GUIDELINES FOR THE PREPARATION OF A COURSE SYLLABUS
All university courses, including applied lessons, special topics courses, and independent studies, must have a course syllabus. The syllabus must be available to the studentsby the first class of the semester and should include course objectives, learning outcomes, content, methods of assessment, grading scheme, and attendance policy.
Because the university is preparing for the SACS accreditation visit, and NASM will have their site visit with us this semester, all syllabi must be on the Blackboard Course management systemand a hard copy filed in the Dean’s Office, both no later than the last day of the first week of classes. Because we will have to prepare the NASM files, no extensions will be allowed. In order to add the syllabus to Blackboard, the file name that you use to initially save the file AND the label used in Blackboard should be the same and contain the word “syllabus”, ie.
Department Abbreviation-Course Number-Section Number-Term Code_Syllabus.docx
The term code for Fall 2015 is 4158; the term code for Spring 2016 is 4162. So a music example would be:
MUS-101-12-4148_Syllabus.docx
Do not save the file with any name that is not in the format of the line above! You must have saved a file for each course AND each SECTION of a course.
Additional assistance with website preparation can be found at
NOTE: ANY CHANGES OR MODIFICATIONS TO A SYLLABUS MUST BE IN WRITING
AND A COPY GIVEN TO ALL STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE COURSE.
A typical syllabus should include, at a minimum:
- Course name, number, number of credits, term/year, location, and times.
- Instructor’s name, office location, contact phone, e-mail address, and office hours.
- Catalog description, including prerequisites.
- Required and recommended textbooks.
- Goals and objectives of the course. Since we are required by SACS to evaluate student learning outcomes, you may find it helpful for your students to include an outcome statement as part of the objectives. Any i2a (Ideas To Action),Signature Partnership, or critical thinking initiatives for your course should be indicated here.
- Course content and requirements.
- Criteria for determination of grade including evaluation methods (e.g., 2 tests/1 research paper or 50% tests/40% paper). Explain and/or expand on research papers, term papers, homework, and special projects. Policy should be included on make-up exams and assignments and on late or missing assignments.
NOTES: a) In planning course work, faculty are required to provide students with significant grades and evidence of progress in the course prior to the official drop date for classes (March 7, 2016.) The university strongly suggests that syllabi provide for at least one or two assignments to be graded and returned to students prior to the official withdrawal date for the semester. This allows students to receive feedback on their academic progress PRIOR TO the posted date to withdraw from a class.
b) The university will nowpermit grades of “+” or “-”at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The Provost’s Office requires that instructors state in each syllabus any fixed letter-grade/percentile equivalences that they will use for each valid grade in the system. If the term grades may be set on a scale determined by performance within the course (e.g., “curved”), the principle of the curve (e.g., top 5% will earn A, second 5% A-) should be stated in the syllabus. Courses offered in multiple sections during a single term should use a common grading system.
- Graduate Student Requirements (required for all 500-level courses offered to both undergraduate and graduate students). If undergraduate and graduate students are enrolled in the same 500-level course, the GraduateSchool requires thatgraduate students have significantly expanded requirementsthan undergraduate students. Thesame is true for any course offered at both 500 and 600 numbers. Syllabi should indicate clearly the different requirements for the course levels; please be sure to provide separate syllabi for both undergraduates and graduates taking the same course number.
9. Technology Expectations. (e.g., Assignments are to be word-processed; continuing and
regular use of e-mail is expected, expertise with Finale required.) Please refer to Point 15 below
for students with disabilities or refer to
10. Date of final examination. (NOTE: Final examinations must take place during Exam Week. It is a
university policy that no final examinations may take place during the last week of classes.)
11. Attendance at classes and lessons. An attendance policy is required as part of all course syllabi.
The following statement comes from the University catalog:
“Students are expected to attend all classes and lessons. Attendance requirements will be stated in the syllabus. Private lessons missed for any cause other than illness may not be made up. Lessons missed because of illness may be made up provided the instructor is given due notice. Each instructor keeps a record of attendance for all his/her classes. Excessive absences should be reported to the Office of the Dean.”
- Continuity of Instruction Statement. Indicate how instruction will be handled should there be
closure of the university for extreme weather, wide-spread health epidemic, or if there be
internet failure. Please indicate all sources that will be utilized in order to keep in touch
with students.
We must also indicate that students are required to be involved in course activity for
a minimum of two and half hours per week per credit hour. In the case of music students,
this could involve such activities as homework, readings, practice, or additional rehearsals.
13. Bibliography.
14. Policy on Academic Dishonesty. Due to the rise of plagiarism in the School of Music, you are
advised to include a statement on plagiarism. Faculty should consult Section 5: Academic
Dishonesty of the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities found in the university catalog.
(A number of faculty require students to sign a statement regarding plagiarism at the beginning
of the semester.) You may also use this university catalog statement:
“The university defines plagiarism as ‘representing the words or ideas of someone
else as one’s own in any academic exercise’. Thus, all writing you do for this
course must be your own and must be exclusively for this course, unless the
instructor stipulates differently. Please pay special attention to the quotes,
paraphrases, and documentation practices you use in your papers. If you have
any questions about plagiarism, please ask your instructor. If you plagiarize,
your instructor reserves the right to grant you a failure for the course and
your case may be reported to the School of Music"
15. Policy on Instructional Modifications. The published university wording is:
“The University of Louisville is committed to equal opportunity and challenge
for all academically qualified students and does not discriminate on the basis
of disability. Accommodations are available to encourage students with
disabilities to take full advantage of the University’s educational, social,
and cultural opportunities. The Disability Resource Center (Stevenson Hall,
852-6938 is responsible for the coordination of programs and services for
qualified applicants for admission and enrolled students with disabilities.
Determination of eligibility for services and appropriate accommodations is
determined by staff of the Disability Resource Center after review of document-
ation of disability. As needed, DRC staff will discuss the student’s request for
services with the student to determine appropriate accommodations and/or
consult with the faculty member or other involved officed regarding the
request.”
It is wise to add a statement that faculty cannot make allowances for disabilities unless
students are registered with the DRC and have provided the faculty member with a
letter from the DRC to assist in planning modifications.
16. Title IX/Clery Act Notification (6.9.15 revision used on University website)All syllabi must
include this statement:
“Sexual misconduct (including sexual harassment, sexual assault, and any other nonconsensual
behavior of a sexual nature) and sex discrimination violate University policies.Students
experiencing such behavior may obtain confidential supportfromthe PEACC Program (852-
2663), Counseling Center (852-6585), and Campus Health Services (852-6479). To report
sexual misconduct or sex discrimination, contact the Dean of Students (852-5787) or University
of Louisville Police (852-6111).
Disclosure toUniversity faculty or instructors of sexual misconduct, domestic
violence, dating violence, or sex discrimination occurring on campus, in a
University-sponsored program, or involving a campus visitor or University
student or employee (whether current or former) is not confidential under Title
IX. Faculty and instructors must forward such reports, including names and
circumstances, to the University’s Title IX officer.
For more information, see the Sexual Misconduct Resource Guide”
(
17. University Diversity Statement (required):
“The University of Louisville strives to foster and sustain an environment
of inclusiveness that empowers us all to achieve our highest potential
without fear of prejudice or bias. We commit ourselves to building an
exemplary educational community that offers a nurturing and challenging
intellectual climate, a respect for the spectrum of human diversity, and a
genuine understanding of the many differences-including race, ethnicity,
gender, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, age, socioeconomic
status, disability, religion, national origin or military status-that enrich a
vibrant metropolitan research university. We expect every member of our
academic family to embrace the underlying values of this vision and to
demonstrate a strong commitment to attracting, retaining and supporting
students, faculty and staff who reflect the diversity of our larger society.”
You may also want to include the list of observed religious Holy Days.
18. If your course covers at any point issues of health and safety, hazards, and procedures inherent in
practice, performance, teaching, and listening (including information regarding hearing, vocal
and musculoskeletal health and injury prevention, this should be indicated in the syllabus.
19. Date syllabus prepared.
12/26/15