Student Guide
How to Use the Degree Planning System
Last Updated: November 25, 2025
Table of Contents
- Getting Started
- Creating Your Degree Plan
- Adding Courses to Your Plan
- Tracking Your Progress
- Understanding Prerequisites
- Understanding Constraints
- Working with Course Equivalencies
- Saving and Sharing Your Plan
- Working with Your Advisor
- Managing Your Plans
- Tips and Best Practices
- Troubleshooting
Getting Started
What is the Degree Planning System?
The Degree Planning System helps you:
- Create and manage your academic plan
- Track progress toward degree completion
- Check which courses you still need
- See course equivalencies between institutions
- Verify prerequisite requirements
- Share your plan with academic advisors
Accessing the System
- Open your web browser
- Navigate to the system URL (provided by your institution)
- You’ll see the home page with options to create a new plan or access an existing one
Note: You don’t need to create an account - your plans are accessed using unique plan codes.
Creating Your Degree Plan
Step 1: Start a New Plan
- Click “Create New Plan” on the home page
- Fill in the required information:
- Student Name: Your full name
- Program: Select your degree program from the dropdown
- Transfer Institution: Select where you’re transferring from (if applicable)
- Target Institution: Select where you’re transferring to
- Starting Semester: When you plan to start (Fall, Spring, Summer)
- Starting Year: The year you plan to start
- Click “Create Plan”
Step 2: Save Your Plan Code
After creating your plan, you’ll receive a unique 8-character plan code (e.g., ABC12345).
Important: Save this code! You’ll need it to access your plan later.
Ways to save your code:
- Write it down
- Take a screenshot
- Email it to yourself
- Save it in your phone notes
- Bookmark the page
What Your Plan Includes
Once created, your plan shows:
- All degree requirements for your program
- Credit requirements for each category
- Course options for each requirement
- Your progress toward completion
- Remaining requirements
Adding Courses to Your Plan
Method 1: Browse Course Options
- View your plan by entering your plan code
- Click on any requirement in your progress tracker
- Review course options listed for that requirement
- Click “Add to Plan” next to any course
- The course is added to your plan and progress updates automatically
Method 2: Search for Courses
- Click “Add Course” button
- Search by:
- Course code (e.g., “BIOS 101”)
- Course title (e.g., “Introduction to Biology”)
- Department (e.g., “BIOS”)
- Select the course from search results
- Choose which requirement it fulfills
- Click “Add Course” to confirm
Understanding Course Cards
Each course in your plan shows:
- Course Code: e.g., BIOS 101
- Course Title: e.g., Introduction to Biology
- Credits: How many credits the course is worth
- Institution: Where the course is offered
- Status Indicators:
- Green checkmark: Counts toward your requirements
- Orange warning: Has a constraint violation
- Red indicator: Missing prerequisites
Adding Equivalent Courses
If you’re transferring credits:
- Find the equivalent course in the course options
- Look for the institution you attended
- Add the equivalent course to your plan
- The system recognizes equivalencies and counts them toward your degree
Example: If you took “CALC 1” at your previous school and it’s equivalent to “MATH 151” at your target school, adding either course will satisfy the requirement.
Tracking Your Progress
Progress Overview
The main progress tracker shows:
- Color-coded bars for each requirement category
- Percentage complete for each requirement
- Credits completed vs. credits required
- Visual indicators for satisfied vs. unsatisfied requirements
Understanding Progress Bars
Green sections: Requirements you’ve satisfied
Gray sections: Requirements still needed
Numbers on bars: Credits completed / Credits required
Viewing Requirement Details
Click any progress bar to see:
- Course options for that requirement
- Courses you’ve added to your plan
- Constraint status (if applicable)
- Remaining courses needed
- Suggested courses based on prerequisites
Constraint Status
Some requirements have special rules (constraints):
- Credit minimums/maximums: “Need 10-15 credits”
- Course count requirements: “Must take 3-5 courses”
- Level requirements: “Need 2 upper-level courses”
- Attribute requirements: “Need 2 lab courses”
Constraint indicators:
- Green checkmark: Constraint satisfied
- Red warning: Constraint not yet satisfied
- Orange course background: Course violates a constraint
Courses That Violate Constraints
If you add a course that violates a constraint:
- The course appears with an orange background
- A warning icon shows next to the course
- The violation reason is displayed
- Credits don’t count toward the requirement total
You can still keep the course in your plan, but you’ll need to add additional courses that satisfy the constraint.
Understanding Prerequisites
What Are Prerequisites?
Prerequisites are courses you must complete before taking another course.
Example: You must complete Calculus I before taking Calculus II.
Checking Prerequisites
The system automatically checks prerequisites:
- Green indicator: You can take this course
- Red indicator: Missing prerequisites
- Hover or click to see which prerequisites are missing
How Prerequisites Work with Equivalencies
The system recognizes equivalent courses for prerequisites.
Example:
- Target school requires “MATH 151” as a prerequisite
- You completed “CALC 1” at your previous school
- “CALC 1” = “MATH 151” (equivalent)
- Your prerequisite is satisfied
Suggested Next Courses
The system suggests courses you can take based on:
- Prerequisites you’ve already completed
- Courses that fit your remaining requirements
- Constraint requirements (level, credits, etc.)
Understanding Constraints
What Are Constraints?
Constraints are special requirements beyond just completing courses:
Credit Constraints
Example: “Must complete 10-15 credits from biology electives”
The system:
- Tracks total credits from courses in this category
- Shows how many more credits you need
- Warns if you exceed the maximum
Course Count Constraints
Example: “Must take 3-5 courses from this list”
The system:
- Counts how many courses you’ve added
- Shows if you need more courses
- Warns if you exceed the maximum
Level Constraints
Example: “Must take at least 2 courses at 3000-level or higher”
The system:
- Identifies which courses are upper-level
- Counts courses at the required level
- Only suggests courses that meet the level requirement
Course levels:
- 1000-1999: First-year courses
- 2000-2999: Second-year courses
- 3000-3999: Third-year courses (upper-level)
- 4000-4999: Fourth-year courses (upper-level)
Attribute Constraints
Example: “Must take at least 2 courses with labs”
The system:
- Identifies courses with the required attribute
- Counts courses that meet the requirement
- Filters suggestions to show qualifying courses
Working with Course Equivalencies
What Are Equivalencies?
Equivalencies show which courses at different institutions are considered equal.
Example: “BIOS 101” at one school = “BIO 1010” at another school
Viewing Equivalencies
- Search for a course using the search feature
- Click on the course to view details
- See equivalent courses listed for other institutions
Why Equivalencies Matter
- Transfer credits: Courses you’ve taken count toward your new degree
- Flexibility: Take courses at different institutions
- Prerequisites: Equivalent courses satisfy prerequisites
- Planning: See all your options for each requirement
Using Equivalencies in Your Plan
When adding courses:
- Look for courses from your transfer institution
- The system automatically recognizes equivalencies
- Your progress updates correctly even with equivalent courses
Saving and Sharing Your Plan
Your Plan Code
Your 8-character plan code is the key to accessing your plan.
Important:
- Anyone with your plan code can view and edit your plan
- Keep it secure but accessible
- Share it only with your advisor or trusted individuals
Accessing Your Plan
- Go to the system home page
- Click “Access Existing Plan”
- Enter your plan code
- Click “View Plan”
Your plan loads with all your saved courses and progress.
Downloading Your Plan
To save a copy of your plan:
- Open your plan using your plan code
- Click the “Download” button (typically in the top-right corner)
- Choose format:
- PDF: For printing or viewing
- CSV: For importing into spreadsheets
Your download includes:
- All courses in your plan
- Progress summary
- Requirement breakdowns
- Constraint status
Printing Your Plan
- Open your plan
- Click “Download as PDF”
- Open the PDF in your PDF viewer
- Print using your browser’s print function
Working with Your Advisor
Sharing Your Plan with Your Advisor
Method 1: Share Your Plan Code
- Give your advisor your 8-character plan code
- Your advisor can view and edit your plan
- Changes appear in real-time
Method 2: Download and Email
- Download your plan as PDF
- Email the PDF to your advisor
- Discuss during your advising appointment
What Your Advisor Can Do
When your advisor accesses your plan:
- View all your courses and progress
- Add or remove courses
- Make recommendations
- Check for errors or issues
- Verify degree requirements
Advisor Access Duration
- Advisors can access your plan anytime with your plan code
- Sessions last 1 hour before requiring re-authentication
- Your plan is saved permanently
Getting Help from Your Advisor
Schedule an advising appointment to:
- Review your course selections
- Discuss alternative options
- Plan future semesters
- Address constraint violations
- Fix prerequisite issues
Managing Your Plans
Viewing Your Plans
The system shows:
- Current plan: Your active degree plan
- Progress summary: Overall completion percentage
- Semester breakdown: Courses organized by when you plan to take them
Editing Your Plan
Add a course:
- Search or browse for the course
- Select the requirement it fulfills
- Click “Add to Plan”
Remove a course:
- Find the course in your plan
- Click the trash icon or “Remove” button
- Confirm removal
- Progress updates automatically
Move a course:
- Remove the course from its current location
- Add it to a different requirement category
- Or re-add it to the same requirement if needed
Creating Multiple Plans
You can create multiple plans to:
- Compare different degree programs
- Try different course combinations
- Plan for different scenarios
Each plan gets its own unique code.
Plan Versions
Your plan tracks:
- Program version: The degree requirements you’re following
- Semester/Year: When the requirements were active
- Last updated: When you last modified your plan
If degree requirements change, your advisor can help you switch to a newer version.
Tips and Best Practices
Planning Ahead
DO:
- Start planning early
- Add courses for multiple semesters
- Check prerequisites before each semester
- Review your plan with your advisor regularly
- Keep your plan code safe
- Download backups periodically
DON’T:
- Wait until registration to plan
- Ignore prerequisite warnings
- Forget to check constraint requirements
- Lose your plan code
- Make major changes without advisor input
Course Selection Strategy
- Start with required courses - Add core requirements first
- Check prerequisites - Plan courses in the right order
- Meet constraints early - Satisfy level and attribute requirements
- Balance your load - Don’t overload on hard courses
- Consider equivalencies - Look for transfer options
Staying on Track
- Review progress monthly - Check your completion status
- Update after each semester - Mark completed courses
- Plan ahead - Add courses for upcoming semesters
- Meet with advisor - Schedule regular check-ins
- Watch for changes - Degree requirements can be updated
Working with Constraints
- Read warnings carefully - Understand why a course violates constraints
- Plan around constraints - Choose courses that satisfy multiple requirements
- Ask for help - Contact your advisor if constraints are confusing
- Don’t ignore violations - Fix constraint issues before registration
Troubleshooting
Can’t Access My Plan
Problem: Forgot or lost plan code
Solution: Contact your advisor or system administrator to recover your plan code
Problem: Plan code not working
Solution:
- Check for typos (codes are case-sensitive)
- Make sure you’re using all 8 characters
- Try refreshing the page
Courses Not Showing Up
Problem: Can’t find a course in search
Solution:
- Check spelling and course code format
- Try searching by title instead of code
- Contact your advisor if the course should be available
Problem: Course not appearing in requirements
Solution:
- Verify the course is in the system
- Check if it’s marked as an option for your program
- Ask your advisor to add it to the course catalog
Progress Not Updating
Problem: Added course but progress bar hasn’t changed
Solution:
- Refresh the page
- Check if the course has a constraint violation (orange background)
- Verify the course is assigned to the correct requirement
Problem: Completed courses not showing as complete
Solution:
- Make sure courses are added to your plan
- Check that equivalent courses are recognized
- Contact your advisor to verify transfer credits
Prerequisite Issues
Problem: System says I’m missing prerequisites but I’ve taken them
Solution:
- Check if you used an equivalent course code
- Verify the course is in your plan
- Contact your advisor to verify equivalencies
Problem: Can’t find suggested next courses
Solution:
- Make sure all completed courses are in your plan
- Check if prerequisites are properly recognized
- Try refreshing the suggestion list
Constraint Problems
Problem: Course shows orange warning
Solution:
- Click on the requirement to see constraint details
- Read the violation reason
- Add additional courses that satisfy the constraint
- Or remove the violating course and choose a different one
Problem: Constraint says I need more credits but I’ve added courses
Solution:
- Check if any courses have orange warnings (violating courses don’t count)
- Verify courses are in the correct category
- Check if scope restrictions apply (e.g., must be from specific departments)
Download/Print Issues
Problem: PDF won’t download
Solution:
- Check browser pop-up settings
- Try a different browser
- Refresh the page and try again
Problem: Plan looks wrong when printed
Solution:
- Use “Download as PDF” instead of browser print
- Check PDF settings for proper formatting
- Try landscape orientation for wide plans
General Issues
Problem: Page won’t load
Solution:
- Refresh your browser
- Clear browser cache
- Try a different browser
- Check your internet connection
Problem: Changes not saving
Solution:
- Make sure you have a stable internet connection
- Wait for confirmation message after each change
- Refresh and verify changes were saved
- Re-enter your plan code if session expired
Getting Help
Need More Help?
Contact your academic advisor:
- Email or call your advisor directly
- Schedule an appointment for complex issues
- Bring your plan code to advising sessions
System support:
- Contact your institution’s technical support
- Report bugs or technical issues
- Ask about new features
Quick tips:
- Keep your plan code handy when asking for help
- Take screenshots of any errors
- Note which browser you’re using
- Describe what you were trying to do when the issue occurred
Quick Reference
- Plan Code: Your 8-character access code - keep it safe!
- How to Access: Enter plan code on home page
- How to Add Courses: Search or browse, then click “Add to Plan”
- How to Remove Courses: Click trash icon on course card
- How to Share: Give plan code to your advisor
- How to Download: Click download button, choose PDF or CSV
- Session Duration: Plan access lasts 1 hour before requiring re-entry of code
Important Indicators
- Green checkmark: Requirement satisfied
- Red warning: Missing prerequisite or unsatisfied constraint
- Orange background: Course violates a constraint
- Progress bar: Shows completion status for each requirement
- Before your first semester
- When planning each new semester
- If you see constraint violations
- If you’re considering changing majors
- If you have prerequisite questions
- Before registration each term
Last updated: November 25, 2025