A course is a duration of passage through a place ,time,study or meals . eg: 1. The race course 2. Its like a four course meal.3. The course study material was easy. Its like a four course meal.
Although quite similar, each institution will have its own curriculum layout.
You can obtain this information by going to www.collegeboard.com/splash/ and using the sites College MatchMaker search...
Yes, colleges and universities see them as equivalent if the student passes the AP with the required score. Many colleges and universities will apply AP courses toward the students degree.