The proper names of schools and colleges, departments, and programs are always capitalized in formal publications and marketing text:

  • School of Law
  • Department of Earth & Environment
  • Department of Health Sciences
  • The College of Fine Arts comprises the School of Visual Arts, the School of Theatre, and the School of Music.

Use the current name of a school unless there is a specific reason to use an earlier name. The standard school abbreviations are written without periods: CAS, COM, ENG, Questrom, Wheelock, etc. See the list of the current names and abbreviations of BU’s 17 schools and colleges.

Effective September 29, 2022, the Aram V. Chobanian & Edward Avedisian School of Medicine is the new name for the Boston University School of Medicine. “MED” and “BUSM” are no longer approved acronyms (“MED” may be used for course and building codes). The initialism “CAMED” may ONLY be used in URLs, email addresses, and social media handles, where character-count limits restrict use of approved abbreviations. “(CAMED’XX)” may be used to denote school and graduation year for students and alumni. Other approved abbreviations for the Aram V. Chobanian & Edward Avedisian School of Medicine:
Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Chobanian & Avedisian School
Chobanian & Avedisian SOM

Effective June 1, 2018, Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development is the new name for the merger of Wheelock College and the Boston University School of Education. On first reference in print and digital text, use the full name “Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development,” and in subsequent references use “Wheelock” or “the college.” There will be no acronym used for Wheelock.

Alumni who graduated from BU School of Education or from Wheelock College prior to the June 1, 2018 merger will all be designated with the abbreviation Wheelock and their year (e.g., Wheelock’09). After June 1, 2018, all alumni (including legacy Wheelock College, legacy BU School of Education, and newly minted Wheelock College of Education & Human Development in future years) will be referred to as alumni of Wheelock College of Education & Human Development, abbreviated as Wheelock’XX.

Effective in March 2015, the name “Questrom School of Business” replaced both the “School of Management” and the “Graduate School of Management.” In print and digital publications, use “Questrom School of Business,” or on second reference, “Questrom,” or “the school.” For school and year after a student’s or alum’s name, use “(Questrom’XX).” In referring to the building or street address of the Questrom School of Business, always include the name of the building:

  • Rafik B. Hariri Building, 595 Commonwealth Ave.

In an editorial context, the names of departments and programs are lowercased:

  • She teaches at the medical school and the law school.
  • He is a health sciences major.
  • The physics department hosted an event.
  • The philosophy department showed a film.

In logos and in running text, the name of a department or center follows the name of the school or college in which it belongs.

When cited in full, capitalize a center’s proper name:

  • Institute for the Study of Muslim Societies & Civilizations
  • BioMolecular Engineering Research Center
  • Rajen Kilachand Center for Integrated Life Sciences & Engineering

And capitalize the full proper names of programs:

  • Campaign for Boston University
  • Visiting Scholars Program

However, in subsequent informal references, lowercase “campaign,” “center,” “institute,” or “program” when used alone, even when referencing a specific entity.

  • The campaign is a success.
  • Research at the center is supported by a grant.