Are Course Titles Italicized?
Current MLA ninth-edition guidance treats course titles as plain roman text rather than italics or quotation marks. The recommendation is style-specific, not a universal grammar rule.
No in MLA style: course titles are not italicized or placed in quotation marks.
Key details
Important caveats
Scope Boundary
Capitalize the course title as appropriate, but do not convert the MLA title-format rule into a universal rule for every institutional or house style.
Further guidance
Example
MLA-style invented example: I enrolled in Introduction to Urban Ecology this semester. The course title is neither italicized nor quoted.
Practical Application
In current MLA guidance, write course titles in plain roman type rather than italics or quotation marks. Preserve normal title capitalization as required by the context.
Reader Check
Make sure you are styling the course title itself, not a book, film, article, or other titled work assigned within the course.
Recommendation
In MLA style, write a course title without italics or quotation marks.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- A Closer Look at MLA Style (opens in a new tab)MLA Style Center · MLA Style Center ninth-edition guidance stating that course titles are not italicized or placed in quotation marks.