Louisiana Homeschool Course Descriptions: How to Write Them

Course descriptions are one of the most misunderstood documents in Louisiana homeschool record-keeping. Most families either skip them entirely (fine until your student applies to college), or write something so vague it doesn't help anyone. A well-written course description takes about 10-15 minutes per course to produce, and it does three things at once: satisfies BESE renewal reviewers, helps university admissions committees, and gives your student's transcript credibility.

Here is how to write them correctly.

What a Course Description Is and Is Not

A course description is a short written summary — typically one to three paragraphs — explaining what a course covered, how it was taught, what materials were used, and how the student was assessed. It is attached to the transcript and becomes part of the permanent academic record.

It is not a daily lesson log. It is not a curriculum catalog page. It does not need to document every book read or every assignment completed. Think of it as the kind of brief syllabus you'd see at a community college — enough information to understand what the course was and what the student accomplished.

Why Louisiana Homeschoolers Need Them

For BESE renewal: The LDOE requires evidence of "a sustained curriculum of quality at least equal to that offered by public schools at the same grade level." A course description — particularly for high school courses — helps a reviewer quickly determine that the coursework was rigorous and grade-appropriate. Without it, the reviewer has to make that judgment from work samples alone, which is slower and more subjective.

For college admissions: Louisiana universities that see homeschool transcripts regularly — LSU, Tulane, Southeastern, UNO, BRCC — need course descriptions to evaluate whether courses are equivalent to standard high school offerings. A course listed as "English 11" with no description is harder to evaluate than one accompanied by a paragraph explaining the reading list, writing requirements, and assessment methods.

For TOPS: LOSFA processes TOPS applications for home study students. While course descriptions are not explicitly required by TOPS, they support the transcript and can be requested if an admissions office requires additional documentation before certifying eligibility.

The Four Elements of a Good Course Description

Every course description should cover the same four elements, though you can order them as makes sense:

1. Course title and grade level context State what the course is, at what level, and in what academic year it was completed. This sounds obvious but many parents omit it and then the description is orphaned from the transcript.

2. Scope and content What topics, periods, or concepts did the course cover? For a literature course, list the major works. For a science course, name the units studied. For math, name the topics (e.g., functions, trigonometry, logarithms) rather than just the textbook title.

3. Methods and materials How was the course taught? Self-directed reading, video lectures, co-op instruction, live online classes, parent-taught textbook work, or a combination? What primary materials were used (textbook title and publisher, online program, primary sources)? You do not need to list every workbook or supplement — just the main instructional resources.

4. Assessment How was the student evaluated? Tests, essays, projects, presentations, labs, portfolios? This element is important for BESE purposes because it demonstrates that learning was assessed, not just covered.

Examples by Subject

English / Language Arts

English 10 — American Literature A year-long survey of American literature from the colonial period through the 20th century. Primary texts included The Crucible, The Great Gatsby, selected Harlem Renaissance poetry, and Of Mice and Men. The course included instruction in literary analysis, including annotating primary texts and constructing thesis-driven analytical essays. Two formal essays were written per semester, with drafting, peer review, and revision cycles. Grammar and mechanics were reinforced through weekly exercises from Harvey's Grammar and Composition. Assessment: four graded essays, two unit exams, and one semester research paper on the role of the American Dream in 20th-century fiction.

Mathematics

Algebra II A full-year course covering polynomial and rational functions, exponential and logarithmic functions, systems of equations, sequences and series, and an introduction to conic sections. Instruction followed Teaching Textbooks Algebra 2 (3rd Edition), supplemented by Khan Academy for additional practice on weak areas. Bi-weekly quizzes and chapter tests provided regular assessment. The course concluded with a cumulative final exam. Calculator use was introduced for unit circle and graphing concepts; all algebraic manipulation was completed without calculator.

Science

Biology A full-year introductory biology course covering cell biology, genetics, ecology, evolution, and human body systems. Instruction used Apologia Biology (3rd Edition) as the primary text, with laboratory work conducted at home using the supplied lab kit. Lab reports were written for twelve experiments over the course of the year. The course included weekly reading assignments, comprehension questions, and chapter tests. A research paper on CRISPR gene editing and its ethical implications was completed in the spring semester. Assessment: twelve lab reports, chapter exams, and a 1,500-word research paper.

Social Studies

World History A chronologically organized survey of world civilizations from ancient Mesopotamia through the Cold War era. Primary instruction used Susan Wise Bauer's History of the World (condensed edition) supplemented by primary source readings from various collections. Students kept a timeline notebook updated throughout the year. Emphasis was placed on comparative analysis of civilizations, causes of historical change, and document-based questioning. Assessment: monthly map quizzes, four essay responses to primary source documents, and a semester-end project on the causes of World War I.

A Few Practical Tips

Write them at the end of the course year, not three years later. Your memory of what you actually used and covered will be far more accurate in June than when you're assembling a college application in 11th grade.

Keep a "course notes" document while you teach. A running list of books completed, units covered, and tests given throughout the year makes writing the description in June a 10-minute job instead of an hour of reconstruction.

Be specific about assessments. "The student completed tests and projects" is weak. "Four unit exams, two timed essays, and one semester-length research paper" is credible and helps evaluators gauge rigor.

Don't oversell. Describing a course as "college-level" or "rigorous" without specifics backfires. The content speaks for itself when described accurately. Overstated descriptions make admissions readers skeptical of the whole transcript.

Match the description to the grade assigned. If you gave a B+ in a course, the description should reflect solid but not extraordinary work. Inconsistency between grades and descriptions raises flags.

The Louisiana Portfolio & Assessment Templates include course description templates pre-formatted for the BESE renewal packet, with prompts for each of the four elements so you're not starting from a blank page.

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