A course syllabus can be considered a contract with students. The time and care an instructor spends on syllabus preparation will reap benefits. The following tips can assist you in designing an effective syllabus.


Why is the syllabus important?

The syllabus sets a tone for the class and establishes an early point of contact between instructor and student.

A detailed course syllabus, handed out on the first day of class, gives students an immediate sense of what the course will cover, what work is expected of them, and how their performance will be evaluated.

An effective syllabus increases the likelihood of student success in your class. The syllabus guides learning in accordance with your expectations and demonstrates that you care about students’ learning. A well-prepared course syllabus shows students that you take your teaching seriously.

A well-designed, detailed syllabus serves as a roadmap of the course for both instructor and student and decreases the number of problems that arise.

The creation of a syllabus can aid in the design and development of a course.

The syllabus provides pertinent information about your course to your colleagues and department.



How should I get started in creating a syllabus?

Anticipate the general questions that will be in the minds of students and provide answers to those questions in your syllabus.

Academic departments generally have a copy of course descriptions available for instructors. In many instances department or school faculty have reached a consensus on course description, rationale, and objectives for all courses and these have been approved by the relevant curriculum committee.

It there is no standard syllabus, the department can provide you with one or more course syllabi that can be used as examples of the department’s expectations regarding syllabi format and content.

A typical syllabus includes the sequence of assigned readings and activities by date and topic and provides information on course policies and procedures.

When deciding what to include keep in mind that more rather than less material is preferred. However, avoid using lengthy prose and stick to bulleted lists or short sentences. You may wish to use outlines, charts, or diagrams to organize the information.



Does your syllabus contain the following?

Course number, section, title, meeting days and time, room and building.

Your name, title, office number, telephone, email, web address, office hours.

Required purchases: texts and supplies.

Prerequisites.

Course goals or objectives.

Schedule of assignments: readings, exams, papers and other required learning assessment activities.

Grading standards and criteria—students should know what elements of the class will determine their final grade and what grading scale you will use in assigning the final grades.

Course policies regarding attendance; participation; make-ups; late assignments; tests or examinations; extra credit; extensions; illness; cheating and plagiarism; and P/F, I, and W grades.

A disclaimer such as “The above schedule and procedures are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances.”



Would your students benefit from any of the following?

Explanation of the conceptual structure used to organize the course.

College policies regarding withdrawing, accommodations for students with disabilities, inclement weather, fee and refund schedule, term calendar, and academic dishonesty.


Statement that provides an estimate of the student work load. How much time should students plan to spend on reading assignments, problem sets, lab reports or research?

Glossary of technical terms used in the course.

Statement about civility in the classroom.

Bibliographies of supplemental readings at a higher or lower level of difficulty in case students find the assigned readings too complex or too simple.

List of campus resources for tutoring and academic support.

List of co-curricular activities relevant to your course (e.g. lectures, plays, events, exhibits).

Supplementary material to help students succeed in the course: studying, note taking additional readings or resources.

Space for names and telephone numbers of two or three classmates.

Statement on your beliefs about teaching and learning and instructional methods you will use.


References

Davis, B. G. (1993). Tools for teaching. San Francisco : Jossey-Bass.

McGlynn, A. P. (2001). Successful beginnings for college teaching: Engaging your students from the first day of class. Madison , WI : Atwood Publishing.

Stephan, J. (2000). The syllabus and lesson plan. In D. E. Grieve (ed.). Handbook II advanced teaching strategies for adjunct and part-time faculty (pp. 55-62). Ann Arbor , MI : Adjunct Advocate.

University of Minnesota Center for Teaching and Learning Services (n.d.). Syllabus tutorial. Retrieved March 13, 2006 from http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/teachlearn/tutorials/syllabus/