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HEI Enrollment Data Submissions

Degree/Certificate Earned (DC) File
Revised January 5, 2000

File Description

The Degree/Certificate Earned (DC) file contains records for all degrees, certificates, and transfer modules completed between July 1 of the previous calendar year and June 30 of the current calendar year. The Degree/Certificate Earned (DC) file is intended to be compatible with the annual IPEDS Completion Survey. All records contained in the Degree/Certificate Earned (DC) file must have a corresponding Student Entrance (SE) record for some term prior to this.

Submission Schedule

The file must be submitted to HEI no later than September 30 of each year. For Fiscal Year 1999, the file will be submitted in March 2000.

Capture Date

The capture date for the Degree/Certificate Earned (DC) file is June 30 of each year.

Relationship to Other File Submissions

If there are students reported in the Degree/Certificate Earned (DC) file who have not been previously reported in a Student Entrance (SE) file, then the Degree/Certificate Earned (DC) file may not be submitted until the Student Entrance (SE) file is submitted, edited with zero errors, and loaded onto the HEI database.

Data Fields

Field Names Field Attributes and Procedures Data Format
Campus Enter a campus code from Institution/Campus Codes Alphabetic
4 characters
Columns 1-4
Student Identifier Enter the federally assigned Social Security Number (SSN) whenever possible. If the SSN is unavailable, enter another identifier which uniquely relates to this student. For a given student, the same identifier must be used in all enrollment files. Alphanumeric 
9 characters
Columns 5-13
Left justify
Year Enter the calendar year of the term in which the degree, certificate, or transfer module was earned. Numeric
4 characters
Columns 14-17
Term Enter a code from Term Codes indicating the term in which the degree, certificate, or transfer module was earned. Alphabetic
2 characters
Columns 18-19
Level of Degree or Certificate Completed Enter a code from Level of Degree or Certificate Completed Codes Alphanumeric
2 characters
Columns 20-21
Field of Study Enter a code from Subject Codes which best describes the field of study for this degree. This code should correspond with the CIP code used for the IPEDS Completion Survey. Enter TRAMOD for the transfer module. Alphanumeric
6 characters
Columns 22-27
Credit Hours to Degree Enter the number of credit hours the student earned at this college or university prior to earning this degree, expressed in tenths. To see what types of credits are or are not included in this definition, see Credit Hours to Degree Numeric 
4 characters
Columns 28-31
 Delete Switch Enter Y if this record is to be deleted from the database. Otherwise enter N. Alphabetic 
1 character 
Column 32

Additional Explanations

(Adapted from IPEDS Completion Survey General Instructions, June 1, 1996.)

Split Majors: When a student graduates with a split major, report the award in the area of greater specialization, if possible. Otherwise, the award should be reported in the subject code closest to the combination. If neither of these approaches can be used, the award should be reported as follows:

Double Majors: When a student graduates with a major in two program specialties, report the degree in the subject code in which the degree was awarded or choose one subject code for reporting purposes.

Multiple Degrees: If a student actually receives two degrees based on two independent courses of study, (e.g., one in Business and Management and one in Foreign Languages), report each degree under the appropriate subject code.

General Majors: The term "general major" is used to designate diversified curriculums within an area of study. Ordinarily, degrees based on a general major should be reported in one of the "general" subject codes, e.g., Physical Sciences, General (400101); Social Sciences, General (450101); Mathematics (270101); etc.

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies: These refer to fields of study which combine two or more broad groups of subject codes, e.g., Mathematics and Computer Science (300801). These are found within the two-digit subject code "30." When reporting awards under similar fields of study which are not in the current subject code listing, use "309999."

Arts and Sciences or General Programs Not Organized in Occupational Curriculums: These are certificates or degrees based on less than four years of work in the arts and sciences or general programs not organized in occupational curriculums. Such awards should be reported under one of the Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (2401xx) subject codes.

Definitions and Descriptions of Data Fields

IPEDS Completions Survey: IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) Completion Survey is submitted annually by colleges and universities to the U.S. Department of Education National Center for Education Statistics. The survey collects basic data on the number of recognized completions in postsecondary education programs by the type of program, level of award, and degree conferred.

(Adapted from IPEDS Completions Survey Glossary, June 1, 1996.)

Level of Degree or Certificate Completed

Postsecondary Award, Certificate, or Diploma (Less than one academic year): An award that requires completion of an organized program of study at the postsecondary level (below the baccalaureate degree) in less than one academic year (two semesters or three quarters).

Postsecondary Award, Certificate, or Diploma (At least one but less than two academic years): An award that requires completion of an organized program of study at the postsecondary level (below the baccalaureate degree) in at least one but less than two full-time equivalent academic years.

Associate's Degree: An award that normally requires at least two but less than four years of full-time equivalent college work.

Postsecondary Award, Certificate, or Diploma (At least two but less than four academic years): Requires completion of an organized program of study at the postsecondary level (below the baccalaureate degree) in at least two but less than four full-time equivalent academic years.

Bachelor's Degree: An award that normally requires at least four but not more than five years of full-time equivalent college-level work. This includes all bachelor's degrees conferred in a five-year cooperative (work-study plan) program. A cooperative plan provides for alternate class attendance and employment in business, industry, or government; thus, it allows students to combine actual work experience with their college studies. Also includes bachelor's degrees in which the normal four years of work are completed in three years.

Postbaccalaureate Certificate: An award that requires completion of an organized program of study requiring 18 credit hours beyond the bachelor's; designed for persons who have completed a baccalaureate degree, but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of master.

Master's Degree: An award that requires the successful completion of a program of study of at least the full-time equivalent of one but not more than two academic years of work beyond the bachelor's degree.

Post-Master's Certificate: An award that requires completion of an organized program of study of 24 credit hours beyond the master's degree, but does not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.

Doctoral Degree: The highest award a student can earn for graduate study. The doctoral degree classification includes such degrees as Doctor of Education, Doctor of Juridical Science, Doctor of Public Health, and the Doctor of Philosophy degree in any field such as agronomy, food technology, education, engineering, public administration, ophthalmology, or radiology.

First-Professional Degree: An award that requires completion of a program that meets all of the following criteria:

First-Professional Certificate (Post-degree): An award that requires completion of an organized program of study designed for persons who have completed the first-professional degree. Examples could be refresher courses or additional units of study in a specialty or subspecialty.
Credit Hours to Degree: The number of credit hours the student earned (via instruction) at this institution to obtain this degree. This includes all (instructionally earned) credits earned at any branch campus of this university or college, and all credits earned in pass/fail courses at this institution. This does not include credit hours transferred from another university or college, nor credits waived due to examination credit or previous life experience.

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Last updated January 5, 2000