Using Advisement Overrides and Course Substitutions

This chapter provides an overview of advisement overrides and course substitutions, lists prerequisites, and discusses how to:

Set up course directives and advisement overrides.
Define course substitutions.

Understanding Advisement Overrides and Course Substitutions

Use advisement overrides and course substitutions to modify existing requirements and make exceptions for a specific student.

Advisement overrides enable you to override any part of a student's degree requirements. Standard requirements can be overridden or an entire program can be configured for a specific student or group of students. Course directives are a type of advisement override. These mandate (or direct) where specific courses will or will not be used to satisfy requirements. For example, you can direct that a course be used toward satisfying a student's major requirements, but not general education requirements. Course directives are a method of course override.

Course substitution enables you to select a course to use in place of the required course. Substitutions can be set up in advance or after course completion. For example, transfer work in the Summer session can be pre-approved, so it is automatically calculated in the Fall session.

There are three ways to make academic advisement exceptions for a student:

Use the Authorize Student Exceptions page to direct where specific courses are to be used to satisfy requirements.

This is the preferred way to create a course substitution.
Change, override, or waive a requirement using the Authorize Student Exceptions page.
Substitute one course for a required course on the Course Substitution page.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, you must set up these items:

Academic course lists.
Academic requirements.
Academic requirement groups.

Setting Up Course Directives and Advisement Overrides

This section provides an overview of course directive and advisement override setup and discusses how to:

Create advisement overrides.
Create override details.

Understanding Course Directive and Advisement Override Setup

Use the Authorize Student Exceptions component to create an advisement override. An advisement override can act to direct a course, change a requirement, override a requirement, or waive a requirement. An established override enables you to override a course, a requirement, a requirement line, or a requirement group. Once you establish an override, it is always available for editing or revising.

When you enter any course directives or override exceptions into the database, the system records the user's ID for security and traceability reasons. This audit trail prints on the degree audit report.

Pages Used to Set Up Course Directives and Overrides

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
Authorize Student Exceptions	AA_OVERRIDE	Academic Advisement, Student Advisement, Authorize Student Exceptions	Create an advisement override.
Exception Detail	AA_RQRMNT_GRP_INFO	Click the Create Exception link on the Authorize Student Exceptions page.	Record the specifics of an advisement override.

Creating Advisement Overrides

Access the Authorize Student Exceptions page.

Note. The system uses overridden data for the degree audit report only. Original data that you recorded in all of the other PeopleSoft Enterprise Campus Solutions pages remains unchanged.

Advisement Override	Displays an automatically assigned sequential number that is unique for each override.
User ID	Displays the ID of the user who created the advisement override.
Effective Date	The latest effective date for this advisement override defines whether or not the advisement override is used. If an advisement override has an effective date prior to the as-of-date value on the Request Detail page of the transcript request, then the override will be in effect. However, if the effective date is later than the as-of-date value, the override will not be in effect and will be ignored. For example, suppose that the effective date is 01/01/2001 and the as-of-date value is 09/19/2000, the system ignores the override.
Description, Short Description and Long Description	Enter descriptions. Use the description and short description field values for documentation purposes only. The long description field value prints on the audit report.

Override Details

Academic Institution	Select the academic institution that is affected by this advisement override. Each advisement override is associated with one academic institution only. A value in this field is required.
Academic Career	Enter the academic career that contains the course, requirement line, requirement, or requirement group that is the subject of the override. A value in this field is required.

Note. Academic Program, Academic Plan, and Academic Sub-Plan fields can be blank as long as the subject of the override exists at the career level or higher.

Academic Program	Enter the academic program whose requirement groups (which contain the requirement, requirement line, and courses) are the subject of the override. A value in this field is optional.
Academic Plan	Enter the academic plan whose requirement groups (which contain the requirement, requirement line, and courses) are the subject of the override. A value in this field is optional.
Academic Sub-Plan	Enter the academic sub-plan whose requirement groups (which contain the requirement, requirement line, and courses) are the subject of the override. A value in this field is optional.
Selection Code	Select the selection code that determines who or what the override affects. Values are: Primary Academic Plan: Indicates that the override applies to all of the students in the specified primary plan. Academic Program: Indicates that the override applies to all of the students in the specified program. Student Group: Indicates that the override applies to all of the students in the specified student group. Student: Indicates that the override applies to a single student.
Selection Data	Enter the field value that is appropriate for the selection code. Values are based on the selection code field value that you entered. For example, suppose that you selected Student Group as the selection code. Then the only values available in the Selection Data field are student groups. If you select Studentas the selection code, then only the student's ID can be entered in the Selection Data field.
Operation Code	Select the operation code that indicates the type of advisement override. Values are: Course Directive: Indicates that the override directs where you can use a specific course to satisfy a requirement. For example, you can direct a course to satisfy a major requirement, not a general education requirement. Requirement Change: Indicates that the override acts as a change to a specific requirement. Requirement Override: Indicates that you can override a specific requirement with a student individualized plan requirement. Requirement Waiver: Indicates that the override waives a specific existing requirement. Note. If the Operation Code field value is Course Directive, then the Level field is not applicable. Course directives can only be accomplished at the requirement line level.
Level	Enter the field value that indicates the level at which the operation code works. If the operation code is Requirement Change or Requirement Waiver, then the Level field values include LN, RG, and RQ. If the operation code is Requirement Override, then the Level field values include RG and RQ. LN indicates that the operation code works at the requirement line level. RG indicates that the operation code works at the requirement group level. RQ indicates that the operation code works at the requirement level.
Create Exception	Click to access the Exception Detail page, where you can record the specifics of an advisement override.

Creating Override Details

Access the Exception Detail page.

Enter those specific items that you want to override and change. Based on the information entered on the Authorize Student Exceptions page, only relevant fields appear on this page. For example, if on the Authorize Student Exceptions page you select the operation code Requirement Waiver and enter a level of LN (requirement line), then you must enter a requirement group, academic requirement, and requirement line. In other words, you must tell the system what requirement line you want to change.

In addition, the system filters prompt values based on the information that you entered on the Authorize Student Exceptions page. For example, on the Authorize Student Exceptions page you enter values for academic institution, academic career, academic program, and academic plan, you prompt only on those requirement groups defined at the academic plan level. That is, you prompt only on requirement groups whose academic structure matches that entered on the Authorize Student Exceptions page.

Directed Courses To

There may not be any fields in this group box, depending on the information that you entered on previous pages.

When you select the Course Directive operation code on the Authorize Student Exceptions page, the system displays a number of fields in this group box.

Directed Courses

Directive Type	Select the directive type. Values are: Substitute: Select to replace one course for another. Exclude: Select to exclude courses from being used in the degree audit. The information that you enter on the Exception Detail dictates what courses are excluded.
Course Source	Select the value that represents the courses from which to select for the substitution. Values are: Offerings: Indicates all courses for the institution. From the institutions offerings, you can then select a specific course ID, subject, catalog number, and course offering. This is the default value. When the selection code on the Authorize Student Exceptions page is Primary Academic Plan, Academic Program, or Student Group, Offering is the only available course source. Enrollment, Other Credit, Test Credit, Transfer: Indicate that the courses from which to choose are based on the student's transcript. They are courses in which the student enrolled, or posted to a transfer, test, or other credit model. These four options are only available when the selection code on the Authorize Student Exceptions page is Student.
Search	Click to access the Student Course Directive Search page, where you enter or a subject area. (If you do not know the subject area, you can use the prompt to look up the subject area.) Click the button again to access the Course Selection page, where you can select from among the courses listed. Using the search feature, you can find and select a particular course ID, offering number, class number, and section number for regularly enrolled courses, and model, group and sequence number for transfer, test, and other credit. Unit earned, grades, and requirement designations values are also noted on the search record. Note. When the course source is Offerings, you must enter a subject area prior to clicking the Search button on the Student Course Directive Search page. However, when the course source is another value, you do not need to enter a subject area. Simply click on Search button and the system returns a list of courses from the student's enrollment or transfer records.
Term	Enter a term value to indicate that the directive applies only when the student takes the course in the specified term. This field is only available when the course source is Offerings.
Directed Units	Enter the number of units you want used in the audit. A value in this field is optional.
Directed Courses	Enter the number of courses you want used in the audit. A value in this field is optional.
Course Topic ID	Enter a course topic ID to further define a specific course to be used in the exception. When the course source is Offerings, you can enter a value in this field to ensure that the directive will apply only if the student takes the course with this topic ID. This field is unavailable when the course source is Othr Cred, Test Cred, or Transfer. A value in this field is optional.

Example

To waive a requirement line that exists at the plan (PSYCH) level for a particular student:

Enter PSUNVas the academic institution, UGRDas the academic career, LAU as the academic program, and PSYCH as the academic plan.
Enter Student as the selection code and enter (AA0015) as the student's ID in the Selection Data field.
Enter Requirement Waiver as the operation code.
Enter LN in the Level field.

Defining Course Substitutions

This section provides an overview of course substitutions and discusses how to set up course substitutions.

Understanding Course Substitutions

Course substitution is one type of student-specific exception. Each course substitution is student-specific and defined with that student in mind. Substitutions affect a student's career. Each career can contain course substitutions. A student with multiple careers can have multiple course substitutions that are relevant to a specific career.

Note. Course substitution does not apply across careers. When you create a course substitution where the original course and the substituted course are from different careers, the substitution is not effective. To make the substitution, the course must first be transferred into the target career and then substituted.

You can substitute any course for any other course, whether or not it appears on a student's transcript. An advisor can substitute a course that the student completes in some future term. If the student never takes the course, the substitution is not processed.

Once a course has been identified as a substitute for another course, its former identity no longer exists. The course substitution process literally changes the course identity to that of a new course.

Note. When you run a degree audit report, the original course appears with a note indicating the course that you selected was substituted for the required course. The selected course is treated for advisement purposes as if it were the original required course.

Warning! Course substitution does not work when applying a what-if course list scenario.

Page Used to Define Course Substitutions

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
Course Substitution	STDNT_CRS_SUBS	Academic Advisement, Student Advisement, Create Course Substitution	Substitute one course for another course.

Setting Up Course Substitutions

Access the Course Substitution page.

Academic Career

Displays the student's academic career.

Student Career Nbr (student career number)

Displays a sequentially assigned number that indicates each student's career. The value appears automatically from the Student Program page. This number indicates which career is affected by the substitution.

Substitution Seq (substitution sequence)

Enter the sequence number. This number tracks this course substitution. The number is a sequential number that is automatically assigned by the system. The user can override this number, but it is not recommended. Each substitution sequence number reflects one course substitution. A student can have multiple course substitutions.

Course Source

Select the appropriate course source for this course substitution. This field indicates the source of available courses from which you can select a course substitution. Values are:

Course Offerings: Includes all of the courses. There are no career or enrollment restrictions on which courses are available.

Enrollment: Includes courses in which the student enrolled. There is no career restriction on what courses are available. This field is used for prompting, not analysis.

Other Credit, Test Credit, or Transfer Courses: Includes credit and courses that the student received from other sources, rather than course offerings and enrollment. These values prompt only on courses in the academic career. Use this field for prompting, not analysis.

Values for this field are delivered with your system as translate values. Do not modify these values. Any modifications to these values require a substantial programming effort.

Long Description

Enter a long description of the course substitution.

Select Course and Search

Displays the substitute course. Click the Search button to select from a list of available substitute courses. The system bases the list on your course source setting. If you have selected any course source other than course offerings, the system lists courses or credit work that the student has on record.

Substitute for and Search

Displays the course for which you are assigning a substitute course. Click the Search button to select from a list of available courses.

Academic Career	Displays the student's academic career.
Student Career Nbr (student career number)	Displays a sequentially assigned number that indicates each student's career. The value appears automatically from the Student Program page. This number indicates which career is affected by the substitution.
Substitution Seq (substitution sequence)	Enter the sequence number. This number tracks this course substitution. The number is a sequential number that is automatically assigned by the system. The user can override this number, but it is not recommended. Each substitution sequence number reflects one course substitution. A student can have multiple course substitutions.
Course Source	Select the appropriate course source for this course substitution. This field indicates the source of available courses from which you can select a course substitution. Values are: Course Offerings: Includes all of the courses. There are no career or enrollment restrictions on which courses are available. Enrollment: Includes courses in which the student enrolled. There is no career restriction on what courses are available. This field is used for prompting, not analysis. Other Credit, Test Credit, or Transfer Courses: Includes credit and courses that the student received from other sources, rather than course offerings and enrollment. These values prompt only on courses in the academic career. Use this field for prompting, not analysis. Values for this field are delivered with your system as translate values. Do not modify these values. Any modifications to these values require a substantial programming effort.
Long Description	Enter a long description of the course substitution.
Select Course and Search	Displays the substitute course. Click the Search button to select from a list of available substitute courses. The system bases the list on your course source setting. If you have selected any course source other than course offerings, the system lists courses or credit work that the student has on record.
Substitute for and Search	Displays the course for which you are assigning a substitute course. Click the Search button to select from a list of available courses.