Skip to main content

Glossary of Internal Acronyms & Naming Conventions

This glossary provides definitions for commonly used acronyms, terms, and naming conventions used within the UAGC Digital Experience team.

!!! tip "Living Document" This glossary is a living document. If you encounter a term that isn't included, please add it following the existing format.

Acronyms & Abbreviations

General

AcronymFull TermDefinition
UAGCUniversity of Arizona Global CampusOur institution name
DXDigital ExperienceOur team responsible for digital properties
RFIRequest for InformationForm filled out by prospects to get more information
CMSContent Management SystemSoftware for creating/managing digital content (Drupal)
SEOSearch Engine OptimizationPractices to improve search visibility
SERPSearch Engine Results PageResults page after a search query
CTACall to ActionPrompt encouraging user to take specific action
KPIKey Performance IndicatorMetric used to evaluate success
ROIReturn on InvestmentValue gained relative to cost
SLAService Level AgreementCommitment between service provider and client
SOWStatement of WorkDocument outlining project deliverables
UATUser Acceptance TestingFinal testing phase before release
UXUser ExperienceOverall experience of a user with a product
UIUser InterfaceVisual elements users interact with

Technical

AcronymFull TermDefinition
APIApplication Programming InterfaceProtocol for building and integrating software
CDNContent Delivery NetworkDistributed servers for content delivery
CI/CDContinuous Integration/Continuous DeploymentAutomated methods for software delivery
CWVCore Web VitalsGoogle's page experience metrics
DNSDomain Name SystemSystem for converting domain names to IP addresses
GA4Google Analytics 4Google's latest analytics platform
GTMGoogle Tag ManagerTag management system for analytics and marketing
HTMLHyperText Markup LanguageStandard markup language for web pages
HTTPHyperText Transfer ProtocolProtocol for transmitting hypermedia documents
HTTPSHTTP SecureEncrypted version of HTTP
JSJavaScriptProgramming language for web development
LCPLargest Contentful PaintCore Web Vital measuring loading performance
CLSCumulative Layout ShiftCore Web Vital measuring visual stability
FIDFirst Input DelayCore Web Vital measuring interactivity
PHPPHP: Hypertext PreprocessorServer-side scripting language
RESTRepresentational State TransferArchitectural style for API design
SSLSecure Sockets LayerTechnology for securing internet connections
WCAGWeb Content Accessibility GuidelinesAccessibility standards for web content

Project-Specific

AcronymFull TermDefinition
ECMEnrollment Contact MethodSystem for tracking enrollment inquiries
FPPFull Program PagePages detailing full academic programs
BPPBrief Program PageShortened program information pages
EPPEnrollment Processing PlatformSystem for processing student enrollments
LSPLead Submission ProcessWorkflow for processing prospective student leads
PSOProgram-Specific OutcomesAcademic outcomes for specific programs
MCEMulti-Channel ExperienceCross-channel marketing and engagement
PCRPage Change RequestProcess for requesting content changes
TMATraffic-Monitoring AlgorithmSystem for tracking website traffic patterns

Naming Conventions

File Naming

  • Images: [section]-[descriptor]-[dimension].[extension]

    • Example: hero-nursing-1200x600.jpg
  • Documents: [type]-[topic]-[version].[extension]

    • Example: policy-privacy-v2.pdf
  • Code Files: [functionality].[language extension]

    • Example: lead-form-validation.js

URL Structure

For comprehensive information about UAGC's website URL structure, SEO implementation, and canonical link management, see the dedicated Canonical Links & URL Taxonomy guide.

Quick Reference:

  • All URLs use lowercase letters
  • Multi-word phrases separated by hyphens (-)
  • No special characters or spaces
  • Descriptive and SEO-friendly naming
  • Consistent structure across degree levels

Main UAGC URL Patterns:

  • Academic programs: /online-degrees/[level]/[program-name]/
  • Admissions: /admissions/[category]/
  • Student services: /student-experience/[service]/
  • Financial aid: /tuition-financial-aid/[category]/

Component Naming

  • UI Components: uagc-[component-type]--[variant]

    • Example: uagc-button--primary
  • Blocks: block-[section]-[function]

    • Example: block-header-navigation

Common Terms

Business Terms

TermDefinition
ConversionWhen a user completes a desired action (form submission, enrollment)
FunnelThe journey a user takes from initial awareness to conversion
LeadA potential student who has shown interest by submitting information
ProspectAn individual who may become a student but hasn't applied
ApplicantSomeone who has submitted an application but isn't enrolled
Enrolled StudentIndividual who has completed enrollment and is taking courses
Academic ProgramA course of study leading to a degree or certificate
ModalityMethod of delivering education (online, hybrid, in-person)

Technical Terms

TermDefinition
CacheTemporary storage of web pages and assets to improve performance
DependencyExternal code/library that a project relies on
EndpointURL where an API can be accessed
EnvironmentServer setup where code runs (development, staging, production)
MiddlewareSoftware that connects applications or components
MigrationProcess of moving data or code from one system to another
RefactoringRestructuring code without changing functionality
RegressionWhen new changes break existing functionality
RenderingProcess of generating visual output from code
ResponsiveDesign approach that adapts to different screen sizes
SchemaStructure that defines how data is organized
SandboxIsolated testing environment
StagingPre-production environment for testing
Version ControlSystem for tracking and managing code changes

Status Codes

CodeStatusDefinition
ACTActiveCurrently in use or ongoing
ARCHArchivedNo longer in use but preserved
DPRCDeprecatedStill available but being phased out
DRAFDraftIn development, not yet approved
PENDPendingAwaiting approval or implementation
REVIn ReviewBeing evaluated for approval
SUSPSuspendedTemporarily unavailable

Resources

Key Contact: Brandy (Digital Marketing & Web Operations Manager)