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Frequently Asked Questions

Who can use Graduation Planner?

All University of Minnesota students on all campuses can use Graduation Planner. However, the tool is designed for, and works best for, undergraduate students.

All adviser(s) of record can view and comment on the plans their students create.

Graduation Planner is not available to students who are pursuing self-designed majors (Areas of Concentration) or Pre-professional program at this time.

Why should I use Graduation Planner?

With Graduation Planner, you can explore the degree requirements for majors and minors, discover what courses you need to take and when you should take them, and make a plan for your academic career. Your adviser will be able to review and comment on your plan, helping you to stay on track and graduate on time. As you make your Graduation Plan, you should work with your adviser to review your plan, make the best course choices, and learn about all of the special requirements in your major.

Who can view the plans I create in Graduation Planner?

Your plans, comments, responses, and notes can be viewed by your adviser. Notes that you mark as private cannot be viewed by your adviser.

I added courses to my plan. Am I registered for them?

No. Graduation Planner is a planning tool—it does not register you for classes! You must register on the Student One Stop during your registration time. You should, however, refer to your plan as you register, and try to register for those classes. If those classes are full when you try to register, you can use Graduation Planner to find other courses that might fulfill the same requirements.

What if I don't know what my major will be? Can I still use Graduation Planner?

Actually, Graduation Planner is a great tool for exploring majors. Start by choosing a major you might be interested in from the "My Choices" list, and make a plan to see what your four years would look like. When you generate the "What do I need?" list, you'll only see what requirements you would still need to complete for that major, and you can fill those into a plan. Then create a new plan with a different major, and see what courses you would take to complete that degree. Now add a minor to your major, and so on.

When you use Graduation Planner for this kind of "What if?" planning, remember that you also need to talk to your adviser and look at the University catalog information for the major you're interested in to see if that major has any admission requirements or prerequisites (such as Elementary or Secondary Education) these may be very important during your early planning. The link to the appropriate pages in the online University catalog will appear in your Graduation Planner toolbox.

Can I use Graduation Planner to declare a major?

No. You must officially declare or apply for your major with your college.

How do I use Graduation Planner to talk with my adviser?

Your adviser can view the plans that you create and make comments on those plans. When your adviser comments on your plan, you will receive an e-mail with a link back to your plan, where his or her comment is posted. You can respond to that comment, and a similar e-mail will automatically be sent back to your adviser. If you'd like to review your plan with your adviser, but you haven't received a comment from him or her, you can always e-mail your adviser or make an advising appointment—just bring a printed plan with you to your appointment.

When should I use Graduation Planner?

You can begin using Graduation Planner after you have been admitted to UMM. The best time to start is before you register for Spring semester and for annual planning in March. You can make a plan and discuss the courses in your plan with your adviser before you register. Together with your adviser, you can talk about how your plan will help you reach your goals and graduate in four years.

I took courses before fall 1999. Why don't they appear in Graduation Planner?

Graduation Planner recognizes when the courses you took before 1999 fulfill degree requirements; those fulfilled requirements are reflected in your "What do I Need?" list and your APAS report.

However, the plan view in Graduation Planner only displays courses taken under the semester system. You'll have to look at your unofficial transcript to see pre-1999 coursework. To access your unofficial transcript, go to the Graduation Planner toolbox and click on "Grades and Transcripts."

Can I trust the information I find in Graduation Planner?

The information in Graduation Planner comes from several central University databases, and it is correct to the best of our knowledge. However, data mistakes do happen, so if you notice anything that seems incorrect, (example: your GPA or the requirements for your major), contact Clare Strand in the Registrar's Office at 320-589-6026 or strandcd@morris.umn.edu . And again, always work with your adviser as you plan for your degree—early adviser input can help ensure that data errors don't end up negatively affecting your degree progress.

There is also some information that Graduation Planner simply doesn't cover, like how and when to apply for or declare your major, class scheduling information, and registration holds. So it's important that you work with your adviser and/or the Registrar's Office, read the applicable web sites and handbooks to make sure you have all of the information you need, file the correct forms, and fulfill all of your degree requirements.

Graduation Planner looks funny, like it's not displaying properly. What can I do?

This is a browser issue. See the answer to the next question.

What Web browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari) should I use with Graduation Planner?

While Graduation Planner works with most Web browsers, a couple of browser and computer configurations might give you some odd display results. To avoid these issues, we recommend that you use Firefox 2 or Internet Explorer 7.

 
 
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