What-If Analysis

You can use the What-If functionality to view your audit for:

Proposing change in major or declaration of a minor or a concentration, and to see how the proposed changes may affect path toward degree completion.
Planning coursework (looking ahead) in your current or proposed curriculum.

NOTE:

What-If for proposed curriculum is only available for undergraduate programs. Graduate programs are not included due to the concern of triple counting courses which would be misleading to the student.
Undergraduate and Graduate students may use the Look Ahead function to plan courses for their current program.
Undergraduate students may also use Look Ahead to plan coursework in a proposed curriculum.

The What-If Analysis tool can be found under the What-If tab to the right of the Academic tab.

Steps for running a What-If analysis:

Click What-If tab in Worksheet

Expand What-If analysis

Determine if planning curriculum change, planning coursework or both for selection criteria

Include in-progress/preregistered coursework or deselect if do not want to include in what-if

Select Criteria

Click process

To run another what-if:

Expand What-If analysis

Prior selection criteria still displays

Reset fields or change selections

What-If – Proposed Curriculum:

To perform a What-if for a proposed curriculum change, the following fields are required and are marked with an * (asterisks symbol): Catalog year, Degree, Major and College. Level will always default to Undergraduate since tool is only available for undergraduates.

As with your Academic audit (student view), the What-If will include any courses you have completed as well as those that are in-progress and/ or preregistered.
To not have in-progress/preregistered classes display in the audit, uncheck one or both of the boxes.

NOTE: If you currently have transfer coursework, it will not appear in the requirements in the What-if Audit since transfer credit is evaluated by the school/college associated with the major/minor and is subject to change upon transfer to a new school/college. Transfer coursework will show in the "Not Counted" section at the bottom of the audit.

Catalog Year

Degree Works will automatically select the catalog year you matriculated to the University. You should confirm with your advisor and/or potential college, what catalog you would follow under a new major or minor.

College/Degree/Major

Please refer to the course catalog for appropriate selection of school/college, degree type and major associated with degree.
Syracuse University - Acalog ACMS™
All schools/colleges are listed on right side of website and once selected, you can click academic offerings which will bring you to all majors/degrees and minors offered by that school/college.

Concentration

All Concentrations will be listed in drop down whether they apply to Major or not. Refer to the catalog when choosing a possible Concentration (sub-plan/track) for the What-If audit.

Minor

To perform a what-if for a proposed Minor, you must select all required fields in addition to the minor. Even though you may want to review a What If for a Minor only, the system still requires a Major to be selected. Your current Major, Degree and College can be selected in these situations. If you fail to select Major you will receive an error message.

Note: If selecting 2 minors, follow step for double majors (additional area of study) but select additional minor in additional area of study.

Double Major

If doing a what-if for a new curriculum with 2 majors or adding a major to your current curriculum first consult academic rules as well as speak to an advisor to ensure if your what-if analysis is a valid option.
In What-If, you must enter the following:

Enter the required fields for the Primary major
- Catalog year
- Degree to be Earned
- Primary Major
- Home College

Example Only:

Expand the Additional areas of study

Click the + (plus) sign and the additional areas will display.

Select 2^nd major
Click Add.

The second major will appear:

Click the Process What-If button to see the audit.

Dual Programs

A single degree program with dual majors requires completion of all degree requirements in both schools/colleges, as well as requirements for a major in each school/college or one dually approved major.
Refer to academic rules regarding dual majors as well as consulting with an academic advisor.
Academic Rules - Syracuse University - Acalog ACMS™
Dual with same degree type for both majors
The following must be selected in Program/Area of Study Catalog year

Degree to be Earned
Dual program code
Primary Major
Home College

In Additional Areas of student, open area and click plus sign

Select Second major and click ADD

Click Process

Dual with 2 degree types:
If a dual program has BA/BS majors, 2 audits must be run to show requirements in both degree types.

The following must be selected in Areas of Study for Degree type to be earned:
Catalog year
Degree to be Earned (e.g., BS/BA majors but BS is earned)
Dual program code
Primary Major
Home College

In Additional Areas of student, open area and click plus sign
Select Second major and secondary degree and click ADD
Click Process
Print/Save audit

For Secondary major/degree audit, select the following:
Catalog year
Secondary degree
Dual Program Code
Secondary Major
Home College
Click Process

Look Ahead

The Look Ahead feature is also included in the What-if tool.

Click "Use current curriculum" if only using Look Ahead for current major

In-progress classes/Preregistered classes can be selected or deselected for what-if audit
If you wish to select a different curriculum, follow the what-if steps for proposed curriculum above.
Enter future classes - course subject and Course number must be entered one at a time

Click Process

In the Look Ahead Analysis, the courses will appear in the audit with PLAN as grade and Planned Term for term.

NOTE: Using the look ahead feature does not register you for courses nor does it put courses in your shopping cart.