New CIP for Grad Programs in Architecture and Graphic Design

NC State College of Design’s graduate degrees in architecture and graphic design recently received confirmation that they now have a STEM designation through the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP). This milestone is of great value for international students and design firms who want to hire our graduates from these programs. The CIP provides international graduates from architecture and graphic design with the ability to work in the United States for up to three years after graduation.

The CIP is the accepted federal government statistical standard on instructional program classifications and is referenced by a variety of education information surveys and databases. It is used by state agencies, national associations, academic institutions, and employment counseling services for collecting, reporting, and analyzing instructional program data.

“We are so excited to be able to offer the STEM designation to our international Master of Architecture graduates,” says Assistant Professor of Architecture and Director of Graduate Programs in Architecture Dana Gulling. “The School of Architecture has been working for a year with the College to make this change with the University. We are one of the first programs within the University to get its CIP code changed.” Gulling has been instrumental in leading these efforts.

NC State Design School of Architecture | International Student Experience from NC State – College of Design on Vimeo.

The new CIP Code for Architecture and Building Sciences/Technology (04.0902) acknowledges what the current program has been incorporating with a focus that includes instruction in architecture, building technology, civil and structural engineering, mechanical engineering, environmental control systems, sustainability, and computer tools and applications. As Gulling shares, “This recognition better serves our strengths in advanced building technology, assemblies, construction methods, environmental stewardship, energy‐conscious design, and digital tools.”

Professor of Graphic Design and Director of Graduate Programs for Graphic Design Denise Gonzales Crisp, who also worked to achieve this designation, says, “This is not a change in the Master of Graphic Design curriculum. The new CIP designation aligns with the curriculum that we’ve delivered for over 10 years and acknowledges that the program teaches STEM-oriented skills and concerns in addition to the visual and narrative concerns of graphic design.”

With a large population of international students at the College, this designation is an asset for potential applicants and those currently enrolled.