Degree Audit FAQ-Faculty/Staff

What is a Degree Audit?

A Degree Audit is a web-based tool that provides an unbiased detailed evaluation of a student’s progress toward degree completion. The Degree Audit outlines program requirements and compares them against a student’s academic history. The audit is not an official certification of the student’s academic record, such as a transcript, but is a planning tool. Loaded with special features, the degree audit can be used as a mechanism by faculty/staff advisors to supplement advising meetings with students, and by students to plan and monitor their academic journey. The Degree Audit becomes a vital tool for academic planning, course selection, and scheduling and should be used in conjunction with regular established advising practices.

Who can use a Degree Audit?

All students will be able to view a Degree Audit. Advisors, faculty, and selected staff will also have access for the purpose of supporting student progress through their academic career.

Why should I use a Degree Audit?

The degree audit can help you and your advisee...

• determine what requirements need to be fulfilled to complete a degree and/or certificate,
• view individual course grades and cumulative grade-point average (GPA),
• determine which courses have been taken or transferred, and which ones count as electives,
• view transfer credits, waivers, and exemptions applied toward degree and/or certificate,
• see how coursework could be applied toward another degree and/or certificate using the “What-If” option, and
• learn the prerequisites and corequisites that exist for some of the courses by clicking on the course numbers.

When should I look at my student's Degree Audit?

You should check your student's Degree Audit frequently and get familiar with the contents. At minimum, you should always review your student's audit...

• before you meet with a student to discuss registration for an upcoming semester,
• during advising when students are asking how certain courses fit into graduation plans,
• when a student would like to map-out a long-term graduation plan, 
• when a student asks about their degree progress,  
• after students register to ensure that the courses they have selected have been applied to the requirements like you thought they would,
• after grades for each semester are posted, and
• any time you make a change to your student's schedule or major.

How should I use the new Degree Audit?

During an advising session, it is highly encouraged to ask your students about what their degree audit says, and to model how to review the requirements that are listed properly. 

If you would like assistance in developing a strategy for using the Degree Audit during an advising session, please reach out to the Office of Academic Advising, the Faculty Director for Academic Advising, the Office of Student Outreach and Support,  or the Office of the Registrar for assistance. 

Where can I find a link to the new Degree Audit?

The new degree audit can be accessed by anyone who has access to the Faculty tab in PioneerWeb. Navigate to PioneerWeb and click on the Faculty tab. Under the "Advising and Registration Tools" area, select "Students on the Quarter System". From here, you will select the "New Degree Audit" option.

The system says I do not have access to the Degree Audit. What do I do?

The Degree Audit does have a time out period of 2 hours. If you get an error that says that you do not have access to the degree audit, log out of PioneerWeb and close out the browser. Log back into PioneerWeb and try to access the degree audit again. If you continue to be denied access, please contact the Office of the Registrar.  

Is the student information confidential?

Yes. Like other processes you use through PioneerWeb, the Degree Audit is accessed through your secure login. Authorized faculty/staff will be able to view the information contained on the audit.

Can a student register for courses from the Degree Audit?

No. Registration (including prerequisite checks) will continue within the student portal registration system. 

Can I change a student major from the Degree Audit?

No. Contact the Office of the Registrar to change your major.

Can I save or print a Degree Audit?

Yes. With the “Save as PDF” button, you can save or print a PDF version of a Degree Audit Worksheet. If printing for a student, please be aware of FERPA regulations.

Who do I contact if I feel like the Degree Audit is incorrect or missing information?

There could be several reasons information may not be correct. One is that the Degree Audit may not have refreshed since a change was made (the information is refreshed nightly). Click the process button to generate a new Audit Worksheet. Second, there could be some paperwork that still needs to be completed. For example, if a student is transferring in courses from another college, it is possible that DU has not received an official transcript or the coursework is pending review. Some additional errors may be as follows:

• Multiple Degree and/or Certificate Declarations.
   Check the drop-down menu under program type if the student has declared more than one degree and/or certificate program.
• Degree and/or Certificate Is Wrong
   If the student has not officially changed the program of study, please complete the appropriate paperwork and submit to the Office of the Registrar. If you have already officially changed the program of study, the Degree Audit will only display your active degree and/or certificate audit. If the change is effective for a future term, the change may not reflect until that term.
• The Requirements for a Degree and/or Certificate Are Wrong.
   The systems was programmed based on the requirements in the DU Bulletin. Look at the catalog term that appears on the degree and/or certificate requirements block of the audit. According to our records, this is the catalog (bulletin) that the student is using to complete the degree and/or certificate requirements. If you believe the student should be using older or newer requirements, contact the Office of the Registrar for assistance.
• Transfer Courses Don't Appear in the Right Place.
  If you are concerned about a transfer course that should be applying in the audit, submit a petition to have the course moved, or contact the Office of the Registrar directly for assistance.
• Classes Are Not Applying in the Right Place.
  Degree Works uses a ‘best fit’ approach for meeting requirements so that classes may apply to different sections as you take more courses. Certain flexible course/track options may pose problems for the auditor. You can submit a petition to have the course moved, or contact the Office of the Registrar directly for assistance. 
• The Student Was Given Permission to Substitute a Course, But It's Not Showing on The Audit.
   Substitutions were not automatically applied into the new system. You may need to submit a petition to have the course moved or contact the degree evaluator assigned to the student for assistance.  

Contact the Office of the Registrar if there is an error that is not listed in this FAQ and you need additional assistance.

When should I submit a petition?

Petitions should be used when there needs to be an adjustment made to the degree audit. 

Make sure you include as much information as possible so the adjustment can be made in a timely manner. 

Petitions can be submitted for a variety of reasons including, but not limited to, substitutions, course waivers and transfer credits. Please check with the Office of the Registrar if you have any questions about what can be submitted through a petition. The petition function can be found in the additional features menu located at the top of the audit. Click on the three dots and select petitions. 

*Please Note: Students do not have the ability to submit petitions. This must be done in consultation with the advisor.  

Can I access a Degree Audit from any computer?

Yes, since the Degree Audits are web-based. Just log into PioneerWeb and click on the Degree Audit link.

What does a subject prefix, followed by two numbers separated by a colon mean?

This is a range for courses. If it appears after a subject prefix (i.e., ENG 1000:2000), it means that you can take any course with that subject prefix that falls between the numbers (any course in English between 1000 and 2000).

What does a subject prefix, followed by two numbers separated by a colon mean?

This is a wildcard for courses. If it appears after a subject prefix (i.e., ENG @), it means that you can take any course with that subject prefix (any course in English regardless of level). If it appears before the course number (i.e., @ 2000), it means that you can take any course header that has a 2000 level course.

What happens to “extra” credits?

“Extra” credits will appear in the “electives” section or under “courses that do not apply” at the bottom of the audit. For example, if your program requires a minimum of three credits in Math and you take a four-credit course, three of the credits will appear under the Math requirements and the additional credit will either appear in electives or under “courses that do not apply” at the end of the audit. Minimum credits may vary with degree type. Check with advisor for more information.