Some rules of the major:

1)  You cannot double-count within the major - you must take 14 separate courses to complete the STSC major.
2) You can only  double-count one course between the major and the sectors.   
3) Department courses are only those on the list of department courses and others cannot be petitioned.
4) You must have at least a C- for any course to count toward the major.  (If you passed with less than a C-, it can only count toward the gen req but not the major)
5) You can have up to three non-College courses in the submajor ( and these do not count as non-College courses for the general requirement).

Worksheets

1) You cannot update your own official worksheet.
Once your worksheet has been made official you cannot make any changes to it, but you may create an unofficial one for your own use.

2) The STSC worksheet requires regular manual override (by the STSC Chair and Associate Director) because the software doesn’t put courses into the exact place where you, the student, want them.  Thus the worksheet may contain temporary errors.  

  • The software program will only put a course into one "bubble" on the worksheet, so if the course is already in a sector or foundation, it takes manual override to place it into the major (and vice versa)
  • The software puts the course into the place most logical to the software; it does not read your mind.
  • If you register for a course, the software puts it onto your worksheet.
  • If you drop a course, the software does not take it off the worksheet (it must be removed manually).
  • New courses or and some concentration courses may show up as a red X until the software database is updated
  • Sometimes approved courses revert to Red Xs when the instructor submits your grade.
  • Worksheets are audited at least twice a year.

3) You cannot double-count a course within the major.  A course might be listed as able to fulfill more than one requirement, but it can only be used to fulfill one requirement; it cannot be used more than once within the major.

4) The website is always more accurate than the worksheet.  The worksheet may be inaccurate because of the aforementioned software issues.  The website is under our control.  If the course is not pre-approved or listed on the website, it is not pre-approved, even if the worksheet software allows it. 

5) Your worksheet and your transcript are two different documents with two different purposes in two different systems.
The transcript is a legal document of the university (think of it as your academic passport).  The worksheet is more like a blackboard record of your courses.  Changes to the worksheet do not change the transcript because they are two different systems.  The STSC major advisors cannot change your transcript but must send that information to a person with access to the transcript system.

 

Common Worksheet Questions

1. I can't update my worksheet.
    
Once your worksheet has been made official you cannot change it (only your advisers can do this.) 

2. I have a "red X" on my worksheet for a course that is supposed to count for the major. 
   
This could mean one of several things.

  • Are you sure the course actually fulfills the requirement? Check the website, which is always more accurate than the worksheet.
  • The course is not yet in the software behind the worksheet page-- this is true of all new courses and of some non-department courses for the concentrations.
  • Software Glitch: The software sometimes over-rides corrections and put Red Xs back in when grades are submitted at the end of the term.
  • Minimum grade: The minimum grade for a course to count for STSC is a C-, BUT the software tags any course below a C as not counting.

3.  There is a red circle with a line through it next to a course that I took and passed. 

  • Minimum grade problem: The minimum grade for a course to count for STSC is a C-, BUT the software tags any course below a C as not counting.
  • Incomplete problem: A red circle with a line through it can indicate an Incomplete that has not been resolved.  Contact the course instructor and your College advisor.

4.  Courses are in the wrong place on my STSC worksheet.

  • The software puts the course into the place most logical to the software; it does not read your mind.
  • STSC major advisors do not always know where courses should go, because the STSC major has much individualization.  You can always send your major advisor a list of what goes where.
  • Manual override is always necessary to make the worksheet correct.

5.  I took a course for the major but it’s not on my STSC worksheet. 

  • Are you sure it counts for the major?
  • If it is not pre-approved for the concentration, have you petitioned the course?
  • It may not be there because it is not in the software, or because the worksheet hasn't been updated yet.

6.  The courses for my major/minor in another department haven't been placed on my worksheet, and my General Requirements are not up to date.

  • For majors and minors from other departments: Please contact the other department or program about your worksheet. 
  • For the General Requirement: Speak with a College adviser.

7.  How do I know if I have enough credits to graduate? Review your STSC worksheet with your major adviser, and go to the College office to go over the general requirement:

  • You need 14 credits for the STSC major
  • You need 20 credits from outside the major: Foundation and Sector requirements, free electives, and courses in any minors.   At least 16 have to be from the College.  A maximum of 4 can be non-College courses.  (Non-College courses in the STSC major do not count toward this total of 4.
  • You must have at least 34 cu to graduate, but you may need more than 34 credits to get all your requirements fulfilled.

8.  What can I double count?

  • You may double-count one course between the major and the sectors.
  • You may double count as many as you want between the major and the foundation, between the foundation and the sectors, and between minors and anything.
  • You may not double-count within the major, because then you won't have 14 cu to graduate. The capstone is a separate course and you may not double count it as an elective because then you won't have 14 c.u. and you will not graduate.