The following information has been provided to help you with troubleshooting issues related to the Degree Works system. If, after reviewing these questions and answers, you need additional information, please contact your departmental advisor or email degreeworkstech@astate.edu with any questions.
Step by Step instructions are available:
Quick Links
About Degree Works >>
Using Degree Audit >>
Graduation >>
Using What If >>
About Degree Works
What is Degree Works?
Degree Works is a web based tool to help students and advisors monitor students' progress toward the completion of their degree or program requirements. The audit helps to track degree or program progress, prepare for course registration, and plan for graduation. With the click of a tab (the ‘What If’ feature), you will also be able to see how your academic requirements might change if you were to change your major.
What is a degree audit?
A Degree Works audit worksheet is a review of past, current and "planned" coursework that provides information on completed and outstanding requirements necessary to complete a degree or program.
When should I look at my degree audit?
- Before you meet with your academic advisor to discuss registration for an upcoming term.
- Before registration, use it to plan your course selection for the term.
- After you register to ensure that the courses you selected applied to your requirements.
- After your grades for each term are posted.
- Before you file for graduation, review your academic record. Contact your advisor if anything shows unmet.
- Any time you make a change to your schedule.
How do I benefit from using Degree Works?
With Degree Works you can:
- Determine what requirements you need to fulfill in order to complete your degree.
- View individual course grades and cumulative grade-point average (GPA).
- Determine which courses you have taken or transferred, and which ones count as electives.
- View transfer credits, waivers, and exemptions applied toward degree requirements.
- See how your coursework could be applied toward another major, minor, certificate or major concentration using the ‘What If’ option.
- Confirm your academic standing.
- Estimate how many semesters it will take you to graduate.
Can I access Degree Works on any computer?
Yes. Degree Works can be accessed through Banner Self Service. Degree Works requires using the A-State Duo Single-Sign On (SSO) sign-in process, which uses your Student email (XXXX@smail.astate.edu) email address and your password.
Is my information confidential?
Yes. Like other processes you use through Banner Self Service, Degree Works is accessed through your secure log in. Remember that your advisor, faculty, and select staff will be able to view the information contained in Degree Works.
Who can access Degree Works?
Currently, Degree Works is available to all degree-seeking students. Advisors, faculty, and select staff will also have access for the purpose of supporting your progress through your academic career.
How current will my information be in Degree Works?
The information in Degree Works is refreshed every night. Any changes made today (e.g., grade changes or classes added/dropped) will be seen in Degree Works tomorrow.
Why isn’t my information up-to-date?
There could be several reasons. One is that Degree Works may not have refreshed since a change was made (the information is refreshed nightly). Second, there could be some paperwork that needs to be completed. For example, if you have completed transfer courses, it is possible that the university has not received an official transcript or the coursework is pending departmental review. Check with your academic advisor if your transcript or audit does not reflect transfer work you have completed.
What do I do if I believe my academic information is incorrect?
You should consult your academic advisor for a review of your audit. If errors are found, your advisor can work with the appropriate office(s) to correct the mistakes.
How can I update information?
You cannot update course information in Degree Works. To change your major/minor/concentration, please work with your academic advisor.
Can I register for classes in Degree Works?
No. Degree Works is a snapshot of courses in-progress, planned, and in academic history. Registration will continue to be handled through Self Service.
Are my grades visible in Degree Works?
Yes. Once grades have been processed they are viewable on your degree audit following the nightly refresh. Courses in-progress are listed with a "REG" grade.
Can I see how many classes I have left to fulfill my requirements?
Yes. Degree Works is laid out in block format displaying degree, general education, major, minor, and concentration requirements information. Look for unchecked boxes to identify requirements that you still need to complete.
What should I do if I have a question about my requirements?
Please contact your academic advisor for assistance.
Can I see a list of all of the classes I’ve taken?
Yes. On the Worksheets tab, click on the ‘Unofficial Transcript’ link at the top for a printable list of both courses taken at A-State and transfer courses that were accepted.
What happened to CAPP?
Beginning fall 2019 Degree Works replaced CAPP as the degree evaluation tool A-State uses to track degree and program progress. Students with bulletin years prior to 2019-2020 will still be able to utilize CAPP.
If I have additional questions about Degree Works, who should I contact?
Please contact your academic advisor for assistance.
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Using Degree Audit
What is a degree audit?
Your degree audit worksheet will display the courses you've completed as well as those for which you are registered. The audit will show you any degree, major, minor, or concentration requirements that are being met by the courses you've taken or that may be met upon satisfactory completion of courses in progress.
How is my degree audit different from a transcript?
Your degree audit is an unofficial document and can be viewed as a tool to provide you with academic information related to your degree progress and help you plan your academic schedule.
How is the degree audit organized?
The audit is divided into blocks. The first block provides student information and is displayed at the top of the audit, followed by requirement blocks. These blocks help students to track the progress towards completing their degree.
What are the different blocks after the requirements?
- Additional Earned Hours is a list of additional courses that count toward your overall hours and GPA. Open electives may appear here.
- Withdrawn, Failed, or Repeated is a list of courses that do not meet academic requirements.
- In-Progress lists courses that you are registered for but have not yet received grades. They could be courses in the past, present or future.
- Not Counted is a list of courses that don’t count toward overall hour or GPA requirements. Many of these are developmental courses.
How does the audit decide where to place courses that I have completed?
The degree audit places each course using a “best fit” scenario. This process will not always be perfect, particularly when multiple possibilities exist. If you have a course that does not appear in the area in which you wanted to use it, your advisor can work with the appropriate office(s) to correct this.
Degree Works placed one of my courses in two different places. Is that okay?
In most cases, yes. Degree Works is programmed to recognize that some courses can fulfill more than one requirement. If you have any concerns, you should contact your advisor.
What does the @ symbol mean?
If the @ sign appears after a course prefix (i.e. PSY @), it means you can take any course with that subject prefix (any course in Psychology). Similarly, 1@, represents anything at the 1000-level. If the @ sign appears with course numbers after it (i.e. @ 1000:4999), this means that you can take a 1000- to 4000- level course from any subject area. A requirement of @ @ is a completely open elective and can be satisfied by any course.
Does Degree Works include my AP credit and transfer work?
Yes, all credit by examination and transfer work that was accepted will be included in Degree Works.
Why isn’t my transfer work meeting a requirement?
There could be two reasons. First, the course did not meet either the minimum number of credits and/or minimum grade requirement for use in your program of study. Second, all requirements have been met and this course is simply not needed. Check with your academic advisor to be sure.
Why isn’t there a check mark next to a requirement I’ve already completed?
Your academic advisor is your primary point of contact. If your advisor determines that your audit is incorrect, they will contact the Registrar’ Office for assistance.
My advisor petitioned to waive/substitute a course. How do I know if my substitution has been approved?
Approved substitutions will appear on your degree audit worksheet. You should contact your advisor to resolve any substitution issues.
If I think my audit is incorrect, who should I contact?
Your academic advisor is your primary point of contact. If your advisor determines that your audit is incorrect, they will contact the Registrar’s Office for assistance.
How do I determine my bulletin year?
The bulletin year for each set of requirements is listed on the top right of the requirement block.
My major is incorrect; who should I contact?
Check with your academic advisor for assistance.
Where can I see my second major or my minor?
Degree Works is designed to show a listing of your majors and minors in the Student View audit. Additionally, each major and minor is broken out into individual requirement blocks within the audit. Students pursuing simultaneous degrees or a second major in a degree will need to click on the Degree drop-down box at the top of the Student View audit in order to view the additional requirements.
Where can I see my audit for my second degree?
You can access your second degree audit by using the Degree drop down menu at the top of the screen.
If I withdraw from a class, will that be reflected in my audit?
Courses from which you have withdrawn (grade of W) will appear in the Withdrawn, Failed, or Repeated block on your audit.
Are in-progress courses used to satisfy requirements?
Yes. When used, in-progress courses are highlighted in blue and marked with a blue tilde symbol. The grade for in-progress courses shows as “REG”.
Why does "Credits Applied" indicate I have more credits than I've actually completed?
Degree Works counts completed and in-progress courses (currently in-progress and future courses you have registered for) in the “Credits Applied” category.
Why are my newly registered courses not appearing in Degree Works?
Degree Works refreshes overnight, so newly registered courses won’t appear until the next day.
I’m thinking of changing my major/minor/concentration. Can I see my courses applied to a different major, minor or other plan?
Yes. The What If function will perform an audit based on the hypothetical major/minor/concentration and will show how your completed, current, and planned coursework meets the requirements of the hypothetical major/minor/concentration.
Can I print a degree audit?
Yes, you can use the "Print" option in your web browser, or click “Create PDF” at the top of the audit then open and print the PDF version of the audit.
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Graduation
If all of the boxes are checked, does that mean I’m graduating?
Not necessarily. If you have applied to graduate, the Registrar’s Office will complete a final audit after all final grades have been submitted to determine if you are eligible to graduate. Missing requirements will be communicated to you by the Registrar’s Office.
Are there requirements for graduation that Degree Works doesn't check?
Yes. The Degree Works audit doesn’t always check for completion of comprehensive exams, or other projects, that some programs require. Students who study abroad must send their official transcripts for courses taken abroad before they can be cleared to graduate, however the audit doesn’t check for those transcripts. And at the graduate level, thesis and dissertation paperwork and progress are not included in the audit.
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Using What If
What is the What If feature?
The What If function allows you to hypothetically change your major, minor, or concentration. The What If audit will show you what coursework is required for the new major, minor, or concentration, what courses you have taken that satisfy requirements, and what courses are still left for you to take.
If I use the What If feature does this mean that I have changed my major?
No. The What If function is for information purposes only. You will see the header What If Audit displayed at the top of the audit whenever an audit is run on a What If scenario.
Can my advisor see my What If scenario?
Since What If scenarios are not stored on Degree Works, your advisor can only see your results if the two of you work through a What If procedure together.
Can I view multiple What If scenarios on the same screen?
Yes. Degree Works will allow you to select more than one major at a time, or to select multiple major(s), minor(s) and concentration(s).
Can I save a What If scenario?
No. What If plans are not saved on Degree Works. You would need to run a new What If scenario next time you log in to see it again.
Can I print a What If scenario?
Yes. If you want to share it with your advisor at a later date, you should print your What If scenario.
If I like what I see in a What If scenario, how do I initiate the changes?
Contact your academic advisor and they will contact the Registrar's Office.
