Guide: Workflow to Edit your Program's Guide Page Based on Content Type
Click on the links below to skip directly to the section:
- Guide/Lumen: Start Here
- Types of Content Based on Program's Guide Tab
- Editing Based on Content Type
- Editing Window
Guide / Lumen: Start Here
Each graduate program has its own page on Graduate Guide. A graduate program's Guide page is a legal, binding agreement with students that displays the requirements needed to earn a credential (degrees/graduate/professional certificates/doctoral minors) at UW-Madison. Keep the following in mind as you start the process to edit your program's Guide page:
- Edits are only allowed during certain times of the year.
- Typically, edits are made in the early spring.
- The most recent version of Guide publishes on June 1.
This document only pertains to the graduate-specific information in Guide. For undergraduate-specific information, contact your school/college Guide coordinator or academic planner.
Content Type Based on Program's Guide Tab
Certain types of content lives on each program's Guide page. There are two "types" of content on a program's Guide page: governed and non-governed. Programs must follow specific processes to update information based on content type. Click on the menu to learn which tab fits into each content type.
Governed Content Tabs
- Admissions
- Requirements
- Policies
- Learning Outcomes
- Accreditation (if applicable)
- Certification/Licensure (if applicable)
Non-Governed Content Tabs
- Overview
- Funding
- Professional Development
- People
- Contact Information
Editing Based on Content Type
Each type of content has its own editing workflow. This means the type of content and edit dictates the workflow. Your school/college academic planner is an important resource in this process.
Governed Content Workflow
Typically, edits to the tabs with governed content need to go through the following workflow.
Create Lumen Programs Proposal
The interface to make the edits to these tabs is Lumen. The edits are made in a Lumen Program Proposal. This proposal is how edits are reviewed and approved through the workflow. See Lumen and Guide KnowledgeBase for technical assistance with proposals.
Departmental Approval
The proposal needs to be approved by the faculty at the department or academic unit level.
School/College Approval
Next, the proposal must be reviewed and approved at the school/college level. Typically, this is completed by your school/college's Dean's office.
If the edit is more substantial, it may need to be presented to your school/college academic planning council.
Graduate School Approval
The Graduate School's Office of Academic Analysis, Planning and Assessment reviews and approves a proposal at this stage. If the edit is more substantial, the proposal may need to be presented to the Graduate Faculty Executive Committee (GFEC).
Provost's Office Approval
The Data, Academic Planning and Institutional Research or DAPIR in the Provost's Office is the final step in the review and approval process. If the edit is more substantial, the proposal may need to be presented to the University Academic Planning Council (UAPC).
Non-governed Content Workflow
Typically, the workflow for edits to tabs with non-governed content are handled by your school/college Guide coordinator. Your Guide coordinator is the best resource to making edits to non-governed content.
Directory Information
The directory information is located on your program's Guide page contact information box. This contains information about people associated with the program.
Editing Window
Changes are reviewed and effective for the following academic year. While a Lumen Programs proposal may be created in the current academic year, the changes are not effective until the June 1 publication of Guide. For example, a proposal may be finalized during the spring 2026 term but not be in effect until the fall 2026 term.
In general, programs should plan for the following periods to edit:
- Governed content: Fall term until School/College review deadline (usually February)
- Non-governed content: early November to early March
Contact your school/college academic planner for specific governance deadlines. If changes to directory information are needed immediately, contact the Registrar's Office (guideeditor@office365.wisc.edu).