FAQ

For Advisors

Information Specific to the Degree Plans

How should I name the plans each semester?

• In the description field of the plan the name of the plan should reflect the term for which it is being modified or created

Ex: if you are advising for Fall 2014 then the plan should be described as Fall 2014, 2014-15 History Major (BS)

• If there is not enough space in the description field, remove the academic year

Ex: Spring 2015, Recreation & Sport Mgt, Recreational Therapy Concentration (BS)

What do I do in case a student is in the honors program?

• Students enrolled in the honors program should have FS SBS, FS LS, FS FPA, FS ESR, and 1 FS UDIE removed from the degree plan.  These should be replaced with the G_H courses, G_H 101, G_H 201, G_H 301, G_H 401.
• Please note: if an advisor has removed the FS courses and replaced them with the G_H courses, the FS courses can still be monitored in the degree audit.
• Advisors can check the Honors box to denote any class that a student is converting to honors.  

What are the differences between “Worksheet” and “Plan”?

• The “Worksheet” tab in MySam displays the students “Degree-Audit”, that is, it is a complete history of what courses the student has finished and what courses the student has left to do in order to complete their degree and graduate.  This information is pulled from Banner and updated nightly. 
• The “Plan” tab in MySam displays what courses the student has planned to take in order to graduate in four years.  This information is inputted by the advisor and is updated at every advisement meeting and before priority registration of each semester.

What is a good strategy for Critical Courses?

• Critical courses are those courses that the department has deemed important and should be taken in the semester they are listed.  When a student does not take a critical course in the semester they are required to, they are deemed “off-track.”
• Advisors should leave critical courses in the semesters they are to be taken while duplicating the missed critical course in the next available semester.  Although this will create two instances of the course, the degree plan is for what the student still needs to take.  Additionally, leaving the critical course in the semester it was supposed to be taken allows for the tracking and reporting of missed critical courses.

How do I handle the addition of Majors and Minors?

• Students who add/drop second majors and minors should have those majors and minors put into their degree plans.  Even though only the first major is covered under the Sycamore Graduation Guarantee, the addition of a second major and/or minors needs to be reflected in the student’s degree plan.  Remember the plan is for what courses the students need to take in order to graduate, this includes second majors and minors.

Selection of Catalog Years:

• Degree templates are based on a Fall-Spring Academic Year and students degree plans should reflect the semester and year in which the student starts.  Some students (especially those prior to 2013) will change the catalog year of their major. In this case, the degree template for the catalog year desired is selected, but the fall in which they started should still be selected.

Ex: A 2012-2013 cohort student changes their catalog year to 2013-2014, the new degree template should have a start date of Fall 2012 selected.

What are the differences between “Save” and “Save As”?

• “Save” button saves the plan and all changes made.  This is the option advisors should use.  
• “Save As” button creates a saved copy of the plan with all changes that were made.

For Students

What is a degree audit?

• MySAM will provide an audit of past, current and “planned” coursework that provides information on completed and outstanding requirements necessary to complete requirements for graduation. The degree audit is available on the Worksheet or Plans tab.

How current is my audit information?

• Information is updated nightly from the student information system. To be certain that your audit information is refreshed, you should always click on the Process New button when you view your degree audit.

What does PSEUDO mean?

• PSEUDO is a placeholder for advisor approved courses/credits. Courses must be applied to the requirement by exception. Example: If a requirement on the audit reads “6 credits is PSEUDO @” – this means any courses totaling the 6 credits can be applied to the requirement. It is not restricted to a specific course subject or course number/level but will still ensure the correct number of credits are applied.

If I am thinking about changing my major, how can I see how the classes I have completed will fit?

• You can run a “What-If” audit, found in the left-side of the Worksheet tab. Add your intended degree, major, college, etc. to the fields requested then click the What If button. The results will show how your completed courses apply and what remains to be taken.

How do I know if I have everything covered for graduation?

• Look at all the boxes in each block of your audit. If there is a green checkmark the requirement is complete. If there is a blue tilde that means the requirement is planned on your degree Plan or is in progress. Remaining red checkboxes indicate that the requirement has not been met. Be sure to verify your progress toward graduation with your advisor. 

My advisor told me that a course I took would be substituted for a requirement.  Why doesn’t this information appear in my audit?

• You should contact your advisor to resolve any substitution issue.

Are courses that I put in my degree plan guaranteed to be offered when they are planned?

• Indiana State University will make every effort to offer courses within the terms they are planned. You need to be aware that some courses may be offered only in the fall or spring semester, so you will need to plan accordingly. Because course offerings are created based upon approved plans, it is very important to have your plan approved and follow it closely. It is also important that you priority register for all of your courses; especially those indicated as critical for a particular term.

Can I make changes to my plan?

• All plans must be altered and approved by your advisor before they become active.

If I change my major, how do I update my plan?

• Academic advisors are available in each college to assist students with creating and updating their 4 year plan of study. You must have a new approved Plan if you change your major or if you add minors or certificates to your program. New students are assigned advisors once they register for classes. To find your advisor, review your audit located on the worksheet tab.