NEW (or REVISED) COURSE OUTLINE
The Intercollege Curriculum Committee (ICC) and Graduate Council request that all new (or revised) course proposals be presented in a slightly revised format to provide information required by the New York State Department of Education and various accrediting agencies. The listing below represents the minimum information that is required for the RIT process of curriculum review for a new (or revised) course.
It is essential that consistent terminology be used (as indicated in the listing below). Although the words “syllabus” and “outline” are used interchangeably in everyday discussions about courses, the word “syllabus” will be used to refer to information distributed to students at the beginning of a course, including topics for lecture or discussion, grading information, due dates for assignments, exam dates, etc. The term “course outline” will be used to describe the more detailed information regarding the course, its content, its role and rationale for inclusion in the curriculum, and possible means of assessment of course goals.
It is recognized that programs, departments, or colleges of RIT may wish to supplement this and may also wish to present the information in a different order or format (especially when trying to satisfy the requests of the various accrediting agencies or publics that may request similar course information). ICC and Graduate Council have, however, provided a template to follow and strongly encourage its use. An example of a completed template for a revised course is also provided..
1. Title, course number, credit, prerequisite(s), and corequisite(s), name of proposer.
2. Course information, including, but not limited to:
Method of delivery (lecture, lab, studio, etc.)
Contact hours
Place in the curriculum: required in a program, professional elective, general education elective, part of a minor, etc.
3. Goals of the course (including rationale for course, when appropriate)
4. Course description (as it appears or will appear in the RIT Catalog), including pre- and
co-requisites, and quarters being offered
5. Possible resources (texts, references, computer packages, etc.)
6. Topics (outline)
7. Intended learning outcomes and associated assessment methods of those outcomes.
8. Program or general education goals supported by this course
9. Other relevant information (for example, media requirements, special scheduling, lab
needs)
10. Supplemental information (for use by department, college, accrediting agency, etc.)
The rationale for this order: Provide the basic naming information (1 and 2) followed by the goals—those broadly stated ambitions and purposes—of the course (3), to lay the groundwork and to offer context for the specific description (4, 5 and 6) of the course and related materials. Learning outcomes are listed after the description so that these can be linked with methods to assess how well the course meets those objectives (7). A listing of program or general education goals (8) supported by the course places it in a broader context within the curriculum.