Dear UT MLA alumni,

Recently, MLA programs at Harvard GSD, Upenn, UC Berkeley have all been approved as STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) designated programs by changing the CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) code to 03.0103 Environmental Studies. Several institutions such as University of Virginia and University of Michigan are actively working on the process as well. Becoming a STEM certified program will bring enormous funding, scholarships, and resources as well as attract outstanding students, scholars, and faculty. If more programs across the country can prove themselves as STEM designated programs, it can also help ASLA and CELA to lobby landscape architecture as a STEM discipline.

To stay competitive with our peer programs, we propose to do the same. A group of international students from the class of 2017 has drafted a proposal to demonstrate reasons and benefits of changing the CIP code of Master of Landscape Architecture from the current designation of 04.0601 (Landscape Architecture) to a STEM certified code 03.0103 (Environmental Studies). We are now collecting signatures from UT MLA alumni to demonstrate the importance of this request to our faculty members. Please also include your year of graduation and any suggestions or questions in the comment. THANK YOU AGAIN!

* STEM is a category of education programs aims for global leadership, including disciplines in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

Q&A

What is CIP? How is it related to our degree? Will it change our diploma?

CIP is the abbreviation of Classification of Instructional Programs. It is primarily used for statistical reporting to the Department of Education to track fields of study of higher education degrees in the United States. Changing CIP code will NOT affect the MLA degree and program title. We are changing the code because 03.0103 Environmental Studies describes our program more precisely than 04.0601 Landscape Architecture. Since the theory and the profession of landscape architecture has developed rapidly in the past decades, the 04.0601 code fails to cover the broader definition of landscape architecture and what we do.