<p>The course allocation process is critical to the administration and the institute’s students. Students should be able to learn the courses that align with their genuine interests to encourage a conducive class environment and better lifelong career opportunities. The course allocation literature accounts primarily for quantitative studies, and no systematic literature review (SLR) has been conducted thus far to capture the intellectual structure of the field. With that as motivation, this paper aims to produce an SLR on course allocation literature supporting Sustainable Development Goal 4, dedicated to quality education. 183 articles are extracted from the beginning to the year 2025. A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods is employed using bibliometric analysis and content analysis to examine the intellectual structure and chronological development in the field of course allocation literature, which is still absent from the existing knowledge base. Most influential and contributing articles, authors, and countries are identified along with decade-wise prominent themes. Findings highlight how course allocation depends on factors such as resources, students’ preferences, performance, and career objectives. The current trend shows that AI, optimization methodologies, and equitable allocation algorithms can assist educational institutions in planning courses more effectively, reducing expenses, and enhancing student satisfaction. The study suggests that school administrators or program-level decision-makers should adopt the most appropriate and current methods to guarantee a fair and equal distribution of courses.</p>