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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 |
Gibbs College is pleased to present the exhibition 200 Digital Drawings by Professor Tiziana Proietti, currently on display in the Gould Hall Living Room.
Gibbs College of Architecture Professors Amber Brown and Amy Leveno led 29 students to Dallas, Texas, in September for a learning experience as part of their Design 7 Studio course.
Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture professor and Institute for Quality Communities Director Dr. Amber N. Wiley’s book, Model Schools in the Model City: Race, Planning, and Education in the Nation’s Capital, has received two major honors from the Urban History Association.
