Understanding the CIP Coding Process: Results of a Small-Scale Institutional Survey

This 5-page brief, published by Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations, explores how institutions with advanced manufacturing programs use Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) codes. CIP codes were created by the United States Department of Education to "assist in collecting, reporting, and interpreting data about instructional programs," but colleges were given relative autonomy in how they assign CIP codes. This brief presents the results of a survey on the CIP code policies of eight institutions with advanced manufacturing programs. Covered is how these institutions assign CIP codes, what guidelines are used, how and why CIP codes are changed for existing programs, and who is involved in the process of assigning and changing CIP codes.