Currently, MSU offers two different economics degrees: a Bachelor of Science, or BS, and a Bachelor of Arts, or BA, both of which are categorized as Social Science majors. The initiative the two are advocating for is to change the BS in Economics degree to a STEM major. 

“The Bachelor of Science in Economics has a lot more science and math requirements, so it actually qualifies as a STEM major to a greater degree than its Social Science counterpart,” Iftekhar said. 

The BA of Economics degree is not included in the transition to STEM because it is more literary-based.

Changing the BS in Economics to STEM would benefit international students in regards to their Optional Practical Training period. An Optional Practical Training period refers to the amount of time international students are permitted to remain in the United States to work after graduating from MSU.

Optional Practical Training for any other major besides STEM is about one year, Iftekhar said. However for STEM majors, the Optional Practical Training period lasts about three years.

“The additional time can really change a lot of different things," She said. "It gives them longer time to apply, look for companies, or think what they really want to do in their lives."

He also noted that this change would allow international students to stay at MSU longer, without having to rush the process.

“The whole thing is very lucrative for students," Iftekhar said, "and it also makes the economics major more attractive to students because this is a time when the number of international students that come to MSU every year has been declining."

According to MSU’s Office of International Students and Scholars statistical reports, 15 percent of MSU’s of enrolled students in 2015 were international, but in 2018, that percentage dropped to about 12 percent.

Iftekhar believes that changing the BS in Economics to STEM “would incentivise students to come to MSU.”

Iftekhar and She have been in contact with multiple different people regarding the change, including Chair of the Economics Department Timothy Vogelsang.

“I think we can make compelling arguments that Economics at the PhD level and in our BS program are STEM fields," Vogelsang said via email. "Many other universities have successfully changed their PhD programs in economics to STEM majors so I am cautiously optimistic we will be successful at MSU." 

Currently, Vogelsang and the Economics Department are working toward submitting a request to make the change. 

“It is feasible to change the BS economics to a STEM major and I’m really glad they are thinking about student concerns and student's lives on campus,” She said.

Iftekhar said because he represents the International Student Association in the undergraduate student government, he feels passionate about making this change.

“As the representative for the international students on campus, I do feel that it's my responsibility to try and better the lives of all international students as far as I can," he said. 

The next step for Iftekhar and She is to write and present a bill to ASMSU that would outline the entire organization's support for the change.