The economics and math major continues to retain the STEM designation.

In the past year, the Department has requested a change in the designation of the CIP code for the undergraduate and graduate programs in Economics. This request has been approved and was filed with State Office of Higher Education at the end of the past year with immediate effect.

The new CIP code (for Classification of Instructional Programs) by the National Center for Education Statistics at the Department of Education is 45.0603 (Econometrics and Quantitative Economics) rather than the old one 45.0601 (Economics, General). The new classification more closely corresponds to the quantitative and analytic nature of our programs.

An implication of this change is that 45.0603 has STEM designation. As such it allows our international students to apply for a two year OPT extension in addition to the standard 12 months of F1 student visas for all other degrees.