Course Creation & Content Guidelines

Empower Your Courses: Expert Content & Delivery Guidelines for Creators and Authors

Learn the basics of course creation

  • Course Creation Guidelines
  • Course Submission
  • Review Process

Course Creation & Delivery Guidelines

Course Title: Quality Standards

What Makes a Great Course Title?
  • Limit: 60 characters maximum
  • Focus on specific learning outcomes
  • Clearly indicate skill level and target audience
  • Use industry-specific terminology


Minimum Requirements:
  • Describe the core skill or knowledge area
  • Indicate difficulty level (Beginner/ Intermediate/ Advanced)
  • Avoid marketing hype or unrealistic promises
  • Be specific about what students will learn

Red Flags to Avoid:
  • Vague or generic titles
  • Overly technical jargon without context
  • Titles that sound like sales pitches
  • Promises of instant mastery
    Recommended Title Structure:


Recommended Title Structure:
[Skill Level] + [Specific Skill/Technology] + [Industry Context] Example: "Advanced Smart Grid Cybersecurity Techniques"

Course Description: Quality Standards

Purpose of Course Description
  • Communicate course value proposition
  • Explain key learning outcomes
  • Highlight unique course insights
  • Attract target professionals

Minimum Requirements:
  • Max 250 characters for short description
  • Detailed description (250-500 words)
  • Clearly state problem the course solves
  • Explain practical industry applications
  • Use clear, professional language
What to Include:
  • Specific skills students will learn
  • Relevance to utility sector
  • Real-world problem-solving approach
  • Potential career or professional benefits

Red Flags to Avoid:
  • Vague or generic descriptions
  • Overpromising results
  • Technical jargon without context
  • Lack of clear learning objectives
Recommended Description Structure:
[Industry Challenge] + [Course Solution] + [Learning Outcomes]

Course Image: Visual Standards

Image Quality Standards
  • Minimum resolution: 1920x1080 pixels for clarity and sharpness
  • Supported formats: JPG, PNG
  • High-quality, professional, and visually engaging design
  • Must be relevant and accurately represent course content

Design Requirements
  • Align with UTC Academy’s professional tone and branding
  • Avoid excessive filters, distracting elements, or over-stylized visuals
  • No text, logos, or promotional elements on the image
  • Reflect diversity and inclusivity where applicable

Technical Specifications
  • Maximum file size: 2MB
  • Must be legally licensed for commercial use (royalty-free or purchased stock photos)
  • No pixelation, blurriness, watermarks, or compression artifacts
  • Avoid overly generic stock images—use industry-relevant visuals

Recommended Image Elements
  • Industry-specific imagery relevant to the course topic
  • High-quality visuals representing skills or concepts taught
  • Clean, professional color schemes that align with UTC Academy’s branding
  • Subtle, well-integrated graphics related to the subject matter

Instructor Bio: Quality Standards

Bio Composition
  • Maximum length: 100 words
  • Focus on professional expertise
  • Highlight relevant industry experience
  • Demonstrate credibility

Key Information to Include:
  • Current professional role
  • Years of industry experience
  • Key technical specializations
  • Relevant certifications
  • Significant professional achievements
Presentation Guidelines:
  • Use third-person perspective
  • Maintain professional tone
  • Quantify achievements when possible
  • Focus on utility sector relevance

Credibility Indicators:
  • Industry leadership roles
  • Published research
  • Speaking engagements
  • Technical innovation contributions

Intended Learners: Learner Profile

Audience Definition
  • Clearly specify target professional group
  • Define skill and experience levels
  • Explain course relevance

Targeting Criteria:
  • Job roles (e.g., Grid Engineers, Cybersecurity Specialists)
  • Experience levels (Entry/Mid/Senior)
  • Specific industry segments
  • Technical background requirements
Who Should Take This Course:
  • Professionals seeking skill advancement
  • Those facing specific industry challenges
  • Individuals looking to expand technical expertise

Who Should NOT Take This Course:
  • Those without basic technical understanding
  • Individuals outside target professional groups
  • Those seeking superficial knowledge

Audio Standards: Sound Quality

Audio Quality Requirements
  • Clear and natural sound without distortion
  • Minimal background noise for easy listening
  • Consistent volume levels throughout
  • Good-quality microphone or recording device recommended

Technical Specifications
  • Supported formats: MP3, WAV
  • Consistent audio levels across all recordings

Recording Best Practices
  • Choose a quiet location to reduce background noise
  • Speak clearly, especially when using technical terms
  • Avoid echoes or microphone interference

Unacceptable Audio Issues
  • Loud background noise or echo
  • Muffled or distorted sound
  • Uneven volume levels that make listening difficult
  • Poor microphone quality leading to unclear speech

Video Standards: Visual Quality

Video Quality Standards
  • Minimum resolution: 1280x720 (720p)
  • Recommended resolution: 1920x1080 (1080p)
  • File format: MP4
  • Maximum file size: 1GB per video

Technical Requirements:
  • Clear, stable video capture
  • Professional lighting
  • Minimal background distractions
  • High-quality screen recordings for technical content
Content Presentation:
  • Use professional backgrounds
  • Ensure instructor visibility
  • Include clear visual demonstrations
  • Use graphics to enhance explanations

Editing Standards:
  • Clean transitions
  • Professional graphics
  • Consistent branding
  • High-quality screen captures

Content Guidelines

Instructor Delivery: Delivery Standards

Speaking Guidelines
  • Communicate clearly, concisely, and accurately.
  • Maintain consistent energy and enthusiasm.
  • Use professional terminology and real-world context.
  • Script and practice for a structured delivery.
  • Prefer “I” and “you” over “we” for a personal touch.

Content Presentation
  • Use visual aids to highlight key points.
  • Break down complex concepts and explain jargon.
  • Stay focused and use industry-relevant examples.
  • Demonstrate practical applications and address common misunderstandings.

Delivery Techniques
  • Keep an engaging, professional tone.
  • Speak at a steady pace for clarity.
  • Link concepts to real-world applications.

Practice Activities: Activity Standards

Activity Integration
  • Include at least one practice activity per course section (quiz, exercise, reflection, self assessment).
  • Ensure activities align with course content and learning objectives.
  • Clearly explain how each activity is relevant to the topic and course goals.

Effective Design
  • Summarize key takeaways at the end of each section with slides or reference sheets.
  • Use exercises like challenge questions, problem-solving tasks, or hands-on projects.
  • Include quizzes to check understanding and track progress.

Student Experience
  • Ensure students have all materials needed to complete activities smoothly.
  • Explain the purpose and relevance of each activity to maintain engagement.
  • Show how practice activities contribute to overall course success.

Instructors: Download Guidelines

Downloadable Resource Standards
  • Provide value-added materials
  • Ensure professional formatting
  • Relevant to course content

Recommended Resource Types:
  • Technical reference guides
  • Checklists and templates
  • Configuration examples
File Format Requirements:
  • PDF for documentation
  • DOCX for editable content
  • CSV for data-related resources
  • Include clear, professional formatting

UTC Academy by Rosenberger: Course Quality Checklist

Course Basics 
  Course title is clear, concise, and within 60 characters.
  Course description (max 150 characters) effectively summarizes the content.
  Learning outcomes (3-5) are clearly stated.

Content Structure & Quality
 Each short course or module is 45-60 minutes long.
 Lessons are 8-15 minutes each.
 Lessons include a mix of videos, readings, and activities.
 At least one knowledge check or quiz per module is included.

Technical Requirements
  Videos are in MP4 format, at least 720p, max 1GB per file.
  Audio is clear & free of background noise.
  Slides are clean, with a minimum 24pt font and high-resolution images.
  All downloadable resources are in PDF format.

Submission Materials
  Instructor bio and credentials are included.
  Course structure and modules are clearly outlined & follow our standards.
  Required and optional course materials are listed.
  Instructor photo (min 400x400 px) and company logo (SVG/PNG) are included.

File Uploads & Access
  All files (videos, presentations, quizzes) are organized in folders.
  Shared access to "example@utc-academy.com" is confirmed.

Final Review
  Content is fact-checked and aligned with industry standards.
  Course is engaging, with practical applications and real-world examples.
  Content is free of promotional bias unless disclosed.

Slide Presentation Guidelines

Core Principles of Slide Presentations

1. Learning Objectives First
  • Begin planning by defining 2-3 clear learning objectives
  • Every slide should support at least one objective
  • Share objectives at the beginning to set expectations

2. Cognitive Load Management
  • Limit text to essential information (6x6 rule: max 6 bullets, 6 words each)
  • Use visuals to complement text, not duplicate it
  • Break complex concepts into multiple slides
  • Include sufficient white space

3. Visual Hierarchy
  • Establish a clear visual hierarchy for information
  • Use size, color, and position to indicate importance
  • Maintain consistent styling for similar information types
  • Ensure high contrast between text and background
4. Engagement & Interaction
  • Include interactive elements every 8-10 minutes (if possible)
  • Design slides that prompt discussion or activities
  • Use revealing animations strategically to control focus
  • Include practice opportunities for skill application

5. Accessibility & Inclusivity
  • Use sans-serif fonts (Calibri, Arial) at minimum 24pt
  • Maintain color contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1
  • Include alt text for images
  • Avoid color as the only means of conveying information

Slide Types for Educational Sessions

Title Slide
  • Course title, instructor name, date
  • Visual that represents the course content
  • Optional: brief compelling statement about value

Agenda/Objectives Slide
  • Clear list of topics to be covered
  • Expected learning outcomes
  • Time allocation if relevant

Concept Introduction Slide
  • Clear definition of new concept
  • Visual representation
  • Real-world example or application
  • Connection to previous knowledge

Process/Procedure Slide
  • Step-by-step breakdown with numbers
  • Visual flow diagram
  • Common pitfalls or tips
  • Clear indicators of sequence
Comparison Slide
  • Side-by-side format
  • Consistent categories for comparison
  • Visual cues for similarities/differences
  • Clear takeaway point
 
Example/Case Study Slide
  • Brief context
  • Visual representation
  • Explicit connection to concept
  • Question prompt for analysis

Practice/Activity Slide
  • Clear instructions
  • Time allocation
  • Expected outcome
  • Connection to learning objective

Summary/Review Slide
  • 3-5 key takeaways
  • Visual reinforcement of main concepts
  • Next steps or application suggestions
  • Questions prompt

Slide Structure Recommendation

A: Opening

1. Title Slides
  • Course title, your name, date, engaging visual related to topic

2. Connection Slides
  • Why this matters to participants
  • Brief real-world scenario or problem statement

3. Learning Objectives
  • 2-3 clear goals using action verbs: "By the end, you'll be able to..."

4. Agenda
  • Simple outline of session flow
  • Indicate when activities will occur

B: Main Content Blocks (#1, #2, #3, #4, …)

5. Problem Statements
  • Challenge or gap this topic addresses

6. Key Concepts/ Processes/ Steps
  • Main idea with visual representation
  • Keep text minimal (3-6 bullet points max)

7. Examples/ Demonstrations
  • Concrete application of the concept
  • Visual demonstration if possible

8. Quick Checks/ Practice Activities (each 10 min, if possible)
  • Simple question or brief activity
  • Ensure understanding before moving on
  • How-to guidance with numbered points

C: Closing

9. Summary Slides
  • 3-5 main takeaways
  • Visual reminders of key concepts

10. Next Steps
  • How to apply what they've learned
  • Resources for further learning, recommended courses

11. Q&A/Contact
  • Your contact information, company, logo
  • Where to find additional resources

UTC Academy by Rosenberger: Slide Presentation Quality Checklist

Content & Structure
  Learning Objectives are clearly stated and all slides support at least one objective
  Content Blocks follow a logical flow with problem → concept → example → activity pattern
  Interactive Elements appear at least every 10 minutes (questions, activities, discussions)
  Text Amount is minimal (≤6 points per slide, ≤6 words per point when possible)

Educational Effectiveness
 Visual Support enhances learning with relevant diagrams, charts, or images (not decorative)
 Examples demonstrate real-world application of concepts (not just theory)
 Practice Opportunities allow participants to apply new knowledge during the session
 Key Takeaways are clearly summarized and connected back to learning objectives

Engagement & Accessibility
  Cognitive Load is managed by breaking complex topics into digestible chunks
  Visual Hierarchy makes it clear which information is most important on each slide
  Readability is ensured through adequate font size and high contrast
  Next Steps provide clear guidance for applying learning after the session

Watch Our Example Course 

This course showcases how we design engaging, practical, and high-quality learning experiences. It reflects our standards for structure, content, and interactivity - ensuring impactful and user-friendly learning.
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Course Submission Form

Please fill out the following application form to submit your course overview. The content committee will review the content and approve the publication or provide feedback. Once the course has been approved, you will receive access to the course editor and can easily set up your online course.

The Academy´s Peer Review Process

Our review process is typically completed within 15 business days. You may be asked to make revisions before final approval. After submission, your content will be reviewed for the following topics.

1. Technical Quality

Audio/video production standards

2. Content Accuracy

Industry standards and factual correctness

3. Instructional Design

Effectiveness of teaching approach

4. Alignment

Fit with academy's mission and audience needs