Degree Audit: What If Tool
Last edit date: July 9, 2025
Purpose: This guide provides instructions for using the What If tool in Degree Audit. This tool allows students and advisors to run a simulated audit to explore how completed, in-progress, or planned courses would apply to different academic scenarios. You can use it to see how courses would fit into your current program or to explore changes such as a new major, minor, or concentration. Always confirm requirements with the appropriate academic department before making changes to your student record.
For additional help with Degree Audit refer to the companion guides:
NAVIGATION
- Log in to RamPortal using your WCU Single Sign On (SSO).
- Locate the Degree Audit card. If the card is not on your RamPortal home page, try using View All Cards. For help with finding cards, visit Home Page Navigation: A Guide to the RamPortal Home Page.
- Click the Degree Audit link on the card.
- Once the Degree Audit loads, scroll down to the Academic section and select the What-If tab.
Click on the What-If Tab to start a new audit.
TO SIMULATE FUTURE COURSES IN CURRENT PROGRAM
- To simulate how future courses would apply to your current program of study, select Use Current Curriculum. This option hides the ability to choose a different program or field of study.
- Once selected, you can enter individual course subjects and numbers to see where they would apply.
TO SIMULATE A NEW PROGRAM, MAJOR, MINOR, OR CONCENTRATION
Catalog Year
- The current academic year is set as default.
- If you are exploring programs that begin in a future term, select that future catalog year in the drop-down.
Program
- Choose the Program you would like to explore.
- If you are only adding a minor or concentration, choose your current program.
- Tip: To jump to specific sections in the dropdown, type the first letter of the program name.
Level and Degree
- These fields auto-fill based on the selected Program.
- Note: Some programs have unique degree names (i.e., BSEE for Electrical Engineering. Check the University Academic Catalog for more information about degree names.)
Areas of Study
- Select the major, minor or concentration you want to explore adding.
- Some majors, like Biology, require a concentration. Others, like Theater, offer concentrations but don’t require them.
Additional Areas of Study
- Use this section if your exploring adding a second major.
- Both programs must share the same degree type, i.e., both must be BS
- Tap on the + icon to add another program or the x icon to remove one.
Future Courses
- To include specific courses in the simulation, enter the subject and course number, and tap the ADD button.
- Once everything is selected, tap the PROCESS button.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR WHAT-IF RESULTS
Once you generate a What-If Audit, you will see how your courses are applied to the selected program. How to read the results:
- Green check: Requirement or course is complete
- Red circle: Requirement or course is not complete
- Blue half circle: Course is in progress or registered for
- See additional symbols in the legend below. This legend can also be found at the bottom of your Degree Audit page.
VIEWING COURSE INFORMATION AND PLANNING AHEAD
- Review how many new requirements are added and whether it impacts your graduation timeline.
- Check the Free Electives section. If full, it will be marked Complete. If not, you will see Still Needed with the number of remaining credits needed.
- Consider when courses are being offered. Click the course to open a pop-up window that displays term availability.
- If registration is open, a pop-up will also show the number of available and filled seats.
- The What-If audit automatically saves. You can also print or save a PDF version by clicking on the print icon at the top of the page.
For support, please submit an AES Support Portal ticket.