Course Syllabus
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Transcript of Course Syllabus
Your Course Syllabus Is Your
Friend
The info is all thereOne of the steps to becoming a successful
college student is to know how to read the syllabus for important course information; information that other students might miss
Unlike high school, the professor is letting you know ahead of time what topics will be covered each day and when exams are
Anatomy of a SyllabusThe first items on a syllabusshould give course
information: Course title/number Instructor Information Materials and Required
Textbook Days and hours of the
class Location of the class General information
(professor’s philosophy about the class)
Expectations regarding assignments
Grading Course Schedule
Instructor Information
Full name/titleOffice locationWhere to leave assignmentsOffice hoursEmail addressOffice phone number Pay close attention to any
restrictions ex. “No calls between 10:30pm
and 8:30am.”
TextbooksYour syllabus will list all required
reading materials for your class. Information should include:
Title Author Date/EditionPublisher
Although many courses only require print material, there are also some courses that require additional materials, such as: lab/safety equipment, art supplies, special calculators, etc.
Be sure you are aware of what special materials you are required to have for the
class, if any.
Materials
Course Descriptions & Objectives
This info will most likely be similar to the description in your course catalog : a paragraph describing the general content of the course.
Info about instructional methods may also be included
Course Calendar/ScheduleA daily or weekly schedule of topics to be
covered. Dates for exams, quizzes, and major assignments
Required special events may also be included ex. a lecture by a visiting speaker, a musical
performance, field trip, etc.
*This schedule can be tentative and subject to change depending on the
progress of the class*
Attendance & Tardiness A statement regarding attendance should be
included Professors should state how many absences are
allowed before penalization. Usually if you miss any more classes than
allowed, it will reduce your grade. Sometimes, too many tardies can equal an
absence. If this is the case, it should be stated in the syllabus.
Class Participation If active participation is required –
especially if it plays a part in your grade – then the syllabus will typically say so.
The syllabus will also usually indicate how participation will be graded.
Missed Exams or Assignments
The syllabus should give you the following information about missed exams and assignments: Whether or not they can be made up How many points are deducted each day for
a late assignment If the professor will take it later than the
specified due date
Lab Safety & Health If necessary, the syllabus should include a short
statement about the importance of these issues
In some courses, these issues can literally be a matter of life and death.
Academic Dishonesty The syllabus should address questions
related to academic dishonesty Cheating Plagiarism
These matters are very serious, and the end result of either
could be an Fx in the class.
GradingEach syllabus should indicate how the students will be evaluated.How grades are weighted Factors included in the grading process
Information regarding extra credit opportunities, if they are available.
Available Support ServicesThe library is probably the oldest resource,
and perhaps still the richest.Campbell’s Student Support Services
offers: One-on-one tutoring Tutoring Center Writing center Group reviews for specific courses Disability services Career guidance Retention assistance
Be proactive from the beginningAfter the first day of classes, go
through your syllabi and highlight all the important information – keep the syllabus for each class in your notebook for that class.
An even better way to ensure you know when assignments are due and exams will be held is to transfer all due dates onto a calendar.
Last But Not Least Whether your professor says it in class or not, if
it’s in the syllabus, you must adhere to it. Not knowing is not an excuse if it’s in the
syllabus.