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MyDegreePath (Advisors) – Overview and How to Access

MyDegreePath (Advisors) – Overview & How to Access

MyDegreePath (MDP) lets you compare a student’s completed and in-progress coursework against degree requirements to see what remains. Planner is not enabled. Legacy plans are view-only.

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What It Is | Important Notes About Plans | How to Access | Key Terms | When to Use | Privacy | Quick Links

What It Is

  • Degree Audit – You review how a student’s coursework applies to GE/IE, major (and emphasis), minor, and university requirements by catalog year.
  • What-If Audit – You preview how the student’s courses would apply under a different program or catalog year (does not change the record).
  • Advisor Exceptions – You may add exceptions for majors, emphases, and minors (not GE) in self-service. Re-run the audit to confirm results.

Not a replacement: Use the UC Merced Catalog, the student’s unofficial transcript, and approved petitions as authoritative. For GE exceptions, coordinate with Undergraduate Education; do not enter campus-level policy changes as MDP exceptions. If the Petition is approved, submit an Academic Records Review (ARR) form with the approval attached and a clear description of the requested action. Review the ARR guide on the Troubleshooting & Reporting Issues page, then re-run the audit after you receive confirmation to verify the update.

Important Notes About Plans

If your student had a plan in the previous MDP system (created before August 8, 2025), you and the student can view that plan in the legacy environment in read-only mode.

Access Legacy MyDegreePath

You and students cannot create or edit plans. Only previously created plans (pre–Aug 8, 2025) are visible.

How to Access

  1. Sign in at my.ucmerced.edu with your UCMNetID.
  2. Open My Advising Tools → MyDegreePath (Self-Service).
  3. Search for the student and run a Declared or What-If audit.

Need access? Request MDP permissions via the Systems Access Request Form (E-Services).

Key Terms

  • Catalog year – Requirement set that applies to the student; changes are School-approved and not made in MDP.
  • GE / IE – General Education and Intellectual Experiences displayed based on catalog year.
  • Courses Not Used / Insufficient – Typically repeats, sub-minimum grades, excluded credit, or courses that don’t meet area rules.

When to Use MDP

  • Before/after registration changes (add/drop/swap) or program updates (major/minor/catalog year).
  • After grades, transfer credit, or test credit, post, or when articulation is updated.
  • During program exploration with a student (run a What-If audit).
  • After you add an advisor exception, or when a GE/Undergraduate Education exception/petition is approved and recorded.
  • Before graduation checks and final-term planning.
  • When troubleshooting unmet items or Courses Not Used/Insufficient.

Data refresh & saving: Re-run after any record change. Saved audits auto-delete weekly—use Print to save a PDF if needed.

Privacy & FERPA

  • Discuss student records in secure settings and share the minimum necessary data.
  • Report issues via Academic Record Review/OIT; avoid emailing student data.

Updated August 14, 2025