Graduate Program Handbook: Download and Use Template

This document links to the Graduate School's graduate program handbook template with guidance on how it is best used.

Click the links below to skip directly to the section:

Getting Started 

To address the variation in how programs share information across campus, the Graduate School conducted a comprehensive review of graduate education policy documentation. The resulting guidance and template provide a unified framework designed to help students, staff, and faculty efficiently navigate graduate program information. 

Click Here to Download Graduate Program Handbook Template 

The Graduate School provides a downloadable Microsoft Word template by clicking the button above. Using this exact template is not required but strongly recommended. Programs may use the content from the template and format it in a different medium such as a WordPress site or other web page hosting sites. 

Digital Accessibility

The US Department of Justice issued a new rule under the Americans with Disabilities Act requiring all digital tools and electronic resources used in university programs, services, or activities to meet specific accessibility standards. The university's Digital Accessibility Hub website is your resource on what to know, what to do and where to find help as you create digital content.  

The handbook template is a downloadable Microsoft Word document that programs can make their own. The template follows best practices by Word documents to make it accessible.

Using the Template

 The template allows programs to fill in program-specific information. When using the template, programs should consider the following:

  • Several sections are optional and may be deleted if the program decides not to include in the handbook. Those not indicated as optional should remain in the handbook.
  • Text highlighted in grey along with a header on each page provides guidance for writers and should be deleted before distribution.
  • Text not highlighted in grey should generally remain as written unless it inaccurately reflects the policy or procedures of your program or department.
    • See Contacts for questions about a specific section
  • Template follows best practices by word documents to comply with digital accessibility 
  • Refresh the table of contents to reflect edits

Next Steps

Review the following KnowledgeBase articles to help build your program's handbook.

Graduate Program Handbook: Best Practices and Format Comparisons

Graduate Program Handbook: Contacts



Keywords:
Handbook Template, Student, Program 
Doc ID:
161663
Owned by:
Lorena K. in Graduate School
Created:
2026-06-01
Updated:
2026-07-20
Sites:
Graduate School