Embedded Files
U of M Syllabus
U of M Syllabus
Related Policy: Syllabus Requirements
Purpose
Purpose
A syllabus is a recursive, student-centered document and is built for their success in this course.
The syllabus serves three important functions:
It provides a valuable roadmap for student success.
It documents (a) course content, (b) timeline, and (c) U of M policies, and it makes course teaching and learning expectations clear—valuable for building expectations for students and their parents and guardians.
It facilitates credit recognition by colleges or universities other than the U of M. Students will use this syllabus to garner credit transfer or recognition when they matriculate to other colleges.
U of M Course Identification on Syllabus
U of M Course Identification on Syllabus
Because former CIS students often present a course syllabus to gain credit recognition at other colleges and universities, CIS requires clear identification of the course as a University of Minnesota course. As long as the content of the U of M course is fully and completely covered, instructors may include additional course material. On the syllabus, however, a course should be identified only as a U of M course.
Courses offered through CIS are not CIS courses, U of M/AP course, or U of M/CIS courses. Identify the course as a University of Minnesota course, and use the University’s designator (ie, WRIT), catalog number (ie, 1201), and title (ie, Writing Studio).
Creating your Learning-Centered Syllabus
Creating your Learning-Centered Syllabus
Course and syllabus design go hand in hand. As University courses evolve so will the syllabus. Your faculty coordinator will help you create a U of M course syllabus according to U of M, CIS, and department guidelines. Work with your faculty coordinator to draft a syllabus that includes three segments: U of M course info, policies and a schedule.
Once you’ve created the U of M syllabus and it’s been approved by your faculty coordinator, you’ll typically only need to update key aspects that change (annually and each term). Curricular changes will inevitably require larger syllabus revisions.
Resources
Resources
New! December 2024 Course and Syllabus Design resources were added to the CEI website. Give yourself time to review the materials and consider changes to enhance the focus your syllabus as a learning-centered document congruent with your course and first-year college student development.
Finalizing Your Learning-Centered Accessible Syllabus (August 2023) [1 hr. 27 min.]
Updating your Syllabus
Updating your Syllabus
Each Term
Each Term
Check your syllabus for these three primary segments:
Course identification and description, engage students in the information regarding course content, pedagogy, assessments that form a road-map to student success. Include collegiate learning and technology guidance.
U of M Policy Statements for the year/term the course is taught
Schedule or calendar
Annual Updates
Annual Updates
Use a U of M Logo in the Header (choose one)
Revise any U of M required course information (items 1-11 below)
Catalog information such as the course name, department, number, meeting time, meeting place, and credits.
Instructor’s name and contact information.
Course prerequisites, if any exist.
Course goals and objectives. (For undergraduate courses on the Twin Cities campus, instructors identify learning and development outcomes addressed by the course.).
Required and recommended materials and, if necessary, the location of materials. After the second week of the term, minor, but not major, changes in the assigned readings may be made (see Administrative Policy: Teaching and Learning: Instructor and Unit Responsibilities [Twin Cities, Crookston, Morris, Rochester]).
General description of assignments, papers, projects, exams and other student work with a schedule of approximate due dates and relative weight in the grade. Minor but not major changes may be made to assignments after the second week of the term. [CIS requires an expansion of course-specific information, namely a schedule or timeline for readings, assignments, papers, projects, labs, etc.]
Description of any course meetings that occur outside of the regularly scheduled class time (see Administrative Policy: Teaching and Learning: Instructor and Unit Responsibilities [Twin Cities, Crookston, Morris, Rochester]).
Attendance requirements and penalties if any.
Statement on extra credit. If an instructor wishes to offer what is commonly known as extra credit opportunities for students in a class to allow them to improve their grade, those opportunities must be announced and made available to all students.
Policy for making up missed exams and grading late work.
The date, time and place of the final examination if one is scheduled.
Request departmental updates from your faculty coordinator each year and add them to the syllabus.
Replace U of M Policy Statements—which include adaptations for CIS. CIS provides an updated set of required policies prior to each term. Instructors are encouraged to discuss elements of the policies particularly applicable to their course.
Update/create a term schedule or calendar: either within the syllabus or as a separate document—a class schedule, calendar or timeline for readings, assignments, papers, projects, labs, and the like. If your calendar is a separate document, please ensure that it is labeled with the instructor name, course identification, term, and year.
Send your faculty coordinator your syllabus for approval the first term, once approved, send a copy to both CIS and your faculty coordinator with updates each term you teach the course.
Enhancements and Departmental Requirements
Enhancements and Departmental Requirements
You are encouraged to include items from the following list that create a guide to student success; and remember to check with your faculty coordinator to see if your U of M department requires additional elements in your syllabus.
Statement encouraging students to see you during “office hours” or study times
Description of what the class will be like, including a description of and rationale for your teaching methods
Clear guidelines detailing how students are to prepare for and behave during a class session (e.g., read the assignments BEFORE class, come on time, participate in discussion, etc.)
Statement describing what students can expect from you
Description of special procedures or rules for this class (e.g., laboratory rules and procedures)
Advice on how to read/approach the materials for this class
Advice on how to study for quizzes and exams
Specific criteria for each graded assignment
Statement telling students how to dispute a grade for an assignment or exam
Statement on incomplete coursework
Information on special services or resources which may be helpful to the students
Other information which would help students succeed in this class.
Handouts For Students
Handouts For Students
Distribute these handouts to your students with your course syllabus.
Submitting Your Syllabus
Submitting Your Syllabus
CIS faculty coordinators review and approve all CIS syllabi, and CIS staff retain syllabi from all sections of U of M courses offered through CIS.
It's important that we keep copies of syllabi from every term for NACEP accreditation records and future student requests.
You will be sent an email each term prompting you to submit a copy of your U of M syllabus.
When you receive the email, follow the instructions to upload your syllabus.
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