The university is divided into 18 schools and departments that, together, offer 60 bachelor's degree programs.

SWPU is one of the first universities in China that was authorized to confer bachelor, masters and doctoral degrees.

In addition, it has the Sino-Canadian Training Center for Natural Gas Exploration and Exploitation, built with the support of the Canadian government.

Under the auspices of the Ministry of Education, SWPU owns an oil and gas equipment key laboratory, the Natural Gas Exploitation Engineering Research Center, and the Oil Field Petrochemical Engineering Research Center.

[6] SWPU has established worldwide cooperative relationships with universities and research institutions, including those in the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, France, Germany, Canada, Russia and India.

The schools and departments are organized into the following divisions:[8] Southwest Petroleum University has a number of National Key Disciplines.