diff --git a/controllers/admin/courses.controller.js b/controllers/admin/courses.controller.js
index a1dd269..006d9f9 100644
--- a/controllers/admin/courses.controller.js
+++ b/controllers/admin/courses.controller.js
@@ -65,6 +65,11 @@ async function getUnitLessonLink(unitId, lessonId, transaction) {
 
 exports.getCourses = async (req, res) => {
   try {
+    // Default to catalog order (same field the client-facing course list sorts
+    // by) so Move Up/Down is reflected on refetch; an explicit column sort from
+    // the table header still takes priority.
+    if (!req.query.sort) req.query.sort = JSON.stringify([{ id: "order_index", desc: false }]);
+
     const result = await paginate(Course, req, {
       excludeAttributes: courseExclude,
       computedAttributes: [
@@ -145,7 +150,7 @@ exports.createCourse = async (req, res) => {
     const course = await Course.create({
       title,
       description:    description ?? null,
-      order_index:    order_index ?? 0,
+      order_index:    order_index ?? await nextOrderIndex(Course, {}, t),
       course_code:    course_code ?? null,
       level:          level ?? null,
       subscription:   subscription ?? "free",
@@ -260,7 +265,7 @@ exports.createCourseFull = async (req, res) => {
     const course = await Course.create({
       title,
       description:    description ?? null,
-      order_index:    order_index ?? 0,
+      order_index:    order_index ?? await nextOrderIndex(Course, {}, t),
       course_code:    course_code ?? null,
       level:          level ?? null,
       subscription:   subscription ?? "free",
@@ -443,6 +448,26 @@ exports.updateCourse = async (req, res) => {
   }
 };
 
+exports.reorderCourses = async (req, res) => {
+  const t = await sequelize.transaction();
+  try {
+    const { course_ids = [] } = req.body;
+    if (!course_ids.length) return R.error(res, "course_ids is required.", 400);
+
+    await Promise.all(course_ids.map((id, i) =>
+      Course.update({ order_index: i }, { where: { course_id: id, ...notDeleted }, transaction: t })
+    ));
+
+    await t.commit();
+    logActivity(req.user?.user_id, "reorder_courses", { entityType: "course", details: { course_ids } });
+    return R.success(res, "Course order updated.");
+  } catch (err) {
+    await t.rollback();
+    console.error("[COURSE][REORDER]", err);
+    return R.error(res, "Could not reorder courses.", 500);
+  }
+};
+
 exports.archiveCourse = async (req, res) => {
   const t = await sequelize.transaction();
   try {
diff --git a/routes/admin/courses.routes.js b/routes/admin/courses.routes.js
index 0959bab..425a543 100644
--- a/routes/admin/courses.routes.js
+++ b/routes/admin/courses.routes.js
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ router.get("/by-subscription", ctrl.getCoursesBySubscription);
 router.get("/units-flat", ctrl.getUnitsFlat);
 router.get("/lessons-flat", ctrl.getLessonsFlat);
 router.get("/quizzes-flat", ctrl.getQuizzesFlat);
+router.put("/order", ctrl.reorderCourses); // persist top-level course catalog ordering { course_ids }
 
 // ── then :courseId ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 router.get("/archives/:courseId", ctrl.getArchivedCourse);