U.achieve, Maryland’s degree audit

U.achieve can be used to review an unofficial report of outstanding major-course and general education (Gen-ed) requirements for any major.

While the Degree Audit System is not meant to replace students’ learning and knowing the requirements for their major, Terps are encouraged to review and know BSCI’s Curriculum and the Major’s LEP-Benchmark Requirements.

how-to video tutorials

Visit the University Registrar’s u.achieve Support Page for directions and how-to videos for completing a degree audit.

update for students, faculty, and staff [2/21/17]

Benchmark audits are still in development and should not be used at this time.

STUDENTS: if you believe there is an error with your Biological Sciences degree audit, please contact your Assigned Advisor.

The following courses are still being updated for students:

• Exemptions for the Freshman Seminar requirement for transfer students (there is no need to contact your advisor)

• Students allowed to use PHYS121 and/or PHYS122

• Advanced Studies CORE for students under CORE (not Gen Ed)

reviewing your audit, what you’ll see

Freshman Seminar requirement

This is required for first-semester freshmen who start in the Biological Sciences major. Internal and external transfer students are exempt. The exemption is not reflected immediately on u.achieve audits but will be periodically entered for students. There is no need to contact your advisor.

Upper-level lab totals

U.achieve has a separate check for two applicable upper-level lab courses in the Advanced Program. It is not a requirement to take more labs in addition to labs already taken as part of the Required and Area Courses.

Upper-level lab requirement

Some labs require successful completion of the pre-/co-requisite lecture with a "C-" or better to satisfy a lab requirement. In these cases the lecture and lab are connected by an ampersand "&" in the SELECT FROM line. The lecture is listed before the lab. Currently u.achieve will pull in lecture courses without the lab if the lecture course is a pre-/co-req for a lab to satisfy the requirement. You may choose to use a different lab course or set of courses.

If the unfulfilled "x" symbol appears then u.achieve is indicating that you are not registered for all the courses needed to satisfy a lab requirement. If the "in progress" symbol appears then u.achieve is indicating that you are registered for all the courses needed to satisfy a lab requirement. See the examples below:

Course offerings

Some courses that are no longer offered will appear on u.achieve SELECT FROM lines. See curriculum sheets and the Schedule of Classes on Testudo for the most recent course offerings.

Special Topics and Selected Topics courses

On curriculum sheets there is a separate section for BSCI Special and Selected topics courses (courses that start with BSCI328, BSCI338, BSCI339, or BSCI348). On u.achieve these courses are already programmed into their applicable Advanced Program Area categories for each specialization, so a separate section for these courses is not shown. U.achieve will be periodically updated to reflect the applicability of new Special and Selected topics courses.

Advanced Program Area Courses

General Biology (GENB), Cell Biology and Genetics (CEBG), and Ecology and Evolution (ECEV) specializations have multiple Advanced Program Area Course categories. Some courses (usually 1- or 2-credit lab courses) count towards the credits needed for Area Courses, but they cannot satisfy specific categories within Area Courses by themselves. When these courses are a part of a category multiple SELECT FROM lines will appear. Courses in the SELECT FROM lines that start with "Additional" contain optional courses and will not satisfy the category. See the example below.

Advanced Program Enrichment

U.achieve allows students to take multiple courses to reach three credits. The credit amount for courses may be split to reach exactly three credits.

Students under Gen Ed

The Biological Sciences major fulfills the Fundamental Studies Math (FSMA), Analytic Reasoning (FSAR), Natural Sciences (DSNS), and Natural Sciences Lab (DSNL) requirements. U.achieve selects one way to apply Gen Ed courses to the requirements. If a course can apply to multiple Gen Ed Distributive Studies Areas (e.g. DSNS or DSHS or DSHU or DSSP), there may be more than one way that your Gen Ed courses can be applied. It may be possible to apply your courses in a more efficient manner than how u.achieve displays it. As you complete more Gen Ed courses, the applicability of the courses will be better optimized in u.achieve.

Students under CORE

Advanced Studies CORE courses must be entered manually by an advisor.

Integrated Life Sciences (ILS) Program

For the Biological Sciences major, HLSC courses are hidden by default until you enroll in the courses. They count as follows: HLSC207 satisfies BSCI207, HLSC322 satisfies BSCI222, HLSC374 satisfies BSCI374, and HLSC377 satisfies Enrichment.