For a college or university, the course page is where interest becomes an application, or doesn’t. A prospective student has already found the institution. Now they’re asking a more personal question: is this course right for me?
Too often, the answer is a paragraph written for the validation panel, not the applicant. Here’s how to fix that.
Open with what the course is for
Many course descriptions open with the department’s history or a sentence about “a vibrant learning community”. The applicant wants to know what they’ll be able to do at the end of it.
Start there. One or two sentences that explain what the course covers, who it suits and where it can lead. If someone reads nothing else, they should still know whether to keep reading.
Answer the questions applicants actually ask
Your admissions team hears the same questions every week. Build the page around them:
- What will I study, year by year?
- How is it taught, and how much contact time is there?
- How is it assessed: exams, coursework or practical work?
- What do I need to get in?
- What does it cost, and is there funding?
- What do graduates go on to do?
Answer each one clearly, in its own section. People compare courses side by side, and the course that answers their questions most clearly has an advantage.
Be specific about the experience
“Students benefit from industry-standard facilities” could describe almost any course anywhere. Which facilities? What will students actually do with them?
A sentence like “In your second year, you’ll spend six weeks on a placement with a local engineering firm” says far more than three paragraphs about employability. Specific details are memorable, and they’re believable.
Write for more than one reader
An 18-year-old, their parents and a 40-year-old changing career may all read the same page. They want different things. The school leaver wants to know what student life is like. The parent wants to know about outcomes and support. The mature student wants to know whether they’ll fit in, and whether the timetable works around a job.
You don’t need three versions of the page. But make sure each of them can find their answer.
Keep academic language where it belongs
Module titles and learning outcomes have their place, usually further down the page or in a downloadable specification. The opening sections should use the language applicants use.
“You’ll learn to analyse…” works better than “Students will develop competencies in the analysis of…”. It’s shorter, it’s direct, and it’s addressed to the person actually reading it.
Let students do some of the talking
A short quote from a current student or graduate can answer questions no prospectus copy can. What surprised them. What the workload is really like. What they’re doing now.
Keep it genuine. Students can spot a quote that’s been through four rounds of editing.
Keep it accurate and up to date
Entry requirements, fees and modules change. An out-of-date course page damages trust and can cause real problems at enrolment. Give every course page an owner and a review date.
A quick checklist
- Do the first two sentences say what the course is, who it suits and where it leads?
- Is each common applicant question answered in its own section?
- Is there at least one specific detail no other course could claim?
- Is the opening written to “you”, in everyday language?
- Are entry requirements, fees and modules correct for this year?
I’ve written prospectuses, course information and student guides for colleges and education organisations, including Tower Hamlets College. See how I help education providers or get in touch.