Tech will open a new piece of software to students in the spring that will ease the advisement process. Degree Works is a software system purchased by Tech last year that will allow students to plan out their courses before they meet with their advisors and register for classes.
“We are excited,” ITS coordinator Jerri Winningham said. “I believe this is a powerful piece of software.”
The new software does not eliminate the requirement for students to meet with their advisors before registration. Degree Works is intended to help students better prepare them for when they go to advisement. “I want students to be aware that their advisors have this,” Winningham said. “Degree Works is a tool that will help the faculty advise students.”
Currently, Degree Works has course catalogs for 2011, 2012 and 2013. Students who are using a course catalog from before 2011 will need to use the What-if function on the software.The What-if function of Degree Works also helps students decide on what courses they need to take depending on their major. “The What-if function of Degree Works will especially help students who have not decided what they want to major in,” Winningham said.
In addition to registration, Tech hopes that Degree Works will also help with the graduation process.
“For example, we hope to use Degree Works to write reports to help students substitute classes when they apply for graduation,” Winningham said.
Though Degree Works is not available to students yet, the faculty and staff are learning how to use it this semester. Tech has offered training courses to help them become more familiar with the software before students get access to it. “The process helps faculty learn the ins and outs of Degree Works as well as helping us learn what needs to be fixed,” Winningham said.
Tech purchased Degree Works from Elusian last year.
More information about Degree Works is available at www.tntech.edu/em/degreeworks-faq/#whatif.
