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Table A-1. Changes in the organizational unit listing: 2012–18

Activity 2012 2013 2014olda 2014newa 2015 2016b 2017c 2018
Units at start of data collection 13,785 13,952 14,019 14,019 14,845 15,202 15,853 18,745
Units added 726 620 782 1,275 774 1,611 16,274 5,512
Units deleted 559 553 432 449 417 960 13,382 4,665
Units at end of data collection 13,952 14,019 14,369 14,845 15,202 15,853 18,745 19,592
Net difference 167 67 350 826 357 651 2,892 847
a In 2014, the survey frame was updated following a comprehensive frame evaluation study. The study identified potentially eligible but not previously surveyed academic institutions in the United States with master's- or doctorate-granting programs in science, engineering, or health. A total of 151 newly eligible institutions were added, and two private for-profit institutions offering mostly practitioner-based graduate degrees were determined to be ineligible.
b The 2016 survey included a pilot data collection to assess the feasibility of several data collection changes, including the use of Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) codes for reporting data and file uploads for transmitting data. The number of units added and deleted by pilot coordinators was much greater than is typical. These increases are largely due to how data are organized in institutional information systems and the increased granularity of CIP codes relative to GSS codes, rather than a reflection of increased organizational complexity.
c In 2017, the data collection changes piloted in 2016 were implemented universally, substantially increasing the number of added and deleted units. In addition, several previously eligible fields became ineligible.
SOURCE: National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering.