Writing a Syllabus

At the very beginning of each Fall semester the Faculty Development office offers a workshop on "Designing a Syllabus" followed in the same week by a workshop "Getting your Syllabus on the Web" For more information check the Faculty development website,

1. Basic Information

• Your name, office location, phone number, e-mail address, fax number
• Office hours and whether students need to make an appointment or not
• Current year and semester
• Course number and title and number of units
• Class meeting time and location (note any meetings held elsewhere)
• Prerequisites - any skills, knowledge or previous classes needed to succeed in this class

2. Overview of the course
The purpose of the course - a short description that explains the subject of the course, how it fits in the discipline and/or the curriculum of the department or college and what students can gain from taking the class.

3. Goals and Objectives
List the major learning objectives - what should students know by the end of the course and/or what new skills will they have acquired after successfully completing the work.

4. Structure of the course
List and explain the topics to be covered and how they contribute to the stated goals and objectives. Share with students your conceptual framework so that they can understand why the topics are in the sequence you have chosen.

5. Class activities and procedures
Describe what will happen in general terms -- lectures, field trips, group activities, research projects, discussions, presentations, lab sessions, etc.

6. Textbooks and Readings … to be continued