Navigating college graduation requirements doesn't have to mean deciphering complex course catalogs or guessing if an elective counts toward your major. Degree Works UNCG is the official degree audit and tracking system provided by the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, designed to map your coursework directly against your specific graduation requirements. By translating university policies into a personalized, block-by-block checklist, it shows you precisely what classes you've completed, what you're taking now, and what you still need to earn your diploma.
Whether you're an incoming freshman planning your four-year trajectory or a transfer student verifying how your previous credits landed, learning how to use this platform saves time and prevents costly enrollment mistakes. Let's break down how to access your audit, interpret its blocks, run "what-if" scenarios for changing majors, and use the "Look Ahead" planner to stay on schedule.
Accessing and Navigating Your Degree Audit
Finding your audit takes just a few clicks through your standard university portal. Log into UNC Greensboro via SpartanCentral or directly through UNCGenie, locate the student services tab, and open the Degree Works link. The system pulls your student record in real-time, matching your declared major, minor, and catalog year against institutional requirements.
Once open, your audit appears as a series of distinct color-coded blocks. Green checkmarks mean requirements are satisfied. Blue tildes indicate classes currently in progress. Red hollow boxes show unmet requirements that you still need to schedule.
- Student View Block: Displays your ID, major, catalog year, academic standing, and faculty advisor's name. Always verify this block first; if your major is incorrect here, your entire audit reflects the wrong program.
- Degree Progress Bar: A high-level visual percentage showing how close you are to completing total institutional credit hours and specific degree milestones.
- General Education Block: Tracks your mandatory liberal arts, foundation, and marker courses (such as Global and Domestic Diversity).
- Major and Minor Blocks: Details specific core classes, electives, and grade-point average minimums required by your academic department.
Using the What-If Scenario Builder
Considering a switch from biology to business, or wondering how adding a minor in communication studies affects your graduation timeline? You don't need to guess or visit an advisor just to explore your options. Degree Works features a built-in What-If scenario builder that lets you test academic changes instantly.
To run a simulation, select the "What-If" tab on the left navigation menu. Choose a hypothetical catalog year, future major, concentration, or minor from the drop-down menus, and click "Process What-If." The system generates a brand-new audit based on your existing course history, showing you:
- Which completed courses already apply to the new major.
- Which classes become electives.
- What additional core requirements you'd need to fulfill.
This tool is invaluable during registration periods when you're weighing whether a late major change will push back your graduation date. You can run multiple scenarios, print or save the results as PDFs, and bring those exact printouts to your next advising appointment.
Planning Future Semesters with the Plan Tab
Registration season brings a rush for open seats, and walking into an advising session without a schedule proposal slows down your progress. The Plan tab in Degree Works lets you build semester-by-semester roadmaps that align directly with your remaining audit requirements.
Instead of writing courses on a notepad, you can drag and drop unmet requirements from your audit directly into future semesters within the Plan builder. Advisors review these proposed plans, approve them, and lock them in so you have a clear roadmap.
- Drag-and-Drop Scheduling: Move unmet courses straight into future term buckets.
- Prerequisite Checking: The planner flags course sequencing issues if you attempt to place an advanced seminar before its foundational prerequisite.
- Advisor Notes and Sign-off: Once your advisor reviews your plan, they mark it as active, giving you a definitive registration guide for upcoming terms.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even with automated systems, student records occasionally require manual human intervention. Knowing what common pitfalls to look out for helps you catch errors before they delay graduation.
Don't assume transfer credits automatically land in the right bucket. If an incoming course from a community college sits under general electives instead of fulfilling a core requirement, it hasn't been mapped correctly by your department. Contact your academic department or the registrar's office to submit a course substitution petition.
Another frequent error involves ignoring attribute codes. UNCG requires specific marker courses for graduation. If you take a course that looks like it covers a marker but isn't coded properly in the system, Degree Works won't check the box. Review your audit after every grade posting period to ensure all completed credits apply where you expect them to.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Degree Works show an unmet requirement for a class I am currently taking?
If you see a red box for a class you are enrolled in this semester, check the term indicator. Courses currently in progress are marked with a blue tilde or wave icon. They only turn into green checkmarks after final grades are officially posted and processed by the registrar at the end of the term.
Who should I contact if my major is listed incorrectly in the student view block?
Your major is pulled directly from the university's central student information system. If it's wrong, you'll need to submit an official major or minor change form through your student portal or visit your academic dean's office to update your official student record.
How do I request a course substitution for my major requirements?
If a class you took doesn't automatically satisfy a major requirement block, schedule a meeting with your academic advisor. They can initiate an official academic petition or substitution form with the registrar's office on your behalf to update how the course applies to your audit.
Can I use Degree Works to calculate my GPA if I repeat a course?
UNCG has specific grade replacement policies for repeated coursework. While Degree Works displays your cumulative GPA, you can use the "GPA Calculator" tab within the system to model how earning specific grades in your upcoming classes will impact your overall or major GPA.
