Syllabus

1. Preamble
   Faculty shall provide students with a syllabus for all university courses that confer academic credit.
    
2. Definitions
   1. For the purposes of this policy, a syllabus is defined as course information that
      1. Communicates course information and defines expectations and responsibilities for students
      2. Describes course content, procedures, materials, and learning outcomes
      3. Identifies relevant university resources that support student learning
   2. Student Learning Outcomes describe the knowledge, skills, attitudes, behaviors, or dispositions that students should be able to demonstrate at the end of the class. Student learning outcomes must be written in such a way that they can be used to assess student attainment of learning outcomes.
       
3. General Requirements
   1. Syllabi shall be compatible with course descriptions in the university catalog.
   2. Syllabi shall be compatible with department/program goals and outcomes.
   3. Syllabi shall be provided in a format that is accessible to all students with the content built into the university learning management system.
   4. Syllabi shall be provided to students within the first full week of classes.
   5. A stand alone copy of all course syllabi must be maintained in the relevant department office.
4. Content of Syllabus
   1. Required Content
      Syllabi must include
      1. Name of instructor, office location, office hours, office telephone number, and email address.
      2. Course number, title, and semester/year.
      3. General course information, including classroom, course format, meeting days/times, pre-requisites, fees, and GE category (as applicable).
      4. Course description from the catalog or departmental description compatible with description from the university catalog.
      5. Student learning outcomes. Student learning outcomes should be written in such a way that
         1. Outcomes are measurable, specific, and achievable in the course time frame.
         2. Alignment between course requirements and student learning outcomes is clear.
      6. SSU General Education Mission, Goals, and Objectives (MGOs), either printed or as URL reference (for GE Courses).
      7. Course materials that must be procured by the student, including texts, software, or other equipment
      8. Course requirements such as written work, exams, quizzes, projects, labs, fieldwork, and attendance
      9. Expected Schedule of topics, readings, assignments, and exams. Specify how students will be notified if changes to the schedule are necessary.
      10. Grading policy — indicate the relative weight of course requirements, expected due dates, and method for determining final grades.
      11. Reminder about policies — for recommended language, see the Accessible Syllabus Template.
      12. Clear statement of department or faculty member's policy for assigning attendance and participation credit, responding to cheating and plagiarism, and accepting late work
           
   2. Additional Considerations
      1. Recommended content for online and hybrid courses is available in section III.B.12 of the SSU policy on Online and/or Hybrid Instruction.
      2. Student learning outcomes in a course must align with program goals and learning outcomes. Where relevant, indicate how the student learning outcomes for this course contribute to department/program goals and assessment activities.
      3. Departments may have additional content that is required to support program goals or that supports department policies. Check with your department chair if you have questions about how your syllabus aligns with department expectations.
      4. Syllabi support student learning. See the Center for Teaching and Educational Technology guide for evaluating a syllabus.
      5. Faculty rights in relation to syllabi as intellectual property are described in the SSU Intellectual Property Policy.
          
5. Student Rights and Responsibilities
   1. Changes in the syllabus should be communicated to students in a in a reasonable timeframe.
   2. Activities scheduled outside of regular class meetings (e.g. fieldtrips) may not be added as required course work after the add/drop deadlines.
   3. It is the student's responsibility to read the syllabus and to request any clarification of course policies.
   4. Feedback on course assignments and course work must be provided to students within a reasonable timeframe and in a manner that is appropriate to the course design.
   5. If the student adds the course after the first full week of class, it is the student's responsibility to obtain information about the course.
   6. On occasion academic disputes may arise in class. For more information about your rights and responsibilities, visit the Dispute Resolution Board website.

Further information on course development, syllabi, and course objectives can be found in the SSU Curriculum Guide.

Procedure (not policy): It is recommended that faculty use the Accessible Syllabus Template. If the accessible syllabus template is not used, faculty members should consult with the Center for Teaching and Educational Technology or Universal Access Hub to ensure their syllabus is accessible.