Programs and Curriculum Policies
P1 - Procedure for CIP Code Requests

In choosing a CIP Code, please keep in mind that the goal is to choose the code that most accurately reflects the graduate program curriculum. In response to a direct inquiry by the Graduate School, the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) has informed us that all degrees offered under a single graduate major must share the same CIP code – this includes both research and professional graduate degrees. 

STEP 1: REQUEST

NEW GRADUATE PROGRAMS: Proposers request a CIP code on the Program Proposal Form.

CHANGE REQUESTS: Requests to change a graduate program’s CIP code are addressed to the Director of Graduate Council Administration of The Graduate School (DGCA). Requests to change a CIP code must include a justification for the change.

STEP 2: INITIAL REVIEW – DGCA

The DGCA reviews all new CIP codes and all requests for CIP code changes.

Approval

NEW PROGRAMS: If the CIP code correctly reflects the graduate program’s instructional content, it will be transmitted to the Registrar when requesting to set up the program in LionPATH.

CHANGE REQUESTS: In cases of: 1) obvious errors; or 2) the CIP code requested more accurately represents the program than the existing code, the DGCA will request the CIP code be changed by the Registrar in LionPATH and will notify the graduate program and the respective college administrator for graduate education.

Further Review

If the CIP code requested does not appear to be the CIP code that best describes the graduate program's instructional content, the DGCA will provide a comparison of the requested CIP code and the recommended CIP code, the current graduate program description, including a list of required courses, along with the justification provided by the program, and forward this to the Senior Associate Dean of The Graduate School for further review.

STEP 3: FINAL REVIEW – SENIOR ASSOCIATE DEAN

Approval

If the Senior Associate Dean determines that the CIP code correctly reflects the graduate program’s instructional content, the DGCA will request the Registrar make the change and will notify the graduate program and the respective college administrator for graduate education.

Denial

If the Senior Associate Dean determines that the CIP code does not appear to match the program’s instructional content, the request will be denied.

STEP 4: APPEAL

Request for Appeal

If the proposer provides a justification with which the Senior Associate Dean does not agree, the Senior Associate Dean will ask the proposer if they wish to appeal the decision. If so, the Senior Associate Dean will forward the justification to the dean of the requesting program’s college, cc'ing the Dean of The Graduate School and the Provost, and asking the college dean to confirm whether the justification supports the proposed change.

Final Determination

If the dean of the requesting program’s college supports the request, and there are no objections from the Dean of The Graduate School or the Provost, the DGCA will request the CIP code be changed by the Registrar in LionPATH and will notify the graduate program and the respective college administrator for graduate education and college dean.