Program Pages vs. Catalog Content

Program page

Purpose

To market and attract prospective students.

Details

• Tone: Friendly, persuasive, engaging — focused on student needs.
• Audience: Prospective students (and their families), especially those early in their search.
• Content focus:
  • Why choose this program?
  • Career outcomes
  • Student testimonials or success stories
  • Faculty highlights
  • Experiential learning (internships, study abroad, etc.)
  • Admissions and application info (linked)
  • Call to action: Apply, request info, schedule a visit
• SEO Consideration: High. These pages are optimized for keywords like “online MBA in Massachusetts” or “computer science degree UMass Dartmouth.”

Catalog content

Purpose

To serve as the official academic record.

Details

• Tone: Factual, formal, policy-driven — legally accurate and complete.
• Audience: Current students, faculty, staff, and accrediting bodies.
  • Content focus:
  • Course descriptions
  • Degree requirements
  • Policies and procedures
  • Credit hours, prerequisites
  • Program learning outcomes
• SEO Consideration: Low to medium — not designed for marketing but should still be accessible.

How they work together

• The program page draws students in.
• The catalog supports credibility and details once students want specifics.