All the information students need to plan their courses and their progress toward graduation is now available on two easy-to-use, mobile-friendly websites that are updated in real time.

The new online Undergraduate and Graduate Bulletin (bulletin.temple.edu) and enhanced DARS, or degree audit reporting system, (dars.temple.edu) were designed to help students succeed in meeting their degree requirements so that they can graduate on time. Both launched earlier this month.

Interest in graduating in four years is at an all-time high, as shown by registration in Temple’s new Fly in 4 program and the overall desire among college students and their families to limit student-loan debt.

Nearly 90 percent of the class that started this fall signed up for Fly in 4, which gives students the resources to earn their degree on time and therefore reduce debt.

Staying on track toward this goal requires careful management of credit hours, degree requirements and semester-by-semester progress.  

“The tools will help all of our students—freshmen, transfers and upperclassmen—as well as prospective students, easily navigate and plan their academic life at Temple,” said Jodi Levine Laufgraben, vice provost for academic affairs, assessment and institutional research. “Upgrading the technology for the bulletin and degree audit ensures that students can access their academic program information in one easy-to-search, web-based bulletin and then track their progress via DARS.”

The new bulletin site combines both the undergraduate and graduate bulletins, so that undergraduates can start exploring graduate programs without having to go to another website. Students can investigate course descriptions, degree programs and requirements, how to transfer credits and opportunities to study abroad and conduct research. Academic policies and procedures covering, for example, how to declare a major, are also at users’ fingertips on the new site.

Students and advisors will be able to use the new DARS self-service site to request reports on degree requirements, view course history and review transfer-credit evaluations. Users will find that the system is faster and easier to navigate.

The next upgrade of DARS, scheduled for the spring semester, will include an online planner for students to track what courses they need to register for each semester.  

- Eryn Jelesiewicz