admissions advisors
Editorial Style
This list clarifies the spelling and treatment of BYU terms and related academic terms. Regardless of which general editorial style you adhere to, please follow these guidelines for BYU publications. Send corrections and comments to style@byu.edu
A
Advanced Placement
Advanced Placement Program; Advanced Placement teachers; Advanced Placement courses
advisement centers
See individual colleges for more information, but generally follow this format:
College of Life Sciences Advisement Center
There are two known exceptions:
Education Advisement Center (David O. McKay School of Education)
Liberal Arts Advisement and Careers (College of Humanities)
AIM
AIM (Academic Information Management); AIM system
Aims of a BYU Education, The
The official title of the document is The Aims of a BYU Education—just like The Mission of Brigham Young University. Capitalize but don’t italicize or enclose in quotation marks these full titles.
The Aims of a BYU Education (published 1995)
a BYU aim
the aims
the third aim of a BYU education
All-American
all-state
all-state (generic use)
All-State Academic Tournament (capitalized in official names)
Alumni, BYU
In most cases, the university’s alumni association should be referred to as BYU Alumni. This term is preferred when identifying programs, events, or groups overseen by the alumni association. When describing the association’s leadership or in formal usage, the full name (BYU Alumni Association) is appropriate.
Francine Peabody received a BYU Alumni Replenishment Grant.
BYU Alumni hosts the Traditions Ball each spring.
On this website you can find information about the BYU Alumni chapter in your area.
Amy Fennegan is president of the BYU Alumni Association.
alumnus/alumni
alumnus/alumni (male singular/male plural)
alumna/alumnae (female singular/female plural)
alum (used informally for either singular male or female)
alumni/alums (mixed male and female plural)
applications
The official titles of application forms are capitalized. For example:
Application for Admission to Graduate Studies
Application for Admission to the J. Reuben Clark Law School
Application for Graduation
Application to Resume Graduate Study
BYU Admission and Scholarship Application (refers to the entire BeSmart.com website); admission application; admission process
Continuing Student Enrollment and Scholarship Deferment Application
LDS Missionary Enrollment and Scholarship Deferment Application
athletic conferences
independent: since 2011 (football and men’s and women’s outdoor track and field)
Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF): BYU a member since 1992 (men’s volleyball, men’s and women’s indoor track and field, and men’s and women’s swimming and diving)
Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference (MRGC): BYU a member since 2013
Mountain West Conference (MWC): BYU a member from 1999 to 2011
Pacific Coast Softball Conference (PCSC): BYU a member since 2013 (women’s softball)
West Coast Conference (WCC): BYU a member since 2011 (baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s golf, women’s soccer, men’s and women’s tennis, and women’s volleyball)
Western Athletic Conference (WAC): BYU a member from 1962 to 1999
athletic teams
Do not capitalize the names of athletic teams.
cross country (distance-running sport); BYU cross country; however, cross-country skiing (As an exception to Webster’s rule of hyphenating cross-country, the nationwide usage for the distance-running sport does not include a hyphen, even when the term is used as an adjective.)
football; BYU football
men’s basketball; BYU men’s basketball
women’s volleyball; BYU women’s volleyball
Exceptions
Cheer Squad; BYU Cheer Squad; the Cougar Cheer Squad
Cougarettes
awards
The name of an award is capitalized, but descriptive words and phrases that are not actually part of the award’s name are not. The word award may or may not be capitalized, depending on the award. For awards not listed here, it may be necessary to find their official usage online. See also fellowships and scholarships.
Academy Award
Emmy
New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award
Nobel Peace Prize; Nobel Prize; Nobel Prize in medicine; Nobel Prize winner; Nobel Prize–winning statesman (Use an en dash, not a hyphen, between Prize and winning in this instance.); Noble laureate
Pulitzer Prize–winning author (Use an en dash, not a hyphen, between Prize and winning in this instance.)
Rhodes Scholarship (but Rhodes scholar)
student Emmy; College Television Awards (official name)
BYU Awards
Abraham O. Smoot Citizenship Award
Adjunct Faculty Excellence Award
Alcuin Fellowship Award
Alumni Achievement Award(s)
Alumni Distinguished Service Award
Alumni Professorship Award
Alumni Service to Family Award
Ben E. Lewis Management Award
BYU Class of 1949 Young Faculty Award
Creative Works Award
Fred A. Schwendiman Performance Award
General Education Professorship Award
Honorary Alumni Award
Maeser awards
Karl G. Maeser Distinguished Faculty Lecturer Award
Karl G. Maeser Research and Creative Arts Award
Karl G. Maeser Excellence in Teaching Award
Karl G. Maeser General Education Professorship
Karl G. Maeser Professional Faculty Excellence Award
Phi Kappa Phi Award
Presidential Citation
Presidential Medallion
President’s Appreciation Award
Religious Education Transfer Professor
Sponsored Research Recognition Award
Student Award for Excellence in Teaching
Teaching and Learning Faculty Fellowship Award
Technology Transfer Award
University Professorship Award
Wesley P. Lloyd Award for Distinction in Graduate Education
Young Scholar Award
B
block classes
first or second block
fall block
winter block
first-block classes
board of trustees
board of trustees
BYU Board of Trustees (official name)
board (referring to the Church or BYU—or any other entity’s board, for that matter)
trustee
Brigham Young Academy
Brigham Young Academy
the academy
Academy Building (the part of the Provo Library that was an academy building)
Brigham Young Academy building (there were many)
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
the university (not University capitalized)
BYU (not B.Y.U., B. Y. U., or “the BYU,” unless you are President Kimball or you’ve been known to sing “The College Song”; see Cougar fight song)
the Y; see Y
Here is a growing collection of random things you should know about using BYU’s name:
In mailing addresses, include Brigham Young University or BYU for best possible results.
We recommend that Brigham Young University or BYU appear on the front or back cover of all university publications.
As stated in the mission statement, BYU is “founded, supported, and guided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” When describing BYU’s relationship to the Church, it is appropriate to say that the Church is BYU’s sponsoring institution.
buildings (BYU campus)
For building names and abbreviations, see the BYU Map and Building List.
When used with the name of a BYU campus building, capitalize Building.
Abraham O. Smoot Administration Building
Joseph F. Smith Building
Oddities
BYU Conference Center (south of the Caroline Harman Continuing Education Building; the two buildings share the same lobby but not the same name)
Caroline Harman Continuing Education Building (on University Parkway just west of 900 East; its east side has mirrored windows that reflect the mountains; it shares a lobby with the BYU Conference Center but not its name)
Joseph Smith Building (BYU campus); Joseph Smith Memorial Building (Temple Square)
LaVell Edwards Stadium: Home of the BYU Cougars (formerly Cougar Stadium); Lavell Edwards Stadium
Richards Building; Stephen L Richards Building (no period after L; not Richards PE Building)
BYU Broadcasting channels
BYUradio (BYU- and Church-related content; available via satellite/cable and the internet)
BYUtv (available via satellite/cable and online)
BYUtv International (similar content to BYUtv, with English, Spanish, and Portuguese versions; available via satellite/cable and the internet)
Create TV (do-it-yourself and how-to programming from public television; available only over the air and on selected cable systems)
KBYU-FM; branded as Classical 89 (local radio programming, featuring classical music and some BYU- and Church-related content; available via the internet)
KBYU-TV; branded as KBYU Eleven (local PBS affiliate, also featuring some BYU- and Church-related content; not available via the internet)
BYU Store, the
If you accidentally happen to call it “the bookstore,” do not capitalize bookstore.
BYU–Hawaii, BYU–Idaho, and BYU–Pathway Worldwide
Use BYU alone when referring to the Provo campus. For other BYU campuses, use an en dash, not a hyphen, to connect BYU with the campus name.
Brigham Young University–Hawaii; Brigham Young University–Idaho; Brigham Young University–Pathway Worldwide
BYU–Hawaii; BYU–Idaho; BYU–Pathway Worldwide (use en dash)
never BYU–H, BYU–I, or BYU–PW
BYUSA (BYU Student Service Association)
C
campus places and spaces
Brigham Square (plaza northwest of the Wilkinson Student Center)
Garden Court (skylighted room north of the WSC Ballroom)
Joseph Smith Atrium (open area in the center of the Joseph Smith Building)
Kimball Quad (area between the Kimball Tower, the Eyring Science Center, and the Joseph Smith and McKay Buildings)
Lee Quad (area between the Lee Library, Smoot building and Harris Fine Arts building)
Maeser Quad (grassy area between the Maeser, Brimhall, Joseph Smith, and Grant buildings)
Marigold Mall (north–south walkway between the Fletcher, Clyde, Martin, and Clark buildings)
Native Garden (five native plant theme gardens on the hill south of the Joseph Smith Building)
North Hillside (area below the Centennial Carillon Tower featuring the waterfall)
Richards Quad (area between the Richards Building, the stairs to campus, the George Albert Smith Fieldhouse, and the Student Athlete Building)
Sculpture Garden (area surrounding the Museum of Art)
Smoot Mall (area north of the Smoot Building featuring the fountain and flowers)
Wilkinson Way (north–south walkway west of the BYU Store and east of the Lee Library, formerly known as the Checkerboard Quad)
Wilk Terrace (large dining area north of the Cougareat)
capstone
capstone (generic senior course)
Capstone (two-semester program for engineering students)
Career Placement Services
Centennial Carillon Tower
Centennial Carillon Tower
carillon tower
bell tower
centers and institutes
Lowercase the word center or institute when it appears by itself. Capitalize when part of an official name (see 17th Chicago 8.57). Please consult the telephone directory or the entity itself for the proper treatment of its name.
Church Educational System (CES)
class of
class of [year] (class not capitalized)
the class of 1988
class schedule
When the full title is used, capitalize but do not italicize or enclose in quotation marks: Winter 2016 Class Schedule.
college-level entities
College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences
College of Fine Arts and Communications
College of Humanities
College of Life Sciences
College of Life Sciences
College of Nursing
College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences
David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies; Kennedy Center
David O. McKay School of Education; McKay School
Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering
J. Reuben Clark Law School; BYU Law; the Law School
BYU Marriott School of Business; J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott School of Business; BYU Marriott
Religious Education
commencement and convocation
Commencement, convocation, and graduation are not synonymous. Commencement is the event at which the university celebrates the graduation of its students. Convocation is the corresponding college-level event. Graduation is what happens to make these events possible.
Capitalize the formal title of particular commencement exercises; lowercase general references.
BYU commencement
university commencement
commencement
132nd Spring Commencement Exercises
April (or spring) 2017 commencement exercises
August (or summer) commencement
December (or June) graduation (there are no commencement exercises in these months, but students still graduate)
committees
Capitalize titles of official or formal committees; lowercase unofficial or informal ones.
Academic Standards Committee
Undergraduate Scholarship Committee
Her courses must be preapproved by her graduate committee.
Commons at the Cannon Center, the; the Commons
continuing education
BYU Continuing Education
BYU Division of Continuing Education
convocation
Lowercase generic references to convocation exercises; capitalize specific references. See commencement
convocations
convocation exercises
College of Humanities Convocation
College of Life Sciences Convocation
Cougar
Capitalize when used as a nickname for a student, athletic team, alumnus, or BYU-blue-wearing supporter of the university.
Cougar fan
They played the Cougars.
Cosmo the Cougar
There are two stuffed cougars in the Wilk.
Cougar Cash (formerly Signature Card)
Cougar Club
Cougar fight song
Officially “The Cougar Song,” the Cougar fight song, with its famous “rise and shout” chorus, is sung frequently—due to the high number of touchdowns scored—at athletic events. It was written by Clyde D. Sandgren. “The College Song,” written by Annie Pike Greenwood, is sometimes sung at other events (usually by old people who refer to the university as “the BYU” and by the Cougar Marching Band at the end of a football game).
Cougar Marching Band
Cougar Marching Band (plays for football games)
BYU Cougar Marching Band
BYU marching band
Cougareat
Cougareat Food Court
the Cougareat
course numbers and their titles in text
Capitalize course titles, spell out any abbreviations, and set off course descriptions with a colon. Catalogs, class schedules, and so forth that are filled with information about courses are an exception to this rule; common sense dictates the use of abbreviations there.
Philosophy 105: Reasoning and Writing was the course I took.
She is taking Philosophy 105 with her younger sister.
I took philosophy from an awesome professor.
She is taking a 100-level philosophy course about reasoning and writing with her younger sister.
D
dean's list, the; National Dean's List
dean's office
deferment forms
See applications
degrees, academic
When academic degrees are referred to in general terms, they are not capitalized (see 17th Chicago 10.21; 8.29). When academic degrees are abbreviated, do not use periods.
associate’s degree (AA) (preferred over associate degree for consistency with other degrees)
bachelor’s degree; baccalaureate; baccalaureate degree; plural: bachelor’s degrees, bachelor of science degrees, bachelors of science
bachelor of arts (BA)
bachelor of fine arts (BFA)
bachelor of general studies (BGS)
bachelor of music (BM; not BMu or BMU)
bachelor of science (BS)
doctoral degree; doctorate; juris doctor (not juris doctorate)
doctor of education (EdD)
doctor of philosophy (PhD)
juris doctor (JD)
master’s degree; plural: master’s degrees, master of science degrees, masters of science
educational specialist (EdS) (similar to a master’s degree but requires more credit hours and a full-time internship during the third year)
executive master of business administration (EMBA; executive MBA)
executive master of public administration (EMPA; executive MPA)
master of accountancy (MAcc)
master of arts (MA)
master of business administration (MBA)
master of education (MEd)
master of fine arts (MFA)
master of information systems management (MISM)
master of laws (LLM)
master of music (MM)
master of public administration (MPA)
master of public health (MPH)
master of science (MS)
master of social work (MSW)
departmental review board
departments
Use before or after the noun (Department of Exercise Sciences or Exercise Sciences Department). Only capitalize when used with the full name of the department (Sociology and Psychology Departments; the department).
When the name of a department includes a list of three nouns, only use the serial comma if it follows the publication style of the surrounding text (Department of Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science for Chicago style or Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Science for AP style).
Academic department-level entities (including departments and schools):
David O. McKay School of Education
Communication Disorders, Department of
Counseling Psychology and Special Education, Department of
Educational Leadership and Foundations, Department of
Instructional Psychology and Technology, Department of
Teacher Education, Department of
Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering
Chemical Engineering, Department of
Civil and Environmental Engineering, Department of
Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of
Mechanical Engineering, Department of
Technology, School of
College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences
Anthropology, Department of
Economics, Department of
Family Life, School of
Geography, Department of
History, Department of
Psychology, Department of
Social Work, School of
Sociology, Department of
Women’s Studies, Department of
College of Fine Arts and Communications
Art, Department of
Communications, School of
Dance, Department of
Design, Department of
Music, School of
Theatre and Media Arts, Department of
College of Humanities
Asian and Near Eastern Languages, Department of
Comparative Arts and Letters, Department of
English, Department of
French and Italian, Department of
German and Russian, Department of
Linguistics, Department of
Philosophy, Department of
Spanish and Portuguese, Department of
David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies
College of Life Sciences
Biology, Department of
Exercise Sciences, Department of
Health Science, Department of
Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Department of
Neuroscience, Department of
Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science, Department of
Physiology and Developmental Biology, Department of
Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Department of
Marriott School of Business
Accountancy, School of
Experience Design and Management, Department of
Finance, Department of
Information Systems, Department of
Management, Department of
Marketing and Global Supply Chain, Department of
Military Science, Department of
College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences
Chemistry and Biochemistry, Department of
Computer Science, Department of
Geological Sciences, Department of
Mathematics, Department of
Mathematics Education, Department of
Physics and Astronomy, Department of
Statistics, Department of
Religious Education
Ancient Scripture, Department of
Church History and Doctrine, Department of
devotionals
devotional
BYU devotional
university devotional
directory, BYU telephone
E
ecclesiastical endorsements
ecclesiastical endorsement
Continuing Student Ecclesiastical Endorsement (do not add the word form)
Continuing Student Ecclesiastical Endorsement interview
Education Week
BYU Campus Education Week (official name)
Education Week (most common)
electronic handbook
Electronic Handbook of University Organization, Policies, and Procedures
BYU Electronic Handbook
electronic handbook
emeritus/emerita
For more information, see 17th Chicago 8.28.
emeritus/emerita (male/female) professor
professor emeritus of art
general authority emeritus
Enrollment Services, BYU
Enter to Learn; Go Forth to Serve
When used in body text, BYU mottoes should be enclosed in quotation marks with the first word capitalized and the rest of the words lowercased. In display type, mottoes should be capitalized according to headline style and not enclosed in quotation marks (see 17th Chicago 7.61–62). See mottoes.
“Enter to learn; go forth to serve”
Enter to Learn; Go Forth to Serve
evening classes
Evening Classes (referring to the department)
Department of Evening Classes
Evening Classes Office
evening class(es) (referring to a generic class taken in the evening)
exams
Because the abbreviations of these exams are more common than their full names, we deem it permissible—even advisable—to use the abbreviations even if the full name hasn’t been introduced previously in the text. When the nouns exam, test, or the like follow the exam name but are not actually part of the exam’s official name, do not capitalize them (e.g., SAT exam).
ACT (no longer stands for anything)
AP (Advanced Placement test)
GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test)
GRE (Graduate Record Examinations; no s on Record)
IB (International Baccalaureate)
LSAT (Law School Admission Test)
MCAT (Medical College Admission Test)
SAT (no longer stands for anything)
F
FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
Federal Pell Grant; Pell Grant
Fellows and fellowships
The name of a fellowship is capitalized (such as Guggenheim Fellowship). The word fellow is not usually part of the official award name and is therefore not capitalized. See also awards.
a fellow of the Royal Academy
Fulbright fellow
Fulbright Fellowship
first-block classes
first-priority deadline
Food to Go, BYU
BYU’s takeaway food catering service
forms
Capitalize the word form when it is in the title of an official university form across the top of the page; otherwise lowercase it or delete it from the title being discussed.
Change of Major Form
Form 8c
Form I-20
University Honors Graduation Commitment Form
forums
Lowercase; do not use forum assembly, as it’s redundant.
forum
BYU forum
forum address
university forum
Founders Day
G
“The Glory of God Is Intelligence”
When used in body text, BYU mottoes should be enclosed in quotation marks with the first word capitalized and the rest of the words lowercased. This motto should also include the scriptural reference in body text. In display type, this motto should be capitalized according to headline style and enclosed in quotation marks because it is a scriptural citation, but it does not need the reference (see 17th Chicago 7.61–62). See mottoes.
“The glory of God is intelligence” (D&C 93:36) (body text)
“The Glory of God Is Intelligence” (display type)
galleries
B. F. Larsen Gallery
Education in Zion; Education in Zion Gallery (gallery in the Joseph F. Smith Building)
Gallery 303
Garden Court
GE course list
general education
Always lowercase general education. It is one of the three components of a BYU bachelor’s degree (general education, religious education, major education); general education and religious education constitute the university core.
grade point average (GPA)
GPAs may be listed with only two digits, except they must be listed with three for scholarship purposes and when in text alongside a three-digit GPA, such as 3.85.
3.5 GPA
He improved from a 3.50 GPA to a 3.89 GPA in one semester.
Graduate Council
graduate school (when speaking generally)
Graduate Studies, BYU
Capitalize as the name of a division at the university. Do not capitalize when speaking about graduate studies in general.
H
Harris Fine Arts Center
Home of College of Fine Arts and Communications from 1964 to 2022. It was demolished in 2023 and will be replaced by the new Arts Building.
Hinckley Center
In a departure from Church style, BYU style omits the apostrophe in visitors in the name of this building (and any visitors center on campus).
Gordon B. Hinckley Alumni and Visitors Center
John Franklin Shelley Visitors Center (inside the Hinckley Center)
Homecoming
BYU Homecoming
Homecoming
Homecoming week, game, etc.
Honor Code
BYU Honor Code (not BYU Code of Honor)
the Honor Code
Church Educational System (or CES) Honor Code (when applicable to BYU, BYU–Hawaii, BYU–Idaho, LDS Business College, and BYU–Pathway Worldwide)
Honor Code Advisory Council
Honor Code Office
BYUSA Student Honor
honor societies
Spell and capitalize them according to each society’s preference.
Golden Key National Honour Society
Phi Kappa Phi
honors
Great Questions Essay
Honors Advisement Center
Honors Course Guide
honors education
Honors Program, BYU
Honors Student Council
honors students (both BYU and generically)
honors thesis
graduated with University Honors
graduated with honors
I
Incomplete Grade Contract
Independent Study, BYU
information desk
information desk
ASB Information Desk
WSC Information Desk
RB Information Center
Institutional Review Board (IRB)
International Center for Law and Religion Studies (ICLRS)
International Cinema
International Cinema
BYU International Cinema
International Cinema program
International Student Services, BYU
international study programs
Capitalize only when referring to the specific entity that runs the programs; lowercase when referring to the programs in general. BYU offers four types of International Study Programs: study abroad, international internships, direct enrollment, and field school. These terms are lowercased unless they are part of an official program name (such as London Study Abroad, Denmark Internship Program, or Brazil Field School).
international study programs
BYU International Study Programs (the entity that organizes and runs the programs)
internships
Capitalize only when used with a specific program; lowercase in generic references.
Denmark Internship Program (David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies)
New York Internship Program (Department of Communications)
international internship
J
J. Reuben Clark Law School
J. Reuben Clark Law School
BYU Law School
BYU Law
the Law School
Jerusalem Center
Jerusalem Center
BYU Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies
Jerusalem Center Office
K
Kevin J Worthen
The president of BYU (2013–). There is no period after the J. (Except when it ends a sentence, which it likely never will, except for here. Take note of this rare thing.)
L
learning resource centers
The university used to have multiple spaces known as learning resource centers, but the two major centers have been renamed as follows:
Humanities Learning Resources
Media Center (in the library)
libraries
Harold B. Lee Library
Lee Library
the university library
BYU library
Howard W. Hunter Law Library
Hunter Law Library
law library
London Centre, BYU; London Study Abroad program
Lower Campus
M
majors, minors, and academic disciplines
Lowercase the names of majors, minors, and academic disciplines, except for those that are already proper nouns.
civil engineering
English
European studies
music dance theatre
nursing
Marriott Center
Marriott School of Business, BYU; BYU Marriott
Maxwell Institute; Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship
Formerly known as the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (FARMS), the Maxwell Institute includes the Center for the Preservation of Ancient Religious Texts and the Laura F. Willes Center for Book of Mormon Studies.
mentored-learning experience
mentored-student learning (not student-mentored learning)
Mission of Brigham Young University, The
The official title of the document is The Mission of Brigham Young University—just like The Aims of a BYU Education. Capitalize but don’t italicize or enclose in quotation marks these full titles, similar to how the Chicago Manual of Style recommends we treat the US Constitution (for they are similar in importance, are they not?).
The Mission of Brigham Young University (published November 4, 1981)
the mission of BYU
the BYU mission statement
mission statement
moot court
mottoes
When used in body text, the BYU mottoes should be enclosed in quotation marks with the first word capitalized and the rest of the words lowercased.
“Enter to learn; go forth to serve”
“The world is our campus”
“The glory of God is intelligence” (D&C 93:36); always include the scriptural reference in body text
In display type, BYU mottoes should be capitalized according to headline style and should not be enclosed in quotation marks (see 17th Chicago 7.61–62), except for the university’s motto that is a scriptural citation, as shown below.
Enter to Learn; Go Forth to Serve
The World Is Our Campus
“The Glory of God Is Intelligence”
Multicultural Student Services
museums
Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum; Life Science Museum (acceptable on second reference); never Bean Museum
Museum of Art (MOA)
Museum of Paleontology
Museum of Peoples and Cultures
myBYU
MyMAP
N
names
To verify how a name is spelled, check the department’s website, the person’s office, or, for public figures, a reliable source on the internet.
Commonly misspelled BYU names:
Larry Echo Hawk
Kieth Merrill
John A. Widtsoe
Put spaces between two initials; for example, B. H. Roberts (see 17th Chicago 10.12). AP style, however, would omit the spaces.
The following prefer no periods following the initials in their names:
Jack H Goaslind
Daniel K Judd
Brayden G King
Richard L Manning
Hal G Moore
Stephen L Richards
Michael M. O Seipel (no period after the O)
Ronald J Staheli
Dennis L Thomson
J Paul Warnick
Kevin J Worthen
Net ID
New Student Orientation (NSO)
O
off campus; on campus
Use off campus and on campus (no hyphen) after the noun and off-campus and on-campus (hyphen) before the noun, as with many other compound adjectives.
offices and other campus entities
Capitalize office when included as part of the name. See the current telephone directory for official names.
P
Performing Arts Management (PAM)
performing groups (auditioned only)
Ballet Showcase Company; BYU Ballet Showcase Company
Ballroom Dance Company; BYU Ballroom Dance Company
Chamber Orchestra; BYU Chamber Orchestra
Concert Choir; BYU Concert Choir
Contemporary Dance Theatre; BYU Contemporary Dance Theatre
dancEnsemble; BYU dancEnsemble
Kinnect; BYU Kinnect
Folk Music Ensemble
This is their official name, but sometimes they are called Mountain Strings.
Gamelan Bintang Wahyu
International Folk Dance Ensemble; BYU International Folk Dance Ensemble; American Folk Dance Ensemble; Folk Dance Ensemble; Folk Dancer(s); member(s) of International Folk Dance Ensemble
When performing internationally, this group is known as American Folk Dance Ensemble; when performing inside the United States it is known as International Folk Dance Ensemble. If you are easily confused or favor simplicity, you can just refer to them as Folk Dance Ensemble.
Jazz Ensemble; BYU Jazz Ensemble
Jazz Voices; BYU Jazz Voices
Living Legends; BYU Living Legends; a member of Living Legends (not a Living Legend)
Marching Band; Cougar Marching Band; BYU Cougar Marching Band
Men’s Chorus; BYU Men’s Chorus
Noteworthy; BYU Noteworthy
Panoramic Steel Band; BYU Panoramic Steel Band
Philharmonic Orchestra; BYU Philharmonic Orchestra
ROC Band
Singers, BYU
Symphonic Band; BYU Symphonic Band
Symphony Orchestra; BYU Symphony Orchestra
Synthesis; BYU Synthesis
Theatre Ballet; BYU Theatre Ballet
Traditionz; BYU Traditionz
University Chorale; BYU University Chorale
Vocal Point; BYU Vocal Point
Wind Symphony; BYU Wind Symphony
Women’s Chorus; BYU Women’s Chorus
Young Ambassadors; BYU Young Ambassadors; a member of Young Ambassadors (not a Young Ambassador)
Young Company; BYU Young Company
personal titles
Personal titles are capitalized only when used as part of the name.
president of BYU
President Kevin J Worthen
dean of the college
Dean Miller
academic vice president
professor of ancient scripture
Professor Hugh Nibley
department chair
assistant professor John Smith
When a title is used in apposition before a personal name—that is, not as part of the name but as an equivalent to it, usually preceded by the or by a modifier—it is considered not a title but rather a descriptive phrase and is therefore lowercased (see 17th Chicago 8.21–22).
BYU president Kevin J Worthen
College of Humanities dean J. Scott Miller
religion professor Hugh Nibley
When a title is preceded by the adjectives then, past, acting, former, future, and so on and so forth, don’t hyphenate. Sometimes then can be a bit confusing because it could also function as an adverb or a noun, as in “Then President Cecil O. Samuelson turned to his wife and said, ‘Let’s get some Whoosh! Cecil ice cream.’” In such cases you may decide to hyphenate the term or rewrite the sentence to avoid using such befuddling situations. (And if you now have a headache, we recommend getting some Whoosh! Cecil ice cream.)
then president Merrill J. Bateman
former dean John Rosenberg
Follow Church style for the proper treatment of titles of general authorities (section 8.4)—although we do have a few exceptions, as per usual, particularly that we do not capitalize general authority callings unless they are used as titles as part of the name.
President Russell M. Nelson
Russell M. Nelson, president of the Church
Church president Russell M. Nelson
planetarium; BYU Planetarium; Royden G. Derrick Planetarium
Police, BYU
Not Security or BYU Security or University Security
Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC)
President’s Council
The President’s Council comprises the top-level administrators of the university.
President’s Leadership Council (PLC)
The President’s Leadership Council comprises major donors to the university.
Press, Brigham Young University; BYU Press
While the Brigham Young University Press was discontinued, the imprint is still in use. For information regarding use of the BYU Press imprint, contact the academic vice president’s office.
Princeton Review, the
Do not italicize; this is an organization, not a publication.
Professional Certificate (for teachers)
professorships, chairs, and the like
BYU follows the rules outlined in 17th Chicago 8.28, in which named professorships and chairs are capitalized.
D. Gordon Smith, dean of the BYU Law School and the Glen L. Farr Professor of Law
C. Arden Pope III, Mary Lou Fulton Professor of Economics
Thomas B. Russell holds the General Education Professorship
J. Clifton Fleming occupies the Ernest L. Wilkinson Chair
publications (publications of the university)
Capitalize and italicize the names of magazines, newsletters, newspapers, and journals. Included here is a list of major campus publications. If you think your publication is major enough to be included on this list, you are welcome to try to convince us. We accept well-worded submissions and doughnuts.
Bridges Alumni Magazine (published by the David M. Kennedy Center for International Relations)
BYU Education and Law Journal (published by the Law School and the School of Education)
BYU Law Review (BYU legal studies journal)
BYU Magazine (the university’s alumni magazine)
BYU Studies Quarterly (an academic journal for LDS studies)
BYU Today (biweekly email sent to alumni)
Clark Memorandum, the; Clark Memo (published by the J. Reuben Clark Law School)
Connections (magazine published by the College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences)
Encore (published by Performing Arts Management)
Frontiers (published by the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences)
Humanities (magazine published by the College of Humanities)
Learning the Healer’s Art; Healer’s Art (published by the College of Nursing)
Marriott Alumni Magazine (published by the Marriott School of Management)
McKay Today Magazine (published by the David O. McKay School of Education)
BYU College of Life Sciences: A Magazine for Friends and Alumni (published by the College of Life Sciences)
Universe, the (formerly the Daily Universe)
Y News (BYU community’s newsletter published by University Communications)
ROC Band, BYU
This is the school spirit–infusing crew formerly known as the Pep Band that plays for basketball games; it is different from Cougar Marching Band.
Q
question-and-answer session (Q&A)
This is here just in case you look it up. And so that there is something under Q. And because the Merriam-Webster online dictionary doesn’t include the hyphens in question-and-answer when used as an adjective, and we happen to think they should be included. And so does Chicago (see 17th Chicago 7.85 and 5.250—good luck finding the example).
R
replenishment grant
Capitalize only when part of the official and complete name of the grant.
replenishment grant
BYU Alumni Replenishment Grant (granted by the university alumni association)
Alumni Chapter Replenishment Grant (granted by an alumni chapter)
residence hall (not dorm or dormitory)
reunions
Lowercase reunion in all contexts.
Young Ambassadors reunion
class of 1974 reunion
room numbers
Room numbers should precede the building name and should not include the word room. Building wings are designated with a letter and a hyphen before the room number. Rooms within an office suite are denoted by a letter (no hyphen) following the suite number.
3412 HBLL
C-550 HFAC
332D MCKB
S
Salt Lake Center, BYU
scholars and scholarships
The name of a scholarship is capitalized (such as Heritage Scholarship, Thomas S. Monson Scholarship). The word scholar is not usually part of the official award name and is therefore not capitalized (such as Fulbright scholar, Monson scholar). See also awards.
Heritage Scholarship (formerly Trustees Scholarship)
Hinckley Scholarship(s); Abrelia Clarissa Seely Hinckley Scholarship; Edwin Smith Hinckley Scholarship
The most prestigious private scholarships awarded at BYU, these scholarships are given to juniors and seniors—the Abrelia Clarissa Seely to women and the Edwin Smith to men.
Presidential Scholarship
Recipients of Presidential Scholarships bearing the name of the president of the Church continue to receive these scholarships under the name of the president for which the scholarship was named, even if that president has died. For example, for a while there were Howard W. Hunter Presidential Scholarships in effect at the same time there were Gordon B. Hinckley Presidential Scholarships.
University Scholarship
scholastic recognitions
The honors summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude are not italicized (except in this sentence) or capitalized (not even in this sentence).
semesters and terms
Lowercase semesters and terms.
fall semester
spring term
winter 2014 semester
spring 2016
Spectacular
BYU Spectacular! (official name of the show)
Spectacular
never Homecoming Spectacular
spirit of the Y
The spirit of the Y is an expression often used to communicate many aspects of the BYU experience, especially the uplifting feelings evoked by the campus environment. Although the spirit of the Y can include the presence of the Holy Ghost, this term may also communicate other emotions and experiences. To avoid conflating the spirit of the Y with the Spirit of God, spirit in the spirit of the Y should be lowercased. (See Church style 8.33 for a second witness.)
Spirit Squad; BYU Spirit Squad
Stafford Loan (SL)
There is a Subsidized Federal Stafford Loan and an Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loan.
Standards
When used in tandem with the Honor Code, capitalize and put a the before both Honor Code and the standards, such as the Dress and Grooming Standards so they appear as the separate entities they are. Lowercase when used in general terms.
Dress and Grooming Standards
BYU Dress and Grooming Standards
CES Dress and Grooming Standards
Residential Living Standards
the Honor Code and the Dress and Grooming Standards
student body (n.); student-body (adj.) (Webster’s 11th)
Student Employment (not Student Employment Office)
Student Health Center
student health plan
BYU Student Health Plan
student health plan
student insurance plan
Student Life
In addition to capitalizing this campus department name, capitalize these divisions under Student Life:
Campus Life
Residence Life
Student Service Association, BYU (BYUSA)
student-athlete; scholar-athlete
studies
When referring to an academic discipline, major, minor, or degree, do not capitalize the word studies.
African studies
Asian studies
bachelor of general studies
European studies
Latin American studies
Middle East studies/Arabic
Native American studies
Scandinavian studies
study abroad
This term is lowercased unless it is part of an official program name (such as the London Study Abroad). See international study programs
style guide
BYU Style Guide (meaning this style guide; don’t italicize, like the Bible, and adhere to it, like the Bible)
university style guide
T
teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL); TESOL Certificate
terms and semesters
See semesters and terms
Testing Center
As a note on behalf of all those who work in the Heber J. Grant Building, the Testing Center is housed inside the Heber J. Grant Building, but the two are not synonymous, nor does the Testing Center take up the entire building.
theaters and concert halls
When the Department of Theatre and Media Arts is involved, spell theater the British way: theatre (-re). If speaking generally and this department isn’t involved, spell it the American way (-er).
Mainstage Theatre
Studio Theatre
Blackbox Theatre
Little Theatre (3380 WSC)
The following theatres are no longer part of BYU campus since the Harris Fine Arts Center was demolished in 2023. Though the spaces are gone, the memories are not.
de Jong Concert Hall; Gerrit de Jong Jr. Concert Hall
Gates Opera Workshop; B. Cecil Gates Opera Workshop; Gates Theatre
Madsen Recital Hall; Franklin and Florence Jepperson Madsen Recital Hall
Margetts Arena Theatre; Philip N. Margetts Arena Theatre
Merrill Debate Theatre; Harrison Reuben Merrill Debate Theatre
Nelke Theatre; Miriam Nelke Experimental Theatre
Pardoe Theatre; T. Earl and Kathryn Pardoe Drama Theatre
ticket office
BYU Tickets has two locations: the Harris Fine Arts Center ticket office and the Marriott Center ticket office.
ticket office
BYU Ticket Office
BYU Tickets
U
undergraduate catalog
The title is not italicized nor enclosed in quotation marks. It is lowercased when referred to generically as “the undergraduate catalog” and BYU doesn’t precede it.
undergraduate catalog
BYU Undergraduate Catalog
BYU 2016–17 Undergraduate Catalog (published online)
university
Lowercase university when used by itself (the university). Never ever capitalize it. It’s unnecessary and arguably pompous. See the following two entries for more examples.
university chaplain
university conference
Lowercase.
university conference (UC; somehow not to be confused with University Communications, which is also abbreviated UC)
BYU university conference
university core
The university core includes general education and religious education requirements.
Upper Campus
V
Varsity Theatre
Our vote is to spell it Theatre simply to be consistent with the other theater names on campus. Of interesting note, however, is the fact that in all printed and online matter it is spelled Theater, but the canopy and marquee show it spelled Theatre. We don’t know Y. Go ask your mother.
Visiting Student Program; BYU Visiting Student Program
W
The World Is Our Campus
When used in body text, the BYU mottoes should be enclosed in quotation marks with the first word capitalized and the rest of the words lowercased. In display type, BYU mottoes should be capitalized according to headline style and not enclosed in quotation marks (see 17th Chicago 7.61–62). See mottoes.
“The world is our campus”
The World Is Our Campus
Washington Seminar
Women’s Conference
Y
Y Be Fit
Y Days
Y Days (not hyphenated) is a multiday service festival held each year at BYU. (Y-Days hyphenated could potentially be a multiday festival about asking questions, but to our knowledge, nothing of the sort exists.) When referring to the historical one-day event when students would whitewash the Y, use Y Day.
Y Group; Y Group leader
Y Mountain
Y-Serve
Y-Serve is under the auspices of the Center for Service and Learning.
Y-Serve
Y-Serve Office
Y; the Y
Y is not italicized when referring to this great university we call BYU or to the Y on Y Mountain. If, however, you are referring to the Y on the mountain as a letter, then italicize it. For example, “I hiked to the letter Y on the mountain” but “I hiked to the Y.” (If you find this confusing, please see the reference for Varsity Theatre.)