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Syllabus Components What You Might Include in Your Syllabi |
¨ Course title and number, section number, crn, number of units
¨ Term (e.g., Fall 2001)
¨ Meeting time and location
¨ Your name, office address, telephone number, fax number, email address
¨ URLs for course and faculty member
¨ Your office hours
¨ Teaching assistant and hours
¨ Prerequisite courses, knowledge, skills, etc.
¨ Suggestions for refreshing knowledge, skills, etc.
¨ Overview of course purpose
¨ Explanation of what course is about and why students would want to learn the material
¨ List of studnet learning goals or objectives
¨ Ties to program learning goals or objectives
¨ Conceptual structure used to organize the course
¨ Format of activities for the course
¨ Readings and Web assignments
¨ Projects, papers, exams, etc.
¨ Nature and format of assignments, expected lengths, deadlines
¨ Nature of tests
¨ Relationship of assignments to learning objectives
¨ Expectations for written work (e.g., style, length, word processing requirements, etc.)
¨ Role of technology in the course
¨ Texts/Workbooks/ and supplies (required/optional/suggested)
Where they can be purchased
¨ Grading components and weights
¨ Grading criteria
¨ Extra credit policy
¨ Exam dates and coverage
¨ Attendance
¨ Late work
¨ Missing homework
¨ Test make-ups
¨ Requesting extensions
¨ Reporting illnesses
¨ Academic honesty: cheating and plagiarism [see college catalog or schedule of classes]
¨ Student and faculty responsibilities in the learning process
¨ Accommodations for physical or learning disabilities
¨ Classroom civility guidelines
¨ Topics
¨ Readings
¨ Assignment deadlines
¨ Important drop dates
¨ Estimated student workload
¨ Study hints or guides
¨ Glossary
¨ References, recommended readings or URLs, library materials on reserve
¨ Campus resources (e.g., tutors)
¨ Handouts, lecture outlines, etc.
Campus Expectations for Syllabi
The University Handbook (Section 303.1) states that:
Faculty
members shall provide a course syllabus to students in each of their
classes which,
in addition to standard information (e.g., instructor name, course
name, date,
etc.) contains at least the following information:
a) course objectives
b) assignment and exam due dates
c) grading policy
d) campus policy on academic
dishonesty
e) other - in accordance with
departmental guidelines.
CSUB Catalog and Class Schedule
Information
Academic Freedom. Page 53 of the 1999-2001 Catalog or page 47 of the Fall schedule.
Academic Honesty. Page 53 of the 1999-2001 Catalog or page 47 of the Fall schedule.
Classroom Conduct. Page 53 of the 1999-2001 Catalog or page 47 of the Fall schedule.
Nondiscrimination Policy. Pages 76-77 of the 1999-2001 Catalogy or page 47 of the Fall schedule.
Academic Calendar. Page 5 of the Fall Schedule (Note last day to withdraw without a “W”; last day to withdraw for serious and compelling reason; holidays; SOCI week; last day of classes; and final exam day.
Final Exam Schedule. Page 97 of the Fall schedule. Use this to determine your official final exam day and time.
Other Resources
Online syllabi examples (e.g., the World Lecture Hall at http://www.utexas.edu/world/lecture/ provides links to Web pages created by faculty from a variety of disciplines worldwide.) Or, contact the Web pages of faculty in your discipline at other campuses.
TLC Books on Teaching (e.g., McKeachie’s Teaching Tips; Preparing Instructional Objectives; Designing & Assessing Courses & Curricula). Browse the TLC library at http://www.csub. edu/~tlc/library.html
TLC Handouts: Handouts from the TLC that deal with a variety of teaching/learning issues, such as “Integrating Learning Objectives into Courses and Course Syllabi.” Most can be downloaded from the site (http://www.csub.edu/~tlc/tlchandouts.htm), or copies can be provided by contacting the TLC.
TLC Online Links: Links to a variety of pedagogical sites (http://www.csub.edu/~tlc/links.htm)
Your syllabus is a university commitment to students to teach the course according to the guidelines you set. It also is a reflection of you, your teaching philosophy, and your attitudes towards students—take time to make it an accurate reflection.