Defining Academic Plans

To set up academic plans, use the Academic Plan Table component (ACADEMIC_PLAN_TBL).

This section provides an overview of academic plans and discusses how to:

  • Describe academic plans.

  • Set up print options.

  • Set up taxonomy.

  • Establish academic organization ownership.

  • (AUS) Set up Australian academic plans.

  • (NZL) Set up New Zealand academic plans.

  • Define academic plans for the advisement self-service what-if scenarios.

  • Identify any additional Common Attribute Framework attributes for the academic plan.

An academic plan is an area of study—such as a major, minor, or specialization—that is within an academic program or within an academic career. A student can earn only one degree for a single academic plan. If the institution offers dual degrees, you must establish separate academic plans for each degree or you must create a combined degree, such as B.A./B.S. You can set up academic plans to award degrees, indicate completion of the academic program, or award intermediate certificates or degrees.

Note: For documentation about the Academic Plan – Research Processing Options page, see Setting Up Research Tracking Options for Academic Plans

Page Name

Definition Name

Navigation

Usage

Academic Plan Table

ACADEMIC_PLAN_TBL

Set Up SACR > Foundation Tables > Academic Structure > Academic Plan Table > Academic Plan Table

Describe academic plans, tie academic plans to an academic program or academic career, specify the degree offered, and provide other details.

Print Options

ACAD_PLAN_PRNT_OPT

Set Up SACR > Foundation Tables > Academic Structure > Academic Plan Table > Print Options

Set up diploma and transcript printing options and text for academic plans.

Taxonomy

ACAD_PLAN_TAXONOMY

Set Up SACR > Foundation Tables > Academic Structure > Academic Plan Table > Taxonomy

Set up academic plan taxonomy, including CIP codes, HEGIS codes, NSC Classification, Field of Study, and SULA information.

Owner

ACAD_PLAN_OWNER

Set Up SACR > Foundation Tables > Academic Structure > Academic Plan Table > Owner

Establish academic organization owners of the academic plan for reporting, analysis, and work distribution purposes.

Acad Plan AUS (academic plan Australia)

SSR_ACAD_PLAN_AUS

Set Up SACR > Foundation Tables > Academic Structure > Academic Plan Table > Acad Plan AUS

Assign DIISRTE codes to academic plans.

Acad Plan NZL (academic plan New Zealand)

SSR_ACAD_PLAN_NZL

Set Up SACR > Foundation Tables > Academic Structure > Academic Plan Table > Acad Plan NZL

Assign New Zealand Ministry of Education (MoE) and New Zealand Vice-Chancellors' Committee (NZVCC) subject codes to the academic plan for government reporting.

Advisement

SSR_PLAN_TBL_AA

Set Up SACR > Foundation Tables > Academic Structure > Academic Plan Table > Advisement

Identify if you want active students, advisors, and pre-matriculated students to be able to select this academic plan on the What-If Report – Create What-if Scenario (SAA_SS_WHATIF) page.

Additional Attributes

ACADEMIC_PLAN_CAF

Set Up SACR > Foundation Tables > Academic Structure > Academic Plan Table > Additional Attributes

Define academic plan Common Attribute Framework (CAF) attribute values.

Note: This page is available only after adding common attributes for the Academic Plan CAF Table attribute record using the CSS_CAF_REC_ATTRIBUTE component.

Student Financial Planning (SFP) Attributes

ACADEMIC_PLAN_SFP

Set Up SACR > Foundation Tables > Academic Structure > Academic Plan Table > SFP Attributes

Define the academic plan attribute values for SFP.

Access the Academic Plan Table page (Set Up SACR > Foundation Tables > Academic Structure > Academic Plan Table > Academic Plan Table).

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Academic Plan Table page. You can find definitions for the fields and controls later on this page.

Academic Plan Table page

Warning! If you modified the academic program or academic career to which an academic plan belongs, you must first deactivate the academic plan by inserting a new row and entering the status of inactive. Then, you must add another new row to tie the academic plan to a different academic program or academic career. This procedure ensures proper functionality of academic plan prompts throughout the system.

Field or Control

Description

Academic Program

Enter the academic program or an academic career to which this academic plan belongs. To require that a student be admitted to a specific academic program before declaring the academic plan, enter an academic program to link to this academic plan.

Academic Career

Enter an academic career to link to the academic plan if you want students in any academic career to be able to declare the academic plan. For example, an institution might enable all undergraduates to declare computer science as a major (academic plan), regardless of whether students are in a liberal arts program or an engineering program.

Academic Plan Type

Select a type for this academic plan, such as Major, Minor, or Concentration. You can modify these translate values.

First Term Valid

Enter the first term in which students can be admitted to the academic plan. You cannot admit students to the academic plan before the term that you specify. If you enter the term 0000, you can admit students to the plan for any term. When you convert data to the PeopleSoft system, be sure that you select a first valid term that is appropriate for the preexisting data for each academic plan. This field is optional.

Note: Students can modify this plan when their admit term is prior to this term as long as the effective date of the modification is greater than or equal to the start date of this term.

Degree Offered

Enter the degree offered for completion of the academic plan. If the institution offers dual degrees, you must establish separate academic plans for each degree or create a combined degree, such as B.A./B.S. The system creates degree records according to the definition of the academic plan. Therefore, if a student graduates with dual degrees and the degrees are the same—such as an English B.A. and a psychology B.A.—the system creates one degree record. However, if a student graduates with dual degrees and the degrees are different—such as an English B.A. and a biology B.S.—the system creates two degree records, one for each degree.

Req Term Default (requirement term default)

Select the default term for which the system begins accumulating requirements for the academic plan. You can override the default value for individual students on the Student Plan page. Modification to these translate values requires significant programming.

Note: Set this default so that, when you analyze completion requirements for an academic plan, you know which set of requirements to use. Requirements can change over time.

Transcript Level

Select a transcript level to determine the types of transcripts on which the system includes the specified data. Values are: Not Print, Official, Unofficial, Stdnt Life (student life), and Degr Prog (degree progress).

Last Prospect Date

Enter the latest date that a plan can be populated for a new prospect record. You cannot assign a plan to a prospect if the system date is greater than the last prospect date.

Last Admit Term

Enter the last term in which students can be admitted to the academic plan. You cannot admit students to the academic plan after the term that you specify. The system will compare the admit term used in the student's application to this last term valid value. If the admit term is greater than this value, then the program is not available to the user. This field is optional.

Evaluate Plan Before Program

Select to alter reporting sequences. This check box is a feature of PeopleSoft Academic Advisement.

Access the Print Options page (Set Up SACR > Foundation Tables > Academic Structure > Academic Plan Table > Print Options).

Field or Control

Description

Diploma

Select to print a description on the diplomas for students who complete the academic plan. The Diploma Description field becomes available.

Transcript

Select to print a description on the transcripts for students with the academic plan. The Transcript Description field becomes available.

Diploma Description

Enter the description of the academic plan. This description appears on the diplomas for students who complete the academic plan. The PeopleSoft system currently does not provide a process to print diplomas.

Transcript Description

Enter the description of the academic plan. This description appears on the transcripts for students with this academic plan. You can override this text when you prepare students' transcripts.

Indent

Enter the number of spaces that you want to indent the related description on the printed document.

Access the Taxonomy page (Set Up SACR > Foundation Tables > Academic Structure > Academic Plan Table > Taxonomy).

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Taxonomy page. You can find definitions for the fields and controls later on this page.

First Professional Degree

Note: For National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) reporting, program level data is sourced from the Academic Plan Table. You must enter a value in the following fields: CIP Code, NSC Classification, Program Length Type, Program Length Value, and SULA Special Program.

See:

Setting Up For NSC Program Level Reporting

Understanding Consolidate Academic Statistics Process Calculations

Producing NSC Extracts

Field or Control

Description

CIP Code (Classification of Institutional Programs code)

Enter the CIP code for this academic plan. CIP codes are delivered with the system as translate values. You can modify CIP codes on the CIP Code Table page.

HEGIS Code (Higher Education General Information Survey code)

Enter the HEGIS code for this academic plan. HEGIS codes are delivered with the system as translate values. You can modify HEGIS codes on the HEGIS Code Table page.

NSC Classification (National Student Clearinghouse Classification)

Enter a NSC Classification. NSC Classification values are delivered with the system as translate values.

The system uses this value to derive a Class/Credential Level for each student in the NSC enrollment extract.

Note: If you enter a value of Bachelor's Degree here, you must also enter a value (for example Sophomore) in the NSC Level Category field on the Academic Level Table page.

See Defining Academic Level and Load Rules.

Field of Study

Enter a field of study for the academic plan.

Report as NSC Program

Select to identify a plan as one that should be reported as a program for NSC reporting purposes. When this check box is selected, all related NSC fields (CIP Code, NSC Classification, Program Length Type/Value, SULA Special Program) must have values.

Program Length Type

Select the unit of time you want to use to define the Program Length: Weeks, Months, or Years.

Program Length Value

Enter the number of weeks, months, or years for the length of the Program.

SULA Special Program (Subsidized Usage Limit Applies special program)

Select a SULA Special Program. Values include:

  • 2-year Bachelor's Degree (two-year bachelor's degree) – A bachelor's degree program that requires an associate degree or the successful completion of at least two years of postsecondary coursework as a prerequisite for admission into the program.

  • Non-Cred Teacher Cert Pgm (non-credential teacher certification program) – A program that does not lead to a degree/certificate at an institution but leads to a State credential required for teaching.

  • Not Applicable – Not applicable.

  • Prep Crsewk Grad Prof Pgm (preparatory coursework graduate program) – Enrollment in preparatory coursework necessary for enrollment in a graduate or professional program.

  • Prep Crsewk Ugrad Program (preparatory coursework undergraduate program) – Enrollment in preparatory coursework necessary for enrollment in an undergraduate or professional program.

  • Selective Admission Assoc Degree (selective admission associate degree) – An associate’s degree program that:

    1. Requires an associate degree or the successful completion of at least two years of postsecondary coursework as a prerequisite for admission.

    2. Admits only a selected number of applicants based on additional competitive criteria which may include entrance exam scores, class rank, grade point average, written essays, or recommendation letters.

    3. Provides the academic qualifications necessary for a profession that requires licensure or certification by the State in which the coursework is offered.

Note: If this field is left blank, and the corresponding field is also blank in on a student’s FA Term record, then the field on the student’s FA Term is populated in the following ways:

1. FA Term Build (online and batch) populates this field as "Not Applicable".

2. The SULA Application Engine Request process populates this field as "Not Applicable".

3. Manual updates to the FA Term > Statistics page auto-populate this field as "Not Applicable".

See Setting Up 150 Percent Direct Subsidized Loan Limit (SULA).

First Professional Degree

If selected, the SAFI element FirstProfessionalDegreeIndicator is true. This field is reserved for SFP integration.

SFP Program Type

Select to identify the COD Credential Level for the SAFI element ProgramType. This field is reserved for SFP integration.

Plan Prospectus

Enter descriptions of the academic plan, such as information about special programs, faculty, and associated societies. You can then create a separate advisement report querying this field and print the report for brochures and other documentation.

Access the Owner page (Set Up SACR > Foundation Tables > Academic Structure > Academic Plan Table > Owner).

Field or Control

Description

Academic Organization (lower)

Enter the academic organization that owns this academic plan. Define academic organization values on the academic organization tree in PeopleSoft Tree Manager. Modify them in the Academic Organization Table component.

Percent Owned

Enter the percentage of the academic plan for which the academic organization is responsible. Ownership of the academic plan can be split between academic organizations, but the total percentage must equal 100.

See PeopleTools: Tree Manager.

Access the Acad Plan AUS page (Set Up SACR > Foundation Tables > Academic Structure > Academic Plan Table > Acad Plan AUS).

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Acad Plan AUS. You can find definitions for the fields and controls later on this page.

Acad Plan AUS page

Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education (DIISRTE) was previously known as DEEWR and before that as DEST.

Field or Control

Description

HEIMS Plan

Select to activate theField of Study Code,Field of Education Code, andDiscipline Group Code fields. Select this check box to designate the plan for DIISRTE reporting. The Course Code field in DIISRTE reporting uses either the student's plan (when marked as a DEST plan) or the student's program. Course Code, element 307, is important for DIISRTE reporting.

HEIMS Fields

Field or Control

Description

Program Name E308

Enter the program name for this academic plan.

Standard Program Duration E596

Enter the standard duration of the course of study.

Specialization Code

Enter a specialization code for this academic plan. The drop-down list contains the Field of Study Classifications you set up.

Field of Study Code

Enter a field of study code for this academic plan. Define field of study codes on the Field of Study Table page.

Note: Field of study codes have been replaced by field of education codes for terms after year 2000. Field of study codes are retained for historical reference.

Field of Education Code

Enter a field of education code for this academic plan. This code is used to derive the DIISRTE reporting element 464 Discipline Group Code. The element can be derived from either the plan or the course offering. Field of Education is defined by the Australian Standard Classification of Education as issued by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Discipline Group Code

Enter a discipline group code for this academic plan. Define discipline group codes on the Discipline Group Code Table page.

Access the Acad Plan NZL page (Set Up SACR > Foundation Tables > Academic Structure > Academic Plan Table > Acad Plan NZL).

Field or Control

Description

Subject Code - NZ MoE (New Zealand Ministry of Education subject codes)

Enter a subject code; codes are defined by the New Zealand Ministry of Education. These codes are used in the Single Data Return Qualifications Completions file. You can create codes in the MoE Subject NZL component.

NZVCC Subject Code (New Zealand Vice-Chancellor's Committee subject codes)

Enter a subject code; codes are used in the University Graduate Destinations Survey. You can create codes in the NZVCC Subject Codes NZL component.

Access the Advisement page (Set Up SACR > Foundation Tables > Academic Structure > Academic Plan Table > Advisement).

You can enable students, advisors, or pre-matriculated students to generate a what-if advisement report. For example, perhaps a student is considering changing his or her major (academic plan) and wants to run an advisement report that evaluates the degree requirements for that “what-if” major. The student wants to evaluate his or her academic progress towards that “what-if” major. The fields on the Advisement page are for use with the What-If Report – Create What-if Scenario self-service page. If you select a check box, the respective user can see this academic plan in the Area of Study field's list of values on the Create What-if Scenario page. This also depends on the academic program value selected. For example, if the plan is attached to a program that is not set to display, then the plan will not display.

For academic plans already defined in your system, the system selects the check boxes by default. If you add a new academic plan, the system clears the check boxes by default.

Field or Control

Description

Show in What-If Advisor

Select to make the academic plan available for selection by the advisors when they define a what-if scenario for a student or pre-matriculated student using the What-If Report – Create What-if Scenario self-service page.

Show in What-If Pre-matriculated Student

Select to make the academic plan available for selection by the pre-matriculated students when they define a what-if scenario using the What-If Report – Create What-if Scenario self-service page.

Show in What-If Student

Select to make the academic plan available for selection by the students when they define a what-if scenario using the What-If Report – Create What-if Scenario self-service page.

Access the Additional Attributes page (Set Up SACR > Foundation Tables > Academic Structure > Academic Plan Table > Additional Attributes).

This is an example of an attribute that can be used on the Additional Attributes page.

Additional Attributes (Academic Plan) page

Use this page to enter and review Common Attribute fields associated with the academic plan.

The Academic Plan Table CAF record (ACAD_PLAN_CAF) is delivered and associated with the Academic Plan Table (ACAD_PLAN_TBL) record.

This page appears only after adding common attributes to the Academic Plan CAF Table attribute record using the record context (CSS_CAF_REC_ATTRIBUTE) component.

Note: On the Record Context page, you must select the Inline Subpage option in the Attribute Display Type group box. The other option, Secondary Page, is not a supported display type for attributes associated with the Academic Plan Table.

See Defining a Common Attribute.

See Associating a Common Attribute to a Record.

Access the SFP Attributes page (Set Up SACR > Foundation Tables > Academic Structure > Academic Plan Table > SFP Attributes).

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the SFP Attributes page

SFP Attributes (Academic Plans) page

Use this page to enter and review SFP Attribute fields associated with the academic plan.

SFP Attributes Fields

Field or Control

Description

Financial Aid Eligible

Select to indicate that students in the academic plan are eligible for financial aid.

Required GPA

This is the program’s GPA that is required of a student in order to pass a component of the SAP evaluation.

Program Measurement Unit

Defines if a program is credit hour or clock hour.

Total Required Units

Defines the number of units required to complete the student's program.

OPEID

COD requires schools to report a student's physical campus of attendance as the Enrollment School Code using the 8 digit OPEID codes assigned to your institution.

Academic Year Unit Measurement

Defines the number of units required to complete the student's program.

Academic Year Units Required

This value determines if the program is a Credit or Clock Hour Program.

Instructional Weeks Required

Represents the Academic Year Definition in terms of instructional weeks required to complete an Academic Year. For Non-Term Programs, will ensure the student meets the minimum number of instructional weeks before completing the academic year. For Term Programs, we rely on the schools setting the academic terms/years to meet the regulatory minimum.

Borrower Based Term Indicator

Select if the terms in the Student Academic and Financial Information (SAFI) message should not be aggregated by the regular Academic Year.

Borrower Based Terms Per Year

Enter the number of terms per Borrower Based Academic Year. If you populate this field, ensure that the Borrower Based Term Indicator check box is selected.

Projected Course Label

If left blank, the default value of Projected Course Enrollment will be used.