Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

about degree evaluations on KnowHopePlus

Ø Why should I create a degree evaluation?

Ø Help! There are so many majors and minors to choose from—how can I decide?

Ø I haven’t declared a major, or I’m thinking about adding a major. How can I see if the courses I’ve taken might apply to the major(s) and minor(s) I’m considering?

Ø The major listed on my program may not be correct. What should I do?

Ø I thought I had declared a major, but my program is listed as “Undeclared.” What should I do?

Ø How can I run a degree evaluation on a possible additional major?

Ø What’s the difference between a “Program” and a “Major?”

Ø The Registrar approved a waiver or substitution for a general education requirement. Is this reflected in my degree evaluation?

Ø Although a course I’ve taken or plan to take does not meet a general education requirement, I’d like to see if I can substitute it. How can I do this?

Ø I’d like to try to make adjustments in my major or minor requirements. How can I do this?

Ø Some parts of the general education requirements and/or the requirements for my major and minor have “OR” and “AND” next to them. What does this mean?

Ø Some parts of my degree evaluation are listed in blue; others in red. What does this mean?

Ø What happens if I withdraw from or fail a class that is included in my degree evaluation?

Ø What is an “Entry Term?” An “Evaluation Term?”

Ø Some programs have BA or BS after their name--does it make a difference which one I choose?

Ø I’m interested in Elementary Education, but that major is not a choice on the program or major menus. What should I do?

Ø I know that general education requirements for the Bachelor of Music (BM) degree and for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree are different than those for the Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS) degrees. Where can I find out about the differences?

Ø Why should I create a degree evaluation?

§ To see what the requirements for major(s), minor(s), and general education are.

§ To see your progress toward meeting general education, major, and minor requirements.

§ To make sure your majors and minors are listed correctly

§ To help you create a four-year plan, so you can complete your program in a timely way.

§ To plan ahead in case you need to take summer courses or need an extra semester to finish your program.

§ To see what would be involved if you decided to have more than one major or wanted to add a minor.

§ To see what your situation would be if you decided on a different major or minor.

§ To take charge of your education.

Ø Help! There are so many majors and minors to choose from—how can I decide?

You could run several degree evaluations—just to see the requirements for each major or minor you’re considering. Print and compare them; then do some investigating. Check with the departments you’re considering for some advice about what majors, minors, and degrees might be appropriate for your goals. Visit Career Services for more direction. Check out the pink pages of your Connections advising handbook for further suggestions.

You’ll notice that most majors and minors include some classes which also meet general education requirements, so if you enroll in these classes, you can postpone for a bit selecting a major.

Ø I haven’t declared a major, or I’m thinking about adding a major. How can I see if the courses I’ve taken might apply to the major(s) and minor(s) I’m considering?

You can create a “What-If-Analysis.” Follow the directions for creating a degree evaluation.

Ø The major listed on my program may not be correct. What should I do?

It’s VERY important that your majors and minors be listed correctly—otherwise your degree evaluation won’t be accurate.

If you plan teacher certification, your major should

o be an approved composite major for elementary education (Fine Arts Composite, or Language Arts Composite, or Science Composite, or Social Studies Composite)

o Special Education (EI or LD

o have “Education” as part of its description—for example, “English—Elementary Educ” or “English—Secondary Educ,” rather than simply “English.”

For some majors (especially in the natural sciences and music), more than one degree is possible. BS or BA? BA or BM? Again, I suggest you run evaluations for each degree to compare requirements and then consult with departments and Career Services.

If your major and minor and degree are not listed correctly, please come to the Registrar’s Office so we can correct your record.

Ø I thought I had declared a major, but my program is listed as “Undeclared.” What should I do?

Did you receive a copy of the Major Declaration Form with notice of the name of your new advisor? If so, come to the Registrar’s Office, so we can correct your record.

If not, be aware that it often takes departments several weeks to send Major Declaration Forms to the Registrar’s Office. Check with your department to make sure they have received the form.

Ø How can I run a degree evaluation on a possible additional major?

Create a “What-If-Analysis.” Check the directions for details.

Ø What’s the difference between a “Program” and a “Major?”

Selecting a “Major” from the pull down menu will let you know the requirements for that major.

Your degree from Hope will involve more than just completing a “Major.” The “Program” you select will indicate all that is required to earn your Hope degree—number of credits, any GPA requirements, general education, etc.

To generate a degree evaluation or a what-if-analysis, you must select both a major and a program from the pull-down menus.

Ø The Registrar approved a waiver or substitution for a general education requirement. Is this reflected in my degree evaluation?

Yes. Any approved waivers or substitutions are listed as “adjustments” in the general education section.

Ø Although a course I’ve taken or plan to take does not meet a general education requirement, I’d like to see if I can substitute it. How can I do this?

Come to the Registrar’s Office and complete a short form. (also available on-line)

You’ll need to provide a rationale and get your advisor’s signature/approval.

Ø I’d like to try to make adjustments in my major or minor requirements. How can I do this?

Consult the chair of your major or minor department. If chairs approve the adjustments, you must complete a short form (which is available on-line). When we receive that form, we will mark your degree evaluation accordingly.

Ø Some parts of the general education requirements and/or the requirements for my major and minor have “OR” and “AND” next to them. What does this mean?

A requirement with an “OR” next to it means that you can complete this requirement in more than one way—for example, (for many majors) the Cultural Diversity requirement in general education may be met with one four-credit CD course OR two, two-credit CD courses.

A requirement with an “AND” next to it means that you must complete all the requirements listed above and below it to complete requirements of general education or major(s) or minor(s). For example, to complete the math and natural science component of general education, you need a Math course or GEMS 100/105 (MA1 or MA2) AND a 4-credit lab course in the Natural Sciences (NSL) AND a total of 10 credits in MA1, MA2, NSL, and NS2 courses.

Ø Some parts of my degree evaluation are listed in blue; others in red. What does this mean?

The requirements you have not taken and are not registered for are listed in RED.

The requirements you have taken, or are taking, or have registered for are listed in BLUE. You can click on the underlined courses to see catalog descriptions.

Ø What happens if I withdraw from or fail a class that is included in my degree evaluation?

Courses you withdraw from or fail will be removed from your degree evaluation; you must pass the class to have it complete a requirement. These classes will appear in the section labeled “Courses Not Used” at the end of the evaluation.

Ø What is an “Entry Term?” An “Evaluation Term?”

“Entry Term” is the academic year during which you were admitted to Hope College. Sometimes, requirements for majors change; entering the term in which you were admitted to Hope is important.

“Evaluation Term” is CURRENT term—the term in which you are creating the evaluation. If you select the CURRENT term, your evaluation will include courses you’ve already taken as well as courses you are taking currently.

Ø Some programs have a BA or a BS after their name--does it make a difference which one I choose?

For some majors in the Natural Science division, a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree or a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree may be earned. General education requirements are the same for each; but a BS degree requires a greater number of credits in natural science courses.

If you’re not sure whether you’ll earn a BS or a BA degree in your natural science major, run a “What-If Analysis” to compare the differences.

Ø I’m interested in Elementary Education, but that major is not a choice on the program or major menus. What should I do?

Students intending to teach at the elementary level will declare a specific major—please check the Education Department website for approved majors and minors and create a “What-If-Analysis” to see how requirements differ.

If you’ve declared a major in Nursing or a Bachelor of Music program (in vocal, instrumental, or education), the correct general education requirements will automatically be listed for your degree when you create your degree evaluation.

If you have NOT declared one of these majors/programs, create a “What-If-Analysis.” When this analysis is run, it will automatically pull up the appropriate general education requirements for the major you’re investigating.

Amazing, isn’t it?