All courses require a course syllabus. A syllabus is a document that communicates information about your class and defines academic expectations and responsibilities of both the students and the instructor. It serves as a resource of information about what you will be teaching, grading and how students may communicate with you.
Students nowadays regard syllabus as a form of contract. This means that instructors should adhere to the instructional plan as laid out in the syllabus with only inevitable adjustments. It’s understandable that instructors at times need to make changes to the syllabus; for such instances, it’s useful to include “This syllabus is subject to minor changes” on the front page.
Creating your syllabus
Center for the Advancement of Teaching - UCLA resource for instructors
Creating your Syllabus
The syllabus for each course being taught must be turned into the Theater Department Office before the start of each quarter. Syllabi should be sent emailed to the Chair’s Assistant. Even if you have taught this course before, the syllabus should be turned in every quarter.
All course syllabi must be distributed to the students on the first day of class and should include:
Description of the course and specific LEARNING OBJECTIVES
GRADING BASIS or RUBRIC (include specific criteria for grading objectives)
WEEKLY OUTLINE with assignment due dates, including midterm and final exam
Textbooks assigned to the course
Attendance and tardiness policy. Per university regulation, we are not allowed to make "attendance" a grading category. Instead you may have something like "participation" which can be quantified by posting questions, participating in discussion etc.
Some courses have variable units (notably TH50, TH150 and TH172, and some others). If you teach a course with variable units, please communicate clearly in the syllabus for how many units the student should enroll, and check in my.ucla.edu in week 2 if the students are enrolled for the correct amount of units. 1 unit equals an average of 3 hours of work (including class time) a week, or 30 hours in one quarter.
It should also clarify attendance, tardiness and late submission policy, which should be applied to all students equally. If you make an exception for one student, you will need to extend it to all students for the sake of fairness.
Clarify in your syllabus if the use of Chat GPT is permitted. Instructors have the right to choose whether to permit or ban the use of Chat GPT depending on their instructional needs and goals. For a broader campus guideline, refer to the UCLA Academic Senate’s teaching guide on the use of Chat GPT.
It’s a great idea to specify your expectations re: the use of electronic devices. You as the instructor have the right to set the rules. For instance, are cell phones, ipads, laptops allowed for note-taking? It’s highly recommended to state that recording of your instruction without your permission is strictly prohibited (they can end up in social media postings without your knowledge).
Please consider adding a link and information to the Be Well Bruin Initiative. https://www.bewellbruin.ucla.edu/ Be Well Bruin is a Student Affairs initiative that united campus partners in our shared belief that all students deserve to live, feel and be their best.
Additionally, you must include the following statements regarding Accessible Education and Title IX rights exactly as written below:
Students needing academic accommodations based on a disability should contact the Center for Accessible Education (CAE) at (310) 825-1501. When possible, students should contact the CAE within the first two weeks of the term as reasonable notice is needed to coordinate accommodations. For more information visit www.cae.ucla.edu
Title IX prohibits gender discrimination, including sexual harassment, domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. If you have experienced sexual harassment or sexual violence, you can receive confidential support and advocacy at the CARE Advocacy Office for Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, 1st Floor Wooden Center West, CARE advocate@caps.ucla.edu, (310) 206-2465. In addition, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) provides confidential counseling to all students and can be reached 24/7 at (310) 825-0768. You can also report sexual violence or sexual harassment directly to the University’s Title IX Coordinator, 2241 Murphy Hall, titleix@conet.ucla.edu,(310) 206-3417. Reports to law enforcement can be made to UCPD at (310) 825-1491.
Faculty and TAs are required under the UC Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment to inform the Title IX Coordinator should they become aware that you or any other student has experienced sexual violence or sexual harassment.
Here is one sample of the last few pages with a list of campus-wide resources (Title IX office, Center for Accessible Education, Writing Center, etc.).
Please review the section on Student Conduct and Resources before you complete your syllabus.
Need some help? Below are some sample syllabi for reference.
Undergraduate Syllabus - Sample
Need more resources on pedagogy and effective teaching? UCLA’s Center for the Advancement of Teaching (CAT) provides multiple services, resources, and programs to enhance and support teaching excellence, innovation, and inclusivity. They also provide audio visual services, viewing labs, teaching workshops and other faculty development programs. Minigrants are also available to some undergraduate courses.