Syllabus Guidelines

Your course syllabus is a critical road map for students to gain an understanding of how your course structure, assignments, and schedule lead to meeting course goals. This includes sharing required materials, expectations for participation, how to reach you, assignment and grading details, and much more. A syllabus can serve many roles in setting the tone for a course including that of contractual agreement, a motivational encouragement, and scheduler.

The Montclair Syllabus (by Simple Syllabus)

Simple Syllabus is a centralized, template-driven platform that enables instructors to quickly personalize and publish interactive class syllabi. Simple Syllabus is available in Canvas as “Montclair Syllabus” and will be the only syllabus available to faculty starting Spring 2025. If Montclair Syllabus is not in your course menu, please consult the Configure Montclair Syllabus in Canvas guide for more information.

Syllabus Components

Syllabus as Contract

Syllabi have come to be thought of as a contract between students and instructors with ever-increasing pressure to cover all of the expectations and anticipated student questions. While syllabi may function as a contract regarding policies, it does not serve as a contract in terms of content. Your syllabus should contain language that notifies students that assigned material is subject to change.

Some contractual components may include:

• Expectations for attendance and class participation
• Policies on late work
• Policies on academic honesty and integrity including plagiarism and cheating
• Information regarding student’s rights and responsibilities
• Grading criteria for subjective assignments (including rubrics)
• The instructor’s availability and expected response time on emails/assignments
• Policies on providing accommodations for students with disabilities
• Information on university support services such as technical support and library resources

Syllabus as Motivator

A syllabus sets the tone for a course by introducing students to the topics to be addressed as well as to the instructor’s background and expertise. It is often the first impression a student has about a course and possibly the topics included in the course. This introduction should help motivate students to engage in the classroom or online activities and help students make connections to other programs, personal, and professional goals.

Instructors can present the course in such a way that encourages students to be excited about it (Harris, 1993). By sharing an overview of the topics included in the course, the purpose of the course, and learning goals, students will be able to make better connections to how they are being assessed. Additionally, the syllabus can help students take responsibility for their own learning (Grunert, 1997).

Syllabus Structure

There are several important components you will want to include in your syllabus. Below you will find a list of the main sections you should include when drafting your syllabus.

This Montclair Syllabus Template is a great example.