Reimagining Graduate Academic Planning: A User-Centered Web Application for the Plan of Study Process

Abstract

Graduate academic planning is a complex and often frustrating process, particularly when students must rely on outdated, manual processes to complete essential requirements like the Plan of Study. At Virginia Tech, Computer Science (CS) graduate students are required to submit this form to outline their coursework; however, the current process involves PDF downloads, Excel spreadsheets, and fragmented information sources. To address these inefficiencies, this study presents the design, development, and evaluation of an interactive web-based Plan of Study application tailored to the needs of graduate students in Computer Science at Virginia Tech. The system dynamically generates degree requirements, supports drag-and-drop semester planning, and performs real-time validation based on user input. It integrates a Django/PostgreSQL backend with a React-based interface, offering a user-centered solution that improves both the accuracy and usability of course planning. Findings from a needs-finding survey (n=68) informed the core features, while a post-deployment evaluation (n=20) demonstrated improvements in user confidence, planning efficiency, and overall preference over manual methods. This research highlights how dynamic and interactive digital tools can modernize academic advising and improve student experience in higher education.