As you start creating or revising your syllabus, consider the following guiding questions.
(Adapted from https://teaching.cornell.edu/resource/planning-your-course-decision-guide)
Who are your students?
- How many students in your course?
- Is this typically the first time students have encountered your discipline?
- What motivations drive your students?
- How does it fit into the curriculum and their academic journey?
What purpose(s) does your syllabus fill?
- A document that meets institutional requirements/guidance
- Refer to the most recent guidance from the Provost’s Office.
- Information required for transfer (description, outcomes)
- Information needed by the department and/or for program assessment
- External professional standards that need to be met
- A first introduction of you and the course to your students (e.g., “letter to the students”)
- What is the tone you want to set? Read your syllabus as a student – better yet, have someone else do it.
- What are your course goals?
- Need help? See Writing Learning Outcomes.
- A place to express the class structure
- What expectations do you want students to be aware of at the start and/or refer to during the course?
- What are the key topics and course activities students can plan for (e.g., course schedule, map)
- How can students be successful in the course and how will their work be graded?
- An informational document to preempt challenges and complaints.
- Policies
- Institutional (see Provost Office Guidance)
- Course type (online, blended, on campus)
- Individual
- Policies