What is a DOG?
DOG stands for Declaration of Graduation
Filing a DOG is the first step a student takes in the process by which the Graduation Office confirms that the requirements for a specific degree have been completed.
Filing a DOG is the process by which students receive approval to follow the degree requirements of a specific catalog year, and may also--when desired-- receive approval to pursue a minor as part of their degree.
What the DOG does: DOG form
Declares the students desired:
Catalog year
Degree & major
Minor(s), if any
What to check before signing:
Student must be eligible for the desired catalog.
Degree and major on DOG must match student's current declared degree and major.
Student must have Professional Status ( a 31 or 20 not a 14 degree code)
DARS program (DPROG) on the DOG must be the correct one for the student's degree and major.
The information on the DOG is entered by the registrar's office (Oasis) into the student information system (SIS) and into DARS.
This information determines the DARS program and the catalog year the Graduation Office will use to confirm degree completion.
The catalog year verification near the beginning of the student's DARS report will now state (if the correct catalog year is run) that the Degree audit matches the student's approved catalog year.
If requested and approved, the student's minor is attached to the student's DARS program. After this, the student's degree audits will include the minor requirements at the end.
Student needs to run a DARS audit frequently to monitor progress. Students can use degree audits to:
Identify unmet requirements
Plan Degree Completion; Student should fill out and complete a graduation planning guide
Confirm where classes are going to apply after the student has registered in semester courses.
See when a course will NOT satisfy a requirement before taking the class- and avoid taking the wrong class
See when they need to request approval for an exception to be made.
DARS exceptions may need to be approved and posted:
Ideally, this is done after registration and prior to the start of the semester in which the course is being taken.
Students are responsible for running DARS reports and requesting exceptions
Students may apply as soon as they are enrolled in their final semester or summer classes.
The deadline to apply is published in the Semester Schedule of Classes or on the ASU web site.
Students apply at the Oasis or the Graduation Office on the Main Campus
Filing for Graduation notifies the Graduation office when a student intends to complete their final classes- in other words, when to check for completion of degree requirements.
Filing for graduation by the deadline gets the student's name in the Commencement Program & on the mailing list to receive information about the time & dates for Commencement and Convocation ceremonies.
Students who are taking their final courses in the summer may participate in the Spring Commencement and Convocation ceremonies. However, they file for summer graduation.
The graduation office uses DARS to confirm whether the student has satisfied all degree requirements.
If yes- the degree is posted
If no- a copy of the DARS report is sent to the students college for review. If there are exceptions to be approved and posted, they are completed. If the requirements are met, the degree is posted. If there are no exceptions the student is notified by mail and a copy is sent to the college.
We can help students to graduate without any glitches by educating and encouraging them to take the following steps:
Pre-register for their final-semester classes
Run a DARS report as soon as they get their schedule, and then immediately:
Confirm they are in the correct classes
Drop & add if needed to get into the correct classes
Request approval of exceptions, if needed
Begin their final semester knowing they are in the right classes and requirements will be met.