Date
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 faculty Ken Marold[PA1.1] and Bryan Bloom were recognized at the 2026 ACSA Architectural Education Awards during the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) 114th Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois, held March 26–28, 2026.
Gibbs College of Architecture is pleased to announce that Dr. Suchismita (Suchi) Bhattacharjee, Associate Dean of Academics and College Administration and Associate Professor of Interior Design, has received the campus-wide Graduate Dean’s Award for Excellence in Mentoring of Graduate Students.
Gibbs College of Architecture is proud to announce that Dr. Wanda Katja Liebermann, associate professor of Architecture, has been awarded the University of Oklahoma Vice President for Research and Partnerships Award for Excellence in Research, Design, and Creative Expression in the Humanities and Fine Arts for her scholarly monograph, Architecture’s Disability Problem.
