Curriculum & Catalog Style Guide

The following rules apply to all content that appears in the University of Colorado Boulder catalog. For style rules not listed here, please refer to CU Boulder's editorial style guide.

If your catalog content does not fully align with the rules below, the catalog production team reserves the right to make any necessary adjustments on your behalf as time allows.

If you need technical assistance, please visit the CourseLeaf help website (log in to the , open the "Edit Page" toolbar and click the help icon) or email the catalog team.

Editorial Style

Capitalization Character Formatting Dates & Times Links Lists Numbers Personal Pronouns Punctuation References Word List
Capitalization
  • Do not use periods in common abbreviations (e.g., PhD, JD, MS, MBA, BA, BS, BEnvD, MMus).
  • Capitalize official degree names (e.g., Bachelor of Arts, Master of Science, Doctor of Philosophy, Juris Doctor).
  • Lowercase generic descriptors (e.g., bachelor's degree, master's degree, doctorate).
  • Capitalize official names and proper nouns (e.g., University of Colorado, CU Boulder, School of Engineering and Applied Science).
  • Lowercase generic descriptors (e.g., the university, the engineering program, federal, state).​
  • Capitalize when used directly before a name (e.g., Professor Rich Smith).
  • Lowercase in all other uses (e.g., Rich Smith, professor of history).
  • Capitalize official names and proper nouns (e.g., Maymester, Summer Session, Session B).
  • Lowercase generic descriptors (e.g., spring semester, fall 2023).

Bold

  • Use for the "Course code for this program is…" text on department/field-of-study pages.
  • Do not use for emphasis.    

Italics

Use for emphasis, publication titles and uncommon Latin terms.

Underlining

Do not use. In web copy, underlines signify web links.

Abbreviate Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov. and Dec., and set off the year with commas.

Full consideration is given to applications completed by the Oct. 1, 2022, deadline.

Do not abbreviate the month or set off the year with commas.

Applications for degree candidates may be submitted beginning in August for the following spring, summer and fall terms. 

This content is current as of December 2022.

  • Use the 12-hour clock, not the 24-hour clock.
  • Lowercase and use periods with "a.m." and "p.m."
  • Omit ":00" when times occur on the hour (e.g., 4 p.m.)
  • Instead of "12 a.m." and "12 p.m.," use "midnight" and "noon."
  • Use an en dash for continuing or inclusive numbers (e.g., the 2022–23 academic year, May 7–10, 10 a.m.–1 p.m., 3–4 p.m.).
  • Do not use a dash to replace "to" when already using "from" (e.g., from 2022 to 2023, from May 7 to 10).

Email Addresses

Type the full email address in the text.

For more information, email cugrad@colorado.edu.

External Webpages

Type the title of the webpage in the text, use the full URL of the destination page (including http:// or https://) and tick the "Open link in new window" checkbox.

For more information, visit the Graduate School's  webpage.

For more information, visit the  website.

Internal Webpages

Type the title of the webpage in the text. After pasting the URL in the link window, delete "" from the front of it.

Bulleted Lists

  • If any or all items in the list are complete sentences, capitalize the first word and end each list item with a period.
  • If none of the items are complete sentences, capitalize the first word and do not punctuate the end of each list item.

Numbered Lists

  • Only use numbered lists when the order matters; otherwise, use bullets (see above).
  • Follow each number with a period.
  • Begin each entry with a capital letter (regardless of whether the entry forms a complete sentence).
  • End each item with a period.

Ordinals

Spell out from first to ninth. Use figures for 10th and above.

Percentages

Write out in running text; however, use the percent sign in tables and charts.

Whole Numbers

  • One through nine: In general, spell out. However, use figures for:
    • ages (8 years old; 8-year-old children)
    • credit hours (2 credits)
    • percentages (4 percent)
    • quantities combining whole numbers and fractions (2 ½ years)
  • 10 and above: Use figures unless number begins a sentence; then either write out the number or restructure the sentence.

Generic References to Students

  • Always use the third person (e.g., "the student," "seniors," "English majors").
  • Use the singular "they" instead of masculine or feminine pronouns (e.g., "he or she," "s/he")

Generic References to Faculty and Staff

  • Always use the third person (e.g., "the College of Arts & Sciences," "art faculty," "the advising team").
  • Do not use "us" or "we."
  • In a list: Do not use a comma before the final conjunction (i.e., and, or) in a list.

This program explores theories, principles and uses of computer graphics. Students may request personal consultations on teaching, career planning and referrals.

  • With suffixes: Do not use commas before and after "Jr." and "Sr." (e.g., Martin Luther King Jr.) or Roman numeral suffixes (e.g., King Henry VIII).
  • En dash (–): Use between inclusive numbers (e.g., 2022–23 University of Colorado Boulder Catalog, K–12 school placements)
  • Em dash (—): Use to denote a sudden break in thought that causes a change in sentence structure.

To qualify for the HLP certificate, a student must earn 92 credit hours—three more than required for a regular JD degree—and at least 20 credit hours must be earned in courses approved in the health law and policy curriculum.

  • Co-: Use a hyphen when forming nouns, adjectives and verbs that indicate occupation or status (e.g., co-worker). Do not hyphenate in other combinations (e.g., cocurricular, corequisite).
  • Compound adjectives: Hyphenate only when preceding a noun.

"first-year student," but "students in their first year"

"upper-division class," but "classes must be upper division"

"5000-level course," but "select a course at the 5000 level or above"

  • Non-: Most words beginning with "non" do not use hyphen (see "Word List" below).
  • Post-: Use a hyphen only when the following word begins with a capital letter (e.g., post-World War II) or a number (e.g., post-1776). Do not hyphenate in other combinations (e.g., postbaccalaureate, postdoctoral, postmodern).
  • Pre-: Use a hyphen only when the following word begins with a capital letter (e.g., pre-Columbian era) or a number (e.g., pre-20th century). Do not hyphenate in other combinations (e.g., preapply, precollegiate, preprofessional, preregistration, prerequisite).
  • Re-: Use a hyphen when omitting it would create duplicated vowels (e.g., re-enroll, re-engage) or when "re-" means "again" and omitting it would cause confusion with another word (e.g., re-sent the file, re-signed the document).

Use initial caps and link to catalog sections (see "Internal Webpages" above); use quotation marks around subsections.

See "Holds" in the  section.

For hyphenation rules, see "Hyphens" above.

  • alumna: a female graduate
  • alumnae: multiple female graduates
  • alumni: multiple male graduates, or a combination of multiple male and female graduates
  • alumnus: a male or gender-neutral graduate
  • Buff Portal ("Apply to graduate through Buff Portal")
  • campuswide (one word, no hyphen)
  • co-: See "Punctuation" above.
  • coursework
  • CU Boulder
  • email
  • full time (hyphenate when used as an adjective: "full-time job")
  • fundraising
  • GPA (do not spell out or lowercase)
  • hard copy
  • homepage
  • international student
  • internet
  • log in (verb), login (noun or adjective)
  • midsemester (one word, no hyphen)
  • midterm (one word, no hyphen)
  • non-: See "Punctuation" above.
  • on campus/off campus (hyphenate when used as an adjective: "off-campus housing")
  • part time (hyphenate when used as an adjective: "part-time job")
  • policymaking (one word, no hyphen)
  • post-: See "Punctuation" above.
  • pre-: See "Punctuation" above.
  • problem solving (hyphenate when used as an adjective: "problem-solving skills")
  • re-: See "Punctuation" above.
  • resident, nonresident (use these terms instead of "in-state" and "out-of-state" unless referring to a specific tuition classification)
  • SAT
  • statewide (one word, no hyphen)
  • student-athlete
  • underway
  • university, the
  • universitywide (one word, no hyphen)
  • waitlist (one word, no hyphen)
  • web, the
  • webpage
  • website
  • workload
  • work-study

Content Structure

College & School Pages Department/Field-of-Study Pages Program Pages Formatted Tables
College & School Pages

Navigation

Undergraduate Catalog/Graduate Catalog > Colleges & Schools > [college/school/program].

Content

Provide a general overview of the college or school for students in the given career (undergraduate or graduate).

Contact Block

To add or edit a contact block, open the editing toolbar and click "Contact Info."

Headings & Tabs

If you have more information than is easily displayed on one tab, submit a Catalog Content Edit Request to request additional tabs.

Common headings and tabs include:

  • Overview (called "Page Body" in editing toolbar)
  • Mission & Vision
  • Honors Program
  • Student Life
  • Facilities & Research
  • Academic Centers
  • Programs & Leadership
  • Career Opportunities

Navigation

Undergraduate Catalog/Graduate Catalog > Colleges & Schools > [college/school/program] > Programs of Study > [department/field of study].

Contact Block

To add or edit a contact block, open the editing toolbar and click "Contact Info."

Programs Block

List the programs offered for the given career (undergraduate or graduate) in that field of study and create an internal link to each program page.

Undergraduate catalog headings are limited to (if only one program, make singular):

  • Bachelor's Degrees
  • Minors
  • Certificates

Graduate catalog headings are limited to (if only one program, make singular):

  • Master's Degrees
  • Doctoral Degrees
  • Certificates

Headings & Tabs

Overview Tab

Provide a general overview of the department or field of study and specify the course code, if one exists ("Course code for this program is ...").

Common headings:

  • [No heading] (General description of department or field of study. This may include a general overview of the degrees or certifications offered)
  • Areas of Study (General description of tracks, areas of emphasis or concentrations, if any)
  • Research Opportunities
  • Study Abroad
Faculty Tab

This content is automatically populated; see "Faculty Lists" above for details.

Courses Tab

This content is automatically populated; see "Course Descriptions." If a subject code is missing, email catalog@colorado.edu with the page URL and the missing subject code (e.g., ANTH).

Navigation

These pages appear under Undergraduate/Graduate & Professional Catalog > Colleges & Schools > [college/school/program] > Programs of Study > [department/field of study] > [program page]

Page Tabs

All bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees should have "Overview" and "Requirements" tabs. Additional tabs may appear as applicable; see details below.

Minors and certificates may appear on a single page (no tabs) and include a "Resources" heading (Heading 2) after the overview content.

Provide a general overview of the degree. Common headings include:

  • No heading: Provide a general description of the degree program.
  • "Program Tracks," "Areas of Study" or "Concentration Areas" (Heading 2): If the program has approved subplans, use "Program Tracks" as the subheading; if the program has unofficial areas of study or concentration areas, use "Areas of Study" or "Concentration Areas" instead.
    • Name of the track, emphasis or concentration (Heading 3): Provide a brief description of the track/emphasis/concentration; do not include specific requirements.
  • "Distance Education" (Heading 2): To add this shared block to your overview tab:
    1. Open the content editor and place your cursor in the content where you want the section to appear.
    2. In the editing toolbar, click the table icon ("Insert/Edit Formatted Table").
    3. In the pop-up window, select "Other Content" from the drop-down and click "OK."
    4. Next, under "Select Content," choose "Distance Education" and click "OK."
  • "Study Abroad" (Heading 2)
  • "International Baccalaureate Degree" (Heading 2)
  • "Concurrent Degree Program" (Heading 2): If applicable, this section should appear on graduate programs only; undergraduate programs have an "Accelerated Master's" tab in place of this section.
    • Name of degree combination (Heading 3): For example, "BA/MA in Art History."
  • "Dual Degree Program" (Heading 2): If applicable, this section should appear on graduate programs only; undergraduate programs have an "Accelerated Master's" tab in place of this section.
    • Name of degree combination (Heading 3): For example, "Mus/BMusEd in Music Performance and Music Education."

The content on this tab is populated at least in part from data submitted and approved through our curriculum inventory management system (CIM). 

  • When viewing the page with your editing toolbar open, the integrated content will be shaded gray.
  • When you open the editing window for that tab, the integrated content will be surrounded by a blue box.

If you attempt to edit that content through the catalog, you'll be taken to that program's record in our curriculum inventory management system (CIM).

If your program has tracks, areas of emphasis or concentration areas, put those requirements on this tab.

"Program Tracks," "Areas of Study" or "Concentration Areas" (Heading 2): If the program has approved subplans, use "Program Tracks" as the subheading; if the program has unofficial areas of study or concentration areas, use "Areas of Study" or "Concentration Areas" instead.

Name of the track, emphasis or concentration (Heading 3)

"Required Courses and Credits" (Heading 4): Use this heading after the introduction and before a "Course Lists" table.

The content on this tab is populated at least in part from data submitted and approved through our curriculum inventory management system (CIM).

  • When viewing the page with your editing toolbar open, integrated content will be shaded gray.
  • When you open the editing window for that tab, integrated content will be surrounded by a blue box.

The content on this tab should be populated at least in part from data submitted and approved through our curriculum inventory management system (CIM).

  • When viewing the page with your editing toolbar open, integrated content will be shaded gray.
  • When you open the editing window for that tab, integrated content will be surrounded by a blue box.

If you attempt to edit integrated content through the catalog, you'll be redirected to our curriculum inventory management system (CIM).

This tab will appear on undergraduate programs that are part of an official bachelor's–accelerated master's degree program. Other than the first section, the content on this page is hosted in the catalog and can be edited directly.

In most cases, your tab will be structured as follows:

"Bachelor's–Accelerated Master's Degree Program(s)" (Heading 2): This shared content block appears at the top of every "Accelerated Master's" tab and should not be edited.

Name of BAM program (Heading 3): For example, "BS and MS in Aerospace Engineering Sciences," "BS in Electrical Engineering, MS in Technology, Cybersecurity and Policy." 

"Admissions Requirements" (Heading 4)

"Program Requirements" (Heading 4)

However, if multiple BAM programs have the same program requirements, your tab may be restructured:

"Bachelor's–Accelerated Master's Degree Program(s)" (Heading 2): This shared content block appears at the top of every "Accelerated Master's" tab and should not be edited.

"Admissions Requirements" (Heading 3): For example, "BS and MS in Aerospace Engineering Sciences," "BS in Electrical Engineering, MS in Technology, Cybersecurity and Policy."  

Name of BAM program (Heading 4)

Name of BAM program (Heading 4)

"Program Requirements (for both programs above)" (Heading 3)

​

Step-by-Step Instructions

To add a course list to your catalog content:

  1. Locate your program in the , then click the green "Edit Program" button.
  2. In the pop-up window, scroll down to the "Required Courses and Credits" field.
  3. Place your cursor where you'd like the course list to appear, then click the table icon ("Insert/Edit Formatted Table") in the editing toolbar.
  4. In the pop-up window, click to open the "Select Type:" drop-down menu.
  5. "Course List" should be selected by default. Click "OK."
  6. In the new "Course List" pop-up window, the field on the right represents the table that will appear in the catalog.
    • On the left, use the college/school and subject drop-down menus to access a list of courses.

    • To add headings and/or subheadings, use the "Add Comment Entry" button. Common headings include:

      Comment EntryFormatting
      Required CoursesTick the "Area Header" checkbox.
      ElectivesTick the "Area Header" checkbox.
      [Topic Area]Tick the "Area Subheader" checkbox
    • To add courses:
      • Method 1: Select a course on the left, then click the right-facing double arrow.
      • Method 2: Enter a course number in the "Quick Add:" field and click "Add Course."
    • To add descriptive text, use the "Add Comment Entry" button. The most common text description is:
Comment EntryFormatting
Select one of the following:Leave as plain text or tick the "Area Subheader" checkbox.
Video Guides

For additional instructions and video guides, refer to our vendor's help materials:

  1. Log in to the .
  2. Open the "Edit Page" toolbar and click the "Help" icon.
  3. In the help page menu, navigate to CourseLeaf Catalog (CAT) > Tables > Course Lists.

Plan-of-study grids provide students with a comprehensive overview of which classes they should expect to take each semester. The total number of credits in the plan of study should meet or exceed the minimum number of credits required to graduate with that degree.

Here are a few example plans of study:

Step-by-Step Instructions

To add a plan-of-study grid to your catalog content:

  1. Locate your program in the , then click the green "Edit Program" button.
  2. In the pop-up window, scroll down to the "Plan(s) of Study" field.
  3. Place your cursor where you'd like the grid to appear, then click the table icon ("Insert/Edit Formatted Table") in the editing toolbar.
  4. In the pop-up window, click to open the "Select Type:" drop-down menu.
  5. Select "Plan of Study Grid," then click "OK."
  6. In the new "Plan of Study Grid" pop-up window:
    • Use the "Year:" and "Term:" drop-down menus on the right to select the correct semester. (For the year, always use "Year One," "Year Two," etc.)
    • Use the college/school and subject drop-down menus on the left to display the correct courses.
    • To move a course from the list on the left to the plan-of-study grid on the right, select the course to add, then click the right-facing double arrow. 
    • Use comment entries to describe requirements that are not course-specific. Sample entries include:
      • Math requirement
      • Upper-division theory or history elective (3000- or 4000-level theory classes)
      • Non-[subject code] elective
      • Internship
      • Capstone
      • ECEN 24XX::Sophomore Elective 1 [use double colons to indent the title]
Video Guides

For additional instructions and video guides, refer to our vendor's help materials:​

  1. Log in to the .
  2. Open the "Edit Page" toolbar and click the "Help" icon.
  3. In the help page menu, navigate to CourseLeaf Catalog (CAT) > Tables > Plan of Study Grids.

Resources

Whether this is your first time approving catalog content or you're a returning reviewer, please refer to our training resources and other support information: