Degree Works Frequently Asked Questions
DEGREE WORKS FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: What is Degree Works?
A: A Degree Works audit is an onlineversion of a degree requirements check sheet. It provides a review of past, current, and planned coursework as well as information about completed and outstanding requirements. Audits are organized by blocks. The blocks show what requirements are needed for a specific degree, major, and minor and help you plan in order to fulfill the requirements within each block. Degree Works is not a substitution for consultation with an academic advisor or the college catalog.
Q: Who can use Degree Works?
A: All undergraduate and graduate students who have been admitted since 2010 to Missouri Southern State University can use Degree Works.
Q: Where can I access Degree Works?
A: Degree Works is located in your LioNet account under Student Quick Links > Degree Works.
Q: When should I look at my degree audit?
A: You can view your degree audit anytime, but we recommend that you view your audit several times during a semester. Here are a few times when it may be helpful to view your degree audit:
- At the beginning of each new semester
- Prior to meeting with an advisor
- Prior to registering for courses
- At the end of each semester
- Prior to applying for graduation
- After any changes to major or minor
- After filing a General Academic Petition
- Anytime you wish to check/verify your progress toward graduation
Q: How is Degree Works different from the degree audit program we previously used (CAPP)?
A: Here are a few of the Degree Works features that are not available with CAPP:
•Color Coding: green, red, and blue checkboxes indicate courses that are complete, not complete, and in-progress, making it easy for you and your advisor to quickly see which requirements are still outstanding
•PDF Output: the audit can be saved as a PDF, making the audit easy to save and/or attach to an email
•Term History: this link allows you to view a semester by semester breakdown of the courses you have completed
•Notes: your academic advisor can leave notes for you on your audit which will help you keep track of correspondence and important information
•GPA Calculators:three calculators to help you calculate your semester and overall GPA
Q: What is the Degree Progress Bar?
A: The “Degree Progress Bar” indicates the estimated progress toward degree. This bar indicates the percentage of requirements that are marked complete on the audit, which is determined by calculating the percentage of boxes that are complete. It is a tool for students to estimate overall progress and will move with your progress as you get closer to graduating.
Q: Everything on my degree audit is checked, but the Degree Progress Bar only says that I’m 97% done. What’s wrong?
A: The Degree Progress Bar will not show 100% completion until you finish all of your in-progress courses and earn acceptable grades in them.
Q: Who should I contact if the requirements on Degree Worksdo not match the catalog?
A: Did you troubleshoot to ensure that you are looking at the correct catalog year? Some programs change from year to year. If you find that your catalog requirements/catalog year listed in Degree Works is incorrect, contact your advisor. We strongly believe that this should not be a problem because we have formatted the degree audit directly from the catalog. However, if this should occur you may contact the Office of the Registrar at .
Q: How is my transcript different from my degree audit?
A: The transcript is an official document which displays courses by completed terms. The degree audit includes courses that are required for your degree, courses you are currently enrolled in, and courses which you have already taken. This document is not an official document, but a guide to help you reach your ultimate goal of graduation.
Q: How current will my information be in Degree Works?
A: The information in Degree Works is refreshed each night from the student information system, Banner. As changes are made to your record in Banner (e.g., grade changes, course substitutions/waivers, academic standing, holds added/dropped, or classes dropped/added) you will be able to viewthe updated information in Degree Works the next day.
Q: What does the date in the Last Audit field mean?
A: The Last Audit refers to the last time that an audit was generated for you. This reflects the last time a change (e.g., grade changes, course substitutions/waivers, academic standing, holds added/dropped, or classes dropped/added) was made to your student record in Banner.
Q: How does Degree Works decide where to place courses that I’ve completed?
A: We have programmed information into Degree Works that helps it to determine where to place the courses that you have taken. If there are any courses that you feel are in the wrong place, contact your academic advisor.
Q: Can a single course appear in multiple places?
A: This depends on the program, but in most cases, this is okay. For example, courses taken to fulfill General Education Requirements may also fulfill major or minor requirements. Be sure to look through requirements for your major in the catalog to make sure that this duplicate placement is appropriate, and if you have questions about whether a course can "double count," talk to your advisor.
Q: My transfer work is not showing or is in the incorrect place. Who can correct this?
A: When transfer work is posted to your student account and after the nightly refresh process runs, transfer courses will appear on your audit and fulfill requirements as appropriate. If transfer work does not meet the requirements that you feel it should, please contact your academic advisor.
Q: Are there requirements for graduation that Degree Worksdoesn’t check?
A: While Degree Works has been designed to check almost everything that you must complete to qualify for graduation, there may be additional non-course requirements for your curriculum that must be completed as well. Therefore, you should use Degree Works in conjunction with the course catalog and with any information that your major department provides to ensure that you remain on track for graduation. If you have questions about any additional requirements for your curriculum, you should contact your academic advisor.
Q: Can I file a petition to waive/substitute a course?
A: Yes, your academic advisor can assist you with the process.
Q: How will petitions work with Degree Works?
A: Your petition will be programmed after it is approved by your advisor, department chair, and dean. Once the paperwork is received by the Office of the Registrar, the course you completed will be programmed to fulfill the requirement in question, and, in most cases, an additional notation will appear under it that shows that a petition was approved. Approved petitions will also show on the audit in the “Exceptions” block. You can check the status of petitions that you have filed by checking your degree audit. Petitions normally take about 30 days to route and be processed.
Q: My department gave me permission to take different courses for my major, but that’s not shown. Why?
A: Your advisor needs to submit the necessary petition request before your degree evaluation will be updated.
Q: I’m considering changing to a different major. How can I see what I would need to take?
A: Use “What If” to run a new degree audit with a different major. If you decide that you want to change your major, you would need to officially change your major through your academic department or online at
Q: I have two majors but only one appears on the degree audit. How can I check the requirements for my other major?
A: The degree area next to your name has a drop-down box next to it. Use it to toggle between majorsto view each of them.
Q: What if there is no drop-down box next to my name to access my second major?
A: Verify through LioNet that two majors are indeed declared. If no, declare the major. If yes, contact the Office of the Registrar.
Q: What happens when I repeat a course?
A: If you repeat a course, only the latest course counts towards your degree requirements. The previously taken course will show in the “Insufficient” block. The repeated coursewill not count in the other blocks in your degree audit. Note that repeated courses will not replace prior courses until the end of the semester.
Q: How can I see the course description, section offerings, and available seats for each section of a course for which I need to register?
A: Most should already be hyperlinked to the catalog. Use your mouse to hover over the course that you need to take and click. A new window should pop up with the course description, section offerings, and available seats.
Q: Are previous degree audits saved?
A: No, audits are not saved. You may print the audit or save it as a PDF.
Q: Are previous What-If degree audits saved?
A: What-If degree audits are not saved for students. You may print or save it as a PDF.
Academic advisors have access to view the last three What If audits.
Q: How do I print a degree audit?
A: Click the “Print/Save as PDF” button.
Q. How do I save a degree audit as a PDF?
A: Click the “Print/Save as PDF” button.
Q: What is the “Look Ahead” feature?
A: The “Look Ahead” feature allows you to generate and view an audit containing courses for which you plan to register in the future. Using the “Look Ahead” feature does NOT register you for a course or imply availability of course offerings.
Once you click the “Look Ahead” tab on the left side of the screen, enter the subject code and course number (with a leading zero; ex: 0101) for each anticipated course. Click the “Add Course” button and the selected courses will appear in a list to the right. To remove a course, click the “Remove Course” button at the bottom of the list. Once the list of courses is created, click on the “Process New” button. The “Look Ahead” audit will appear with the course(s) under consideration shown in bright blue text in the block(s) where it applies. The grade will show as “PLAN” and the term as “Planned Term” also appears in bright blue text.
Q: What does the “Additional Courses” block of the audit mean?
A: The “Additional Courses” block displays courses which are not required or used in any of the other blocks. Courses in this block count in the student’s GPA and toward the total hours required for graduation.
Q: What does the “Insufficient” block of the audit mean?
A: The “Insufficient” block will show courses that have been failed,withdrawn, repeated or “NO” grades (not reported). Courses in this block do not count in the student’s GPA or toward the total hours required for graduation.
Q: What does the “In-Progress” block of the audit mean?
A: The “In-Progress” block of the audit shows courses for which you have registered but not completed.
Q: Is it possible to run a degree audit without in-progress courses?
A: Your audit will always show your current information with in-progress courses.
If you run a “What-If” you will be able to uncheck the box which indicates in-progress courses are included and run an audit without these courses.
If you run a “Look Ahead” audit you will also be able to uncheck the box indicating in-progress courses are included but the audit will include the course you are considering for future registration. Using “Look Ahead” will not enroll you in courses.
Q: What is the difference between “In-Progress” and “Preregistered”?
A: In-Progress courses are courses in which you are currently registered but with no grade assigned.
Preregistered courses are courses for which you are registered but are in a future term which has not yet started.
Q: Is it possible to run a degree audit without “Preregistered” courses?
A: Your audit will always show your current information with preregistered courses.
If you run a “What-If “you will be able to uncheck the box which indicates preregistered courses are included and run an audit without these courses.
If you run a “Look Ahead” audit you will also be able to uncheck the box indicating preregistered courses are included but the audit will include the course you are considering for future registration. Using “Look Ahead” will not enroll you in courses.
Q: What does the “Not Counted” block of the audit mean?
A: The “Not Counted” block will show remedial courses. These courses do not count in your GPA or toward the total hours required for graduation.
Q: What does the Exceptions block of the audit mean?
A: This block shows all approved petitions that have been processed for you. You can check the status of approved petitions that you have filed by checking your degree audit.
Q: What does the Notes block of the audit mean?
A: Advisors may use the Notes tab near the top of the audit to add a note to the student’s degree audit. Please be aware that any note added to the student’s degree audit is permanent and viewable to the student, advisors, and all who have the appropriate access to the student’s degree audit. Notes cannot be modified or deleted once saved. They appear at the bottom of the degree audit in a block called Notes after the nightly refresh process has run.
Q: What does the Registration Checklist show me?
A: The Registration Checklisttakes out everything from the audit except any requirements that are still needed. This provides a quick list of what requirements you still need when planning registration for upcoming terms.
Q: What does the Term History link show me?
A: The Term History feature allows students and advisors to view a semester by semester breakdown of courses that have been completed and those that are in progress.
Q: How can I reach my academic advisor?
A: At the top of your audit, click on your advisor’s name to send him or her an email. Advisors may also use this feature to email a student by clicking on the student’s name.
Q: I’m an academic advisor. Why do I see students who have already graduated and students who have not attended for several years?
A: There is currently no process in place to purge records from Degree Works. We may explore implementing a purge process sometime in the future.
Q: Who should I contact if I still have questions?
A: You should first contact your academic advisor. If you still have questions after that meeting, contact the Office of the Registrar. If you have questions about the information you received on your degree audit, please print a copy to bring with you in the event that the issue cannot be duplicated.