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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about degree evaluations on KnowHopePlus |
Ø
Why should I
create a degree evaluation?
Ø
What is an
“Entry Term?” An “Evaluation Term?”
Ø
How do I know if a
section (area) is complete?
Ø
There is still a “NO”
under one of my areas, but the top says “MET.”
Am I really done with the area?
Ø
What’s the
difference between a “Program” and a “Major?”
Ø
Some
programs have BA or BS after their name--does it make a difference which one
I
choose?
Ø
The major
listed on my program may not be correct.
What should I do?
Ø
Why do some courses
appear in blue?
Ø
What happens
if I withdraw from or fail a class that is included in my degree evaluation?
Ø
Help! There are so many majors and minors to choose
from—how can I decide?
Ø
I thought I
had declared a major, but my program is listed as “Undeclared.” What should I do?
Ø
I’d like to
try to make adjustments in my major or minor requirements. How can I do this?
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 What is an “Entry Term?” An
“Evaluation Term?”
“Entry Term” is the academic year
during which you started at
“Evaluation Term” is the 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
How do I know if a section (area)
is complete?
At the top of each
section, look for either “MET” or “NOT MET.”
Ø
There is still a “NO” under one of
my areas, but the top says “MET.” Am I
really done with the area?
Yes, as long as the
top of the area says “MET,” you are done with that requirement. If there is a “NO,” that means the
requirement could be met in a variety of ways.
The option you chose completed the requirement, but the other options
will still be listed as “NO.”
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
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
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, Language Arts Composite, Science
Composite or Social Studies Composite)
OR
o
Special Education (EI or LD)
OR
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 BMU? 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
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, the Cultural Diversity requirement in general education may be met
with one 4-credit CD course OR two
2-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 first area of
the degree evaluation (BA/BS General Ed Requirements), you need to complete
Expository Writing I (EW) AND Arts I
(FA1) AND Fine Arts II (FA2) AND Second Language (FL2), etc.
Ø
Why do some courses appear in
blue?
Courses that appear
in blue mean that the course name is a link.
Once you click the link, you’ll see the course’s full name, description
and number of credit hours.
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 moved to the bottom of your degree evaluation, under “Elective
Courses;” you must pass the class to have it complete a requirement.
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 these directions.
Ø
I know that general education
requirements for the Bachelor of Music (BMU) 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?
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.
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 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 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.
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. This form is 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 chairperson of your
major or minor department. If the chair approves
the adjustments, you must complete a short form. This form is also available
on-line. When we receive the form,
we will mark your degree evaluation accordingly.
You’ll need to provide a rationale
and get your advisor’s and the chairperson’s signature/approval.
Ø
My advisor said a substitution in
my major/minor would be okay, but it’s not on my degree evaluation. What should I do?
You still have to
complete the correct paperwork to ensure that your degree evaluation is
accurate. This is what we use to ensure
that you have completed the necessary requirements for graduation; if the
degree evaluation says “NOT MET,” the requirement isn’t complete. If you need to make adjustments to your
major/minor, complete the form.