---
title: "Understanding Course Structure (Studio Basics)"
description: "Understand the section, subsection and unit hierarchy behind every Blend-ed course, and why it matters for planning, pacing and grading."
source: "https://docs.blend-ed.com/product/course-creation/understanding-course-structure-studio-basics/"
---

# Understanding Course Structure (Studio Basics)

Every course on Blend-ed is built on the same three-level hierarchy, inherited from Open edX Studio. Understanding this structure makes it much easier to plan a course before you start building it.

## The hierarchy
**Section → Subsection → Unit**

**1. Section**  
The top level of a course — think of it as a *module* or *chapter*. Sections organize your course into broad topics or stages.

- Example: *Module 1: Introduction to Digital Marketing*

**2. Subsection**  
Sits inside a Section — think of it as a *lesson* within that module. Subsections group related content together and are also where pacing (release dates) and grading category are typically set.

- Example: *Lesson 1.1: What is Digital Marketing?*

**3. Unit**  
Sits inside a Subsection — this is where the actual content lives. A Unit is a single page a learner sees, built from one or more **Components** (Text, Video, Problem, etc.).

- Example: *Welcome Video*

**Tip:** A useful way to think about it — Section is the chapter, Subsection is the lesson, Unit is the page, and Components are what’s on the page.

![Course Outline with one Section expanded, showing 2 subsections and 3 units nested underneath. Use a real course with meaningful names (Module 1: Introduction, Lesson 1.1: Getting Started, Welcome Video) rather than the default "Section / Subsection / Unit"](/_astro/image.DyLy-Zx-_1KnwoA.webp)

![Understanding Course Structure (Studio Basics) screenshot 2](/_astro/image2.BRYqztjO_14ryrQ.webp)

## Why the hierarchy matters
- **Organization** — breaks a course into manageable, logical chunks for both you and your learners
- **Pacing & release** — dates and availability can be set at the Subsection level, so you can drip-feed content over time
- **Grading** — Subsections are typically tied to an assignment type (e.g. Homework, Final Exam) for grading purposes
- **Navigation** — learners move through your course by expanding Sections → Subsections → Units, so a clear structure directly improves the learner experience

## Managing each level
Every Section, Subsection, and Unit has a **⋮ (more options) menu** with the same set of actions:

- **Publish** — make this item and its content live
- **Configure** — open advanced settings for this item (release date, grading format/due date, visibility, and other scheduling options)
- **Manage tags** — organize content with tags
- **Duplicate** / **Copy to clipboard** — reuse this item elsewhere
- **Move up** / **Move down** — reorder within its parent
- **Delete**

**Note:** **Configure** is where release dates, grading category, and visibility settings live for each level

![The ⋮ menu open on a Subsection row, showing all options: Publish, Configure, Manage tags, Duplicate, Move up, Move down, Delete](/_astro/image3.CD4OJA1H_ZhPf2y.webp)

## What’s next
- Ready to build? See [How to Create a Course (Manual)](/product/course-creation/how-to-create-a-course-manual/)
- Add content to your units: [Adding Content Components](/product/course-creation/adding-content-components/)