Colleges commonly require students to conduct a degree audit with their academic advisor or the registrar’s office during their academic career to ensure they will meet all their graduation requirements. Unlike an official transcript, which focuses on completed courses and grades, using a degree audit software can provide a report that shows a clear picture of where a student stands in terms of meeting their graduation requirements.
What is degree audit software?
Degree audit software is an online tool that enables students and academic advisors to assess progress toward graduation. It aligns a student’s in-progress and completed course work with the requirements of their degree program.
A degree audit typically contains:
-Major and minor requirements
-General education requirements
-Credits needed to graduate
-How many credits they have currently earned
-Current GPA
-Completed and incomplete courses
-Transfer credits
-Current in progress courses
An essential academic advising tool, degree audits produces an easy way for students and advisors to monitor progress toward degree completion. The program organizes the transcript categorically, identifying which courses have been completed and which remain to fulfill degree requirements .
Degree audits often contains a “what if” option, allowing students to explore changing their major or minor. They can experiment to see how the courses they’ve already taken would be applied toward that new degree and how many more courses and credits would remain. This is a valuable tool to help students evaluate whether to change their major.
When should students perform a degree audit?
The best time to review academic progress with degree audit software is before registering for the next semester’s classes. This will help students when they meet with their adviser to discuss which classes to register for in the upcoming semester.
The benefits of degree audit software:
Performing reviews with a degree audit software will assist students in achieving their goal of graduating on time by:
- Reviewing their progress toward degree completion
- Identifying courses that need to be completed
- Selecting courses that meet degree requirements
- Planning courses to take in future semesters
- Determining a projected graduation date
- Choosing a new major, minor or concentration
- Providing a clear outline of missing requirements
- Saving time by using the what-If scenario
- Easing the process of degree certification
Degree audit software is a powerful tool for both students and advisors, making the degree planning process easier for everyone. Students can stay on track, get the support they need, and graduate on time.
EMPOWER SIS:The Best Degree Audit Software
With EMPOWER’s degree audit software, students can work effectively with their advisors to track and manage their academic progress, all in real-time. Connect with us to see how EMPOWER SIS can help empower advisors and students to clear the path to graduation.