Course Description

Course Description

A course description is a concise summary that provides students and prospective students with an overview of the course. It serves as a snapshot, offering insight into the course’s purpose and its place within the program curriculum. Course descriptions are displayed on the Cambrian website, program pages, and program maps in myCambrian. They are essential for helping learners understand what the course is about and what they can expect to do throughout.

Key Principles for Writing a Course Description

  • Be Student-Centered: Write from the perspective of the learner. Use language that is clear, engaging, and easy to understand.
  • Keep It Simple: Avoid discipline-specific jargon or terminology that students may not yet know. Focus on broad concepts and core content.
  • Be Brief: A course description should be between 2-4 sentences. There’s no need to include every detail—save those for learning outcomes and objectives.
  • Use Active Verbs: An active verb conveys a clear, direct action performed by the subject, making writing more concise, engaging, and impactful. Choose verbs that align with the course’s learning outcomes, such as explore, design, analyze, participate, demonstrate, and calculate.

How to Write a Course Description at Cambrian College

  • Begin with: “In this course, students will…”
  • Use active verbs to describe what students will do or achieve.
  • Avoid references to course codes or prerequisites.

Tips for Success:

  • Reflect on the course’s purpose and its role in the program curriculum.
  • Refer to the course learning outcomes to identify key concepts and actions.
  • Aim for clarity, conciseness, and an engaging tone.

EXAMPLE: Alien Technology 101

Here is an example of a course description for the fictional course, Alien Technology 101.

In this course, students will analyze the fundamental principles of alien technologies, comparing their structures and functionalities to human-engineered systems. Students will evaluate the implications of extraterrestrial design principles on contemporary engineering practices and troubleshoot simulated interstellar devices. Through hands-on activities and collaborative problem-solving, students will develop technical communication skills to document findings and propose innovative applications for Earth-based industries.

Astronaut with briefcase ✐ Blueprint in Action 

Launch Your Course Description into Orbit
Now that you’ve got the key principles down, it’s time to craft a course description of your own! Use our Course Outline Template to easily structure and refine your description—ensuring it’s clear, engaging, and student-focused