skip the i-GuideIllinois State UniversityAdmissions at Illinois StateAcademics at Illinois StateEvents at Illinois StateMap of Illinois StateIllinois State A to Z ListingIllinois State University Accessibility Information
Center for Teaching, Learning & Technology

Syllabus Checklist

Kathleen McKinney, Cross Chair in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
and Professor of Sociology
Illinois State University

A course syllabus can be a valuable organization, communication, and learning tool. The nature of the syllabus will vary by factors such as the instructor's philosophy, the discipline, characteristics of the course, level of student, institutional norms or policies, etc. Most of the time, faculty members make all the decisions about the course and syllabus, and have a final version before class begins. Another option that may be useful in some classes is to have a partial syllabus written (with key information and requirements or policies that are not negotiable), then to let students help complete the syllabus the first few days of the course. A third option, for some situations, is to have a syllabus that is complete except for one section of the course or one major assignment worth a certain percentage of the course grade. Students then develop "individual learning contracts" with the faculty member to complete those sections of the syllabus. Below is a checklist of items that might be included in a course syllabus.

  • Course information (title, number, section, time, place, catalog description, prerequisites...)
  • Instructor information (name, office location, phone, email, web site URL, office hours...)
  • A more elaborate description of your section of the course (formats, classroom strategies, example topics...)
  • Course goals
  • Behavioral course objectives
  • Any assumptions about needed background or preparation or current skill level for the course
  • Required materials for the course (what and where to get them; what they should get out of these readings or other materials, why they should read them...)
  • Optional materials for the course
  • Your expectations for the students (e.g., about amount of time to spend outside of class, about behavior in class, about effort or participation...)
  • What students can expect from/of you (e.g., being prepared and accessible, respecting students, assistance for students...)
  • Course policies (check to see that yours fit dept, college or university policies) on the following: extra credit, make-up work, late work, attendance, participation, academic dishonesty, changes in the syllabus, cooperative or team work...
  • Course requirements (details on assignments, exams, homework, etc. etc. including objectives, requirements, due dates, grading criteria, common questions...)
  • Grading and Evaluation information (how will course grade be computed, what counts, how much, in what way...)
  • Ways to get the most from the course; Tips for studying, text-taking etc. for this course
  • Any extra or special assistance for the course (TA and his/her role, tutoring, supplementary instruction, optional review sessions...)
  • Course schedule or outline (dates, activities, assignments, readings...)
  • A brief statement of your teaching philosophy
  • Statement from the Office of Disability Concerns about accommodation