Abbreviations

Avoid abbreviations in running text, except when part of names, street addresses, courtesy titles, or academic degrees.

Although periods are used with some abbreviations, current trends in English are moving away from using them.

CPA; SBE; GPA; USA; US Air Force; LTC (for Lt. Col.)

Academic Degrees

Abbreviate and capitalize academic degrees when used following a name.

BS; MS; PhD; MBA; BSE; EdD

Abbreviations are also capitalized when used with the full, complete degree.

BS in Mechanical Engineering; PhD in Physics

Colleges/Schools

The School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science is abbreviated as SFRES; School of Business and Economics, SBE; College of Engineering, COE; College of Sciences and Arts, CSA; and School of Technology, SOT.

Departments

Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics is abbreviated as ME-EM department or ME-EM.

AFROTC for Air Force ROTC, but Army ROTC is not abbreviated.

Highways

U.S. Route 41 is abbreviated as US-41.

Michigan highway 26 is abbreviated as M-26.

Michigan Tech

Do not abbreviate Technological when writing the formal name of this University, i.e., do not write Michigan Tech University.

After the first reference, which should be Michigan Technological University, the informal name Michigan Tech may be used. Tech is permitted on the third reference. Do not use "MTU" or "Michigan Tech University" as these references may not be understood beyond the campus community. This applies to all references of the University including use in email, letters, forms, phone messages, signs, advertising, and apparel.

States

Use postal abbreviations—MI for Michigan, etc.—in address forms only. Do not abbreviate in text. He lives in Houghton, Michigan.

Titles

The following titles are abbreviated when preceding names.

Dr.; Mr.; Ms.; Mrs.; Rev.; Hon.; St.

United States

Abbreviate as US or USA.