Syllabus Requirements

Your syllabus is the definitive description of the learning objectives, assignments, requirements, and expectations for performance.  Every student has a right to a fully articulated syllabus, and every faculty member has an obligation to provide one for each course.  Timely access to syllabi helps students select courses that fulfill their educational objectives. In addition, the university is obligated to keep syllabi on file and review them as part of the regular accreditation process.

It is essential that your syllabus be comprehensive and complete.  While there are many styles, a good syllabus should include key information such as your contact information, office hours, a weekly description of course topics, readings, and assignments, your grading scheme and attendance policy, a statement about the honor code, and so forth.  Including these items makes it a useful tool for students, reduces misunderstandings about classroom expectations, and affords you protection against claims from some students that they were unaware of requirements.

Here is a guide to essential elements for the syllabus from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (useful for ECON and GLOA courses):

https://chss.gmu.edu/curriculum/syllabus-guidelines

Also, here are two sample syllabuses from the Business School you can refer to:

 

Required Syllabus Language