Creating a 4-Year Plan in iGPS is the best way to track degree progress and stay on top of critical milestones. You can also use your 4-Year Plan to check the feasibility of adding extra degree credentials (minors, certificates, or second majors) and plan for opportunities like study abroad or internships.
Each major has a four year plan of suggested courses to help you create a map of what courses you should take and when to take them
First, review the tools you can use to create your 4-Year Plan:
- iGPS Degree Maps provide 4-year template degree plans with courses and milestones that you can import into your personalized plan.
- iGPS Plan is a multi-semester course enrollment planning tool that allows you to choose courses for your entire academic career.
- Academic Advisement Report shows you what courses you've already completed and how they count toward degree requirements. To access it go to your iGPS Plan and click "Degree Progress" in the header.
- Academic Bulletins contain official degree requirements for each degree-granting school or division.
- School and Departmental Websites also post degree requirements, as well as information about careers and co-curricular opportunities.
Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor to get help learning how to use these tools.
Once you've got a handle on how to use degree planning tools, it's time to sit down and create a first draft of your 4-Year Plan. It's ok to be ambitious! Think broadly about what subjects interest you, what skills you'd like to learn while at IU, and what other experiences you'd like to fit into your degree plan.
Confused about some requirements? Just do your best to fill in where you think things should go, and makes notes in your plan of questions to ask your advisor.
Preparing for Success with iGPS - short course on how to use iGPS
Now that you've got everything planned out, make an appointment with your advisor to review the plan.
Your advisor will answer any questions you wrote down, help you identify which courses to prioritize each semester, and make sure your plan fulfills all degree requirements.
Sometimes, things need to be moved around because of course availability, an unexpected opportunity, or changing interests. Be sure to revisit your plan every semester with your advisor to stay on track for your graduation goals.