HEI Enrollment Data Submissions

Degree/Certificate Earned (DC) File
Revised July 28, 2003

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 within HEI databases for some term prior to the year and term in which a degree/certificate was rewarded.

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

Additional Explanations

(Adapted from IPEDS Completion Survey General Instructions, June 1, 1996. Updated August 29, 2002.)

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:

• If the split major involves two program specialties within the same group of subject codes, use the "general" or "multiple emphasis" program specialty. For example, a split major involving two languages should be reported in Foreign Languages and Literatures, General (160101); a major in history and political science should be reported under Social Sciences, General (450101).
• If the split major involves program specialties from a completely different group of subject codes, the award should be reported under the one of greater specialization.

Double Majors: In previous years, if a student graduated with a major in two programs, the school was to report one degree earned. For the 2002 DC file, schools may report second majors by selecting one of the following codes from the Level of Degree or Certificate Completed Codes:

A1 Second less than one-year major
A2 Second at least one- but less than two-year major
A3 Second Associate's Major
A4 Second at least two- but less than four-year major
A5 Second Bachelor's Major
A6 Second post-baccalaureate major
A7 Second Master's Major
A8 Second Post-Master's Major
A9 Second Doctoral Major

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:

·         completion of the academic requirements to begin practice in the profession;

·         at least two years of college work prior to entering the program;

·         and a total of at least six academic years of college work to complete the degree program, including previously required college work plus the length of the professional program itself.

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.

Academic Program Code

This program must have been approved by Regents or be a certificate program of less than 30 semester hours, and submitted in an AP File for this institution. In 2003 we began collecting Academic Program Code, which added fifteen more characters to the DC file. The DC file edits now require this field for any year, including those prior to 2003 when this field was not collected. When correcting DC files for terms prior to 2003 please insert "PRECOLLECTION" into this field. The edits have been created to accept the phrase "PRECOLLECTION" for years prior to 2003.

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. If the college or university transitioned to a different calendar (i.e., quarters to semesters) credit hours should reflect the calendar in which the degree was earned.

Return to Enrollment Files

http.//www.regents.state.oh.us/hei/datasubdoc/enrollment/production/dcfile.html
Last updated March 16, 2004