By Jessica McCaffery, Associate Registrar and Sarah McMichael, Assistant College Registrar 

  
Here at SUNY Empire, most undergraduate students need to have their degree program approved by faculty committee and concurred by the Office of the Registrar. Your mentor can tell you whether your planned degree requires concurrence.  

What is concurrence? Concurrence is the final approval of your degree program plan. This is the point at which your advanced standing credits are accepted as part of your degree, and your degree program becomes your official curriculum. One of the synonyms for the word concurrence is agreement, which is an appropriate description for this requirement. The agreement here is between the student and the college, as it confirms that the college has agreed to the academic “map” that the student and mentor have created. 

By college policy, concurrence should occur “…within the first 32 credits of enrollment or prior to the student's final 16 credits for the degree, whichever comes sooner.” 

There are certain advantages to having your degree program concurred as early as possible: 

1. Timing: It can take four months for an individualized degree program plan to go through the approval steps leading up to concurrence. Early submission helps ensure that you have time to incorporate any faculty-recommended adjustments to your degree program plan.  

1. Confidence in course choices: When your program is concurred, you can rest assured that the college has agreed that your academic plan is sound. You can know that your already concurred program will be honored for a minimum of five years. If you need to make adjustments due to the timing of course offerings or for other reasons, you can work with your mentor to make small changes to your plan as needed.  

1. Degree Works: When your degree program has been concurred, it becomes the program you follow to complete your degree. An official degree audit is created for you in Degree Works at the point of concurrence, which can allow you to better closely monitor your progress toward your degree.  

1. Applying to graduate: To access the application for graduation, students must have a concurred degree program, which allows for a thorough pre-graduation review to pinpoint any potential issues. 

1. Commencement: To be invited to walk in commencement, you need to have a concurred degree program on file before stated deadlines.  

You will work closely with your mentor during the educational planning process to understand SUNY guidelines and requirements and build a degree program that fits your personal and academic goals. Your mentor is your best resource for information about the degree program planning and review process and will help guide you through the process.