Syllabus Requirements & Guidelines

Required Components of a Syllabus

• Basic Information
  • Course Number, Course Title, Number of Credit hours, Academic Year and Semester. Enhanced Options: Class Location, Meeting Days and Times, 
  • Instructor’s Full Name, Office Location, Office Phone Number and Email Address. Enhanced Options: A brief bio and/or statement of teaching philosophy. Any other phone numbers faculty wish to make available and/or class or instructor website if applicable,
  • Instructor Availability Outside of Class. (Faculty members should indicate how and when students can arrange to meet with them outside of class, whether it be through traditional office hours, phone, email, virtual hangout, other means, or some combination of the above)
  • Required and Suggested Materials and Textbook Titles, with Author and Editor. Indicate specific edition if required.
• Course Overview
  • Course Description: Faculty members should use the official course description located online. For course description, go to http://catalog.champlain.edu. Optional: A brief rationale, general teacher or course objective, course prerequisites or any other information that faculty wish to include regarding the significance of their course.
  • Student-Centered Learning Outcomes: The approved course learning outcomes should be provided by your Program Director or Dean, or you can find them in the Curriculum Archive. The learning outcomes for a course are student-centered. They identify what students who successfully complete this course should be able to do. Optional: Indicate how the course addresses the Program’s and the College’s Core Competencies. For approved curriculum files and other syllabi see the Curriculum Archive for further reference: http://curriculum.champlain.edu/.
  • Course Calendar & Outline: Faculty members should include topics for lecture and discussion, assignments, readings, paper and project due dates and exam and quiz dates. This can be quite detailed or more concise depending on personal style and course content. All assignment due dates should be posted so they appear in the Canvas student to-do list per Champlain’s Academic Continuity Standards. Optional: Create a detailed weekly schedule indicating all topics, readings and assignments and their due dates. Provide guidelines for what students can do to meet criteria if changes occur or assignments are late. Include instructions regarding how to submit work in the case of inclement weather or instructor absence. Include a disclaimer that listed dates are subject to change. 
• Policies & Grading
  • Method of Evaluation: Faculty members must be certain to indicate the percentage or number of points that each required element carries in relation to the overall course grade. If participation is one of the required elements, faculty should indicate the percentage or number of points that participation carries in the class AND how they assess and grade participation. Optional: Describe the format of assessment and/or the type of knowledge and abilities tested during the exams, assignments, labs, projects, etc.
  • Champlain College does not have a universal attendance policy. Please consider student-specific needs based on their situation before designing Syllabus requirements around attendance. Regardless, be sure you explain your specific course policy, including potential consequences for not attending or participating, clearly.
  • Optional: Other policies. Add official policies relevant to the course and clearly define the parameters. Add measures of consequence or grace and support for missed or late work and/or extra credit options.