User Guide: DegreeWorks Planner

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Audience

This article is intended for Students and Advisors.

 

Key of Symbols and Placeholder Courses

How to Use The Student Educational Planner Tool

Open DegreeWorks

Next to “Worksheets”, Select “Plans”

Building a Planner from a Major Template

If you have already built a plan then in the top right corner, select “New Plan;” If you are going to edit a current plan than make sure you are in the edit view. (Click on the arrow and choose edit.)

OTHERWISE

  • When prompted, click on “Select Template”
    • Templates have catalog years at the end of their description
    • Choose your catalog year, which is located on your degree evaluation worksheet
      • 2018-9999 – is the catalog year starting in the fall 2018 through future terms
      • 2018-2019 – is the catalog year fall 2018 and spring 2019 only
      • 2018-2020 – is the cataog year for fall 2018/spring 2019 and fall 2019/spring 2020 only
  • Scroll through the programs or use the search box to find the template for your major
    • The search is not case sensitive and does not require the full title of the major. For example, searching “theatre” will display all majors with the word theatre in the title.
    • Be sure to use your major as it is listed on your degree, without acronyms
    • If you can’t find your major, try using “Advanced Search” to search by program or school. If the major you are looking for was not found, a template was not created. Go to how to build a blank plan.

  • To select your template, double click on your major, with your catalog year; or click on it once and then click “Open”

 

  • Once you have selected a major, you will be prompted to select a starting term. Choose the term that you first attended Ithaca College.  This is known as when you matriculated.

  • Once you click “OK”, you will see a screen that displays your template student planner. The planner only represents the coursework in the major program you selected, the courses listed are from the major program listed in your catalog. If you have previously taken or register for courses you can edit your plan to fit them into the term you took those courses. You can edit your plan to include concentrations, minors, and electives.
  • On the top of the page, select the box that says “Active”. This will select this plan as your current plan, and allow you to use all the functions.  Only one plan can be active at a time. You are now in the Edit View.

  • Open the first semester by clicking the blue arrow that appears next to the term name. Two sections may appear: “Course Requirement”, and “Choice Requirement”.
    • Course requirements are all the courses that you are expected to take for your major that semester. You will notice a course labeled as ICTP ELEC, this is a placeholder course for your Theme & Perspective ICC electives and needs to be changed to the course you are going to take.
    • Choice requirements are courses such as ICSM, electives, or multi-level classes, this is where you have the option to choose which will work best for you.

  • Now, you can begin editing the planner.
    • If you plan to take courses earlier or later than the template assumes, you can easily move courses from one semester to another by dragging them.
    • If you would like to add a course that is not in your degree, for example a course for your minor, or an elective, you can do this using the "+" function.
      • The "+" button will open a dropdown. If you are adding a course that you need for graduation, make sure you are selecting “Course”, in the “Add Requirement” drop-down.

  • Once you have selected “Course”, a blank course requirement will appear. There are several ways to search and add courses.
    • If you know the four letter subject code and course number, press the magnifying glass and enter the information.
    • If you do not have the course’s information, or it will not appear, select the very small blue arrow on the right side of the screen. This will open a search function for courses you still need and all courses. Within this sidebar, you will find a drop-down arrow for “Courses”. Select this to view and search all courses by subject.
    • When you find the course you need, drag and drop it into the semester.

  • Before you move on to the next semester, make sure you have looked at all of the “Choice Requirements”. At this time, you may want to add “Course Requirements” in their place, and delete the choices if they are not specific courses. You will also need to make sure to check the Critical box for at least one course in each semester to track your success.
     
    • Remember not all coursework in the “Choice Requirement” section may not show up in your audit, sometimes it is just a reminder to choose one, so make sure you address them all in your semester plan.
    • To delete a course or choice, click on it so it is highlighted blue, and then click the "-" in the top right,
      • Be careful not to click “Delete this term”, because it will delete the entire semester. If you accidentally delete a term, you may add it back using the “Add Term” button, a "+" on the top section of the screen.

  • Once you are satisfied with your semester, and all your “choice requirements” have been added as courses, at the bottom of the screen, save your work and move onto the next term.
  • Repeat the process for each term, adding or subtracting any courses you would like.
  • Remember, it is important to make sure all the courses listed on your Degree-Evaluation are fulfilled at some point in your 8 semesters here at IC.
  • Once you have gone through all 8 semesters, you are ready to save and use the Planner’s functions.
    • Select the boxes that say “Active” and “Locked”
    • Click save in the bottom right corner.
      • If there are any blank courses, the program will tell you it is invalid. Delete it using the "-" function, and try to save again.

If you need to get back to the main screen click on View Plan List at the top of the page.

Next you can see your plan in different views. Below are more instructions for the calendar, & audit views.
Make sure you plan is active and locked to use these views with the tracking.

Using the “Calendar” View

  • On the top of the screen, expand the “View” dropdown.

  • Select the “Calendar” Option from this dropdown.
    • Each semester will appear for each year showing if you are “On Track” or if you have any “Warnings” for courses that were not registered for or taken.

Using the “Audit” View

  • On the top of the screen, expand the “View” dropdown.

  • Select the “Audit” Option from this dropdown.
    • Your Degree-Evaluation will appear on the left-hand side, and your planner will appear on the right-hand side.

  • Any courses that you forgot to include in your planner, or courses that are unaccounted for, with appear in Red in the Audit View.
    • If you have any course-waiver substitutions for a requirement, it will not be reflected in the Calendar View of the Audit. You will see a Warning message next to the required course. You should replace the course in your plan with the course you took for the substitution.

  • If there is a course in your planner that you did not take during the semester you entered it in, the right hand side of the Calendar View, will show “Warning,” where it usually shows “On-Track”. You will need to move that course to another semester.

  • Take note of any other unfulfilled requirements. You will need these to graduate with your selected major/minor.
    • You can add them to your planner at any time by clicking the “View” drop-down, and returning to “Edit” mode. Add the missing course(s).
    • Save the changes that you just made.
  • If your planner is accurate, all of your requirements should have green check boxes next to them, or blue squiggles to represent that the course will be taken in the future.
    • The Degree-Evaluation will also say the semester in which you have taken/plan to take the class. (See below)

  • Now, you have a useful tool to help plan your four years and keep track of your progress over time.

How to use the Planner feature from a Blank Plan

  • Open DegreeWorks
  • Next to “Worksheets”, Select “Plans”
  • If you already have a plan, in the top right corner, Select “New plan”

  • If this is your first plan start here. Select “Blank Plan”

  • Create a description for your plan so you will be able to identify it
  • Check the box that says “Active” if this is your first plan, only one plan can be “Active”

  • Click the "+" icon that says “Add Term” when your cursor is hovered over it, in the top right corner.

  • Add the term you want to plan by clicking on the semester title from the drop down list.

Click the "+" icon that says “Add Requirement” when your cursor is hovered over it at the term to add courses.

  • Now, you can begin editing the planner. You are now in the Edit View.
    • The "+" icon will open a dropdown box. If you are adding a course that you need for graduation, make sure you are selecting “Course,” in the “Add Requirement” from the drop-down box.

  • When you add a course you will have a new line in your plan to enter the course.

  • Once you have selected “Course”, a blank course requirement will appear. There are several ways to search and add courses.
    • If you know the four-letter subject code and course number, press the magnifying glass (labeled above) and enter the information.
    • If you do not have the course’s information, or it will not appear, select the very small blue arrow on the right side of the screen (labeled below). This will open a search function. Within this sidebar, you will find a drop-down arrow for “Courses”. Select this to view and search all courses by subject.
      • When you find the course you need, drag and drop it into the semester.

Once you select the course you want drop and drag the course to the term, below shows the course in your plan

If you want to delete a course from your plan click on the course until it is highlighted in blue then select "-" icon in the top right to delete it.

 

Caution:

Be careful not to click “Delete this term”, because it will delete the entire semester. If you accidentally delete a term, you may add it back using the “Add Term”  icon on the top section of the screen.

 

  • To add a “Choice” requirement click on the "+" icon at the term level and choose “Choice”

  • Click the three dots "..." you will see this screen pop up.

  • Click inside the box and enter the subject code and course number of the course. Then click on “Add another option” to add the next course until you are done.

  • When you have completed adding your courses click on “Done” to get back to your term.

 

PRO-TIP:

In each term make sure one course is checked as “Critical” to make sure your semester is tracked successfully

  • Once you are satisfied with your semester, you may move onto the next term.
    • Repeat the process with this term, adding or subtracting any courses you would like.
    • Remember, it is important to make sure all the courses listed on your Degree-Evaluation are fulfilled at some point in your 8 semesters here at IC.
    • It is a good idea to save your work after adding all the courses for each semester.
  • Once you have gone through all 8 semesters, and you have saved it again
    • Make sure you have selected the boxes that say “Active” and “Locked”
      • Only one plan can be “Active” and “Locked” to use the Tracking feature.
      • Click Save in the bottom right corner.

If there are any blank courses, the program will tell you it is invalid. Delete it using the "-" icon, and try to save again.

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