Scheduling classes each semester and ensuring that proper requirements are fulfilled often cause stress and anxiety.

For students who entered Marquette as freshmen in fall 2005 or later, the university created Degree Navigator, a Web-based program that enables students and advisers to track student progress toward fulfilling graduation requirements.

Vicki Trautschold, associate registrar, said the program contains two reports that allow users to view what classes they have taken and what classes they still need for graduation. A visual report separates requirement areas into islands, she said.

The islands display which courses the user has completed in different subject areas, and provides options for the fulfillment of the remaining requirements. The user can also view an unofficial transcript, she said.

According to Trautschold, the program also provides "what-if" scenarios that allow students and advisers to view how a student's progress would be affected by a change in majors. The "what-if" scenario can be viewed as a written or visual report.

Trautschold said there have been few reported problems with the program.

"From the feedback I have received, it's been very positive," she said.

The number of students and advisers using Degree Navigator is not yet available, but the university plans to survey program users toward the end of this month to gather ideas for improvement and rate user success, she said.

"I think the interest will grow," Trautschold said.

Laura Korthauer, a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences, used Degree Navigator as a tool for scheduling classes and tracking her progress toward fulfilling graduation requirements.

According to Korthauer, the program was helpful in tracking her progress, but the setup was unclear. The list of fulfilled classes and remaining required classes was confusing, she said.

"If there was some sort of program that showed us how to use it, that would be helpful," Korthauer said.

Korthauer said she would use the program again, as long as a few changes are made.

"I think that more people could be informed about it," she said.

Linda Menck, an advertising and public relations professional in residence, was part of a test group trained to use Degree Navigator.

According to Menck, she and several faculty members and students were taught how to use Degree Navigator and asked to keep track of their experiences while learning to use the program.

Menck said when she first began using Degree Navigator, she had difficulties and was skeptical of students using the program. However, after completing the training process and using Degree Navigator more frequently Menck began to find the program very helpful to her advising.

"Normally for honor students and students with minors outside of the College of Communication, I would have to look up in the (Undergraduate) Bulletin which classes they need," she said.

With Degree Navigator, however, the student's required classes can be seen on the computer screen.

"I think it makes me a better adviser because I can see what they need," Menck said.

Menck said she encourages her students to use Degree Navigator, and will recommend it to future students. A program teaching students and advisers how to use Degree Navigator should be provided, she said.

Degree Navigator is also helpful for students planning to study abroad or take summer classes, she said.