Topics Map > Graduate Student Tracking System
GSTS - Getting Access to the Graduate Student Tracking System
How to Access the Graduate Student Tracking System (GSTS)
| Audience | Online Training Required? | Resource |
|---|---|---|
| Current Students | No | View GSTS Advisement Report |
| Graduate Program Coordinators / Managers* | Yes | Reports and Exceptions Tool Canvas Training |
| Other Program Staff* | Yes | Reports and Exceptions Tool Canvas Training |
| Faculty Advisors | No, optional | Reports and Exceptions Tool Canvas Training |
| *Optional training available to use Program Milestones | ||
Graduate Students
Graduate students automatically have access to view their GSTS Advisement Reports through the Student Center. Instructions and information about a student's GSTS Advisement Report and information is found on the Graduate Student Tracking System (GSTS) for Graduate Students page.
Graduate Program Coordinators/Managers or Other Program Staff
Staff must complete an online training and then request security access via the Student Information System (SIS).
Faculty Advisors
Faculty who are assigned in the Student Information System (SIS) as an advisor to a graduate student have automatic access to view the GSTS Advisement Reports.
Faculty have the option to complete the training and security request process described above to get the advanced access, use the GSTS Exceptions Tool and/or Program Milestones. For most faculty, this additional access is not necessary. In some cases such as for the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) or Department Chair, the additional access may be useful.
What is GSTS?
The Graduate Student Tracking System (GSTS) is an academic advising tool that provides information about the curricular requirements to earn a graduate degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and allows for monitoring of graduate student's progress towards degree completion. This tool exists in the academic advisement module of the Student Information System (SIS). Configuration for all graduate programs on campus was completed in December 2022.
It is meant to provide:
- Clarity around the complex academic requirements to earn a graduate degree, including access to real-time degree progress reports.
- Access to view and track academic progress with respect to minimum credit requirements and progress milestones such as qualifying exams and dissertator status.
- Efficient, accurate, and transparent advising for graduate students, faculty, and staff, administered centrally, rather than through various paperwork and processes maintained by units across campus.
Each graduate student is provided an individual GSTS Advisement Report showing the curricular requirements for the degree(s) they are pursuing or have earned as well as the names of any Doctoral Minors or Graduate/Professional Certificates that the student has declared or completed. Specific curricular requirements for Doctoral Minors and Graduate/Professional Certificates are currently NOT included. Programs have the option to document any approved adjustments or deviations from the standard curriculum on an individual basis using the GSTS Exceptions Tool.
Important things to remember when using GSTS include:
- Reports do not automatically track any allowed overlap in curriculum between double degrees, dual degrees, or joint degree.
- Due to significant changes in policy for graduate degree requirements in Fall 2014, students who began their program prior to that time will not have a GSTS Advisement Report.
- The system is intended to support current advising practices. It is not intended to be intrusive nor replace the key role played by academic and research advisors in the student life cycle. Each graduate program has the option to choose how they want to integrate the system into their operations.