What is DARS?
DARS is EIU's degree audit system. Developed by Miami University, it currently is being used by more than 300 colleges and universities. Degree audits detail students' progress toward their particular degree, showing students and their advisors how coursework, credits, and hours fulfill requirements for general education, the major, minor, and graduation.
In addition, specialized audits show how students' completed and planned transfer coursework will apply, whether they have met special admission requirements for selected majors, and how changing majors may affect their degree progress.
Why should I use DARS?
A degree audits provides an up-to-date record of students' progress toward their degree. It not only shows them how their EIU and transfer work applies but also how their in-progress courses will apply. In addition, it documents students' completion of graduation requirements, including the foreign language requirement, the Electronic Writing Portfolio, and EIU's residency requirements.
Students planning a future semester's coursework can run an audit to help them identify EIU courses that will apply to their unmet requirements. Those anticipating completing summer course work at a transfer institution can run an audit that will show them which courses will apply to their EIU degree. Those contemplating changing majors can run an audit that will show them how their completed course work will apply to the new major. In all of these ways, degree audits help to ensure that students will stay on track to graduation.
Please note, however, that the degree audit is not an official transcript. Instead, it is an internal document meant to help students and their advisors to plan appropriately.
How do I access DARS?
Anyone who presently is enrolled at EIU (or is employed by EIU as an advisor) can use DARS.
- Login to PAWS at http://www.eiu.edu/paws/.
- Enter your PAWS user ID and password.
- Once in PAWS, select the "Student and Financial Aid" tab or, if you are an advisor, the "Faculty Services" Tab or the "Faculty and Advisors" link.
- Follow the links to the EIU Degree Audit.
Complete step-by-step tutorials are available for both students and advisors from the menu on the left.