The Academic Department site structure is designed to put your department’s work – academic offerings and research – at the forefront of the website. The structure and labels have been designed to make it easy for visitors to find information, and to provide you with a framework to easily organize your website's content. Adopting this structure will also help ensure a cohesive, unified experience across your organization's academic sites. Choosing the Academic site preset will pre-populate your website with these menu links and pages: Home, Academics, Research, Activities, People, Resources, News & Events, About

Example:

How to set up an Academic Department site

NOTE: Only the Department/School site type offers the Academic preset option.

 

1. Select Academic from the options given in Step 2 of the site creation process.

2. Click Next to select a theme.
3. Click finish to redirect to your new site.
 

Using the Academic site structure

Below are tips and examples of the kinds of content to consider including in each section.
 

1. Academics

Purpose: To highlight your academic programs.
Examples: Information about undergraduate, graduate, and postdoc programs, secondary concentrations, program requirements, classes, admission.
 

2. Research

Purpose: To highlight the latest research taking place in your department
Examples: Highlights of faculty research, overviews of your department’s main research areas, publications, news related to research, cross-university collaborations, and research initiatives or partnerships.
 

3. Activities

Purpose: To highlight other activities or initiatives that may not directly fit into the academics or research section. Not all departments use or need this section.
Examples: Student organizations, special programs or initiatives, community outreach, green initiatives.
 

4. People

Purpose: To highlight the expertise of faculty and provide contact information for faculty and staff. Some departments also include graduate students.
 

5. Resources

Purpose: To highlight resources and facilities that will be useful or of interest to your visitors.
Examples: Information about facilities such as labs or specialized equipment, technology, libraries, data resources, forms, information about training or procedures (e.g. lab safety).
 

6. News & Events

Purpose: To showcase what’s happening now in your department, announcements, and upcoming events.
 

7. About

Purpose: To provide background about your organization and logistical information
Examples: Mission statement, letter/welcome from a director, general department contact information, directions, job opportunities, history.