Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2017-18 through 2019-20

Completions 
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2018‐19 

This IPEDS Completions data collection instrument was used during the 
2017‐18 data collection. There are no proposed changes to the IPEDS 
Completions component starting with the 2018‐19 data collection. 

IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org
NCES National Center for Education Statistics

date: 9/1/2017

2017-18 Survey Materials > Form

Completions for all institutions

Overview
Completions Overview
Welcome to the IPEDS Completions survey component. The Completions component is one of several IPEDS components that is conducted during the Fall data
collection period. It collects the number of degrees and certificates awarded by field of study, level of award, race/ethnicity, and gender. The reporting period for the
Completions component is during the 12-month time period beginning July 1 of the previous calendar year and ending June 30 of the current calendar year; therefore, for
this year’s Completions component, the reporting period is between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017. The Completions component is also collecting the number of
students (e.g., completers) who earned awards between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017.
Completions Common Errors
Some common completions component errors include the following:
Including award levels on your current year Completions that were not reported on your previous year's (PY) Institutional Characteristics (IC). [Award levels in the PY
IC component cannot be changed; therefore, contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 1-877-225-2568 if you need assistance.]
Forgetting to select CIP codes for new programs of study that are offered by the institution, but do not have completions for the reporting period.
Forgetting to enter in zero in at least one of the cells for CIP codes that do not have completions.
Recent Changes
The following question on distance education has been added to the bottom of each individual "CIP Data" screen:
"Is this program offered as a distance education program?"
The following two screens, which collect data specifically on students were added to this component, beginning in the 2012-13 survey year:
"All Completers" - Collects the number of students who earned an award between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017 by gender and race/ethnicity. (The intent
of this screen is to collect an unduplicated count of total numbers of completers.)
"Completers by Level" - Collects the number of students who earned an award between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017 by award level and 1) by gender; 2)
by race/ethnicity; and 3) by age.

The definition for Post-baccalaureate Certificate has changed slightly for the 2014-15 collection. The new definition is as follows: An award that requires
completion of an organized program of study beyond the bachelor's. It is designed for persons who have completed a baccalaureate degree, but does not
meet the requirements of a master's degree.
NOTE: Even though Teacher Preparation certificate programs may require a bachelor's degree for admission, they are considered sub-bacalaureate
undergraduate programs, and students in these programs are undergraduate students.
General Information
CIP Codes:
The CIP 2010 Website includes a list of new CIP codes, a list of deleted CIP codes, a list of moved CIP Codes, and an online crosswalk of the 2000 CIP and 2010 CIP.
The Resources Page of the CIP 2010 website contains many valuable resources including:
CIP 2010 Manual and copies of previous editions of the CIP Manual
Crosswalk between the 2000 CIP codes and the 2010 CIP codes in Excel format
Keep in mind that some information provided by institutions on the Completions component appear in the College Navigator, which is a major tool used by consumers
searching for information about postsecondary education. It is therefore vitally important that you include accurate information about your institution.
Survey materials can be downloaded using the following link: Survey Materials.
The prior year revision system can be accessed using the following link: Prior Year Revision System

2

Please duplicate the blank form for each 6-digit CIP code and program level/length combination at your institution
CIP Data
CIP Data
Institutions must report, by award level, whether programs are offered as distance education programs. If a program has a traditional offering and a distance education option,
completions should be reported regardless of whether or not the program was completed through distance education.
Awards conferred between JULY 1, 2016 and JUNE 30, 2017
Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only

Men

Men (PY)

Women

Women (PY)

Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
TOTAL AWARDS

Is this program offered as a distance education program?
(Note: If more than one program is reported under this CIP code, check 'YES' if ANY of the programs are offered as a distance education program.)
No
Yes

3

Total
(men+women)

All Completers
All Completers
Institutions must report the following information. (Some data will be pre-populated from the completions by CIP code data.)
All Completers
Number of students by gender and race and ethnicity earning an award between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017. Count each student only once, regardless of how many
awards he/she earned. The intent of this screen is to collect an unduplicated count of total numbers of completers.
Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only

Men

Women
Total Awards

Number of Students
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
TOTAL
PY TOTAL

4

Number of Students

Total Awards

Total Students

Completers by Level
Completers by Level
Institutions must report the number of students who earned an award by level. This screen will be shown for each of the following consolidated award levels for which there is
a reported completion:
Postsecondary awards, certificates, or diplomas of less than 1 academic year
Less than 900 contact or clock hours, or
Less than 30 SEMESTER or TRIMESTER credit hours, or
Less than 45 QUARTER credit hours
Postsecondary awards, certificates, or diplomas of at least 1 but less than 4 academic years
900 or more contact or clock hours, or
30 or more SEMESTER or TRIMESTER credit hours, or
45 or more QUARTER credit hours
Associate's degrees
Bachelor's degrees
Master's degrees
Doctor's degrees
Postbaccalaureate and post-master's certificates
[Award Level]
Number of students by gender, by race and ethnicity, and by age earning this award between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017. Each student should be counted once per award
level. For example, if a student earned a master's degree and a doctor's degree, he/she should be counted once in master's and once in doctor's. A student earning two
master's degrees should be counted only once.
Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only

Number of Students

By Gender
Men
Women
TOTAL
PY TOTAL

By Race/Ethnicity
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
TOTAL

By Age
Under 18
18-24
25-39
40 and Above
Age Unknown
TOTAL

5

Total Awards

Prepared by
The name of the preparer is being collected so that we can follow up with the appropriate person in the event that there are questions concerning the data. The Keyholder will
be copied on all email correspondence to other preparers.
The time it took to prepare this component is being collected so that we can continue to improve our estimate of the reporting burden associated with IPEDS. Please include in
your estimate the time it took for you to review instructions, query and search data sources, complete and review the component, and submit the data through the Data
Collection System.
Thank you for your assistance.

This survey component was prepared by:
Keyholder

SFA Contact

HR Contact

Finance Contact

Academic Library Contact

Other

Name:
Email:

How many staff from your institution only were involved in the data collection and reporting process of this survey component?
Number of Staff (including yourself)

How many hours did you and others from your institution only spend on each of the steps below when responding to this survey component?
Exclude the hours spent collecting data for state and other reporting purposes.
Staff member

Collecting Data Needed

Revising Data to Match
IPEDS Requirements

Entering Data

Revising and Locking Data

Your office

hours

hours

hours

hours

Other offices

hours

hours

hours

hours

U.S. Department of Education

Software Provider Resources

Use of Cookies

Section 508 Compliance

Browsers Supported

Troubleshooting

NCES Privacy Policy

6

IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org
NCES National Center for Education Statistics

date: 9/1/2017

2017-18 Survey Materials > Instructions

Instructions for the IPEDS Completions Component

Purpose of Component
Changes in Reporting
General Instructions
Reporting Period Covered
Context Boxes

Coverage
Where to Get Help
Where the Data Will Appear
Detailed Instructions
Reporting Persons by Racial/Ethnic Category
Program Selection Screen
Crosswalk between the IPEDS Award Levels (used on CIP data screens) and the Consolidated Award Levels (used on
Completers by Level screens)
Award Levels

I. "CIP Data" Screens
II. "Completers" screens
II.a. "All Completers" screen
II.b. "Completers by Level" screen
II.b.1. "Completers by Level - Award Level" screen

Purpose of Component
The purpose of the Completions component of IPEDS is to collect data on the number of awards conferred by postsecondary institutions
during the 12-month time period beginning July 1 of the previous calendar year and ending June 30 of the current calendar year. The awards
reported range from sub-baccalaureate certificates to doctor's degrees and must be formal credit awards conferred by the postsecondary
institution as the result of completion of an academic or occupational/vocational program of study (the program's instructional activity can be
measured in credit hours, contact hours, clock hours, or some other unit of measurement). Data are collected by race/ethnicity and gender for
each award level within each program (as defined by 6-digit CIP codes). Data are collected for both first and second major fields of study. A
new purpose involves collecting data on whether a program is offered as a distance education program.
Beginning with the 2012-13 IPEDS Completions component, the purpose is also to collect the number of students (e.g., completers) by gender
and race/ethnicity who earned an award during the 12-month time period beginning July 1 of the previous calendar year and ending June 30
of the current calendar year. (The intent of this new item is to collect an unduplicated count of total numbers of completers.)
Also, the Completions component now collects the number of completers by award level for the same reporting period previously mentioned.

Changes in Reporting
There are no changes to the Completions component for the 2017-18 collection.

General Instructions
Reporting Period Covered
Report all degrees and other formal awards conferred by your institution between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017. Also, report students
(e.g., completers) who earned the related degrees and other formal awards from your institution between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017.

Context Boxes
Context boxes are provided to allow institutions to provide more information regarding survey component items. Note that some context
boxes are posted on the College Navigator Website, which is the college search tool offered by NCES. NCES will review entries in these
context boxes for applicability and appropriateness before posting them on the College Navigator Website; institutions should check
grammar and spelling of their entries.

Coverage
7

What to Include
Formal awards conferred as the result of completion of an academic or occupational/vocational program of study. (Note that only CIP
codes describing academic or occupational/vocational programs of study are valid CIP codes on the Completions component.) The
instructional activity completed as part of the program of study must be credit-bearing, but can be measured in credit hours, contact
hours, or some other unit of measurement.
Awards conferred by the postsecondary institution.
Awards conferred between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017.
Multiple awards conferred to a single student.

What to Exclude
Awards earned, but not yet conferred.
Awards conferred by branches of your institution located in foreign countries.
Honorary degrees.
Awards conferred by an entity other than the postsecondary institution (such as the state, or an industry certificate).
Informal awards such as certificates of merit, completion, attendance, or transfer.
Awards earned as the result of an avocational, basic skills, residency, or other program not recognized by IPEDS as academic or
occupational/vocational.

Where to Get Help with Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk
Phone: 1-877-225-2568
Email: ipedshelp@rti.org

Web Tutorials
You can also consult the IPEDS Website Trainings & Outreach page which contains several tutorials on IPEDS data collection, a self-paced
overview of IPEDS tools, and other valuable resources.

IPEDS Resource Page
The IPEDS Website Reporting Tools page contains frequently asked questions, a link to data tip sheets, tutorials, taxonomies, information
centers (e.g., academic libraries, average net price, human resources, race/ethnicity, etc.), and other valuable information.

Where the Reported Data Will Appear
Data collected through IPEDS will be accessible at the institution- and aggregate-levels.
At the institution-level, data will appear in the:
College Navigator Website
IPEDS Data Center
IPEDS Data Feedback Reports
College Affordability and Transparency Center Website

At the aggregate-level, data will appear in:
IPEDS First Looks
IPEDS Table Library
IPEDS Data Feedback Reports
The Digest of Education Statistics
The Condition of Education

Detailed Instructions
Reporting Persons by Racial/Ethnic Category (1997 OMB)
This information is being collected in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX of the Education Amendments of
1972 and Sec. 421(a)(1) of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act. These instructions correspond with the Final Guidance on
Maintaining, Collecting, and Reporting Racial and Ethnic Data to the U.S. Department of Education, published in the Federal Register on
October 19, 2007.
Method of collection - Institutions must collect race and ethnicity information using a 2-question format. The first question is whether the
respondent is Hispanic/Latino. The second question is whether the respondent is from one or more races from the following list: American
Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and White. Institutions should allow
students and staff to self-identify their race and ethnicity. For further details on the guidance for collecting these data, please see the full
Federal Register notice.
Method of reporting aggregate data - Institutions must report aggregate data to the U.S. Department of Education using the NINE
categories below. Racial/ethnic designations are requested only for United States citizens, resident aliens, and other eligible non-citizens.
Hispanic or Latino, regardless of race

8

For Non-Hispanic/Latino individuals:
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races

In addition, the following categories may be used:
Nonresident alien
Race and ethnicity unknown

Racial/ethnic descriptions - Racial/ethnic designations as used in this survey do not denote scientific definitions of anthropological
origins. The categories are:
Hispanic or Latino- A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless
of race.
American Indian or Alaska Native- A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central
America) who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community attachment.
Asian- A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian Subcontinent, including, for
example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Black or African American- A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander- A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other
Pacific Islands.
White - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.

Other descriptive categories
Nonresident alien - A person who is not a citizen or national of the United States and who is in this country on a visa or temporary
basis and does not have the right to remain indefinitely. NOTE - Nonresident aliens are to be reported separately, in the boxes
provided, rather than included in any of the seven racial/ethnic categories. Resident aliens and other eligible (for financial aid
purposes) non-citizens who are not citizens or nationals of the United States and who have been admitted as legal immigrants for
the purpose of obtaining permanent resident alien status (and who hold either an alien registration card (Form I-551 or I-151), a
Temporary Resident Card (Form I-688), or an Arrival-Departure Record (Form I-94) with a notation that conveys legal immigrant status
such as Section 207 Refugee, Section 208 Asylee, Conditional Entrant Parolee or Cuban-Haitian) are to be reported in the appropriate
racial/ethnic categories along with United States citizens.
Race and ethnicity unknown - This category is used only if the person did not select EITHER a racial or ethnic designation.

Program Selection Screen
This list represents all the programs, by 6-digit CIP code and award levels, reported on your institution's previous submission. From this
screen you may add or delete 6-digit programs, double majors, and award levels.
NOTE: Program reporters need to check to be sure that the CIP codes that you listed in your responses to 2016 IC questions D7 and
D8 are included in the 2017 IPEDS Completions CIP List.
Adding new programs - To add a new program, click the 'Search/Add Program' button at the top of your list of programs. You then have
several ways to proceed:
a. Enter all or parts of the program name and click the 'Search' key. This will bring up all the fields and programs with the text in the
title. Make your selection from this list.
b. As an alternative, you can click the first letter of the name of the program from the menu of letters. For example, if you want to add
Philosophy, click the 'P'. This brings up a list of all fields beginning with 'P'; then select the field name. After this, you may add
programs within the field.
c. If you know the 2-digit or 4-digit CIP for the broad group of programs, enter the portion of CIP code and click 'Search' key. This will
bring up a list of all the programs within the selected group.
After selecting the program, designate the appropriate award level(s).
If you cannot find a CIP code to describe your program:
Select the general category (xx.xx01 or xx.0000) if the program follows an unspecialized, broad program of study within the area
described by the 4-digit or 2-digit CIP Code.
Select the "Other" code (xx.9999 or xx.xx99) if your program of study is specialized within the area described by the two digit CIP
code, but there is not a specific 6-digit CIP code which adequately describes the instructional program.
DO NOT develop any new CIP codes.
Deleting a program - If your institution no longer offers a specific program at any award level, click on the 'Delete program' icon. A field or
program should NOT be deleted if you expect to report completions for it in future years. See "CIP Data" for programs with no completions
for the reporting year.
You will have to confirm any deletions.
Adding/deleting award level or 2nd major - If, you need to add or delete one or more award levels or 2nd majors for a given program,
click on the 'Add/Delete Award Levels' icon. This activates a pop-up window with all the possible award levels and two columns of boxes,
one for 1st majors and the other for 2nd majors. The initial check marks reflect what was reported the previous year. If awards were
conferred in this program for the current collection at an award level not indicated, click the corresponding box (either 1st or 2nd major). If
your institution no longer awards degrees/certificates at an award level and expects not to award at that level in the future, or no longer
awards a 2nd major at the level, un-click the box. NOTE: If a 1st major is deleted for an award level that also had 2nd major checked, the
2nd major will be automatically deleted also. This also removes any degree counts already entered.
Once you have made all the necessary changes, click the 'Save' button and the changes will be reflected on the selection screen.
In addition, users may enter context on this page. These are intended to provide users a place to indicate characteristics of the institution
which may make applying IPEDS definitions and instructions problematic. The context should not be used for explanations of edit reports,
as there are other locations specifically for that purpose.
After completing this page, click "Save".
In order to begin entering completions data, click on the award level number for the appropriate 1st or 2nd major and award level. This
will bring up a CIP Data page.

9

Classification of degrees according to major field of study
Remember: 2010 CIP Codes are now being used to describe field of study. Please consult the 2010 CIP Website to assist you in selecting
relevant new fields of study.
Specific Classification - Classify degrees and awards as specifically as the list of CIP programs permits. Thus, report a bachelor's
degree in Business Administration with a business economics major in Business/Managerial Economics (52.0601), not in Business,
General (52.0101).
Degree of Doctor of Philosophy - Classify the Doctor of Philosophy degree according to the student's major field of study. Thus, a
Ph.D. in chemistry should be reported as a degree in chemistry, not as one in philosophy.
Majors of Students Prepared to Teach - The general rule is to classify degrees according to the major area of specialization. This
means that degrees to students who may be qualified to teach an academic subject (such as English, biology, or foreign languages)
but did not pursue a program solely for the purpose of teaching, should be reported in English Language and Literature/Letters
(23.xxxx), Biological Sciences and Biomedical Sciences (26.xxxx), and Foreign Languages, Literatures and Linguistics (16.xxxx)
respectively, not in Education (13.xxxx). On the other hand, the degrees of students who have completed a program that is
specifically preparing them to teach special subjects (such as agriculture, art, music, etc.) should be reported in Agricultural Teacher
Education (Vocational) (13.1301), Art Teacher Education (13.1302), Music Teacher Education (13.1312), etc.
Split Majors - When a student graduates with a split major, report the award in the area of greater specialization, if possible.
Otherwise, the award should be reported in the program closest to the combination. If neither of these approaches can be used, the
award should be reported as follows:
If the split major involves two program specialties within the same program category, use the "General" or "Multiple emphasis"
program specialty. For example, a split major involving two languages should be reported in Foreign Languages and Literatures,
General (16.0101); a major in history and political science should be reported under Social Sciences, General (45.0101).
If the split major involves program specialties from different program categories, the award should be reported under the one of
greater specialization.
Double Majors - When a student receives a single degree with majors in two (or more) program specialties, report the degree in one
program (1st major); you should report the second program specialty as a "second major." As with the other degrees/awards, those
programs for which your institution reported 2nd majors the previous year will already be indicated on the selection screen. To make
changes in second majors for a program, click the 'Add/Delete Award Levels' icon.
NOTE: Second majors may only be reported for associate's, bachelor's, master's, and/or doctor's degrees.
Two Degrees - If a student actually receives two degrees based on two independent courses of study, (e.g., one in Business and
Management and one in Foreign Languages), report each degree under the appropriate program category.
Arts and Sciences or General Programs Not Organized in Occupational Curriculums - These are certificates or degrees based on
less than four years of work in the arts and sciences or general programs not organized in occupational curriculums. Such awards
should be reported under one of the Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (24.01xx) programs.
General Majors - The term "general major" is used to designate general, unspecialized curriculums within an area of study. Ordinarily,
degrees based on a general major should be reported in one of the "general" programs.
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies - These refer to fields of study that represent two or more broad program categories; e.g.,
Mathematics and Computer Science (30.0801). These are found within the 2-digit CIP "30". If reporting awards under similar fields of
study that are not in the current CIP listing, use "30.9999", making sure to specify the exact name of the multi/interdisciplinary study.

Crosswalk between the IPEDS Award Levels (used on CIP data screens) and the Consolidated Award Levels
(used on Completers by Level screens)
IPEDS Award Levels
(used on CIP data screens)

Consolidated Award Levels
(used on Completers by Level screen)

1 - Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of (less than 1
academic year)

Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of less than 1
academic year: Less than 900 contact or clock hours, or less than
30 semester or trimester credit hours, or less than 45 quarter credit
hours

2 - Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of (at least 1 but
less than 2 academic years);
4 - Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of (at least 2 but
less than 4 academic years )

Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of at least 1 but less
than 4 academic years: 900 or more contact or clock hours, 30 or
more semester or trimester credit hours, or 45 or more quarter
credit hours

3 - Associate's degree

Associate's degrees

5 - Bachelor's degree

Bachelor's degrees

7 - Master's degree

Master's degrees

17 - Doctor's degree - research/scholarship;
18 - Doctor's degree - professional practice;
19 - Doctor's degree - other

Doctor's degrees

6 - Postbaccalaureate certificate;
8 - Post-master's certificate

Postbaccalaureate and post-master's certificates

Definitions of the award levels listed above in the left column can be found in the IPEDS Glossary (http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/glossary/).

Award levels
The eleven award levels under which completions can be reported are:
1 - Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of (less than 1 academic year)
Less than 900 contact or clock hours
Less than 30 SEMESTER or TRIMESTER credit hours, or
Less than 45 QUARTER credit hours
2 - Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of (at least 1 but less than 2 academic years)
At least 900, but less than 1800 contact or clock hours, or
At least 30, but less than 60 SEMESTER OR TRIMESTER HOURS
At least 45, but less than 90 QUARTER HOURS
3 - Associate's degree
4 - Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of (at least 2 but less than 4 academic years )
1800 or more contact or clock hours, or
60 or more SEMESTER OR TRIMESTER credit hours, or
90 or more QUARTER credit hours

10

5 - Bachelor's degree
6 - Postbaccalaureate certificate
7 - Master's degree
8 - Post-master's certificate
17 - Doctor's degree - research/scholarship
18 - Doctor's degree - professional practice
19 - Doctor's degree - other
Definitions for each of these award levels can be found in the IPEDS Glossary (http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/glossary/).

I. CIP Data Screens
Each program/award level on the Program Selection screen (including 1st and 2nd majors where selected) has a corresponding CIP Data
screen. At the top are the CIP code and name of the program, followed by the award level and 1st/2nd major of the current screen on the
next line.
Programs with completions - Enter the number of awards conferred during the reporting period in the appropriate boxes and refer to the
section called, "Reporting Persons by Racial/Ethnic Category," as necessary. To the right of each data entry cell, the corresponding number
from your institution's previous submission is displayed in red.
Programs with no completions - If there were no completions in a particular program/award level but your institution still offers the
program at that level, enter a zero in at least one box on the data page. Do not delete a program/award level if you expect to have
completions in future years.
NOTE: All awards must be reported as whole numbers. Do not report fractions of an award.
Distance Education - If the program at this award level is able to be completed exclusively via distance education (DE), you should
respond "Yes" to the DE question at the bottom of the CIP Data screen; otherwise, you should respond "No." Also, if more than one
program is reported under a CIP code by award level, you should respond "YES" to the DE question if ANY of the programs are offered as
a DE program. Additionally, you should respond "Yes" to the DE question, if it is an option for students to complete exclusively through DE
by CIP code and Award level, but no students did. And lastly, if a program has a traditional offering and a distance education option,
completions should be reported regardless of whether or not the program was completed through DE.
Once all the awards for this program and award level have been entered, review the data for accuracy. When you are satisfied with the
data, click the 'Verify & Save' button. This will generate the total men and women for the current year. If no edit icons appear, there are
several options for proceeding.
You may click the 'Next Screen' button, and the system will bring up the next screen in the following order: (1) the 2nd major for the
current CIP/award level if one was designated; (2) the next award level for this program; or (3) the next program in the list of CIP
codes on the left.
You may go directly to another program or field by clicking on the appropriate CIP code on the left. In this case, the first award level
for that CIP will appear.
You may click on the 'Selection screen' at the top of the list of CIP codes. This will return you to the Selection Screen page.
On the last program/award level screen (based on CIP code and award level) after entering and saving the data, you may browse
and/or print the totals by gender, award level, and race/ethnicity by clicking the 'Summary Report' button. When you are satisfied,
click the 'Proceed' button which will return you to the CIP Selection screen.

II. "Completers" screens
II.a. "All Completers" screen
Enter the number of students who earned an award between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017 by gender and race and ethnicity. Count
each student only once, regardless of how many awards he/she earned. The intent of this screen is to collect an unduplicated count of
total numbers of completers.
(Students counted on the "All Completers" screen should be the students who earned the awards.)

II.b. "Completers by Level" screen
For each award level for which you have reported completions, enter the number of students represented by those completions. The
number of students who earned this award between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017 should be entered by gender, by race and
ethnicity, and by age. The date should be the student's age at the time the award was conferred.
Each student should be counted only once per award level. For example, if a student earned a master's and doctor's degree, he/she
should be counted once in master's and once in doctor's. A student who earned two master's degrees should be counted only once.
The total number of students reported by gender must equal the total number of students reported by race and ethnicity. Each of the
two previously mentioned totals must equal the total number of students reported by age.

II.b.1. "Completers by Level" screen - Award Levels
The following seven award levels are applicable to the "Completers by Level" screen:
Less than 1 academic year
At least 1 but less than 4 academic years
Associate's degrees
Bachelor's degrees
Master's degrees

11

Doctor's degrees
Postbaccalaureate and post-master's certificates

While there are seven award levels applicable to the "Completers by Level" screen (e.g., number of students) in this section (II),
there are 11 award levels applicable to the "CIP Data" screen (e.g., number of awards) in section I. Some of the award levels
associated with the "CIP Data" screen have been combined to form the seven award levels for the "Completers by Level" screen.
Consequently, in the "Completers by Level" section, screens will be displayed based on the award levels for which completions have
been reported in the "CIP Data" section. [Refer to the "Crosswalk between the IPEDS Award Levels (used on CIP data screens) and
the Consolidated Award Levels (used on Completers by Level screens) " for additional information.]

12

Glossary

date: 9/1/2017

Term

Definition

American Indian or Alaska
Native

A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America) who maintains cultural
identification through tribal affiliation or community attachment.

Asian

A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian Subcontinent, including, for
example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Associate's degree

An award that normally requires at least 2 but less than 4 years of full-time equivalent college work.

Bachelor's degree

An award (baccalaureate or equivalent degree, as determined by the Secretary, U.S. Department of Education) that normally requires at
least 4 but not more than 5 years of full-time equivalent college-level work. This includes all bachelor's degrees conferred in a 5-year
cooperative (work-study) program. A cooperative plan provides for alternate class attendance and employment in business, industry, or
government; thus, it allows students to combine actual work experience with their college studies. Also includes bachelor's degrees in
which the normal 4 years of work are completed in 3 years.

Black or African American

A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.

Certificate

A formal award certifying the satisfactory completion of a postsecondary education program.

CIP code

A six-digit code in the form xx.xxxx that identifies instructional program specialties within educational institutions.

Classification of Instructional
Programs (CIP)

A taxonomic coding scheme for secondary and postsecondary instructional programs. It is intended to facilitate the organization,
collection, and reporting of program data using classifications that capture the majority of reportable data. The CIP is the accepted
federal government statistical standard on instructional program classifications and is used in a variety of education information
surveys and databases.

Clock hour

A unit of measure that represents an hour of scheduled instruction given to students. Also referred to as contact hour.

Contact hour

A unit of measure that represents an hour of scheduled instruction given to students. Also referred to as clock hour.

Credit hour

A unit of measure representing the equivalent of an hour (50 minutes) of instruction per week over the entire term. It is applied toward
the total number of credit hours needed for completing the requirements of a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award.

Diploma

A formal document certifying the successful completion of a prescribed program of studies.

Distance education
Education that uses one or more technologies to deliver instruction to students who are separated from the instructor and to support
regular and substantive interaction between the students and the instructor synchronously or asynchronously.
Technologies used for instruction may include the following: Internet; one-way and two-way transmissions through open broadcasts,
closed circuit, cable, microwave, broadband lines, fiber optics, satellite or wireless communication devices; audio conferencing; and
video cassette, DVDs, and CD-ROMs, if the cassette, DVDs, and CD-ROMs are used in a course in conjunction with the technologies
listed above.
Distance education course

A course in which the instructional content is delivered exclusively via distance education. Requirements for coming to campus for
orientation, testing, or academic support services do not exclude a course from being classified as distance education.

Distance education program

A program for which all the required coursework for program completion is able to be completed via distance education courses.

Doctor's degree-other

A doctor's degree that does not meet the definition of a doctor's degree - research/scholarship or a doctor's degree - professional
practice.

Doctor's degree-professional
practice

A doctor's degree that is conferred upon completion of a program providing the knowledge and skills for the recognition, credential, or
license required for professional practice. The degree is awarded after a period of study such that the total time to the degree,
including both pre-professional and professional preparation, equals at least six full-time equivalent academic years. Some of these
degrees were formerly classified as first-professional and may include: Chiropractic (D.C. or D.C.M.); Dentistry (D.D.S. or D.M.D.); Law
(J.D.); Medicine (M.D.); Optometry (O.D.); Osteopathic Medicine (D.O); Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); Podiatry (D.P.M., Pod.D., D.P.); or,
Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.), and others, as designated by the awarding institution.

Doctor's degreeresearch/scholarship

A Ph.D. or other doctor's degree that requires advanced work beyond the master's level, including the preparation and defense of a
dissertation based on original research, or the planning and execution of an original project demonstrating substantial artistic or
scholarly achievement. Some examples of this type of degree may include Ed.D., D.M.A., D.B.A., D.Sc., D.A., or D.M, and others, as
designated by the awarding institution.

Hispanic/Latino

A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.

Integrated Postsecondary
Education Data System (IPEDS)

The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), conducted by the NCES, began in 1986 and involves annual institutionlevel data collections. All postsecondary institutions that have a Program Participation Agreement with the Office of Postsecondary
Education (OPE), U.S. Department of Education (throughout IPEDS referred to as "Title IV") are required to report data using a webbased data collection system. IPEDS currently consists of the following components: Institutional Characteristics (IC); 12-month
Enrollment (E12);Completions (C); Admissions (ADM); Student Financial Aid (SFA); Human Resources (HR) composed of Employees by
Assigned Position, Fall Staff, and Salaries; Fall Enrollment (EF); Graduation Rates (GR); Outcome Measures (OM); Finance (F); and
Academic Libraries (AL).

Master's degree

An award that requires the successful completion of a program of study of at least the full-time equivalent of 1 but not more than 2
academic years of work beyond the bachelor's degree.
Some of these degrees, such as those in Theology (M.Div., M.H.L./Rav) that were formerly classified as "first-professional", may
require more than two full-time equivalent academic years of work.

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific
Islander

A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.

Nonresident alien

A person who is not a citizen or national of the United States and who is in this country on a visa or temporary basis and does not have
the right to remain indefinitely.

Post-master's certificate

An award that requires completion of an organized program beyond the master's degree, but does not meet the requirements of
academic degrees at the doctor's level.

Postbaccalaureate certificate

An award that requires completion of an organized program of study beyond the bachelor's. It is designed for persons who have
completed a baccalaureate degree, but does not meet the requirements of a master's degree.
NOTE: Even though Teacher Preparation certificate programs may require a bachelor's degree for admission, they are considered subbacalaureate undergraduate programs, and students in these programs are undergraduate students.

Postsecondary award, certificate,
or diploma (at least 1 but less
than 2 academic years)

An award that requires completion of an organized program of study at the postsecondary level (below the baccalaureate degree) in at
least 1 but less than 2 full-time equivalent academic years , or designed for completion in at least 30 but less than 60 semester or
trimester credit hours, or in at least 45 but less than 90 quarter credit hours, or in at least 900 but less than 1,800 contact or clock
hours.

Postsecondary award, certificate,
or diploma (at least 2 but less
than 4 academic years)

An award that requires completion of an organized program of study at the postsecondary level (below the baccalaureate degree) in at
least 2 but less than 4 full-time equivalent academic years , or designed for completion in at least 60 but less than 120 semester or
trimester credit hours, or in at least 90 but less than 180 quarter credit hours, or in at least 1,800 but less than 3,600 contact or clock
hours.

Postsecondary award, certificate,
or diploma (less than 1
academic year)

An award that requires completion of an organized program of study at the postsecondary level (below the baccalaureate degree) in
less than 1 academic year (2 semesters or 3 quarters), or designed for completion in less than 30 semester or trimester credit hours,
or in less than 45 quarter credit hours, or in less than 900 contact or clock hours.

Race and ethnicity unknown

The category used to report students or employees whose race and ethnicity are not known.

Race/ethnicity

Categories developed in 1997 by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that are used to describe groups to which individuals
belong, identify with, or belong in the eyes of the community. The categories do not denote scientific definitions of anthropological
origins. The designations are used to categorize U.S. citizens, resident aliens, and other eligible non-citizens.
Individuals are asked to first designate ethnicity as:
- Hispanic or Latino or
- Not Hispanic or Latino

13

Second, individuals are asked to indicate all races that apply among the following:
- American Indian or Alaska Native
- Asian
- Black or African American
- Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
- White
Title IV institution

An institution that has a written agreement with the Secretary of Education that allows the institution to participate in any of the Title IV
federal student financial assistance programs (other than the State Student Incentive Grant (SSIG) and the National Early Intervention
Scholarship and Partnership (NEISP) programs).

White

A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.

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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org
NCES National Center for Education Statistics

date: 9/1/2017

2017-18 Survey Materials > FAQ

Completions
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
General
1)

When did the 2010 Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) become effective?

2)

Where can I obtain a copy of the 2010 CIP?

3)

If I decide to use file upload, will it accept both the 2000 CIP and the 2010 CIP?

4)

I have no CIP codes listed on my Completions survey. Do I still need to report data?

5)

If a student was awarded two degrees during the collection period, should I report only one degree on the "CIP
Data" screen, in order to avoid double-counting the student? Also, how do I select which CIP to report?

6)

In reporting completions during the fall 2017 data collection, should I include degrees and certificates awarded in
the summer 2017 term?

7)

I cannot find any CIP code that matches one of our programs, and the system will only let me select one of the
standard codes. What should I do?

8)

Using the new post-baccalaureate award levels, how should I code awards formerly known as first professional
degrees and first professional certificates?

9)

Previously, Master's of Divinity (M.Div) and Master's of Rabbinical Studies (M.H.L./Rav, B.D. or Ordination) were
coded as first-professional degrees. How should they be reported using the post-baccalaureate award levels?

10)

Using the new postbaccalaureate award levels, how should the Ed.D. degree be classified?

11)

My institution awards Specialized Associate Degrees (SAD), which do not require the minimum Liberal Studies
hours that other associate's degrees do. Should these be reported as level 3 (associate's degree) or level 4 (2 but
less than 4 year certificates)?

12)

What is the difference between degrees with double majors and those with split majors?

13)

What is the difference between the CIP data screen and the Completers screens in the Completions survey?

14)

How are the two different sets of award levels in the Completions survey related?

15)

In what award level category should Teachers Preparation certificates be reported?

Completions - Distance Education
1)

Is there additional guidance on how to respond to the new distance education program question in the Completions
survey?

2)

What is a distance education program?

Completers
1)

Why was the "All Completers" screen, which collects data on the number of students by gender and race/ethnicity,
added to the IPEDS Completions survey component?

2)

On the "Completers by Level" screen, how should the number of students who earned an award between July 1,
2016 and June 30, 2017 by award level, by gender, by race and ethnicity, and by age be counted?

3)

On the "Completers by Level" screen, which collects the number of students who earned awards by age, is there a
particular date that should be used to track the age?

Answers:
General
1)

When did the 2010 Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) become effective?
IPEDS Keyholders and Coordinators were required to use the 2010 CIP beginning with the 2010-11 IPEDS data
collection. [The new requirement affected the following IPEDS survey components: Completions Survey for Fall
2010; Institutional Characteristics Survey for Fall 2010; and Fall Enrollment Survey for Spring 2011.] Questions
regarding the 2010 CIP can be sent to CIP@ed.gov or to the IPEDS Help Desk at ipedshelp@rti.org.
Back to top

2)

Where can I obtain a copy of the 2010 CIP?
Copies of the 2010 CIP are available in Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel from the "Resources Page" of the
2010 CIP website at the following link: http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=55.
Back to top

3)

If I decide to use file upload, will it accept both the 2000 CIP and the 2010 CIP?
You can no longer use the 2000 CIP. The 2010 CIP is now mandatory and that is the only import record layout
that is available.
Back to top

4)

I have no CIP codes listed on my Completions survey. Do I still need to report data?
Yes, you must report any degrees, certificates, or other formal awards conferred between July 1, 2015 and
June 30, 2016. If you have no codes listed, then you must create a list by adding programs. Please review the
survey instructions carefully before doing this.
Back to top

5)

If a student was awarded two degrees during the collection period, should I report only one
degree on the "CIP Data" screen, in order to avoid double-counting the student? Also, how do I
select which CIP to report?
If the student actually receives two degrees based on two independent courses of study, then each degree
should be reported under the appropriate level and CIP. Remember, the "CIP Data" screen is collecting the
number of degrees/certificates, not the number of students receiving them.
Back to top

6)

In reporting completions during the fall 2017 data collection, should I include degrees and
certificates awarded in the summer 2017 term?
Your fall 2017 report should include degrees and awards conferred between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017.
Unless they were conferred before June 30, they should be reported the next year (fall 2018 collection).
Back to top

7)

I cannot find any CIP code that matches one of our programs, and the system will only let me
select one of the standard codes. What should I do?
If the program covers parts of several CIP codes and there is a “General” CIP (normally xx.yy01) for the 2digit CIP area, use that. If not, use the “Other” code (either xx.9999 or in some cases xx.yy99).

15

Back to top
8)

Using the new post-baccalaureate award levels, how should I code awards formerly known as first
professional degrees and first professional certificates?
The following CIP codes, which were formerly reported as first professional degrees should now be coded as
doctor's degree-research/scholarship; doctor's degree-professional practice; or doctor's degree-other:
Chiropractic (D.C., D.C.M)(51.0101); Dentistry (D.D.S, D.M.D) (51.0401); Medicine (M.D.) (51.1201);
Optometry (O.D.) (51.1701); Osteopathic Medicine (D.O) (51.1901); Pharmacy (Pharm.D) (51.2001); Podiatry
(D.P.M., D.P., Pod D) (51.2101); Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M) (51.2401); and Law (L.L.B, J.D.) (22.0101). First
professional certificates in these fields should be reported as post-master's certificates.
Back to top

9)

Previously, Master's of Divinity (M.Div) and Master's of Rabbinical Studies (M.H.L./Rav, B.D. or
Ordination) were coded as first-professional degrees. How should they be reported using the
post-baccalaureate award levels?
Using the new post-baccalaureate award levels, Master's of Divinity (39.0602) and Master's of Rabbinical
Studies (39.0605) should be reported as master's degrees.
Back to top

10)

Using the new postbaccalaureate award levels, how should the Ed.D. degree be classified?
It is at the discretion of the individual postsecondary institution, whether an Ed.D should be classified in one the
following three categories: Doctor's Degree-Research and Scholarship (Award Level=17); Doctor's DegreeProfessional Practice (Award Level=18); and Doctor's Degree-Other (Award Level=19). IPEDS users are
encouraged to consult the IPEDS Glossary (http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/glossary/), which provides detailed
definitions of each of the award levels. Please note that in each of these definitions, examples of degrees are
provided. These examples are intended to be illustrative and are not prescriptive. It is ultimately up to the
individual postsecondary institution to decide which of the new award levels best describes their Ed.D. program.
Back to top

11)

My institution awards Specialized Associate Degrees (SAD), which do not require the minimum
Liberal Studies hours that other associate's degrees do. Should these be reported as level 3
(associate's degree) or level 4 (2 but less than 4 year certificates)?
As long as these awards are considered associate's degrees by your controlling authority, they should be
reported as level 3. This also applies to Occupational Associate Degrees (OAD). In the same way, BA and BS
degrees are both reported as bachelor's degrees (level 5) in IPEDS.
Back to top

12)

What is the difference between degrees with double majors and those with split majors?
Both of these apply when only one degree has been conferred. If the recipient earned sufficient credits for the
degree level separately in two fields, it would be a double major. If the recipient earned total credits between
the two fields for the degree but not sufficient credits in either individually, it would be a split major.
Back to top

13)

What is the difference between the CIP data screen and the Completers screens in the
Completions survey?
The "CIP Data" screen collects data on the number of awards conferred by postsecondary institutions between
July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017 while the "Completers" screens collect data on the number of students who
earned an award between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017.
Also, there are 11 award levels associated with the "CIP Data" screen (e.g., number of awards) and seven
award levels associated with the "Completers by Level" screen (e.g., number of students). Some of the award
levels associated with the "CIP Data" screen have been combined to form a total of seven award levels for the
"Completers by Level" screen.
Back to top

14)

How are the two different sets of award levels in the Completions survey related?
Refer to the following crosswalk.

Consolidated Award Levels
IPEDS Award Levels
(used on Completers by
(used on CIP data screens)
Level screen)
1 - Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of (less than
Less than 1-year certificates
1 academic year)
2 - Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of (at least 1
but less than 2 academic years);
4 - Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of (at least 2
but less than 4 academic years )
3 - Associate's degree
5 - Bachelor's degree
7 - Master's degree

At least 1 but less than 4-year
certificates

Associate's degrees
Bachelor's degrees
Master's degrees

17 - Doctor's degree - research/scholarship;
18 - Doctor's degree - professional practice;

Doctor's degrees

19 - Doctor's degree - other
6 - Postbaccalaureate certificate;
8 - Post-master's certificate

Postbaccalaureate and postmaster's certificates

Definitions of the award levels listed above in the left column can be found in the IPEDS Glossary
(http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/glossary/).
Back to top
15)

In what award level category should Teachers Preparation certificates be reported?
Even though Teacher Preparation certificate programs may require a bachelor's degree for admission, they are
considered subbaccalaureate undergraduate programs, and students in these programs are undergraduate
students.
Back to top

Completions - Distance Education
1)

Is there additional guidance on how to respond to the new distance education program question in
the Completions survey?

16

If a program at a particular award level can be completed exclusively via distance education (DE), you should
respond "Yes" to the DE question at the bottom of the CIP Data screen, even if it also can be completed through
traditional offerings; otherwise, you should respond "No." Also, if more than one program is reported under a
CIP code by award level, you would respond "YES" to the DE question if ANY of the programs are offered as
a DE program. Additionally, you would respond "Yes" to the DE question, if it is an option for students to
complete exclusively through DE by CIP code & Award level, but no students did. And lastly, if a program has a
traditional offering and a distance education option, completions should be reported regardless of whether or
not the program was completed through DE.
Back to top
2)

What is a distance education program?
A "distance education program" is "a program for which all the required coursework for program completion is
able to be completed via distance education courses."
Back to top

Completers
1)

Why was the "All Completers" screen, which collects data on the number of students by gender
and race/ethnicity, added to the IPEDS Completions survey component?
The intent of this screen was to collect an unduplicated count of total numbers of completers. Each student is
counted only ONCE, regardless of how many awards he/she earned.
Back to top

2)

On the "Completers by Level" screen, how should the number of students who earned an award
between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017 by award level, by gender, by race and ethnicity, and by
age be counted?
Each student should be counted once per award level. For example, if a student earned a master's degree and
a doctor's degree, he/she should be counted once in master's and once in doctor's. A student who earned two
master's degrees should be counted only once.
Back to top

3)

On the "Completers by Level" screen, which collects the number of students who earned awards
by age, is there a particular date that should be used to track the age?
The date should be the student's age at the time the award was conferred.
Back to top

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