- What are the basic questions this course explores? How can you express them as especially interesting or urgent for students?
- What prior knowledge does this course rely on? What knowledge will it introduce students to? How is this knowledge useful beyond this course?
- What skills does this course require of students? What skills will it help them develop? How are those skills useful beyond this course?
- How will this course introduce students to the content and skills of a field or discipline? What types of reading, activities, and/or assignments will it include?
- How will this course affect students’ understanding of themselves and/or the world?
22Feb’22
What Is the Value of a Course Description?
A course description offers students a basic orientation towards what they will learn in your class. It can also give students a sense of why this course is important—in relation to their interests, the broader discipline it is part of, and the world more generally.
Though the course description is primarily informative, it also introduces students to your voice and interests as an instructor. With your student audience in mind, consider using a friendly and engaging tone, and avoiding jargon and overly technical terms since they can be confusing to students before they’ve taken the class.