Writing a Course Syllabus
Your class syllabus is a critical piece of information you give to your students. It sets the tone for the class, conveys your expectations to students and identifies course outcomes that students can expect to achieve. It is a contract which should be clearly outlined and easy for students to read and comprehend.
Additionally, a syllabus is potentially a legal document, as it has been used in grievance and judicial hearings. Therefore, clarity and specificity are especially important to keep in mind as you construct it. Some instructors have their students read the syllabus in the first class meeting, ask questions for clarification, and then have them sign a detachable statement at the end of the syllabus indicating that they have read, understood, and accepted the course requirements as stated.
Ideally, your syllabus should contain the information listed below. The list is not exhaustive; there may be additional information you would like to include:
- Name and address of your institution.
- Academic term and date.
- Course information: title, course number, course description, pre-requisites (if any).
- Instructor name, office number, phone number, e-mail address, web page or other contact information as appropriate.
- Information about the instructor in addition to the above, such as office hours available for student consultations, teaching and learning philosophy, etc.
- Textbook and other supplementary reading sources: authors’ names, titles, date of publication, publisher, etc.
- A statement regarding student initiated withdrawal from the course and how to do this (e.g., using the Web or filing an Add/Drop form with the registration office). You can refer students to the Schedule of Classes for more specific information on this, but make sure they understand that they need to officially drop the class if they stop attending.
- Course Outcomes: Refer to the course outcome guide. What do you want your students to learn in this course? Be specific. The objectives should be measurable.
Course requirements and grading criteria that include:
- Reading assignments.
- The type of assessments required and how they will be weighted relative to one another.
- How the final grade will be determined.
- Policies regarding attendance, class participation, make-up work, extra credit, etc. as applicable.
- If possible, attach or include a course schedule that indicates the dates when various topics will be covered, when exams will be given, when papers or other projects will be due, etc.
- The American with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandates that reasonable accommodations in facilities and services be made for individuals with disabilities.
The office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) recommends that a statement like one of the following be printed in your syllabus:
- Encourage students who have disabilities to contact the Office for Students with Disabilities for assistance in requesting classroom accommodations.
- PCC encourages students who have disabilities to contact the Office for Students with Disabilities for assistance in requesting classroom accommodations
- Students who have a disability and require a classroom adjustment or accommodation should make their needs known. Please make arrangements to meet with me to discuss your request.
You may want to review “Forms of Academic Dishonesty” in the Academic Integrity Policy which is listed on the Academic Services home page, and either refer students to that or include part or all of it in your syllabus. It describes forms of academic dishonesty (i.e., plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, collusion, etc.) and corresponding penalties.