{"id":396,"date":"2018-10-27T19:59:10","date_gmt":"2018-10-27T19:59:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-esc-educationalplanning\/?post_type=chapter&p=396"},"modified":"2018-12-11T19:18:15","modified_gmt":"2018-12-11T19:18:15","slug":"drafting-your-degree","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-esc-educationalplanning\/chapter\/drafting-your-degree\/","title":{"raw":"Drafting Your Degree Plan","rendered":"Drafting Your Degree Plan"},"content":{"raw":"

Degree Content<\/h2>\r\nAs you draft your degree plan, make sure to address Undergraduate Area of Study Guidelines that identify expected knowledge and skills for degrees in your academic field.\u00a0 You can address knowledge and skills that the guidelines indicate through transfer courses, ESC courses, PLA, and\/or a combination of courses and experience that you write about in your rationale essay. Also make sure to include courses and studies that address any expectations that the workplace will have of individuals who have degrees in your professional area.\u00a0 Address general workplace competencies as well as knowledge and skills specific to your professional focus.\r\n\r\nYou can find more information about all of these expectations in the Academic Expectations and Professional Expectations sections of this textbook.\u00a0 Degree content is key to drafting your degree plan.\r\n\r\nThe rest of this page is devoted to the more \"nuts-and-bolts\" information on degree format, which you will find useful as you draft and complete your degree in DPPlanner.\r\n

Degree Formats<\/h2>\r\nYou may choose between two\u00a0degree formats for the associate or bachelor's degree:\r\n

Two-Column Format with Concentration<\/strong><\/h3>\r\nIn this format, you list each of your courses in one of two columns\u2014the concentration column or the general learning column\u2014for your degree plan.\u00a0 This kind of degree should have a good balance between studies in your concentration and general learning.\u00a0 On the associate degree level, concentration courses are usually foundation courses in an area that interests you such as business, psychology, or human services.\u00a0 Quite often these introductory-level courses provide a foundation for future advanced-level courses.\u00a0 On the bachelor's degree level, concentration courses include both foundation courses and more advanced-level courses that\u00a0broaden and deepen your knowledge in your focus area.\r\n\r\nThe general learning courses in this format\u00a0provide a level of breadth and exposure to the degree.\u00a0 Fulfilling the SUNY general education requirements will usually provide this breadth.\r\n

One-Column Format<\/strong><\/h3>\r\nThis format\u00a0has no concentration and is expected to be broad and include a sampling of studies from the arts and sciences, although some technical and professional studies also may be included.\u00a0 On the associate degree level, one-column degrees are relatively common, as they cover general education and provide a broad spectrum of coursework upon which to build.\u00a0 On the bachelor's degree level, one-column degrees are more rare, but still very viable, as they offer the opportunity to do a degree with a wide range of studies of interest to the student, especially if the student does not need to focus the degree in any particular area.\r\n

Technical Requirements<\/h2>\r\n

Associate Degrees<\/h3>\r\n
    \r\n \t
  1. Your degree plan must be exactly 64 credits.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. SUNY General Education Requirements<\/a>: At least 7 of the 10 knowledge and skill areas must be fulfilled, including Math and Basic Communication. At least 30 credits of your degree plan must be general education. For more information, check the courses that fulfill general education requirements in the online catalog.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. A maximum of 40 advanced-standing credits can be applied to your degree. \"Advanced standing\" credit refers to all potential sources of transfer credit such as credit from previous colleges you attended, exams such as CLEP, and\/or credit\u00a0gained through prior learning assessment.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

    Bachelor's Degrees<\/h3>\r\n
      \r\n \t
    1. Your degree plan must be exactly\u00a0124 credits.<\/li>\r\n \t
    2. At least 45 credits in the degree program must be advanced-level (junior-senior level courses or PLA), with at least 24 of the 45 advanced-level credits in the concentration.<\/li>\r\n \t
    3. SUNY General Education Requirements<\/a>: At least 7 of the 10 knowledge and skill areas must be fulfilled, including Math and Basic Communication. At least 30 credits of your degree plan must be general education. For more information, check the courses that fulfill general education requirements in the online catalog.<\/li>\r\n \t
    4. A maximum of\u00a091 advanced-standing credits can be applied to your degree. \"Advanced standing\" credit refers to all potential sources of transfer credit such as credit from previous colleges you attended, exams such as CLEP, and\/or credit\u00a0gained through prior learning assessment.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

      Additional Information<\/h2>\r\nTo further understand what's expected in\u00a0your degree, read the Student Degree Planning Guide\u00a0<\/a>chapter on Degree Types and Requirements. Make sure you understand the following concepts:\r\n