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In May 2019, a number of Gibbs College of Architecture (GCA) programs received science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM)-related designations under the U.S. Department of Education’s Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code system. This change in GCA degree codes benefits international students who wish to work in the U.S. following graduation. In September 2019, an additional program, the Master of Science in Architecture, was also designated as a STEM degree program.
Previously, international students on F-1 visas were allowed one year of optional practical training (OPT) post-graduation. Now, students who have graduated from a STEM-related field have the option to extend their OPT an additional 24 months, allowing them to work in the U.S. for three years through the OPT STEM Extension.
The GCA CIP code changes apply to current and future students studying in one of the programs listed below on or after the approval date (fig. 1)* and cannot be applied retroactively to previous graduates. Information about the 24 month OPT extension can be found through OU’s Office of International Student Services and at the Dept. of Homeland Security (https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/stem-opt-extension-overview). Please confirm with these offices to ensure that your program of study qualifies.
What is a CIP code? CIP codes help the U.S. federal government track enrollment trends in academic areas within colleges and universities across the country.
| Fig. 1. GCA programs with STEM-eligible CIP codes (approved 5/2019 unless otherwise noted) |
| Bachelor of Architecture, B044 |
| Master of Architecture, B046 |
| Master of Architecture, B047 Master of Science of Architecture, M044 (approved 9/2019) |
| Master of Interior Design, M586 |
| Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design, B385 |
| Master of Construction Science, M253 |
| Master of Construction Science, M254 |
| Master of Landscape Architecture, M620 |
| Master of Regional and City Planning, M818 |
| Master of Urban Design, M865 |
| Ph.D in Planning, Design, and Construction, D785 |
| Certificate in Resilient Planning, Design, and Construction, G776 |
A project designed by Gibbs College of Architecture faculty member Austin Lightle has been selected for BuildFest 2026, a national art and architecture festival held at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in New York, on the historic grounds of the 1969 Woodstock Music Festival.
Two Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture alumni are helping shape recommendations that could influence affordable housing design and construction across Oklahoma.
The University of Oklahoma Libraries recently welcomed Carl Siegel as an Architecture Librarian and Archivist and Assistant Professor. In his role, Siegel supports students, faculty and staff across the Gibbs College of Architecture while also serving as archivist for the American School of Architecture Archives.
