Creating Your Class Syllabus

The Syllabus is a Contract!

• It is a contract between you and your students.

• It should include ALL information the students need to know about the course.

• Throughout the semester, instructors should adhere to the guidelines outlined in the syllabus.

Syllabus Guide/Checklist

• Contact your Division Assistant to obtain the Syllabus Guide/Checklist, which outlines all of the required information.

• When the syllabus is completed, you will submit one hard copy to your Division Assistant and one email copy to Tonya Barnard.

Mandatory Information!• Instructor Information

• Course Information

• Official Course Description (from the KCTCS Catalog) with prerequisite and corequisite information

• Course Requirements, Objectives, and Outline

• Required Textbook and Supplies

Mandatory Info. continued

• Attendance and Withdrawal policies

• Grading Criteria

• Evaluation of Writing (Senate rule info.)

• Late Work Policy

• Make-Up Policy

• ADA Requirement

• KCTCS Student Code of Conduct

Title

• Begin each syllabus with a title, including: • Madisonville Community College• Course Number and Title of the Course• Semester and Year

• Example: • Madisonville Community College MUS 100: Introduction to Music Syllabus – Fall 2006

Instructor Information

• Instructor Information must include: • Your name• Your office number (if one is provided)• Your office hours. For adjunct faculty without an office,

holding office hours 15 minutes before and after class is appropriate, or students may make an appointment with you.

• A phone number at which you can be reached. (You may list your Division Assistant’s number, if you do not want to list your home number.)

• An email address at which you can be reached.

Course Information

• Course Information should include: • Course Catalog # (ex. SOC 101)• Course Section # (ex. 7501)• Course Class # (ex. 33489)• Number of Credit Hours• Meeting Time (including days and time)• Meeting Place (including building and room #)

Course Description

• The Course Description should include the KCTCS Catalog Description, as well as any prerequisites or corequisites required for the course.

• Please contact your Division Assistant or Chair, if you do not have a copy of the KCTCS Catalog.

Course Objectives

• Clearly state the course goals in this section.

• What will the student be expected to know or be able to do by the end of this course?

Course (or Topical) Outline

• This section should include a brief outline of the topics covered in your course.

Textbook and Supplies• Give complete bibliographic citations for

required textbooks.

• Include other required materials needed for the course.

• All materials should be made available at the North Campus Bookstore.

Course Requirements

• Inform your students what is expected of them in your course.

• What types of assignments must students complete in order to succeed?

Evaluation/Grading Criteria

• Clearly state how the course’s requirements are evaluated.

• What percentage of the final grade accounts for exams, writing assignments, homework, attendance, final exam, etc…?

• Include a grading scale for your course. EX. 90-100 A

80-89 B….

Attendance Policy• There is no campus-wide attendance

policy. However, inform your students of the policy for your course.

• Be very specific in your explanation.

• Attendance should be a necessary part of successfully completing a college course.

Late-Work and Make-Up Exam Policies

• Will you allow Late Assignments or Missed Exams?

• What are the consequences for each?

• Be very specific in your explanation of these two sections.

Withdrawal Policy• Refer to the semester Schedule of Classes for

the specific dates that should be included in this section:

1. The last date when students can drop without a grade.

2. The midterm date, which is the last day students can drop without permission. After this date, students must get an instructor signature to drop your course.

3. If the instructor consents, a student may withdraw from a class up until the last class day of the semester.

KCTCS Code of Conduct

• Refer to the KCTCS Student Code of Conduct found at http://www.kctcs.edu/student/code.htm

• This section may describe plagiarism and cheating, as well as the consequences for both.

ADA Requirement

• If students have a documented disability and need any type of accommodation, students are required to register with the Disability Resource Coordinator. Contact Valerie Wolfe, Disability Resource Coordinator, Room 112 LRC, 270-824-1708.

Writing Policy• All courses at MCC have a Writing

Requirement. Please cite Senate Rules, Section V, 2.3.3. in your syllabus.

• “Instructors in all courses are expected to call attention to proper English usage and may penalize for errors and/or require the rewriting of papers which do not meet acceptable standards in English.”

General Education Course Competencies

• If you teach a General Education Course, you will need to include specific course competencies in your syllabus. These are listed on page 66 in the 07-08 KCTCS Catalog.

• You will need to list which of the four main competencies and sub-competencies are being met in your course, as well as your methods for assessment. See your Division Chair or Faculty Mentor for assistance.

Distance Learning Courses

• If your course is a Distance Learning Course, your syllabus must include information regarding:

– Library Information and Resources

– Program Help

– Technical Requirements

Off-Campus Courses• If you teach a course on a campus other

than the North Campus, you must include a Snow Policy/Closed Building Policy.

• In the unlikely event that classes are cancelled or delayed, several radio and T.V. stations in the area will be notified.

• The media will be notified by 3:30 p.m., if night classes will be cancelled.

Snow/Closed Building Policy• WINTER WEATHER INFORMATION: The following

media are notified regarding class delays and schedule changes:

Madisonville Owensboro Paducah Hopkinsville93.9 FM 92.5 FM 93.3 FM 98.7 FM / 1230 AM730 AM 96.9 FM 97.7 FM106.9 FM1310 AM 

Evansville TV -- Location on the dial may be different depending on your cable company.

WEHT -25 (ABC)WTVW – 7 (FOX)

Additional Information

• It is nice to add a Tentative day-to-day or week-by-week Class Schedule, as well as any other important information about the course.

• The more specific you make your syllabus, the better.

Finishing Your Syllabus• Pass out your completed syllabus to your

students at the first class meeting. • A hard copy of your syllabus, along with a

completed Syllabus Guide/Checklist, should be given to your Division Assistant by the end of the first week of classes.

• You must email an attached copy of your syllabus to Tonya Barnard by the end of the first week of classes. The email subject line should include the catalog #, section #, and class # for your course (ex. 260MUS 7501 35466)

QUESTIONS?

• It is a good idea to look at sample syllabi from your colleagues.

• If you have any questions, please contact your Division Chair, Division Assistant, or Division Faculty.

Good Luck and

Have a Great Semester!!!!!!!!