Many students (and their parents) are interested in two key things when planning class schedules at Ball State.

  1. What classes do I need to take before I can graduate?
  2. How long will it take me to get through these classes?

As your advisor's role is to help you to understand academic progress.  Your role is to take responsibility for both academic performance (grades) and academic planning, which results in your unique educational experience and prepares you with the skills to continue learning and to achieve career goals. Don't hesitate to ask your advisor for information about resources or services available to help with improving grades and achieving higher levels of success.

Tracking Progress

One measure of academic progress is class standing.  Class standing, however, is only one way to look at progress.  Another way to study your progress is to review the DegreeWorks degree audit.  This document serves as your personal “progress report” that lists the requirements for a selected degree and academic program of study, among other things.

One of your first responsibilities is to meet with your academic advisor during your first semester and learn how to read your DegreeWorks degree audit.  The information included on the DegreeWorks degree audit is unique to each student, taking into account such things as advanced standing, work completed, transfer hours, grades earned, and many other pieces of information.

The DegreeWorks degree audit automatically updates your earned grades and other requirements for your major.  Whenever you officially change majors or degree options, it applies completed coursework to the newly declared program of study.  For these reasons, it is wise for you to obtain a new DegreeWorks degree audit each semester and/or when changing majors. 

Students can obtain a DegreeWorks degree audit through their appropriate advising center, or at MyBallState.  To get help in understanding your DegreeWorks degree audit please see the video within the DegreeWorks tab, or see your academic advisor. 

The DegreeWorks degree audit is an academic planning and degree progress tool that reflects your academic progress toward degree completion (graduation) from Ball State.  This web-based program can be accessed online anywhere that you have internet access through the MyBSU portal.

DegreeWorks will help you:

  • learn the minimum graduation requirements including credit hours and GPA for a major or minor,
  • identify the courses that have already been taken to fulfill requirements and list courses still needed to complete your degree,
  • track all current and past course work including any courses taken at other colleges or universities that have been transferred to Ball State,
  • find out how courses completed meet requirements for other majors or minors that you may be considering,
  • and select the right courses for the next semester from class options for requirements that have not yet been completed.  

To access your personal DegreeWorks degree audit go to the MyBSU portal and log in with your Ball State username and password.  Then link to Self Service Banner (SSB).  The links for DegreeWorks can be found under the “Student” heading.  

Should you have questions or concerns about your DegreeWorks degree audit, consult your academic advisor.

Access Your Stellic Account

Log into your Stellic account and explore the resources it provides to assist with your academic success.

Stellic

The term “Academic Warning,” is a status given to students who do not meet minimum academic requirements in any given term. Understandably, it sends a message of expectation for meeting academic standards of the university, and results in a need for students to respond by meeting the challenge in a positive way, working within the university’s support services, communicating and connecting with faculty and administrators, and being aware of policies and strategies by talking with academic advisors and staff in the Office of the Registrar. The possibility of not being eligible to continue as a student at Ball State is at the crux of being in academic warning status, but the intent of issuing “academic warning” is to alert the student and give the opportunity to remain, grow or overcome, and be successful in the future.

Grade Point for Academic Warning status:

A student will be in academic warning status when the accumulative grade point average (GPA) is below a 2.000. Failure to reach the minimum academic standards (see the Undergraduate Catalog for specifics) in the following semester may result in Academic Separation  from the University. You will be informed of your academic separation status by the Registrar's Office. If you have been informed by the Registrar that you have been placed on academic warning status, you should immediately schedule an appointment to meet with your Academic Advisor to discuss plans for improvement.

Minimum Grade Requirements when on Academic Warning

A student with less than 30 earned credits is required to earn a 2.000 term grade point for the term (2.100 for students with more than 30 credit hours) in which the student was placed on academic warning status, and each following term until the cumulative grade point reaches 2.000 or above. If you are placed on academic warning, you may be required or strongly encouraged to take only 12 credits, repeat courses, plan to meet with your academic advisor (learn more about the University College Success Scholars Program), use Learning Center tutoring or success strategies instruction, meet with a student success coach, or carry out other steps to help in a plan for retention.

Academic Separation

Students who fail to meet the minimum academic requirements when on academic warning are subject to Academic Separation. This means the student is no longer eligible to take classes at Ball State unless reinstated by the university through the Office of the Registrar. You have the right to appeal your academic separation. For details on the appeal process, being reinstated, or questions about academic separation, contact the Office of Registration and Academic Progress (LU B43, 765-285-1722).

University College Success Scholars (UCSS) is a semester-long program designed to provide students with a network of support for achieving their college goals.  UCSS guides students as they explore how they can utilize their strengths to avoid or adjust to institutional, environmental, and personal obstacles that might derail them from achieving their full college potential.  Students whose standing changes to academic warning, and students who are separated from the university and are approved to return to Ball State must participate in UCSS.

All UCSS participants receive:

  • Regular invitations to meet with their academic advisor
  • Personalized guidance for exploring obstacles that contribute to college difficulty
  • An introduction to self-exploration techniques to help identify strengths that students can employ for achieving their goals
  • Instruction in academic skills and self-management strategies
  • Expansion of students' academic and social networks
  • Personalized recommendations for Ball State community support services
  • Direct access to academic skill sessions or workshops
  • Creation of a personalized academic success plan in partnership with their academic advisor

Students are asked to meet with their academic advisor and/or a student success coach at least 5 times throughout the semester.  Each meeting has a unique purpose and is aligned with the semester calendar to best fit the needs of students as they progress.

Students who are academically separated from the university and are successful in their requests to return to Ball State must enroll in ID 298: Student Success Seminar.  ID 298 is designed to enhance student's understanding on how to successfully navigate institutional, environmental, or personal obstacles that contribute to not meeting their goals at Ball State University.  Students who have already taken ID 298 are not required to repeat it.

UCSS Resources

Your academic advisor may recommend that you use one of the resources below (or may use them during a UCSS advising appointment).

Grades and GPA Information Sheet (PDF)

Major Exploration Worksheet (PDF)

S.M.A.R.T. Goals Worksheet (PDF)

Time Management Information Sheet and Planning Chart (PDF)

Resources for Supporting Your Appeal

How to Submit a Successful Appeal

Step-by-step Guide for Submitting an Academic Appeal (PDF)

Sample of Academic Appeal Narrative Responses (PDF)