Syllabus Resources
A syllabus is a guide to your course and includes what will be expected of students and the instructor (you) over the course of the term. Generally, it will include course policies, rules and regulations, required texts, learning outcomes, and a schedule of assignments.
A syllabus is a reflection of an individual faculty member’s course goals, pedagogical preferences, and teaching style. As such, rarely are any two syllabi the same. However, effective syllabi do have attributes in common. They provide information students need to navigate the course, such as how to contact the professor and a schedule of assignments and events (Slattery and Carlson, 2005). They convey a sense of enthusiasm and motivation (Svinicki and McKeachie, 2014). They help students understand how to learn as well as what to learn in a course (Parkes, Fix, and Harris, 2003). Finally, they clearly communicate what is expected of students (Saville, Zinn, Brown, and Marchuk, 2010).
As the syllabus is often the first point of contact between you and students, it provides you with the opportunity to set a welcoming and positive tone for your course.
If you would like feedback on your syllabus or someone to proofread it, please email Nisha Gupta (nisha.gupta@centre.edu) to schedule a consultation and select “Syllabi” using this form: CTL Consultation Request Form.
Per guidelines in the Faculty Handbook, your syllabus must include these 10 items:
Name of the course, course rubric and number, and term
Meeting times and places
Course goals and objectives
Dates for major tests and assignments and what the penalty will be for late work/makeups
Class Attendance Policy/Statement. Students are individually responsible for class attendance, but instructors may impose attendance requirements appropriate to any course. Instructors shall explain to students at the beginning of each course their expectations and grading policies with regard to attendance at class meetings.
Instructors are required by the College to track an accurate record of each student’s attendance.
Instructors are also asked to report to the Associate Dean (Ian Wilson) the names of those students who are absent from class excessively, including those who are absent the equivalent of a full week of classes (three consecutive meetings for MWF or two consecutive meetings for T,TH class times). Faculty are required to submit the Student Notice report via either Navigate or Report of Concern (via CentreNet).
Grading Policies—students should know their status in a course at any time after an assignment is returned. Explicit information on how grades will be determined should be provided, including use of + and – grading. You should let students know what the cut-offs are for earning each grade.
Office hours. Faculty members are required to announce and post their office hours.
Expectations about any required activities outside normal class period.
Statement on providing accommodations for students with disabilities. See the many resources compiled under the Syllabus Statements section of this page.
Information about the resources available at the Writing Center.
Students are more active and participative, and the process turns knowledge into a negotiation between teachers and students. The course syllabus is a great place to convey learner-centered pedagogy.
This matrix provides some questions for consideration to help shift your syllabus toward learner-centered pedagogies.
More on constructing a learning-centered syllabus can be found here: https://www.ideaedu.org/idea_papers/constructing-a-learner-centered-syllabus-one-professors-journey/
A well-designed syllabus is characterized by a welcoming and inviting tone, is accessible for all students, has good visual design, promotes transparency, is accompanied by an activity to ensure that students read and understand it, and reflects your commitment to equity. Equity-minded pedagogy practices support this approach to syllabus development.
Evaluate the effectiveness of your syllabus. This Rubric for an Inclusive Course Syllabus from Colorado State provides several good dimensions of inclusivity and engagement to assess your syllabus
Would you like to add an inclusivity statement to your syllabus? This Diversity and Inclusion Syllabus Statement reference from Clemson provides some useful ideas.
Some additional Diversity and Inclusion Syllabus Statements from Centre faculty are available in the syllabus statement section.
Centre College welcomes students from around the country and the world. The unique perspectives international and multilingual students bring enrich our campus community. To aid students whose primary language is not English, the Centre Learning Commons provides individual English Language/ESL consultations to help with homework, presentations, projects, pronunciation, and grammar. We offer ESL Peer Mentors who meet one-on-one with students and provide guidance and academic support for students. We also lead weekly group art lessons to foster community and connection (EaSeL Evenings). For more information please contact Karen Tubb in the CLC at karen.tubb@centre.edu, by phone 859-238-6327, or to set up an appointment, please select “Academic Support: ESL Consultation” on the Navigate Student app available via the CentreNet LaunchPad.
Introduction
Advanced automated tools – artificial intelligence or machine learning tools such as ChatGPT or Dall-E 2 that are sometimes described as “generative” or “autogenerative” tools – use sophisticated technology and very large data sets to create realistic writing, images, or other artifacts in response to natural language queries and prompts. They are very easy to use and some of their output is very difficult to distinguish from human-generated material. The impact of these tools in the classroom context is just beginning to be discussed.
Some questions being asked about the use of advanced automated tools in their course(s)include:
Should students be allowed to use these tools?
How can we support their learning about these tools and the many complex, interesting, and rapidly-developing issues that surround them?
What are the most pressing issues – practical, pedagogical, and ethical – related to the use of these tools?
Many campuses are working out classroom policies for use AI Generative tools. Colleagues in other teaching and learning centers have compiled sample syllabi statements in a Google Doc. This is a link to Lance Eaton's google doc "Syllabus Policies for GenAI Use". This document offers lots of examples of how you might communicate your approach to your students. : Sample Syllabus Statements Repository.
Here is a shorter list that we have curated. Feel free to add your statement: Gen AI Syllabus Statement Shortlist
Here is another short list of statements supplied by Centre Faculty. They have given permission for you to use these to shape your own statements. Centre Syllabus Statements about Gen AI: Gen AI Syllabus Statements from Centre Faculty
Civility, community building, and equity-minded practices are all part of creating an inclusive learning environment. Several Centre faculty have shared their "statements of civility" in this document.
Several Centre faculty have shared their statements about equity, diversity, and inclusion in this document.
Centre College is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all persons with special needs. Students with learning disabilities or other preexisting conditions that may affect their academic performance are encouraged to request academic accommodations by completing an Accessibility Services Request Form. Accommodations are approved and implemented when they are supported by documentation submitted by a licensed professional for review by Dr. Mary Gulley (mary.gulley@centre.edu, X5223) Assistant Dean of Student Success. Students with approved accommodations are responsible for sharing their signed accommodation form with the instructor at the beginning of each term. Students are also encouraged to discuss with the instructor how their approved accommodations may be best implemented.
If you would like more information about accessibility services and accommodations, please contact: access@centre.edu
Syllabus statement about the Centre Learning Commons (CLC)
The Centre Learning Commons provides free academic skill consultations and peer tutoring to all Centre College students. Supporting over 50 courses and subjects across all three academic divisions, the CLC, which shares space with the Grace Doherty Library, offers services, materials and spaces for students across disciplines to share learning strategies and collaborate toward meeting the expectations of course assignments, projects, exams, and essays. Seeking help through learning support services like the Centre Learning Commons is a positive behavior that will assist you in attaining academic success. For additional information, visit the Centre Learning Commons website, or contact Brian Cusato (b.cusato@centre.edu).
You may wish to include a statement about use of electronics and/or technology in the classroom. This document includes some sample statements from both Centre faculty and other examples.
You may wish to include a statement about intellectual property. This document includes a sample statement from a Centre faculty member.
See here for some additional links and resources to support your syllabus development.
Design a learner-centered syllabus. A learner-centered syllabus is associated with better rapport between students and teachers and increased student motivation, achievement, and empowerment (DiClementi & Handelsman, 2005).
Evaluate the effectiveness of your syllabus. This Rubric for an Inclusive Course Syllabus from Colorado State provides several good dimensions of inclusivity and engagement to assess your syllabus