Navigating graduation requirements doesn't have to feel like a guessing game. If you're a student at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, your primary digital roadmap is UNCG Degree Works, a web-based degree-tracking tool that organizes your academic history, completed courses, and remaining graduation requirements into a single live dashboard.
Whether you're planning your upcoming semester schedule, checking transfer credits, or testing out a potential major change through the What-If tool, knowing how to interpret your audit saves you from costly registration mistakes. This guide breaks down how to access your report, read your progress blocks, and use built-in tools to stay on track for graduation.
How to Access UNCG Degree Works
Your degree audit is tied directly to your secure student credentials. You don't need a separate account or login; your profile syncs automatically with your student records in Banner.
- Go to the main UNCGenie portal and select the secure login option.
- Log in using your iSpartan email address and password.
- Click on the Student Main Menu tile to open your student dashboard.
- Select Degree Works from the available links to load your interactive audit report.
If your audit fails to load or shows missing data, it's usually because you haven't completed course registration for the current term or your major declaration is still being processed by the Office of the Registrar. Reach out to your assigned academic advisor or email degworks@uncg.edu if technical errors persist. Related insight on this matter has been shared by BBC.
Decoding Your Degree Works Audit Report
When your audit opens, it loads from top to bottom into distinct informational blocks. Each block monitors a specific tier of your undergraduate or graduate program requirements.
Student View and Header Information
At the very top of your report, you'll find your personal summary block. This includes your student ID number, classification, cumulative GPA, primary degree program, catalog year, and your assigned academic advisor. If you see an incorrect advisor listed here, contact your major's department office to update your record in Starfish.
General Education and Core Blocks
Below your header, the system breaks down core university requirements. This includes the UNCG General Education (MAC) requirements, foundational writing and quantitative reasoning courses, and any historical liberal arts prerequisites required by your catalog year. Completed requirements display with a green checkmark and course grades, while unmet requirements show empty red checkboxes indicating what's left to satisfy.
Major, Concentration, and Elective Blocks
Your major block lists every core course, elective tier, and prerequisite needed for your specific degree path. Degree Works scans your transcript in real time, matching earned grades against required course codes. If you've taken a class that counts toward an elective bucket rather than your major, it automatically falls into the general elective section at the bottom of the audit.
Using the What-If Tool for Major Changes
Thinking about switching your major or adding a minor? Don't guess how your credits will transfer over. The What-If tool lets you simulate a program change before making it official with the Students First Office.
- Open Degree Works and click on the What-If tab on the left navigation menu.
- Select your target catalog year, new degree type, and prospective major or concentration.
- Choose any prospective concentrations or minor options you want to test.
- Click Process What-If to generate a simulated audit.
The system will instantly reorganize your current coursework against the new program's requirements, showing you which completed classes carry over as direct equivalents and which ones drop into elective slots. Always review a What-If analysis with your advisor before submitting an official curriculum change request.
Common Audit Discrepancies and How to Fix Them
Sometimes your audit might look incorrect or incomplete. Knowing what causes these discrepancies helps you fix them before registration windows open.
Missing Transfer Credits
If credits from a previous institution or community college haven't populated in your audit, verify that your official transcripts were received and processed by the University Registrar's Office. If courses show up on your unofficial transcript in UNCGenie but fail to map in Degree Works, an advisor may need to submit a departmental exception form.
Catalog Year Mismatches
Your degree requirements are governed by the catalog year in place when you officially declared your major. If you took a leave of absence or changed programs, verify that your catalog year matches your actual entry term. Changing your catalog year requires formal advisor approval and can alter graduation requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find my advisor's name and contact info?
Your assigned advisor's name appears at the top of your Degree Works student view block. You can schedule appointments with them directly through Starfish or email them using your iSpartan account.
Why is a completed course sitting in the elective block?
If a course isn't populating in your major block, it usually means the department requires a specific prerequisite or the course code doesn't directly map to current catalog requirements. Check with your advisor to see if a course substitution exception is necessary.
Do I need my advisor's permission to use Degree Works?
No, Degree Works is available 24/7 for student use. However, you will still need to meet with your advisor prior to registration each semester to receive your required advising code.
Can Degree Works guarantee when I will graduate?
Degree Works provides a live progress tracker, but it's not a formal graduation clearance. Official degree audits and clearance checks are conducted by the Registrar's Office during your final semester.
