DegreeWorks is a new tool on MyUCA to help students better understand where they are academically and the best route to get their degree. The system is robust and does a good job replacing some of the duties of advisers.
Getting a degree can be complicated, especially for students with special circumstances, such as transfer students, students who are going back to college or students with double majors.
The tools in DegreeWorks can help these students and anyone who needs a visualization of their academic standing.
The program was introduced in March and can be found by going to the “Self-Service” tab and then the “Student and Financial Aid” link on MyUCA.
The program has a large number of tools to help students plan their academic futures, including an easy to use GPA calculator, which can help project students’ future GPAs.
The program also has a tab to see what classes are still needed for students to complete their major or minor.
One of the more unique features of DegreeWorks is the ability to see how many classes students would need if they switched their major or minor.
This effectively tells them how much longer they would be in school if they changed.
This tool is helpful because it allows students to think about the choice carefully in a visual way.
Instead of just talking to an adviser for hours about switching, students can see exactly what they would need if they switched majors.
DegreeWorks is not a perfect system. Some information may be wrong on students’ accounts. If there is information that looks incorrect on the account, students should contact their advisers and get it sorted out. The fault may not be UCA’s, but DegreeWorks can help keep students’ account information straight so they don’t find themselves sorting through a mess when graduation rolls around.
Because of the complex things DegreeWorks can do, it may be difficult for some students to use.
However, at the top of the page, there is a link to frequently asked questions, which acts as a guide to the program and can answer most questions about how to find or do things students may be confused about.
DegreeWorks is not a replacement for an adviser.
It is a guideline to help students stay informed about their academic careers.
Students should use the information in DegreeWorks to help their advisers keep better track of where they are.
The requirements for meeting with advisers has not changed and is still required to register for classes.
DegreeWorks can be a huge help to students who feel overwhelmed by number of classes they have left or who need a more organized way to plan out their classes, but the program will not replace any responsibilities students have for their own education.
Students still need to take the initiative when planning their own futures.
DegreeWorks is a great new addition to the tools available to students that help them succeed academically.
Once the bugs get worked out and advisers get more comfortable using it, DegreeWorks hopefully will become a new standard tool for all advisers.
