Degree Works was updated on Feb. 4 to make its user interface more user-friendly by introducing collapsible blocks and optimizing it for mobile devices.
The tool, which is located in the online student services platform Wingspan, helps students look at classes taken and those still needed for graduation while also providing an overview of their academic history.
Registrar Gina Jones sent out an email on Feb. 2 announcing the update.
The essence of the tool is not changing, according to Jones. Rather, a change to the look of the tool will make it more accessible, more mobile friendly and easier to understand.
Though the update is only now being implemented at Winthrop, it has been available since last year.
“As with all software, it gets updated from time to time. The company that owns Degree Works, Ellucian, told us two years ago that this was coming, and it was released last year,” Jones said. “Given our challenges surrounding COVID, we decided to wait to implement the changes.”
The Office of Records and Registration will be holding two informational sessions about navigating through the new update, according to Jones’ email. Academic advisors and professors will also be given training on the new updates.
Jones said she can see a clear, visible difference between the old version and new version of Degree Works.
“The new version allows the collapse of the different area blocks for ease of scrolling. It will look a lot better on mobile phones and tablets. Some of the administrative parts are different, and it is not as colorful as the previous version, but that’s just a personal preference,” she said.
Students such as Dominick McCrea, a junior social work major, welcome how mobile friendly the new Degree Works is.
“Before, I was never able to pull up Degree Works on my phone, which was frustrating when needing to view it for something and not having access to a computer,” McCrea said.
Biology major Shantonia Franklin said she wishes this update, or something like it, could have come out sooner.
“The old version used to be so congested with words that it made things confusing at times to read and understand,” she said.
Jones said she wants to push the use of Degree Works after this new update, as not all students utilize the service.
“We’re going to be communicating with students more about the importance of Degree Works, especially leading up to the advising period,” Jones said. “I would hope that students would be interested in making sure they’re on the right path towards their degree.”
