Syllabus
The syllabus is a faculty member's first opportunity to
describe the role and responsibilities that the students will have in a
course. A carefully developed syllabus
can actively support their learning and success in the course. It should be distributed and reviewed with
students on the first day of class. Faculty members are encouraged to discuss
their syllabi with faculty colleagues and their department chairperson. The
Course Syllabus: A Learning-Centered Approach by Judith Grunert O'Brien,
Barbara J. Millis, and Margaret W. Cohen is an excellent guide to writing a
syllabus. Copies of this book are available in the William H. Hannon Library as
well as in the Center for Teaching Excellence.
A syllabus is a notice that outlines mutual obligations
between instructor and student and normally will be adhered to throughout the
course. However, because unforeseen
situations may occur that require modifications to be made to the syllabus,
faculty members should include a statement to the effect that they reserve the
right to make a modification and indicate how students will be notified of any
change to the original syllabus. Any change to the syllabus should be
communicated in at least the same manner(s) that the original syllabus was
distributed. Simply announcing a change to the syllabus during class would be
insufficient notice.
Assignments should take into consideration that students
are expected to study two to three hours per week for every hour they spend in
class. For a typical 3-unit course,
students should study six to nine hours per week.
Procedures
A course syllabus must be prepared for each section and
made available to students on the first day of class. A copy of your syllabus
must be submitted to your department's administrative assistant no later than
the end of the first week of class. For
specific requirements as they apply to your college/school, consult your
department's administrative assistant or chairperson.
What to include in your syllabus:
- Your name
- Course title
- Department
- Course and section number
- Semester and year
- Your telephone and e-mail address
- Office hours and location
- Materials and text required
- Detailed course schedule
- Possibility of syllabus modification
- Course objective/learning outcomes
- Course requirements
- Assignments and due dates
- Add/drop date
- Policy on class attendance
- Policy on late/missed exams/assignments
- Method on computing the course grade
- University policy on academic honesty
- Americans with Disabilities Act policy
- Classroom conduct expectations
The LMU Committee on the Comprehensive Evaluation of Teaching created a syllabus checklist that may be accessed by clicking the following link: