Introduction
General Resources

The syllabus is a tangible link between you and your students, a way for you to articulate your teaching goals and attitudes as well as communicate the design of the course. A well-planned syllabus indicates your commitment to the course and to your students. The article and links below offer guidelines for effective syllabus design and numerous examples.

Back to top

"New Approaches to Syllabus Design" by Deborah DeZure, Michigan State University (In Whys and Ways of Teaching, Eastern Michigan University, Faculty Center for Instructional Excellence, Vol. 8, No. 2, April 1998).
Discusses the balancing act between a specific, informative syllabus and one that overwhelms students. Offers tips and examples plus a comprehensive worksheet from which instructors may draw relevant items reflecting their priorities and expectations for the course.
http://fod.msu.edu/instructionalresources/pdfs/StructuringSyllabi.pdf

Syllabus Tutorial (University of Minnesota Center for Teaching and Learning Services).
An in depth tutorial on all aspects of syllabus and course design, including multiple examples of each element in a syllabus. Open the link to World Lecture Hall for examples of syllabi from many disciplines and courses.
http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/teachlearn/tutorials/syllabus/index.html

Syllabus Template (Cornell University Center for Learning and Teaching).
Contains a template for syllabus construction based on "recommended best practices for syllabus construction." This site also contains information on course planning, design, and evaluation.
http://www.clt.cornell.edu/campus/teach/faculty/TeachingMaterials.html

Guide to a Course Outline (McGill University).
Provides a template for preparing a course outline, with full description of each section.
http://www.mcgill.ca/tls/resources/outline/

Designing a Course Syllabus: A Self-Guiding Tour (Georgia Southern University Center for Excellence in Teaching).
Links to guidelines, checklists, tips, examples, and a template for designing a “Learning Centered Syllabus.”
http://academics.georgiasouthern.edu/cet/lcs/

“The Promising Syllabus” by Ken Bain (Montclair State University).
A slide-show describing a form of syllabus that involves students in taking responsibility for their own learning and assessing it rather than fulfilling a “contract.” Can also be viewed as a one-page printout.
http://www.montclair.edu/academy/promisingsyllabushr/default.htm

See also the section on this website for Course Design/Assignment Design; many of these links also cover syllabus design.

Back to top