College and Academic Department* content guidelines
The University's identity on the Web is one of the most immediate and far reaching vehicles to spread the message that Washington State University is one of the nation's premier universities. Your effort to utilize the brand elements and provide consistent navigation and structure across the various departments and units is vital to this mission.
Home page primary navigation links and content
All colleges and academic departments must have eight common links on their home pages.
Five primary navigation zone links:
- Overview
- Academics
- Scholarships
- Graduate Studies**
- Research
Three featured links:
- Request info
- Visit
- Apply
A secondary set of navigation links may be located outside of the primary navigation zone for better organization. Secondary links often work best if placed immediately below or to the right of the primary home page image.
All colleges and academic departments are required to follow a few content guidelines for the required links of their home pages. It is the University's intent for the links and content behind the links in this area to be targeted primarily to prospective students, but with enough detail for current students to use.
Colleges and academic departments can add their unique links to the primary navigation zone. Secondary links targeted primarily to important audiences other than prospective students can be added to areas outside the primary navigation zone. Other important audiences include faculty, staff, donors, the media, visitors, professionals interested in specific academic areas, and others.
"Overview" link content
This area should provide key messages for the college or department. This includes the highlights of that academic area and general contact information. Possible links or information in this area includes world-class proof points, profiles of successful alumni, profiles and photos of current students, links to significant media coverage, the dean's or chair's message, newsletters, a mission statement, calendar of events, college directory, and any other general college or department information targeted to potential students.
"Academics" link content
Required for Colleges
- List of fields of study within that college and links to related department home page or related information on department pages.
- Link back to academic page of future student site.
- Relevant academic information specifically targeted to transfer students.
Required for Departments
- Field of study list for programs in that department. Contact your marketing representative for more information.***)
- Information relating field of study list to majors and minors offered in the department.
- Requirements for the major and minor.
- List of faculty and their specialization areas. Should also include information to market faculty strengths, i.e., awards and significant achievements.
- Link back to academic page of college and link back to academic pages of future student site, http://futurestudents.wsu.edu/academics
Recommended for Departments (in priority order)
- Course listings.
- Suggested high school preparation for specific fields of study (if applicable).
- Internship information, if available in that particular department.
- Careers, job prospects, and salary information related to area.
- List of student clubs and highlights of their activities.
- Relevant academic information specifically targeted to transfer students.
- Academic resources for students (information about advising...or links to pages about these things)
- Study abroad opportunities
- Corresponding information (or links) for graduate programs
Recommended for Colleges
- Academic resources for students (information about advising...or links to pages about these things)
- Study abroad opportunities
- Corresponding information (or links) for graduate programs
"Scholarships" link content
Required for Colleges and Departments
- List of college and/or department scholarships (and financial aid if available).
- Details regarding scholarship qualifications and how to apply for scholarships.
- Link to scholarship applications if the college/department requires applications other than the University Scholarship Application. Link to University application if the college/department uses that application.
- Link to University Financial Aid home page.
Recommended for Colleges and Departments
- Corresponding information (or links) for graduate programs
"Graduate Studies" link content
Required for Colleges
- List and information regarding academic programs for graduate students, each program should link to the corresponding degree programs page of the Graduate School Web Site, and refer to corresponding department.
Required for Departments
- List of programs and information regarding academic programs for graduate students-- each program should link to the corresponding degree programs page of the Graduate School Web Site.
- List of faculty and their specialization areas. Should also include information to market faculty strengths, i.e., awards, significant achievements...
- Scholarship and financial aid information for graduate students and relevant applications.
- Links to other relevant University info for graduate students, i.e., housing information specific to them, graduate school application...
"Research" link content
Required for Colleges and Departments
- College/department research programs and highlights
- List of faculty and their related research initiatives/interests and contact information
Recommended for Colleges and Departments
- List and highlights of labs/research facilities
- Section highlighting undergraduate involvement in research--photos, testimonials...
Featured links
In addition to the left navigation links, each college and department home page will have three featured links appearing above the primary navigation links: apply, request info, and visit.
"Request Info" link content
This link should go directly to the future student site area that provides details about receiving additional information, http://futurestudents.wsu.edu/admission/request.aspx.
"Visit" link content
This link should go directly to the future student site area containing visit information, http://futurestudents.wsu.edu/visits.
"Apply" link content
There are two options for this link: It can go directly to the University on-line application, http://futurestudents.wsu.edu/admission/apply.aspx, or it can go to a page that has college- or department-specific applications. If the link does not go directly to the University application, there needs to be a link to the University application from the intermediate page containing college/department applications.
Secondary navigation links
Required for Colleges and Departments
The "I Want to Give" link must be displayed as a secondary link. If you need to determine a giving fund and Web page link location, contact Trevor Durham, the WSU Foundation, at 509-335-2093 or tdurham@wsu.edu.
Recommended for Colleges and Departments
It is the University's intent for secondary links to be targeted primarily to other important audiences such as faculty, staff, donors, the media, visitors, professionals interested in specific academic areas, and others.
Photography
Use high quality photography to impart the key strengths of your program. Keep in mind that the entire world has access to your site. Whether it be faculty, graduate students, or undergraduate who are considering coming to Washington State University, they will view your Web site as a reflection of the quality of your programs offered. Use the captions as another vehicle to highlight your key messages and strengths.
* "Academic department" refers to all departments and schools within a college.
** This link is for departments and schools that have undergraduate and graduate programs. If applicable, graduate programs should use an "Undergraduate Studies" link in the Primary Navigation Zone to link back to appropriate undergraduate academic information.
*** Marketing representative: Anna Sherwood
