Degrees / Majors

About Degrees (Degree Detail)

A student's degree controls the student's academic major(s) and minor(s). Campus Cafe supports at most three simultaneous majors. Campus Cafe supports recording external degrees, which are those a student earned at another institution in addition to recording the student's internal (your) degrees.

Internal Degrees

Internal degrees are degrees awarded by your institution. “Degree” may include any credential from certificate to doctorate degree or something else. Institutions can define degrees types (see degrees setup documentation).

Auto-Creation

An initial degree row may automatically be created during the admissions application process.

Custom Control ProgramID AD100, Sequence 1, Parameter 3 controls the stage at which the degree row is created. Many schools use a value of Y (applied), which means the student record is visible at this stage for financial aid, etc. The disadvantage of creating the record early is that the data might change (e.g. change of major) and the degree row manually updated. Also, you will end up with more rows in the student finder for students who might not actually enroll.

Only one code is supported. Only the below codes may be used.

Auto-Creation Options

NO: Do not auto insert degree row

Y: Insert row when application set to applied

A: Insert row when application set to accepted

P: Insert row when set to deposited

Reapplicant Degree Creation

When a student reapplies, the same rules apply, but the degree row inserted, based upon the above AD100 Sequence 1: Parameter 3 settings, will NOT be marked as the active degree. Reapplicants' active degree will need to be manually set.

Accessing/Editing Internal Degrees

IMPORTANT: For IPEDS, NSLDS/Clearinghouse and other tracking purposes degree rows should not be deleted, or overwritten when a student changes a degree, withdraws, or comes back for an additional program. The degree row should be historically accurate as to the start term, end term, (or start and end date), program, type of program/degree, level, and other relevant information. Only one row can be marked as current. On any other row, the status should be I (inactive) W (withdrawn), Y (graduated/conferred), C (completed). If you wish to remove the row from appearing on the transcript or degree audit, the degree level can be changed to a level 4.  

To access degrees

1. Navigate to the person
2. Navigate to Person Selected > Degree/Majors
3. Click the pencil icon to the left of the degree to edit (On the degree listing screen, the sequence number indicates the order in which the degree was added. The first degree record will be sequence 0, the second 1, and so on.)

Explanation of fields

Current Degree (RGDEGR/CURRENT_FLAG): Checking this box indicates that this degree is the current degree. The major and entering semester from the current degree record is what will be used in registration programs such as degree audits, transcripts and report programs.

Type (RGDEGR/DEGREE_CODE1): This field contains a code that indicates the type of degree. For example: AS=Associate of Science, BA=Bachelor of Arts, etc. If Campus Café is set to auto create a degree record at point of application, this field will be filled based on the degree specified in the major table.

Level (RGDEGR/DEGREE_LEVEL): This field is a key control field. Among other impacts, when an enrollment is added for a student, that enrollment adopts this level for that enrollment. On the transcript, all level 1 enrollments (e.g. bachelor’s) will be grouped with the level 1 degree. If the student has a second degree row for level 5 (e.g. master’s), then all level 5 enrollments would be grouped with that degree on the transcript. The degree audit is also separated by level. Degree level 4 is reserved to hide enrollments associated with this level on the transcript and degree audit.

Degree Start Date (May Override) (RGDEGR/START_DATE_OVERRIDE): If Custom Control DEGREE_OVR 1-1 is set to Y, then this field will be automatically filled in from the value in the Semester Dates Table associated with this degree row. This date is important to drive reporting. It will not be updated automatically if the entering semester is changed.

Degree End Date (May Override) (RGDEGR/END_DATE_OVERRIDE): If Custom Control DEGREE_OVR 1-1 is set to Y, then this field will be automatically filled in from the value in the Semester Dates Table associated with this degree row. This date is important to drive reporting. It will not be updated automatically if the expected grad semester is changed.

Status (RGDEGR/DEGREE_STATUS): This field indicates the current status of the student. This field should not be confused with the status history table described below. The status history table is used for more specific statuses and dates. For example, a student may go on leave of absence and the current degree row will be marked with a L. a record is entered into status history with the start and end date of the leave. The student returns and the current degree row status is manually changed back to E. This reflects a current status of E while the status history remains as a permanent academic historical record.

Status date (RGDEGR/STATUS_DATE): This field is used to specify the date for a current status. The system will automatically enter the date if the system changes the status or default to today upon a change of status.  Otherwise, the date would typically be changed by the user when a status is changed (e.g. a student withdraws as of a given date. The status is changed to ‘W’ and that date is entered in the status date field. 

General usage notes for status date- If a student graduates, then the status date will typically be the same as the degree granted date.  The degree granted date may be different if the degree is actually granted on a later date. If a student withdraws, the status date will be the actual date of withdrawal.  In some reports, there is an LDA (last date of attendance). This date is derived from the attendance system as the last date that a student attended.  

For non-semester or term based programs where the start date, mid-point date, and end date overrides are used, the end date is typically the expected graduation date and this date may be left alone when a student actually graduates. 

Majors 1, 2, 3 (RGDEGR/MAJOR_CODE): This field contains the major(s) for this degree. If this is the current record, this major is what will be used in registration programs such as degree audits, transcripts, and report programs. This field will be filled in based on the admissions majors during the auto add process.  If the degree row is added at the applied stage, then the admissions applied for majors are used.  If the degree row is added at the accepted stage, then the admissions accepted majors are used. If the degree row is auto added at the applied stage and then the student is accepted into a different program, the major(s) must be manually updated in the degree row.

Major 1 Declared (RGDEGR/MAJOR_DECLARE1): This user-defined field is used to indicate how the major listed in Major1 has been declared. Values are set through STParm RZMJDX.

Minor 1, 2, 3 (RGDEGR/MINOR): This field contains the minor(s) for this degree.  Rules for auto insert same as for majors.

Begin Semester (RGDEGR/ENTERING_SEM): This is the semester that the degree was begun. If this is the current record, this is the entering semester that will be used in registration programs such as degree audits, transcripts, and report programs. This will be defaulted from the admissions entering semester.

Degree Audit Semester (RGDEGR/DEG_AUDIT_SEMESTER): This semester is used to locate the appropriate catalog semester for the student’s degree audit.  If this field is blank, then then entering semester will be used. The degree audit semester may not always be the same as the entering semester, and this field gives the administrator flexibility to assign a catalog semester for the degree audit.  During the degree row creation process, the degree audit semester will default to the entering semester.

Expected Grad Sem (RGDEGR/EXPECTED_GRAD_SEM): This is the expected semester of completion or graduation.  This field is important for NSLDS (Clearinghouse) reporting where the expected graduation semester is a required field.  During automatic creation of the degree row, the expected grad semester will automatically be derived and entered.  

The expected grad semester initial calculation is based on the logic outlined below when adding the Degree Record automatically through the admissions system:  The majors table contains a value for years to complete and part time years to complete.  The semester dates table contains 8 buckets for Expected Grad Sem For Year 1-8 and these are used together to calculate the expected grad sem.

For example , a student is starting in Fall 2018 (201910) and enrolling in a program that takes 4 years to complete. (this is specified in the majors table).   The admissions part time code is blank which means the student is full time.  In the semester dates record for the entering semester, The Expected Grad Sem For Year 4 is 202220 (Spring 2022).   The value 202220 will be placed in the expected grad semester field.

Date Granted (RGDEGR/DEGREE_GRANTED_DATE): This contains the date that the degree was actually granted and appears on the transcript.

Class Of: An information field to associate the student with a graduating class, e.g. Class of 2020. This field is utilized by the alumni module to associate graduates with a class year.

Transcript Footnote Code (RGDEGR/FOOTNOTE_CODE): This drop down is used to specify a pre-built footnote that will appear on the transcript.

Program Accept Date (RGDEGR/PROGRAM_ACCDEPT_DATE): This field is used to specify the date that the student accepts a program/major. 

Use in Alumni (RGDEGR/ALUMNI_DEV_PREF_REC): Not in use.

Student Site (RGDEGR/STUDENT_SITE): This field is used to specify the site or location for a student.  This would typically be used for institutions with multiple sites. The student site is used as a filter in reporting and the finders.  It can also optionally be used to restrict registration by site. Please note that there are other “sites” in the system (example course site, billing site). 

Part Time Code: Enrollment load used by the financial aid module to determine eligibility for federal financial aid.

Enrollment Verification Override (RGDEGR/ENROLLMENT_VERIFICATION_DATE): This field is used for mid-point date.  If Custom Control/MSPARM DEGREE_OVR 1-1 is set to Y, then this field will be automatically filled in from the value in the Semester Dates Table associated with this degree row. The field is generally intended for clock-hour programs and may be searched using the student finder. The field does not affect other areas of the system.

Change Degree Status in Batch

The Student Finder allows the changing of student degree statuses in batch. For example, you can confer a group of students. The changes will apply to the individual's current degree row.

1. Navigate to Filters > Students
2. Use the filters to return the desired population
3. Select the students for which to change degree status
4. Click +Create Alumni
5. Choose For Page or For All
6. In the Degree Status drop down select the new degree status
7. In the Degree Status Date enter the date the status became effective
8. In the Degree Granted Date optionally enter the date the degree was granted (this is typically the ceremonial date)
9. In the Class of optionally enter the class year the students associate with (for example, 2020 for Class of 2020)
10. In the Constit Codes drop downs optionally select how to classify the students in the alumni module
11. Click Submit

Adding/Changing Degree Scenarios 

A student may have multiple internal degree rows. It is important not to delete rows because they are required for keeping a historical record of the student’s academic record and used for government reporting such as changes of program to NSLDS.

Example 1: Student stops one major and starts another

A student stops pursuing one major - Math - and changes to a new major: Journalism.

1. The Math degree row should be marked inactive with a status date equal to the last date of attendance as it relates to the Math major.
2. A new degree row should be created with the new major of Journalism. This should be marked as the current degree.

Example 2: Student graduates

A student completes the requirements for a Math degree that is ready for conferral.

On the Math Degree row:

• Set the Status to Y - Conferred (The C - Completed Status is an optional step before conferral to note the student has completed the requirements but the degree is not yet ready to be officially conferred and placed on the transcript. Both C and Y statuses are included in the NSC Grads Only report.)
• For the Status Date enter the student's last day of attendance as your institution defines it for Title IV purposes or enter the enter the conferral date. The NSC report may be configured to use this date as the graduation (G) status date.
• For the Date Granted enter the conferral date; this date will appear on the transcript. The NSC report may be configured to use this date as the graduation (G) status date.
• In Class Of optionally enter the year the graduation year for which the student identifies. This field is utilized by the alumni module to segregate graduation classes.
• For the End Date Override enter the student's last day of attendance. The NSC report may be configured to use this date as the graduation (G) status date.

Example 3: Current undergraduate applies for a master’s degree

A current undergraduate student yet to graduate applies for a master’s program. An application will not change the student’s degree or add a new degree row for the master's.

1. Add a second degree row manually containing the master’s degree information. Do not mark the degree as current.
2. When the student completes the undergraduate degree, edit the undergraduate degree to set as conferred. Then edit the graduate degree as the current degree.

External Degrees

External degrees are degrees the student earned at another institution. Institutions may optionally record them for reporting and tracking purposes.

External degrees must be defined in Campus Café to be selected. To differentiate external and internal degrees, Campus Café recommends starting all external majors with a standard letter code, e.g. X.

Add external degree

1. Navigate to the person
2. Navigate to Person Selected > Degrees/Majors
3. Uncheck the box next to Add Internal or uncheck for External Deg
4. Click Add
5. At a minimum, choose
   1. Type of degree
   2. Level of the degree
   3. Major
   4. Begin Semester
   5. Expected Grad Sem (which would normally be the semester the student graduated)
   6. Date Granted