diff --git a/classes/local/course_category_manager.php b/classes/local/course_category_manager.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1970131
--- /dev/null
+++ b/classes/local/course_category_manager.php
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace local_adler\local;
+
+use local_adler\local\db\moodle_core_repository;
+use local_adler\moodle_core;
+use moodle_exception;
+
+class course_category_manager {
+    public static function create_category_user_can_create_courses_in(string $username, string $role, string|null $category_path = Null) {
+        $moodle_core_repository = new moodle_core_repository();
+
+        // handle category path (default value and parsing)
+        if ($category_path === Null || strlen($category_path) === 0) {
+            $category_path = "adler/{$username}";
+        }
+        $category_path = new course_category_path($category_path);
+
+
+        // validate input
+        if (!$moodle_core_repository->get_user_id_by_username($username)) {
+            throw new moodle_exception('user_not_found', 'local_adler');
+        }
+        if (!$moodle_core_repository->get_role_id_by_shortname($role)) {
+            throw new moodle_exception('role_not_found', 'local_adler');
+        }
+        if ($category_path->exists()) {
+            throw new moodle_exception('category_already_exists', 'local_adler');
+        }
+
+
+        // create category and assign user to role
+        $category_id = $category_path->create();
+        self::assign_user_to_role_in_category($username, $role, $category_id);
+
+        return $category_id;
+    }
+
+    private static function assign_user_to_role_in_category(string $username, string $role, int $category_id) {
+        $moodle_core_repository = new moodle_core_repository();
+
+        $user_id = $moodle_core_repository->get_user_id_by_username($username);
+        $role_id = $moodle_core_repository->get_role_id_by_shortname($role);
+        $context = moodle_core::context_coursecat_instance($category_id);
+        moodle_core::role_assign($role_id, $user_id, $context->id);
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/classes/local/db/base_repository.php b/classes/local/db/base_repository.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c338639
--- /dev/null
+++ b/classes/local/db/base_repository.php
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace local_adler\local\db;
+
+abstract class base_repository {
+    protected $db;
+
+    public function __construct($db = null) {
+        if (is_null($db)) {
+            global $DB;
+            $this->db = $DB;
+        } else {
+            $this->db = $db;
+        }
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/classes/local/db/moodle_core_repository.php b/classes/local/db/moodle_core_repository.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ca26080
--- /dev/null
+++ b/classes/local/db/moodle_core_repository.php
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace local_adler\local\db;
+
+
+class moodle_core_repository extends base_repository {
+    public function get_role_id_by_shortname(string $shortname): int {
+        global $DB;
+        return (int)$DB->get_field('role', 'id', array('shortname' => $shortname));
+    }
+
+    public function get_user_id_by_username(string $username): int {
+        global $DB;
+        return (int)$DB->get_field('user', 'id', array('username' => $username));
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/classes/moodle_core.php b/classes/moodle_core.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e28679c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/classes/moodle_core.php
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace local_adler;
+
+use context_coursecat;
+
+/**
+ * This class contains aliases for moodle core functions to allow mocking them.
+ */
+class moodle_core {
+    public static function role_assign(...$args): int {
+        return role_assign(...$args);
+    }
+
+    /** alias for context_coursecat::instance */
+    public static function context_coursecat_instance(...$args): object {
+        return context_coursecat::instance(...$args);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/tests/local/course_category_manager_test.php b/tests/local/course_category_manager_test.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7c09f53
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/local/course_category_manager_test.php
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace local_adler\local;
+
+use context_coursecat;
+use local_adler\lib\adler_testcase;
+use local_adler\local\db\moodle_core_repository;
+use local_adler\moodle_core;
+use Mockery;
+use moodle_exception;
+
+global $CFG;
+require_once($CFG->dirroot . '/local/adler/tests/lib/adler_testcase.php');
+
+/**
+ * @runTestsInSeparateProcesses
+ */
+class course_category_manager_test extends adler_testcase {
+    private $mockRepo;
+
+    public function setUp(): void {
+        $this->mockRepo = Mockery::mock('overload:' . moodle_core_repository::class);
+    }
+
+    public function test_username_doesnt_exist() {
+        // Arrange
+        $this->mockRepo->shouldReceive('get_user_id_by_username')->andReturn(false);
+
+        // Act and Assert
+        $this->expectException(moodle_exception::class);
+        $this->expectExceptionMessage('user_not_found');
+        course_category_manager::create_category_user_can_create_courses_in('non_existing_username', 'role', 'category_path');
+    }
+
+    public function test_role_doesnt_exist() {
+        // Arrange
+        $this->mockRepo->shouldReceive('get_user_id_by_username')->andReturn(1); // return a valid user ID
+        $this->mockRepo->shouldReceive('get_role_id_by_shortname')->andReturn(false);
+
+        // Act and Assert
+        $this->expectException(moodle_exception::class);
+        $this->expectExceptionMessage('role_not_found');
+        course_category_manager::create_category_user_can_create_courses_in('username', 'non_existing_role', 'category_path');
+    }
+
+    public function test_category_already_exists() {
+        // Arrange
+        $this->mockRepo->shouldReceive('get_user_id_by_username')->andReturn(1); // return a valid user ID
+        $this->mockRepo->shouldReceive('get_role_id_by_shortname')->andReturn(1); // return a valid role ID
+
+        $mockPath = Mockery::mock('overload:local_adler\local\course_category_path');
+        $mockPath->shouldReceive('exists')->andReturn(true);
+
+        // Act and Assert
+        $this->expectException(moodle_exception::class);
+        $this->expectExceptionMessage('category_already_exists');
+        course_category_manager::create_category_user_can_create_courses_in('valid_username', 'valid_role', 'existing_category_path');
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @dataProvider providerTestValidUsernameRoleAndCategoryPath
+     */
+    public function test_valid_username_role_and_category_path($category_path, $expected_result) {
+        // Arrange
+        $this->mockRepo->shouldReceive('get_user_id_by_username')->andReturn(1); // return a valid user ID
+        $this->mockRepo->shouldReceive('get_role_id_by_shortname')->andReturn(1); // return a valid role ID
+
+        $mockPath = Mockery::mock('overload:' . course_category_path::class);
+        $mockPath->shouldReceive('exists')->andReturn(false);
+        $mockPath->shouldReceive('create')->andReturn(42);
+
+        $moodle_core_mock = Mockery::mock('alias:' . moodle_core::class)
+            ->shouldReceive('context_coursecat_instance')
+            ->andReturn(Mockery::mock(context_coursecat::class));
+
+        $moodle_core_mock
+            ->shouldReceive('role_assign')
+            ->withArgs([1, 1, null])
+            ->andReturn(true);
+
+        // Act
+        $result = course_category_manager::create_category_user_can_create_courses_in('valid_username', 'valid_role', $category_path);
+
+        // Assert
+        $this->assertEquals($expected_result, $result);
+    }
+
+    public function providerTestValidUsernameRoleAndCategoryPath() {
+        return [
+            'null category path' => [null, 42],
+            'empty category path' => ['', 42],
+            'non-existing category path' => ['non_existing_category_path', 42]
+        ];
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file