Difference between revisions of "Degree Works"

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Degree Works is "degree audit" software, providing interactive tools for students to accurately track and plan their progress toward graduation. Degree Works integrates '''realtime''' data from Banner, program requirements, and students' academic records to produce a comprehensive and accurate report. Degree Works also provides '''future-mapping tools''' including "What If" and "Look Ahead" features, as well as 3 different GPA calculator functions. The '''purpose''' of Degree Works is to help you and your advisor develop your optimal path through college.
 
  
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== Accessing Degree Works ==
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== What is Degree Works and why is it important for you to reference it often? ==
  
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From the [https://sso.mcla.edu/ MCLA Portal,] click "Degree Works" under the "Student Academics" drop down menu. It will launch in a new browser tab.
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Degree Works is “degree audit” software that provides you and your advisor with a clear representation of an individualized path toward graduation. Your degree audit will track courses you have taken, your grades in those courses, any waivers that may be applied to your record, notes that may record items discussed with your advisor, your current overall and program GPA, as well as what coursework is still required in your academic program and core curriculum.
  
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== Reading Your Degree Audit ==
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Your degree audit can be accessed through the MCLA Portal Page under the “Students” tab.
  
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Your Degree Audit presents your important information in a single, easy-to-read (and easy-to-print) format.
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<youtube>0XzExiyUxrY</youtube>
  
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The top of the Audit, labeled "Student View," shows your high-level information: student ID, class, advisor(s), major(s), minor(s), overall GPA, and any holds on your account.
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== How can Degree Works help you stay on track toward graduation? ==
  
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Next, you'll see 2 Degree Progress '''indicator bars.''' The first indicator bar, "Requirements," shows the overall percentage of graduation requirements you've completed so far. This includes overall credits, but also other factors, such as distribution requirements or certifications. The second indicator bar, labeled "Credits," simply shows the percentage of credits you've earned (out of 120) toward graduation.
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Degree Works has a number of features designed to minimize the chance of you enrolling in a course that will not fulfill either an academic program requirement or core curriculum – keeping you on track toward graduation. Each academic department has worked carefully to infuse any individualized “double dipping” rules that they may have. This will provide you with a clear understanding of courses within your program that fulfill more than one requirement (major/minor/core curriculum, etc).
  
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The body of the Audit is divided into sections, or '''blocks,''' for each of the different types of graduation requirement. General Degree requirements appear first, followed by Physical Education, Core Curriculum, Major, Minor, and Concentration requirements. The Header Bar of each section contains information '''specific to that section''' - for example, the Major Requirements section shows your GPA within your major, which might be different from your overall GPA.
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Degree Works also has a number of interactive features including:
  
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Requirements are '''color-coded''' to indicate which have been met successfully, which are still unmet, and which are in progress. Any unmet requirements provide specific information about what you need to do to meet them.
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* '''Live data relating to enrollment and registration information.''' You will be able to see what courses are being offered in the next semester that fulfill a specific requirement, when the course is offered, and how many seats are still available.
  
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Your Audit might contain two other sections: Fallthrough and Insufficient. '''Fallthrough''' contains courses you've taken which don't meet any graduation requirement, while the '''Insufficient''' section contains courses where you didn't earn any credit - for example, an F, withdrawal, or SKIL course.
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* '''What If:''' If you are considering a change in major, or adding a new minor, this feature allows you to run a new audit, taking your current academic coursework and placing it into the new program which will allow you to make a fully informed decision.
  
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The hyperlinks within your Degree Audit provide "live," realtime information about course offerings, including class schedule and number of '''available seats.''' These "live" links make planning during course registration quicker and easier.
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<youtube>k3Yq5NyRTCo</youtube>
  
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* '''Future Classes:''' This feature provides you with the ability to project how planned courses for a future semester will be applied to your audit. Will this planned course fulfill a needed requirement?
  
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<!--  '''GPA Calculators:''' Are you an athlete worried about maintaining eligibility? Perhaps you are striving toward a specific GPA for a scholarship or graduate school application? Degree Works has a series of GPA calculators to help you project your future GPA and can also provide advice on how to reach a specific GPA.
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<youtube>NtWB2M0iHl0</youtube> -->
  
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== The "Look Ahead" Feature ==
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== Want to learn more about how to use Degree Works? ==
  
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During registration, the Look Ahead feature shows you exactly how each course you're considering would '''fit''' into the overall map of your progress toward graduation. This helps ensure you're choosing your courses to maximum effect. You can easily print or save this report for future reference, or to bring to a meeting with your advisor.
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* For technical questions about Degree Works, please contact MCLA Techhelp at 413-662-5276
  
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To use Look Ahead, click "Look Ahead" in the left-hand column. Enter the official number of each course you're considering, then click the "Add Course" button to add it to your list. Repeat for as many courses as you'd like to evaluate, then click '''"Process New".'''
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* For questions regarding student records shown in Degree Works, please contact the Registrar’s Office at 413-662-5216 or registrar@mcla.edu
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The Look Ahead audit resembles the standard Degree Audit, except it also shows exactly how your selected courses will affect your progress, assuming you pass them successfully. These courses appear in '''blue font,''' positioned to show you which graduation requirements they would meet.
 
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[[Image:Dw-look-ahead-sm.png]]
 
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== The "What If" Feature ==
 
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When you're considering changing or adding a major, minor, or concentration, the What If feature lets you construct your hypothetical new scenario, then shows you exactly how the credits you've already earned would fit into that scenario, including all new program requirements and your overall progress toward graduation. Make a fully informed decision.
 
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To use What If, click "What If" in the left-hand column. Use the dropdown boxes to fill in all the details of your "What If" scenario, including '''all''' majors, minors, and concentrations. Click the "Process What-If" button to view the What If audit; to print, click the "Save as PDF" button.
 
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The What If audit will show how your '''current earned courses''' would fit your new graduation requirements, updating all requirement blocks, as well as your overall Degree Progress indicator bars. Any courses which, in the new scenario, no longer meet any graduation requirement will appear in the Fallthrough block.
 
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[[Image:Dw-what-if-sm.png]]
 
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== GPA Calculators ==
 
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Degree Works provides 3 different calculators to help you plan for your academic goals. To access the calculators, click the "GPA Calc" tab. The 3 calculators are listed in the left-hand column.
 
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The '''Graduation Calculator''' shows you what average GPA you must maintain, from the present through graduation, in order to mathematically achieve your desired graduation GPA. The calculator automatically fills in your current GPA, and you will enter 3 additional pieces of information: the number of credits you still have to earn, the total number of credits for graduation (typically 120), and the GPA you wish to have at graduation. When you click the "Calculate" button, the Graduation Calculator will show you the average GPA you'll need to maintain to reach your desired graduation GPA.
 
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The '''Term Calculator''' shows your end-of-semester GPA, based on the grades you anticipate earning in your current courses. The calculator will automatically populate your currently-enrolled courses; use the dropdown menus to indicate the grades you think you will earn in each course, then click "Calculate". Based on the information you enter, plus your current GPA, the Term Calculator will show your end-of-term GPA.
 
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The '''Advice Calculator''' shows all the mathematically feasible paths available to achieve your desired GPA. The calculator automatically fills in your current GPA and your earned credits. When you enter your desired GPA and click "Calculate," the Advice Calculator will show all available alternative paths to achieve the desired GPA.
 
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[[Image:Dw-adv-calc-sm.png]]
 
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== Video Tutorials ==
 
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Watch these brief tutorial videos to see how each Degree Works tool works:
 
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*<h3>The Degree Audit</h3>
 
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<youtube>XyghHpCMRJw</youtube>
 
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*<h3>The What If Feature</h3>
 
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<youtube>3mUlpkN29JU</youtube>
 
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*<h3>The Look Ahead Feature</h3>
 
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<youtube>t8SeQ5GjEC8</youtube>
 
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*<h3>GPA Calculators</h3>
 
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<youtube>MBG1yHB0bGs</youtube>
 

Latest revision as of 19:00, 25 April 2022

Degree-works.png

What is Degree Works and why is it important for you to reference it often?

Degree Works is “degree audit” software that provides you and your advisor with a clear representation of an individualized path toward graduation. Your degree audit will track courses you have taken, your grades in those courses, any waivers that may be applied to your record, notes that may record items discussed with your advisor, your current overall and program GPA, as well as what coursework is still required in your academic program and core curriculum.

Your degree audit can be accessed through the MCLA Portal Page under the “Students” tab.

How can Degree Works help you stay on track toward graduation?

Degree Works has a number of features designed to minimize the chance of you enrolling in a course that will not fulfill either an academic program requirement or core curriculum – keeping you on track toward graduation. Each academic department has worked carefully to infuse any individualized “double dipping” rules that they may have. This will provide you with a clear understanding of courses within your program that fulfill more than one requirement (major/minor/core curriculum, etc).

Degree Works also has a number of interactive features including:

  • Live data relating to enrollment and registration information. You will be able to see what courses are being offered in the next semester that fulfill a specific requirement, when the course is offered, and how many seats are still available.
  • What If: If you are considering a change in major, or adding a new minor, this feature allows you to run a new audit, taking your current academic coursework and placing it into the new program which will allow you to make a fully informed decision.

  • Future Classes: This feature provides you with the ability to project how planned courses for a future semester will be applied to your audit. Will this planned course fulfill a needed requirement?


Want to learn more about how to use Degree Works?

  • For technical questions about Degree Works, please contact MCLA Techhelp at 413-662-5276
  • For questions regarding student records shown in Degree Works, please contact the Registrar’s Office at 413-662-5216 or registrar@mcla.edu
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