[Catalog] Improve Program listing with elective courses, layering programs, delayed enrollment, and automatic awarding program certificate

[rpsloan]

Problem statement:

Catalog only has requirements and not electives. We have use cases where program certificates can be awarded if a user completes 2/5 courses. We also have a use case where completing some programs can earn the user an overarching program certificate. While this is technically doable with layering programs and listing the same course as a requirement in multiple programs, we were advised this was not recommended.

Catalog requires all program courses to be offered at the same time, not over multiple semesters. If one of the courses is set for Fall 2025, it can’t be listed in Catalog, and therefore it cannot be added as a program requirement. The ability to list a course that's not open yet but needs to be a part of the program would be helpful

Proposed solution:

Provide elective features and overarching/layering of courses in programs, and programs within programs. Allow Program certificates to have the ability to list courses, no matter when it is being offered. This would allow for listing courses that do not have specific schedules.

User role(s):

admin

[KataKeri]

Hi @rpsloan 

Can you please provide more insights on this? 

"If one of the courses is set for Fall 2025, it can’t be listed in Catalog, and therefore it cannot be added as a program requirement."

That should work normally. Do you mean unpublished courses?

[rpsloan]

Hi Kata! Yes, it would be unpublished courses. We have a use case where a course has an for-credit section and a non-credit section. The non-credit section would be the one listed in Catalog. Because it is attached to a for-credit course, it follows the semester schedule and doesn't get published until it is ready to be accessed by the students. This then causes Catalog participants to not be able to enroll in the non-credit section of the course early because it can't be listed in Catalog until the course is published.

[KataKeri]

@rpsloan thanks for the clarification!

[KataKeri]

Moved to a new theme.