Syllabus
A syllabus is one of the first resources students use to understand a course. It communicates course expectations, learning goals, required materials, assignments, grading policies, schedules, and support resources.
For online and hybrid courses, a clear syllabus is especially important because students rely on it to understand how the course is organized, what they are expected to complete, and how they can succeed.
Digital Learning supports faculty in reviewing and strengthening syllabi so they are clear, organized, aligned with the course site, and helpful for students.
What Digital Learning Can Help With
- Reviewing syllabus organization and clarity
- Aligning syllabus language with the Canvas course site
- Checking consistency between assignments, grading, due dates, and course modules
- Reviewing course learning outcomes and weekly objectives
- Supporting alignment between outcomes, assessments, and activities
- Identifying areas where student instructions may need to be clearer
- Reviewing online and hybrid course expectations
- Referring faculty to relevant templates and campus resources
Digital Learning does not approve or mandate syllabus policies. Faculty should follow their department, program, school, and university requirements.
What to Include in a Syllabus
Syllabus requirements may vary by department or program, but a student-centered syllabus often includes:
- Course title, number, term, and delivery format
- Instructor contact information and communication expectations
- Course description
- Course learning objectives (outcomes)
- Required textbooks, materials, or technologies
- Course schedule or weekly outline
- Assignments, assessments, and grading criteria
- Participation and attendance expectations
- Late work and make-up policies
- Student workload expectations
- Academic integrity expectations
- Accessibility and accommodation information
- Student support resources
- Department, program, or university-required policy statements
Syllabus Templates
Some schools, departments, or programs may require faculty to use a specific syllabus template. Before using a template, please check with your Department Chair, Program Director, or school leadership to confirm whether your program has required syllabus language or formatting.
If your department does not provide a required syllabus template, you are welcome to use the Digital Learning Universal Syllabus Template as a starting point.
Instructors are encouraged to consult their program or school for any specific syllabus requirements.
Click here to download the syllabus template
CLU Faculty Policies Handbook - Syllabi
To access the syllabus information, please select CLU Faculty Policies Handbook. Then select the Faculty Policy Handbook button to open the handbook. In the Table of Contents, under Faculty Responsibilities, select Course Syllabi.
Syllabus and Canvas Alignment
For online and hybrid courses, the syllabus and Canvas course site should tell the same story. Before the course begins, faculty are encouraged to check that:
- Assignment names match between the syllabus and Canvas
- Due dates are consistent
- Grading categories and point values are accurate
- Weekly topics match the Canvas module structure
- Required materials are available or clearly linked
- Course policies are easy to locate
- Students can understand what to do each week
A syllabus may be clear on its own, but students may still experience confusion if it does not match the Canvas course site.
Learning Outcomes and Objectives
Course learning Objectives (outcomes) describe what students should be able to do by the end of the course. Weekly or module-level objectives describe what students should be able to do during a specific part of the course.
Strong learning outcomes and objectives are:
- Student-centered
- Measurable
- Clear
- Achievable
- Aligned with assignments and assessments
In your syllabus, we recommend that you use course learning objectives rather than course learning outcomes, but stay with “program learning outcomes.” There are nuanced differences between learning objectives and learning outcomes — learning objectives are projected learning outcomes.
Learning Objectives Writing Resources
For more support with learning outcomes, course alignment, Quality Matters, accessibility, ADA expectations, and full course development, please visit the Course Design page.
Carnegie and Credit Hours
A correct Carnegie hour table is required in all syllabi. In the following document, we explain details of the Carnegie hour table, and provide examples on what counts as instructor-led activities and what counts as independent led activities.
Carnegie and Actual Hours Explained
There are more Carnegie examples for different term lengths.
Need Help Reviewing Your Syllabus?
Digital Learning can review your syllabus for clarity, organization, alignment, and online student experience. To make the review more useful, please share:
- Your syllabus draft
- Canvas course shell, if available
- Department or program template, if required
- Any specific questions or concerns