Building Better High School Course Catalogs

For K-12 students, the courses they take today help shape the academic and career opportunities available to them tomorrow. From efficiently completing graduation requirements to exploring career pathways, these decisions can influence their academic journey long after they graduate from your school. A well-designed Program of Studies site should do more than list available classes. It should provide both students and families with the information they need to make knowledgeable decisions around their academic journey.

Include Course Sequences and Prerequisites

It’s common for high school courses to be a part of an academic sequence, where classes taken during freshman or sophomore year determine future course options. Clearly outlining course sequences and prerequisite requirements within your Program of Studies can help students formulate an academic plan for themselves. It can also be helpful to utilize visuals to show how introductory courses progress to higher-level courses, AP classes, or career-prep programs.

View the Hillsboro School District aerospace pathway

Clearly Define Graduation Requirements

Upon scrolling through your Program of Studies, students should be able to easily identify graduation requirements and which courses will fulfill those requirements. When using Clean Catalog software, graduation requirements and policies can be included within the homepage of your catalog site, or anywhere else you’d like them to live. Individual course listings can also be customized to specify which requirements they satisfy. For schools offering multiple diploma tracks or specialized programs, providing this information in one location helps students and families better understand their options.

View Clover Park School District's courses and credits

Highlight Career Pathways and Specialized Programs

A Program of Studies is also an opportunity to introduce students to academic opportunities they may not otherwise explore. Schools can create dedicated sections highlighting Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways, dual enrollment opportunities, study abroad programs, and honors programs. Including program overviews, eligibility requirements, recommended courses, and potential career outcomes helps students connect their academic interests with future opportunities.

Explore Hillsboro School District's pathways

Keep Information Accurate and Up to Date

Course offerings, graduation policies, and program requirements can change from year to year. Rather than relying on static PDF documents, schools can digitize their Program of Studies to simplify ongoing updates. With Clean Catalog software, schools can organize course information, manage content in one location, and publish updates within a staging site. This means you can begin with your current catalog as a starting point, make edits to a secondary version without affecting the live version of your catalog, and publish the new version whenever it is complete. Not only does this provide your staff with a safe space to edit the upcoming Program of Studies, but it helps ensure students are always viewing the most current information on the live catalog site.

A thoughtfully designed Program of Studies gives students a clearer understanding of their academic options while making important information easier for families and staff to access. By publishing course pathways, graduation requirements, specialized programs, and registration resources, schools can transform their course catalog into a more comprehensive planning tool. At Clean Catalog, we help K-12 schools and districts build customized digital Program of Studies sites that simplify how course information is organized, maintained, and shared. Interested in improving your school's Program of Studies? Reach out to us to learn more.