Picking the right courses that apply to your program is an important decision for students on many levels. Questions that may come to mind are, "will they be interesting?" "Will this count towards a certain concentration?" "Do I need pre-requisites?"
To answer quickly, here are the following steps to think through:
1. Take a look at your major map and DARS.
2. Look at course descriptions using class search.
3. Reach out to your Academic Advisor.
The major map and DARS (Degree Audit Reporting System) are tools to help track your progress toward graduation, show concentrations that need to be fulfilled, show completed and transfer courses, and can be used as a planning tool if you are considering a change of major. The DARS is divided into multiple requirements such as, university, general, college major, and electives. It has a color system that will turn a section green once it's fulfilled. The major map can be used in conjunction with the DARS and acts as an auditing and tracking tool as well. Course descriptions can be seen if a course code is highlighted which is a nice feature.
Link to DARS walkthrough:
https://thecollege.asu.edu/advising/darsThe class search feature on the MyASU home page is another feature that will help with course descriptions if needed. It is located on the left side of the MyASU page as a link under your schedule or potential schedule would be.
Reaching out to your Academic Advisor can be done first or after you have researched classes with the other tools. You will always want to have a conversation about your selections and/or any schedule changes with your Advisor to ensure it's the best choice for your progress and to avoid any duplication or unnecessary course completion. Their information is located on the right hand side of the MyASU page under, "Academic Support Team" if you are an undergraduate student. This tab will give you guidance as to how to communicate with this department. You may have options to schedule an appointment, call, or email the unit.
