A syllabus sets and communicates expectations for student performance, course policies, and grading practices. A clear and comprehensive syllabus makes your plans for the course transparent and decreases student stress, allowing students to more completely focus on the course content.

Required components

Every IUSO course syllabus should at a minimum include the following information:

• Course meeting times and location
• Course description, including measurable learning outcomes
  • Learning outcomes convey what students should know, do, or value as a result of successfully completing the course
• Prerequisites (if any)
• Instructor of record’s contact information (AI and other instructors’ information as appropriate)
• Suggested weekly student meeting time for one-on-one questions (aka office hours)
• Required course materials
• Assessment plan, including:
  • brief description of each assessment
  • weights of each assessment for the final course gradeNote: course assessments should map directly to the stated learning outcomes
• Letter grade scale (see next chapter for a recommended scale, deviations are likely for courses with special circumstances)
• Course activities and expectations for student engagement in these activities
  • Course activities provide opportunities to learn the course content; these may be graded or ungraded
• Course schedule with due dates for all graded course components
  • The schedule can be provided in a separate document if desired

Optional components

Additional syllabus components can further communicate student benchmarks for performance:

• An estimate of the student workload. How much time should students plan to spend on readings, assignments, and other activities?
• Statement about civility and community expectations in the classroom.
• Tips to help students succeed in the course, e.g., studying, note-taking additional readings or resources.
  • Ensure these recommendations are informed by evidence in the literature not just anecdotes from your time in school.
• Statement about how students will be notified about changes to the course or syllabus.

IUSO Syllabus Supplement

Required information from the University and content from the IUSO Bulletin is now automatically available in all courses that are a part of the OD program. This information is automatically updated each semester and displays under the “IUSO Syllabus Supplement” header in your Canvas Syllabus. You no longer need to include these policies and procedures in the body of your syllabus.

Formatting and readability

Ensure your syllabus is appropriately formatted to aid student navigation and comprehension:

• Use built-in styles to create headings for each section
  • MS Word and Canvas both have built-in styles in their text editors
• Refrain from adding decorative images
• Use a consistent and readable font
  • Limit the use of color.
  • Use serif fonts for main text, sans serif for headings, captions, etc.
  • Using bold text to highlight words or short phrases that students are most likely to miss.
  • Use italics sparingly. Italicized text could appear less important as it’s harder to read, smaller, and lighter in color compared to regular text.
• Be consistent in your formatting
• Include page numbers

Sharing your syllabus in Canvas

Your syllabus should be posted and visible to students 2 weeks before the course begins. This allows students an opportunity to confirm required materials and develop a plan for the semester. You can copy the text of your syllabus and paste it into the text editor on the Syllabus page, but many times this destroys your careful formatting. It is often better to embed the file and include only key information (i.e., location, meeting time, instructor contact info) on the text of this page. Technical details on editing your Canvas Syllabus are in the Canvas guides.

Note: You will need to Publish your Canvas course in order for students to view the syllabus and contact you.

Supplemental course documents

Other documents and information that are helpful to students, but not necessarily a part of your syllabus:

• Procedures for lab or clinic activities
  • These should be provided in a separate document and posted on the Syllabus page or within a Module.
• Case studies or detailed instructions and rubrics for assignments
  • Post these in Canvas within the corresponding Assignment with due dates