GPS is a tool to help you plan your educational path and to ensure that you have all the credits needed to complete a VIU degree. It shows how the courses already taken apply to the degree and it highlights courses that are still needed to complete the desired goal. You can also use GPS to explore different degree options to determine the courses you need.
Tracking your declared goals with GPS
When you declare your goal(s), your Program Advisor will officially "declare" those in GPS once you meet with her to get goal coded. Meet with her in the semester in which you are completing all the required first and second year required courses for the Major or Minor that interests you.
Access GPS in your Student Record through a link in the left menu under "Academics". Alternately, you can launch GPS directly.
- Once in your GPS. Once the GPS program opens up, click on the white cloud on the top blue bar to update your student record. A bubble that reads, "Student Record has been Updated" will appear on the top right. Notably, you should update your GPS student record every time you access it. If you don't, things like grades, recently applied transfer credits, or changes to your enrollment may not appear accurately.
- Select the "Declared" academic goal (if it has already been set up).
- Your declared goal may also be labelled "Locked", which indicates that your declared goal is set up for your Degree Advisor to add comments and/or include exceptions or waivers. Remember that your declared goals can be discussed and changed by contacting your Degree Advisor.
- Click "Create Audit". This takes you to a screen that displays an audit of all degree requirements, including those that have been met with courses you have already completed (green checkmark) and those that are still outstanding (red Xs).
- The GPS layout is generally similar to the matching set of courses in the BBA Course Matrix, although the Electives section may be displayed at a different location.
- Exceptions and comments included by your Degree Advisor are displayed in brown writing.
- Courses in which you are enrolled are indicated by grades of "ENR". Note that waitlisted courses do not show up in GPS audits.
- If you want to explore other BBA majors (add a goal) and explore which courses that are required to complete to earn that major, you can do that by using the following steps:
- From the page, click Add
- + click the folder Vancouver Island University
- + click the folder 2021-2022 (or the year you started)
- + click Bachelor's Degrees
- + click Bachelor of Business Administration
- + (choose a major)
- Then scroll up the page and click Save. No need to put in a goal name.
- Note: You can choose whatever goal you want because the GPS goals are all 'unofficial' at this point.
- To review your newly added goal
- Go back at the GPS Home Page, click on the goal you just created, and click Create Audit.
- From here you can see which courses you have applied to your degree audit and what is left for you to complete.
Note: Contact your Degree Advisor if you see any information that appears to be incorrect in your GPS, or if you have any questions.
Exploring additional possible goals with GPS
You can also use GPS to explore other VIU program options by setting up additional goals, such as BA or BSCI minors or majors without impacting your declared goal, or if you have not yet declared your goal(s).
GPS is intended to be quite self-explanatory, and you cannot "break" or change anything in your record by using it, so feel free to play around with it. Simply delete any goals that you do not want to keep.
- Access GPS in your Student Record through a link in the left menu under "Academics". Alternately, you can launch GPS directly.
- Select "Add" under Academic Goal.
- Select "Vancouver Island University" and the current calendar year.
- You will then see a list of all science and non-science credentials offered at VIU.
- Select the credential(s) and goal(s) of interest you would like to explore.
- When finished selecting, name your selection (or leave blank to autogenerate a name), and save it.
- These are unofficial goals for your use only, and you can create as many as you like.
- Click "Create Audit" to view an audit with your unofficial goals.
- You will then see a list of all science and non-science credentials offered at VIU.
- Note: The Elective section of your unofficial audit may not be accurate. The correct number of credits required for a given goal can be confirmed by consulting the matching program grid.
If you are interested in learning more about programs outside of the Bachelor of Business Administration, you should contact the appropriate Program Advisor.