Writing & StyleStyle guide
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
Core Issuehow to style course titles in current MLA style
Registeracademic, edited, and style-governed writing
RuleMLA ninth-edition guidance states that course titles are not italicized or placed in quotation marks.
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
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.