Why course content matters so much

Course content is one of the most influential factors in a student’s decision-making journey

When prospective students are deciding where - and whether - to study, one piece of content stands out as having a huge influence on their decisions: the course page.

Data from UCAS and YouthSight consistently shows that students often choose their subject before they choose a university. For those who already know what they want to study, your course page is the single most important tool you have to demonstrate why your version of that subject is right for them. For others, it might be the first time they’re really exploring what a course involves.

In both cases, a well-written course page is more than a description. It’s a decision-making tool.

What students want - and how course content helps them decide

Most prospective students arrive at your course page with specific questions in mind, even if they’re not asking them out loud:

• Will this course help me get to where I want to go?

• Will I enjoy studying it?

• Am I going to be supported here?

• What makes this course different from all the others I’ve seen?

Great course content answers these questions with clarity, empathy and evidence. It shows how your offer fits into their future. It helps students picture themselves here. It shows that you understand what matters to them.

What the research tells us

According to UCAS’ Where Next? report (2021):

• 83% of students choose their subject before choosing a university

• The top reasons for choosing a subject include:

• It’s the subject I enjoy the most (74%)

• It will give me good career prospects (54%)

• I need it for a specific career (46%)

• I’m good at it (39%)

These aren’t just abstract preferences - they reflect deeply personal hopes and concerns. Your course content has to speak to those emotions and provide the right facts to back them up.

The course page is part of a much bigger ecosystem, but it often does the heavy lifting

Your course page is rarely the only touchpoint, but it has the power - when done well - to be the one that shapes first impressions or seal a decision. Students might have seen your TikToks, skimmed the digital prospectus, and watched a YouTube video. But it’s the course page they’ll come back to when they’re deciding what to put on their application form or which offer to accept.

That means that your course content needs to:

• Work well on its own and in context with other materials

• Be easy to scan and understand quickly

• Show how the course is structured, what it leads to, and why it’s distinctive

• Be up to date, accurate, and aligned with your brand and tone of voice.

What great course content can - and can’t - do

A strong course page can:

• Help a prospective student feel seen, understood and excited

• Position your course as the best-fit option in a competitive landscape

• Improve conversion rates from prospect to applicant

• Support widening participation by reducing barriers to understanding

• Boost organic traffic through search-optimised content.

But it’s important to be clear: great copy can’t fix a course that doesn’t meet real demand. Before you write a word, it’s worth asking: is this the right offer for the right audience? (We’ll tackle that in the next section.)