diff --git a/courses/serializers/v1/programs_test.py b/courses/serializers/v1/programs_test.py
index f516ca12ba..a6d116f81f 100644
--- a/courses/serializers/v1/programs_test.py
+++ b/courses/serializers/v1/programs_test.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 from datetime import timedelta
 from decimal import Decimal
+from unittest.mock import ANY
 
 import pytest
 from django.utils.timezone import now
@@ -108,7 +109,7 @@ def test_serialize_program(mock_context, remove_tree, program_with_empty_require
     )
 
 
-def test_program_requirement_tree_serializer_valid():
+def test_program_requirement_tree_serializer_save():
     """Verify that the ProgramRequirementTreeSerializer validates data"""
     program = ProgramFactory.create()
     course1, course2, course3 = CourseFactory.create_batch(3)
@@ -142,6 +143,66 @@ def test_program_requirement_tree_serializer_valid():
     serializer.is_valid(raise_exception=True)
     serializer.save()
 
+    root.refresh_from_db()
+    assert ProgramRequirementTreeSerializer(instance=root).data == [
+        {
+            "data": {
+                "node_type": "program_root",
+                "operator": None,
+                "operator_value": None,
+                "program": program.id,
+                "course": None,
+                "required_program": None,
+                "title": "",
+                "elective_flag": False,
+            },
+            "id": ANY,
+            "children": [
+                {
+                    "data": {
+                        "node_type": "operator",
+                        "operator": "all_of",
+                        "operator_value": None,
+                        "program": program.id,
+                        "course": None,
+                        "required_program": None,
+                        "title": "Required Courses",
+                        "elective_flag": False,
+                    },
+                    "id": ANY,
+                    "children": [
+                        {
+                            "data": {
+                                "node_type": "course",
+                                "operator": None,
+                                "operator_value": None,
+                                "program": program.id,
+                                "course": course1.id,
+                                "required_program": None,
+                                "title": None,
+                                "elective_flag": False,
+                            },
+                            "id": ANY,
+                        }
+                    ],
+                },
+                {
+                    "data": {
+                        "node_type": "operator",
+                        "operator": "min_number_of",
+                        "operator_value": "1",
+                        "program": program.id,
+                        "course": None,
+                        "required_program": None,
+                        "title": "Elective Courses",
+                        "elective_flag": False,
+                    },
+                    "id": ANY,
+                },
+            ],
+        }
+    ]
+
 
 def test_program_requirement_deletion():
     """Verify that saving the requirements for one program doesn't affect other programs"""
diff --git a/courses/serializers/v2/programs.py b/courses/serializers/v2/programs.py
index b1d376b94b..fba49ab996 100644
--- a/courses/serializers/v2/programs.py
+++ b/courses/serializers/v2/programs.py
@@ -24,12 +24,18 @@ class ProgramRequirementDataSerializer(StrictFieldsSerializer):
 
     node_type = serializers.ChoiceField(
         choices=(
-            ProgramRequirementNodeType.OPERATOR,
             ProgramRequirementNodeType.COURSE,
+            ProgramRequirementNodeType.PROGRAM,
+            ProgramRequirementNodeType.OPERATOR,
         )
     )
-    course = serializers.CharField(source="course_id", allow_null=True, default=None)
-    program = serializers.CharField(source="program_id", required=False)
+    course = serializers.IntegerField(source="course_id", allow_null=True, default=None)
+    program = serializers.IntegerField(
+        source="program_id", allow_null=True, default=None
+    )
+    required_program = serializers.IntegerField(
+        source="required_program_id", allow_null=True, default=None
+    )
     title = serializers.CharField(allow_null=True, default=None)
     operator = serializers.CharField(allow_null=True, default=None)
     operator_value = serializers.CharField(allow_null=True, default=None)
@@ -79,6 +85,14 @@ class Meta:
 class ProgramRequirementTreeSerializer(BaseProgramRequirementTreeSerializer):
     child = ProgramRequirementSerializer()
 
+    @property
+    def data(self):
+        """Return children of root node directly, or empty array if no children"""
+        # BaseProgramRequirementTreeSerializer overrides the data property
+        # to bypass to_implementation, so we do also.
+        full_data = super().data
+        return full_data[0].get("children", []) if full_data else []
+
 
 @extend_schema_serializer(
     component_name="V2ProgramSerializer",
diff --git a/courses/serializers/v2/programs_test.py b/courses/serializers/v2/programs_test.py
index 66036ef0c3..2324fae1b3 100644
--- a/courses/serializers/v2/programs_test.py
+++ b/courses/serializers/v2/programs_test.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 from datetime import timedelta
+from unittest.mock import ANY
 
 import pytest
 from django.utils.timezone import now
@@ -6,6 +7,7 @@
 from cms.factories import CoursePageFactory
 from cms.serializers import ProgramPageSerializer
 from courses.factories import (  # noqa: F401
+    CourseFactory,
     CourseRunFactory,
     ProgramCollectionFactory,
     ProgramFactory,
@@ -144,3 +146,114 @@ def test_serialize_program(
             "max_price": program_with_empty_requirements.page.max_price,
         },
     )
+
+
+def test_program_requirement_tree_serializer_save():
+    """Verify that the ProgramRequirementTreeSerializer validates data"""
+    program = ProgramFactory.create()
+    course1, course2, course3 = CourseFactory.create_batch(3)
+    root = program.requirements_root
+
+    serializer = ProgramRequirementTreeSerializer(
+        instance=root,
+        data=[
+            {
+                "data": {
+                    "node_type": "operator",
+                    "title": "Required Courses",
+                    "operator": "all_of",
+                },
+                "children": [
+                    {"id": None, "data": {"node_type": "course", "course": course1.id}}
+                ],
+            },
+            {
+                "data": {
+                    "node_type": "operator",
+                    "title": "Elective Courses",
+                    "operator": "min_number_of",
+                    "operator_value": "1",
+                },
+                "children": [
+                    {"id": None, "data": {"node_type": "course", "course": course2.id}},
+                    {"id": None, "data": {"node_type": "course", "course": course3.id}},
+                ],
+            },
+        ],
+        context={"program": program},
+    )
+    serializer.is_valid(raise_exception=True)
+    serializer.save()
+
+    root.refresh_from_db()
+    assert ProgramRequirementTreeSerializer(instance=root).data == [
+        {
+            "data": {
+                "node_type": "operator",
+                "operator": "all_of",
+                "operator_value": None,
+                "program": program.id,
+                "course": None,
+                "required_program": None,
+                "title": "Required Courses",
+                "elective_flag": False,
+            },
+            "id": ANY,
+            "children": [
+                {
+                    "data": {
+                        "node_type": "course",
+                        "operator": None,
+                        "operator_value": None,
+                        "program": program.id,
+                        "course": course1.id,
+                        "required_program": None,
+                        "title": None,
+                        "elective_flag": False,
+                    },
+                    "id": ANY,
+                }
+            ],
+        },
+        {
+            "data": {
+                "node_type": "operator",
+                "operator": "min_number_of",
+                "operator_value": "1",
+                "program": program.id,
+                "course": None,
+                "required_program": None,
+                "title": "Elective Courses",
+                "elective_flag": False,
+            },
+            "id": ANY,
+            "children": [
+                {
+                    "data": {
+                        "node_type": "course",
+                        "operator": None,
+                        "operator_value": None,
+                        "program": program.id,
+                        "course": course2.id,
+                        "required_program": None,
+                        "title": None,
+                        "elective_flag": False,
+                    },
+                    "id": ANY,
+                },
+                {
+                    "data": {
+                        "node_type": "course",
+                        "operator": None,
+                        "operator_value": None,
+                        "program": program.id,
+                        "course": course3.id,
+                        "required_program": None,
+                        "title": None,
+                        "elective_flag": False,
+                    },
+                    "id": ANY,
+                },
+            ],
+        },
+    ]
diff --git a/openapi/specs/v0.yaml b/openapi/specs/v0.yaml
index 756ee79630..79bba4c18c 100644
--- a/openapi/specs/v0.yaml
+++ b/openapi/specs/v0.yaml
@@ -4884,10 +4884,14 @@ components:
         node_type:
           $ref: '#/components/schemas/V2ProgramRequirementDataNodeTypeEnum'
         course:
-          type: string
+          type: integer
           nullable: true
         program:
-          type: string
+          type: integer
+          nullable: true
+        required_program:
+          type: integer
+          nullable: true
         title:
           type: string
           nullable: true
@@ -4905,15 +4909,18 @@ components:
       - node_type
     V2ProgramRequirementDataNodeTypeEnum:
       enum:
-      - operator
       - course
+      - program
+      - operator
       type: string
       description: |-
-        * `operator` - operator
         * `course` - course
+        * `program` - program
+        * `operator` - operator
       x-enum-descriptions:
-      - operator
       - course
+      - program
+      - operator
     YearsExperienceEnum:
       enum:
       - 2
diff --git a/openapi/specs/v1.yaml b/openapi/specs/v1.yaml
index 8812be584c..74da736ec6 100644
--- a/openapi/specs/v1.yaml
+++ b/openapi/specs/v1.yaml
@@ -4884,10 +4884,14 @@ components:
         node_type:
           $ref: '#/components/schemas/V2ProgramRequirementDataNodeTypeEnum'
         course:
-          type: string
+          type: integer
           nullable: true
         program:
-          type: string
+          type: integer
+          nullable: true
+        required_program:
+          type: integer
+          nullable: true
         title:
           type: string
           nullable: true
@@ -4905,15 +4909,18 @@ components:
       - node_type
     V2ProgramRequirementDataNodeTypeEnum:
       enum:
-      - operator
       - course
+      - program
+      - operator
       type: string
       description: |-
-        * `operator` - operator
         * `course` - course
+        * `program` - program
+        * `operator` - operator
       x-enum-descriptions:
-      - operator
       - course
+      - program
+      - operator
     YearsExperienceEnum:
       enum:
       - 2
diff --git a/openapi/specs/v2.yaml b/openapi/specs/v2.yaml
index 037505f2d1..181b69c01d 100644
--- a/openapi/specs/v2.yaml
+++ b/openapi/specs/v2.yaml
@@ -4884,10 +4884,14 @@ components:
         node_type:
           $ref: '#/components/schemas/V2ProgramRequirementDataNodeTypeEnum'
         course:
-          type: string
+          type: integer
           nullable: true
         program:
-          type: string
+          type: integer
+          nullable: true
+        required_program:
+          type: integer
+          nullable: true
         title:
           type: string
           nullable: true
@@ -4905,15 +4909,18 @@ components:
       - node_type
     V2ProgramRequirementDataNodeTypeEnum:
       enum:
-      - operator
       - course
+      - program
+      - operator
       type: string
       description: |-
-        * `operator` - operator
         * `course` - course
+        * `program` - program
+        * `operator` - operator
       x-enum-descriptions:
-      - operator
       - course
+      - program
+      - operator
     YearsExperienceEnum:
       enum:
       - 2