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A. Introduction: Degree Works

Ellucian Degree Works™ is a comprehensive academic advising, transfer articulation, and degree audit solution that aligns students, advisors, and institutions to a common goal: helping students graduate on time.

  • A.1. Benefits of using Degree Works:

  • Creation of student audits on demand using worksheets and degree audits.
  • Clear visual indicators showing degree course requirements and progress.
  • Degree progess is accessible on-line for both students and staff.
  • Advising tool.
  • Planning and forcasting tool.
  • Exception tracker.

B. Design: Architectural and Functional

  • B.1. Architecture

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  • B.2. Architecture

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B.3. Functional Process Flow

  • First: Creation of "Scribe" (programming code). Scribe is a DW (Degree Works) language consisting of certain keywords and syntactical rules used to define institutional requirements into the computer. The institutional requirements are entered using a program called Scribe, resulting in a series of requirement blocks. These blocks are then read by the first of the two DW processing engines. The Parser engine validates the requirement blocks, assuring they are lexically and syntactically correct so that they may be properly interpreted by the Auditor engine.

  • Second: The Auditor engine reconciles student academic data from the student information system with the requirement blocks that have benn built by users and then validated by the Parser engine. The Auditor engine actually evaluates the student course data against the appropriate requirement blocks, determining which academic requirements have benn satisfied and which await completion. The audit results are stored in a database for reporting and review by the institutional staff.

  • Third: The Output engine interprets the audit results and produces printed and online audit reports. Online viewing of audit results is accomplished using DW on the web, which may be made available to the Registrar, faculty or students. It is through DW on the web that exceptions and substitutions are entered as well as advisor notes. Security to control "who accesses what" is enforced by DW on the web.