> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://support.lena.africa/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Create a course

> Set up a new course in Lena for Teachers. It starts as a draft that students can’t see.

A course is where everything for one class lives: its outline, study materials, assignments, quizzes, exams,
announcements and grades. Any teacher in your school can create one. You become its **Owner**.

## Create it

**1. Start a new course**

In the sidebar, choose **New course**. You can also go to **Courses** and choose **New**.

**2. Name it and give it a code**

Enter a **Course title**, such as "Introduction to Psychology", and a **Course alias/code**, such as "PSY 101".
Students see both. The code helps them spot the course in a list.

**3. Place it in your school**

Choose where the course belongs in your school. At a university, pick the **Faculty**, **Department** and
**Level**. At a K-12 school, pick the **Grade** and **Arm**. Then choose the **Semester** (or **Term**).

![The New course form with title, code, faculty, department, level, semester and description filled in](https://mintcdn.com/lenaafrica/1V8qk96nF4TQHWmx/images/teacher/create-course-form.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=1V8qk96nF4TQHWmx\&q=85\&s=598122d16e935186834136e4304631c9)

The new course form, filled in for a university.

**4. Add a description, if you like**

The **Description** is optional. Students see it on the course's **Details** tab.

**5. Create it**

Choose **Create Course**. The course opens with a **Draft** badge.

## Good to know

* **A new course is always a draft.** Students can't see it or join it until you
  [publish it](https://support.lena.africa/teachers/publish-a-course.md). Use the time to add [study materials](https://support.lena.africa/teachers/study-materials.md), an
  [outline](https://support.lena.africa/teachers/course-outline.md) and your first [assignments](https://support.lena.africa/teachers/assignments.md).
* **You choose who can join and how it's graded later.** You do this on the course's **Settings** tab, before you
  publish.
* **What you see depends on your school.** K-12 schools see "Subject" wherever this page says "course", and
  "Scheme of Work" for the outline. See [words your school uses](https://support.lena.africa/get-started/words-your-school-uses.md).
* **You can change the details later.** Open the course and choose **Edit Course**. A course that has ended can't be
  edited.
* **You can't duplicate a draft or invite co-teachers to it.** Publish it first.

## Troubleshooting

> [accordion] “No departments set up for this school yet. Ask your school admin.”
>
> Your school hasn't added its faculties and departments to Lena yet. Ask a school admin to add them in Lena for
> Schools. See [set up your school's structure](https://support.lena.africa/schools/structure.md). Once they have, the list fills in.

> [accordion] “This faculty has no departments. Ask your school admin.”
>
> The faculty you chose is empty. Choose another, or ask your school admin to add departments to it.

> [accordion] Create Course stays greyed out
>
> Fill in every field marked with a star (\*): the title, the code and the department (the grade at a K-12 school).
> Some schools also need the faculty or level.

## Next

> [card] [Set who can join and publish](https://support.lena.africa/teachers/publish-a-course.md)
>
> Choose the classes that can join, set the grade breakdown, and share the entry code.

> [card] [Add study materials](https://support.lena.africa/teachers/study-materials.md)
>
> Upload notes, slides and links, organised into folders.


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