Your application to graduate will trigger the audit process. The following items will be checked, and you will receive an email to your appstate.edu account listing all program of study shortages and reminding you to check DegreeWorks to verify any shortages.
- Are you applying for the degree program and concentration (if applicable) that you are officially enrolled in?
- Do the courses you took and the courses you are currently enrolled in match the approved program of study on file? If not, were there change forms sent to notify us of the changes?
- Does all coursework fall within the seven-year time limit?
- Are there transfer courses to be included in your program, and if so, do those courses meet all of the requirements?
- Are there courses you took before your admit term (i.e., nondegree coursework) to be included in your program, and if so, do those courses meet all of the requirements?
- What other exit requirements are you required to complete, and has the notification been received that you did indeed complete them? These could include:
- Comprehensive Exam
- Proficiency Requirement
- Product of Learning Presentation
- Thesis/Dissertation
- Admission to Candidacy
- Do you have enough hours to graduate in your major? Do you have a 3.0 GPA in your program of study, with fewer than four C-level grades and no U or F grades? Are you registered in the term in which you plan to graduate?
Graduation Shortages Explained
My shortage letter says I am missing...
Admission to Candidacy: Graduate students in programs requiring candidacy must be admitted to candidacy through the submission of the candidacy form or the thesis/dissertation committee approval form to the Graduate Records staff. Your advisor will typically complete this form for you and get the necessary signatures, but it is your responsibility to make sure this was done. Some programs do this at the same time as the program of study; others wait and complete the form later.
Comprehensive Exam: Most programs require a comprehensive examination in the final term of enrollment, either in addition to or instead of thesis, dissertation, and/or product of learning. Your advisor should report the results of your exam to the Graduate Records staff using the comprehensive exam form, but it is your responsibility to make sure this form was submitted.
Course Grades: Most frequently, the grades missing are for classes in which you are currently enrolled. This shortage serves as a reminder that grades need to be posted at the end of this term in order for you to graduate. Note also that any grades of incomplete must be changed to a final grade.
Courses: You are audited for graduation based upon your official Program(s) of Study, as reflected in DegreeWorks. If you took electives different from those you and your advisor originally intended, then a change of program form needs to be filed so that the official record of your specific program requirements (including approved electives) is up to date.
Product of Learning: Programs that lead to teacher licensure require you to complete and publicly present a culminating project in the final term of enrollment. Your advisor should report the results of your product of learning presentation to the Graduate Records staff using the product of learning completion form, but it is your responsibility to make sure this form was submitted.
Proficiency: Some graduate programs require students to demonstrate knowledge in areas such as statistics or a foreign language. If the course that you must take to meet this requirement is not specified in the Graduate Bulletin, then the Graduate Records staff needs to know how you met the requirement. Your advisor can notify the Graduate Records staff about this through the candidacy form or through a separate email or memo, but it is your responsibility to make sure this was done.
Thesis/Dissertation: If your program requires that you complete a thesis or dissertation, this shortage will not be cleared until your final thesis or dissertation has been reviewed and approved by the Graduate School.