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Home > Teaching > Planning Your Course > Syllabus Guidelines
The conceptual organization and the pedagogical strategy of a course are up to the instructor, but a printed syllabus with several specific elements must be provided to students at the beginning of the term. If there are any changes to the syllabus over the course of the term, students should also be provided with the printed revision. The syllabus represents a contract with the students, a statement about what they’re getting into, what is expected of them, and what they should expect from the instructor.
For its records, Gallatin requires faculty to turn in a copy of their syllabus at the beginning of every semester. The Office of Faculty Affairs will keep the syllabus on file for several reasons, but primarily for students who are going on to graduate programs (or seeking certification) and who may need to submit your syllabus to another institution. Please keep this in mind when designing a syllabus. Gallatin also maintains a Gallatin Syllabi Collection, which is restricted to members of the Gallatin community.
All syllabi should contain the elements listed below in the Gallatin Accessible Syllabus Template. Copy and paste the text below into your syllabus document. Or, to create a copy of your own, use one of the following templates:
Google Docs Syllabus Template: Go to Google Docs > click Template Gallery > in the NYU tab, locate the Planners section > select the Spring 2025 Syllabus Template Update.
Microsoft Word Syllabus Template: Download the syllabus template.