W. Graves 1917-1919
- John G. Michell 1919-1931
- M.A. Beeson 1931-1935
- John O. Mosley 1935-1939
- Roscoe R. Robinson 1939-1948
- George P. Huckaby 1948
- W. Max Chambers 1948-1960
- Garland Godfrey 1960-1975
- Bill J. Lillard 1975-1992
- George NighGeorge NighGeorge Patterson Nigh , is a popular civic leader in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Nigh served as the 17th and the 22nd Governor of Oklahoma. He was the first Oklahoma Governor to be re-elected and the first to win all 77 counties in the state...
1992-1997 - W. Roger WebbW. Roger WebbW. Roger Webb was born in Bristow, Oklahoma on April 28, 1941. He is the current President of the University of Central Oklahoma, in Edmond, Oklahoma, and the President and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities.-Biography:In 1959, Webb...
1997–June 30, 2011 - Don BetzDon BetzDr. Don Betz is the former president of Northeastern State University and current president at the University of Central Oklahoma. Before becoming President of Northeastern State he served as Chancellor at the University of Wisconsin–River Falls from 2005 to 2008...
August 1, 2011 - Present
Greek life
UCO is home to 18 Greek organizations. The oldest is Tau Kappa Epsilon, chartered in 1957.- IFC Chapters:
- AcaciaAcaciaAcacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1773. Many non-Australian species tend to be thorny, whereas the majority of Australian acacias are not...
- Kappa SigmaKappa SigmaKappa Sigma , commonly nicknamed Kappa Sig, is an international fraternity with currently 282 active chapters and colonies in North America. Kappa Sigma has initiated more than 240,000 men on college campuses throughout the United States and Canada. Today, the Fraternity has over 175,000 living...
- Pi Kappa AlphaPi Kappa AlphaPi Kappa Alpha is a Greek social fraternity with over 230 chapters and colonies and over 250,000 lifetime initiates in the United States and Canada.-History:...
- Sigma NuSigma NuSigma Nu is an undergraduate, college fraternity with chapters in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Sigma Nu was founded in 1869 by three cadets at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia...
- Sigma Tau GammaSigma Tau GammaSigma Tau Gamma Fraternity also named "Sig Tau" or "the Knights" is a U.S. all-male college secret-social fraternity founded on June 28, 1920 at University of Central Missouri...
- Tau Kappa EpsilonTau Kappa EpsilonTau Kappa Epsilon is a college fraternity founded on January 10, 1899 at Illinois Wesleyan University with chapters in the United States, and Canada, and affiliation with a German fraternity system known as the Corps of the Weinheimer Senioren Convent...
- Acacia
- Panhellenic Chapters:
- Delta ZetaDelta ZetaDelta Zeta is an international college sorority founded on October 24, 1902, at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Today, Delta Zeta has 158 collegiate chapters in the United States and over 200 alumnae chapters in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada...
- Sigma KappaSigma KappaSigma Kappa is a sorority founded in 1874 at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. Sigma Kappa was founded by five women: Mary Caffrey Low Carver, Elizabeth Gorham Hoag, Ida Mabel Fuller Pierce, Frances Elliott Mann Hall and Louise Helen Coburn...
- Alpha Gamma DeltaAlpha Gamma DeltaAlpha Gamma Delta is an international women's fraternity, who are mainly sluts, founded in 1904 at Syracuse University. The Fraternity promotes academic excellence, philanthropic giving, ongoing leadership and personal development, and a spirit of loving sisterhood. Also known as "Alpha Gam" and...
- Alpha Xi DeltaAlpha Xi DeltaAlpha Xi Delta is a women's fraternity founded on April 17, 1893 at Lombard College, Galesburg, Illinois. Alpha Xi Delta is one of the oldest women's fraternities as well as one of the ten founding fraternities of the National Panhellenic Conference...
- Delta Zeta
- National Pan-Hellenic Chapters:
- Alpha Kappa AlphaAlpha Kappa AlphaAlpha Kappa Alpha is the first Greek-lettered sorority established and incorporated by African American college women. The sorority was founded on January 15, 1908, at Howard University in Washington, D.C., by a group of nine students, led by Ethel Hedgeman Lyle...
- Alpha Phi AlphaAlpha Phi AlphaAlpha Phi Alpha is the first Inter-Collegiate Black Greek Letter fraternity. It was founded on December 4, 1906 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Its founders are known as the "Seven Jewels". Alpha Phi Alpha developed a model that was used by the many Black Greek Letter Organizations ...
- Delta Sigma ThetaDelta Sigma ThetaDelta Sigma Theta is a non-profit Greek-lettered sorority of college-educated women who perform public service and place emphasis on the African American community. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority was founded on January 13, 1913 by twenty-two collegiate women at Howard University...
- Omega Psi PhiOmega Psi PhiOmega Psi Phi is a fraternity and is the first African-American national fraternal organization to be founded at a historically black college. Omega Psi Phi was founded on November 17, 1911, at Howard University in Washington, D.C.. The founders were three Howard University juniors, Edgar Amos...
- Phi Beta SigmaPhi Beta SigmaPhi Beta Sigma is a predominantly African-American fraternity which was founded at Howard University in Washington, D.C. on January 9, 1914, by three young African-American male students. The founders A. Langston Taylor, Leonard F. Morse, and Charles I...
- Sigma Gamma RhoSigma Gamma RhoSigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. was founded on the campus of Butler University on November 12, 1922, by seven school teachers in Indianapolis, Indiana...
- Zeta Phi BetaZeta Phi BetaZeta Phi Beta is an international, historically black Greek-lettered sorority and a member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council.Zeta Phi Beta is organized into 800+ chapters, in eight intercontinental regions including the USA, Africa, Europe, Asia and the Caribbean...
- Alpha Kappa Alpha
- NALFO Chapters:
- Sigma Lambda GammaSigma Lambda GammaSigma Lambda Gamma ' is a historically Latina-based national sorority with multicultural membership founded on April 9, 1990, at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa.-History:...
- Sigma Lambda Gamma
- Christian Greek Chapters:
- Sigma Phi LambdaSigma Phi Lambda-History:Sigma Phi Lambda was founded in 1988 at the University of Texas at Austin by Patricia Adams Hogan, Robin Maegen, Gina Williams Goveas, Jacqueline Goveas and Eileen Howell Barlow....
- Beta Upsilon ChiBeta Upsilon ChiBeta Upsilon Chi,or ΒΥΧ , is the largest Christian social fraternity in the United States. Since its founding at the University of Texas in 1985, ΒΥΧ has spread to twenty-four campuses in twelve states...
- Sigma Phi Lambda
- Professional Fraternity Association
- Kappa Kappa PsiKappa Kappa PsiKappa Kappa Psi is a fraternity for college and university band members. It was founded on November 27, 1919 at Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College in Stillwater, Oklahoma. William Scroggs, now regarded as the "Founder," together with "Mr. Kappa Kappa Psi" A...
- Phi Mu Alpha SinfoniaPhi Mu Alpha SinfoniaPhi Mu Alpha Sinfonia is an American collegiate social fraternity for men with a special interest in music...
(in colonial process)
- Kappa Kappa Psi
Faculty
- Wei R. Chen, Professor of biomedical engineering and recipient of 2008 U.S. Professor of the Year award from CASECouncil for Advancement and Support of EducationThe Council for Advancement and Support of Education is a nonprofit association of educational institutions. It serves professionals in the field of educational advancement...