BrandeisUniversity
RecommendedGuidelines:SyllabusChecklist
ContactDetails andOfficeHours:instructor’sofficetelephonenumber,e-mailaddress,website,officeaddress andofficehours.
CourseDescription andObjectives:shortdescriptionofthecourse andthecontextinwhichitistaught. Addressteachingmethodologyand generalexpectationsofstudents,includingtheexpectationthatstudentswillexpendthreehoursofoutofclasseffort(e.g.,reading,writingpapers,completingproblemsets,studyingforexams, etc.)foreachhourofclassroomordirectfacultyinstruction. Consider adding this statement to your syllabus: Success in this four- credit course is based on the expectation that students will spend a minimum of 9 hours of study time per week in preparation for class (readings, papers, discussion sections, preparation for exams, etc.).
LearningGoals:describetheknowledge,skills,and/oroutlookswhichyouwouldlikethestudentstolearnorbeable todemonstrateas aresultofthiscourse. Considerusingactionverbs.
Prerequisites:explanationofthelevelatwhichthecourseis pitched,listofcoursesthatare formalprerequisites(mustcorrespond toofficiallist;consultdepartmentofficeor BrandeisUniversityBulletin ifin doubt):Thissectionmightalsomentiontopics orskillswith whichstudentsshouldbefamiliar.
CoursePlan:thisistheheartofthesyllabus—adetailedlistoftopicsforthesemester,perhapsaccompaniedbya statementthatthesetopicsmaybe amendedwithstudentinputduringthe term.Considerincludingan entryforeachclasssessionwithprojectedtopicsandreadings. The AcademicCalendarisonlineon theRegistrar’swebsite;pleaseremember“BrandeisMondays,”etc.Someinstructorsalsochooseto include inthissectionbriefobjectivesforsessionsand/orquestionsforstudyand discussion.
Evaluation:explanationof grading,includingpercentagesallocatedto elementssuch asclassparticipation,exams,homework, papers, projects. Normally,thesepercentages shouldnotchangeoncethe coursestarts.Allstudentsin acoursemustbe evaluatedthesameway(this mayinclude givingallstudentsthesameoption,e.g.,papervs.exam).Itisusefultoalsoannounceyourpolicyformissedexams ordeadlines(e.g., do yourequiredocumentation oftheexcuse?).Ifyou aregoingto penalizestudentswho do notattend a certainnumberofclasses,thisshould bestatedexplicitlyhere.
Disabilities:everysyllabusmustcontainthefollowingparagraph: “Ifyou are a studentwitha documenteddisabilityonrecordatBrandeisUniversityand wishto have a reasonableaccommodationmade foryou in thisclass,please see meimmediately.”
AcademicIntegrity:TheDirectorofAcademicIntegrityadvisesthateverysyllabusinclude a paragraph onacademicintegrity,such asthefollowing:Youareexpectedto behonestinallofyouracademicwork. PleaseconsultBrandeisUniversityRightsandResponsibilitiesforallpoliciesand proceduresrelatedtoacademicintegrity.Studentsmaybe requiredto submitworktoTurnItIn.comsoftware to verifyoriginality.Allegationsofallegedacademicdishonestywillbeforwardedto theDirectorofAcademicIntegrity. Sanctionsforacademicdishonestycanincludefailinggradesand/orsuspensionfromthe university.Citationandresearchassistancecan befoundatLTS -Libraryguides.
Privacy:Ifyou are usingonlinetoolsthatwouldexposestudentcourseworkto partiesoutsidetheclass,thenyoumustincludea statementlikethefollowingandprovideappropriatesafeguards:"Thisclassrequirestheuse oftoolsthatmaydiscloseyourcourseworkandidentityto partiesoutside theclass.Toprotectyourprivacyyoumaychoose touse apseudonym/aliasratherthanyourname in submittingsuch work.Youmustsharethe pseudonym/aliaswithme and anyteachingassistantsas needed.Alternatively, with priorconsultation,youmaysubmitsuch workdirectlyto me."
Communications:detailsofclassmailinglists,classwebsitesand otherlinks,ifappropriate.Explainhow syllabuschanges, including accommodations for “snow days”through Course Winterization willbe communicated,andhow studentsshouldkeepthemselvesinformed.
CourseMaterials:materialsrecommended forpurchase,includingtextbooks,casepacketsand onlinematerials.
CriticalDates:theplanshouldincludedatesforexams,homeworkassignments,papers,projects andpresentations. Itisimportanttoidentifythedateofthefinalexam, ifany,whichshould bein thetimeslottheUniversityassignsforthatblock.Anymandatoryexercisesoutsideofscheduledtimesmustalsobelisted.The UndergraduateCurriculumCommitteerecommends thatin-classgradedexercises notbe scheduledduringthelastweekofclasses.Wheneverpossible,finalexamsshould be heldduringthe officialexaminationperiod,and otherexams,take-homeexams orquizzesshouldbe completedbeforethelastweekofclassesbegins.Inplanningdates,facultyshould besensitive to thereligiousobligationsoftheirstudents.