Information and usage were taken from a variety of sources, including The Chicago Manual of Style, The Associated Press (AP) Stylebook, and a collection of U-M school and college style guides.
Overview
Abbreviations and acronyms should be restricted to situations where they enhance comprehension: e.g., when your copy refers repeatedly to a lengthy name or term that has a commonly accepted abbreviation. Be aware that familiarity with most abbreviations and acronyms is context sensitive and field dependent. Does NASA refer to the Native American Student Association or the National Aeronautics and Space Administration? Remember that shorthand familiar to specialists in a given field (or to longtime university employees) could confuse non-specialists, non-university readers and new employees.
U-M has a significant amount of acronyms. To find buildings or locations, please visit the acronym decoder.
“Alumni” and “Alums”
As the need for gender-neutral words has increased, many colleges and universities have begun using the abbreviations “alum” and “alums” to designate all alumni regardless of gender, rather than the standard “alumnus/a/i/ae.”
The Alumni Association of the University of Michigan recently made the decision to use “alum” more broadly, and in more formal messaging including the Alumni Association mission statement. They will continue to use the ‘traditional’ approach outlined below in many cases, but will start to use “alum” more commonly across channels.
University units may determine whether they want to migrate to “alum/s,” retain the traditional terms or use a combination of both.
- USE ALUM or ALUMS in cases where a
gender-neutral word is needed, in more informal contexts (e.g. social media) and in formal messaging as appropriate/desired.
- USE ALUMNUS/A/I/AE in more formal
or institutional uses, e.g. annual reports:
- Alumnus: one male alum
- Alumna: one female alum
- Alumni: more than one male or male and female alums
- Alumnae: more than one female alum
Degrees
The general trend is to omit periods from abbreviations, including academic degrees. When the abbreviation of a degree might be unfamiliar to an audience, we recommend using a generic degree (such as BA, BS, MA, PhD, MBA) along with the subcategory spelled out, or spelling out the entire degree. When it’s clear from the context that the degree is a bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate, you may omit the level of degree and just provide the field abbreviation in parentheses (see graduation year with degree).
Note: When spelling out degrees, use lowercase: bachelor of science, master of business administration, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, doctorate.
Abbreviations of UM-Ann Arbor degrees
Art & Design
| Short Name |
Formal Name |
| B.F.A |
Bachelor of Fine Arts |
| B.F.A.Des |
Bachelor of Fine Arts (Design) |
| A.M. |
Master of Arts |
| M.F.A |
Master of Fine Arts |
Architecture & Urban Planning
| Short Name |
Formal Name |
| B.S. |
Bachelor of Science |
| M.Arch |
Master of Architecture |
| M.S. |
Master of Science |
| M.U.D. |
Master of Urban Design |
| M.U.P. |
Master of Urban Planning |
| Arch.D. |
Doctor of Architecture |
| Ph.D. |
Doctor of Philosophy |
| Cert.Grad. |
Certificate of Graduate Studies |
Business Administration
| Short Name |
Formal Name |
| B.B.A. |
Bachelor of Business Administration |
| A.M. |
Master of Arts |
| M.Acc. |
Master of Accounting |
| M.B.A. |
Master of Business Administration |
| Ph.D. |
Doctor of Philosophy |
Dentistry
| Short Name |
Formal Name |
| M.S. |
Master of Science |
| Ph.D. |
Doctor of Philosophy |
| D.D.S. |
Doctor of Dental Surgery |
Dental Hygiene
| Short Name |
Formal Name |
| B.S. |
Bachelor of Science |
| Cert.Dent. |
Certificate of Specialization in Dental Hygiene |
Education
| Short Name |
Formal Name |
| A.B.Ed. |
Bachelor of Arts Education |
| B.S.Ed. |
Bachelor of Science Education |
| A.M. |
Master of Arts |
| M.S. |
Master of Science |
| Ed.D. |
Doctor of Education |
| Ph.D. |
Doctor of Philosophy |
| Ed.S. |
Specialist in Education |
Engineering
| Short Name |
Formal Name |
| B.S. |
Bachelor of Science in Engineering |
| B.S.AOSS |
Bachelor of Science in Atmospheric, Oceanic & Space Science |
| B.S.E.Aero |
Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Aerospace Engineering |
| B.S.E.B.E. |
Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Biomedical Engineering |
| B.S.E.C.S. |
Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Computer Science |
| B.S.E.Ch E |
Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Chemical Engineering |
| B.S.E.Civ |
Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Civil Engineering |
| B.S.E.CivE B |
Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Civil & Environmental Engineering |
| B.S.E.Comp |
Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Computer Engineering |
| B.S.E.E.P. |
Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Engineering Physics |
| B.S.E.E.S. |
Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Engineering Science |
| B.S.E.Elec |
Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Electrical Engineering |
| B.S.E.Env. |
Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences Engineering |
| B.S.E.ESSE |
Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Earth Systems Science |
|
| B.S.E.I.O. |
Bachelor of Science in Industrial & Operations Engineering |
| B.S.E.M.M. |
Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Mat & Met E |
| B.S.E.M.S. |
Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Materials Sci & Engineering |
| B.S.E.Mech |
Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Mechanical Engineering |
| B.S.E.Met |
Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Meteorology |
| B.S.E.N.E. |
Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Nuclear Engineering |
| B.S.E.Nav |
Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering |
| B.S.E.NERS |
Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Nuclear Engineering & Radiological Sciences |
| B.S.Meteor |
Bachelor of Science in Meteorology |
| B.S.P.O. |
Bachelor of Science in Physical Oceanography |
| M. Eng. |
Master of Engineering |
| M.S. |
Master of Science |
| M.S.E. |
Master of Science in Engineering |
| D.Eng.Mfg. |
Doctor of Engineering in Manufacturing |
| Ph.D. |
Doctor of Philosophy |
| Aero.E. |
Aerospace Engineer |
| I.&Op.E. |
Industrial and Operations Engineer |
| Nav. Arch. |
Naval Architect |
| Nuc. E. |
Nuclear Engineer |
| Cert.Grad. |
Certificate of Graduate Studies |
| Cert.Adv.S. |
Certificate of Advanced Studies in Engineering |
Information
| Short Name |
Formal Name |
| B.S. |
Bachelor of Science in Information |
| M.S.I. |
Master of Science in Information |
| M.H.I. |
Master of Health Informatics |
| MADS |
Master of Applied Data Science |
| Ph.D. |
Doctor of Philosophy in Information |
Kinesiology
| Short Name |
Formal Name |
| A.B. |
Bachelor of Arts |
| B.S. |
Bachelor of Science |
| A.M. |
Master of Arts |
| M.S. |
Master of Science |
| Ph.D. |
Doctor of Philosophy |
| Cert.Grad. |
Certificate of Graduate Studies |
Law
| Short Name |
Formal Name |
| LL.M. |
Master of Laws |
| M.C.L. |
Master of Comparative Law |
| S.J.D. |
Doctor of the Science of Law |
| J.D. |
Juris Doctor |
Literature, Science, and the Arts
| Short Name |
Formal Name |
| A.B. |
Bachelor of Arts |
| B.G.S. |
Bachelor in General Studies |
| B.S. |
Bachelor of Science |
| B.S.Chem |
Bachelor of Science in Chemistry |
| A.M. |
Master of Arts |
| M.F.A. |
Master of Fine Arts |
| M.S. |
Master of Science |
| M.M.P. |
Master of Museum Practice |
| Ph.D. |
Doctor of Philosophy |
| Cert.Prg.C. |
Certificate of Program Completion |
| Cert.Grad. |
Certificate of Graduate Studies |
LSA Residential College
| Short Name |
Formal Name |
| A.B. |
Bachelor of Arts |
| B.S. |
Bachelor of Science |
| B.S.Chem. |
Bachelor of Science in Chemistry |
Medicine
| Short Name |
Formal Name |
| M.S. |
Master of Science |
| Ph.D. |
Doctor of Philosophy |
| M.D. |
Doctor of Medicine |
| Cert.Grad. |
Certificate of Graduate Studies |
Music, Theatre & Dance
| Short Name |
Formal Name |
| B.D.A. |
Bachelor of Dance Arts |
| B.F.A. |
Bachelor of Fine Arts |
| B.Mus |
Bachelor of Music |
| B.Mus.A. |
Bachelor of Musical Arts |
| B.S. |
Bachelor of Science |
| B.T.A. |
Bachelor of Theatre Arts |
| BFA.Mus.Tht. |
B.F.A. (Music Theatre) |
| A.M. |
Master of Arts |
| M.F.A. |
Master of Fine Arts |
| M.Mus. |
Master of Music |
| A.Mus.D. |
Doctor of Musical Arts |
| Ph.D. |
Doctor of Philosophy |
| S.M. |
Specialist in Music |
| Cert.Grad. |
Certificate of Graduate Studies |
School for Environment & Sustainability
| Short Name |
Formal Name |
| B.S. |
Bachelor of Science |
| M.L.Arch. |
Master of Landscape Architecture |
| M.S. |
Master of Science |
| M.F. |
Master of Forestry |
| Ph.D. |
Doctor of Philosophy |
| Cert.Grad. |
Certificate of Graduate Studies |
Nursing
| Short Name |
Formal Name |
| B.S.N. |
Bachelor of Science in Nursing |
| M.S. |
Master of Science |
| Ph.D. |
Doctor of Philosophy |
Pharmacy
| Short Name |
Formal Name |
| B.S. |
Bachelor of Science |
| M.S. |
Master of Science |
| Ph.D. |
Doctor of Philosophy |
| Pharm.D. |
Doctor of Pharmacy |
Public Health
| Short Name |
Formal Name |
| A.M. |
Master of Arts |
| M.H.S.A. |
Master of Health Services Administration |
| M.P.H. |
Master of Public Health |
| M.S. |
Master of Science |
| Dr.P.H. |
Doctor of Public Health |
| Ph.D. |
Doctor of Philosophy |
| Cert.Comp |
Certificate of Academic Competencies |
Public Policy
| Short Name |
Formal Name |
| M.P.A. |
Master of Public Administration |
| M.P.P. |
Master of Public Policy |
| Ph.D. |
Doctor of Philosophy |
| Cert.Grad. |
Certificate of Graduate Studies |
| A.B. |
Bachelor of Arts |
Rackham
| Short Name |
Formal Name |
| A.M. |
Master of Arts |
| M.R.P. |
Master of Regional Planning |
| M.S. |
Master of Science |
| M.S.E. |
Master of Science in Engineering |
| M.S.I. |
Master of Science in Information |
| Ph.D. |
Doctor of Philosophy |
| Cert.Grad. |
Certificate of Graduate Studies |
Social Work
| Short Name |
Formal Name |
| M.S.W. |
Master of Social Work |
| Cert.Comm. |
Certificate in Jewish Communal Service & Judaic St |
| Cert.Aging |
Certificate of Specialization in Aging |
| Cert.Mgt. |
Certificate of Management |
Graduation year with degree
When including a graduation or expected graduation year with a degree, abbreviate the year with an apostrophe and include a space between the year and the degree. Be sure to use an apostrophe (’63) and not a single open quote mark (‘63).
- Vijay Patel (BGS ’84) will return to U-M this fall as a first-year student at Michigan Law.
- Ann McCarthy (BFA ’72, MBA ’80) will establish a scholarship for students majoring in fine arts.
Plurals of abbreviations and acronyms
Form the plurals of abbreviations and acronyms by adding ‘s’ alone (no apostrophe).
- All of the department’s MAs, PhDs, and GSIs spent several hours at the seminar.
University of Michigan
For external audiences, spell out the complete name the first time you refer to it, unless the context and nature of the document require an abbreviation (e.g., in an advertisement). Note the use of hyphens in both the long and abbreviated forms.
- the University of Michigan
- the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (hyphen)
- the University of Michigan-Dearborn (hyphen)
- the University of Michigan-Flint (hyphen)
Unless it is the first word in a sentence or part of an official title, ‘the’ should not be capitalized in running text.
- John attends the University of Michigan.
- NOT John attends The University of Michigan.
Abbreviations for the University of Michigan and its campuses.
- U-M (hyphen)
- UM-Ann Arbor (hyphen)
- UM-Dearborn (hyphen)
- UM-Flint (hyphen)
Note the elimination of the hyphen from the abbreviated form when a campus designation is used: UM-Dearborn, NOT U-M-Dearborn. Although U-M is usually pronounced “U of M” when spoken, this abbreviation should not be used in written text.
Use of the article “the” is optional with the abbreviated form of the university name:
- John attends the U-M.
- John attends U-M.
Because it can cause confusion with the state of Michigan, avoid referring to U-M as “Michigan” unless the context is obvious. For example in this sentence: “Michigan donors can take advantage of a new tax law that allows deductions for charitable gift annuities,” is it the university or the state of Michigan that is being referenced?
