New UCAS research presented at the UCAS Student Mindset Conference in April has highlighted which course page information applicants see as a priority, as well as areas where content should be clearer.
The UCAS research was published after new Sussex course pages were introduced in February and it validates the Digital team’s own discovery work.
What does the research say?
The research gives a clear steer to universities wanting to boost the effectiveness of online course pages and improve user experience for prospective students.
Asked ‘How do you usually decide if a course is right for you?’ respondents prioritised five key factors like this:
- Subject content matches my interests (67%)
- Entry requirements I can meet (65%)
- Reputation of the University (46%)
- Career prospects after graduation (44%)
- Module titles (35%)
*Percentages indicate proportion of total survey participants marking each factor as a priority.
The top two priority factors are clear – in short, does this course fit me, and do I fit this course. And reassuringly, our Sussex course page menu format has already been adjusted with these two priorities in mind.
The research also highlights four areas where respondents felt course information could have been set out more clearly: Modules; teaching delivery;assessment type; and ‘what makes this course different’.
Again, the New Web Estate project team had previously identified each of these areas through their own discovery work and action has already been taken to respond.
Modules are shown on course pages directly (no linking off the page) and there is also a clear layout of teaching, assessment and contact hours information with a corresponding graphic. Each undergraduate course page also includes a concise, three-bullet overview of unique selling points (USPs).
Validation for our approach
Jon Street, Senior Responsible Officer for the New Web Estate Project which introduced our updated Sussex course pages said:
“This is excellent news, puts us ahead of the curve and validates the decisions we took when updating our course pages earlier this year."
“Our website is the shop window through which we promote Sussex to the world, so it is essential that we get it right in order to improve user experience and support student recruitment in line with our Recovery and Rebuilding strategic plan.”
What’s next?
Analytics and ‘business as usual’ user research will continue to test our existing pages. A new way of bundling course variants and a new course search is expected to launch soon, and there are plans to add multimedia student experience content to modules.
Learn more