Faculty are required to prepare a syllabus for every course they teach. When a new course is proposed and/or when a faculty member teaches an existing course for the first time, a copy of the syllabus accompanied by the faculty member's vita and transcript are sent to the Dean's Office to be reviewed by the FMHI Curriculum Committee. Faculty members are credentialed to teach the course by the Curriculum Committee and new courses are approved by the Curriculum Committee.

The USF Center for 21st Century Teaching Excellence has prepared the following suggestions to help you develop your syllabus.

• Place the course in a larger context. Make a statement as to why students may want to take the course, how the course fits into the University's general education requirements, etc.
• Describe the background and skills needed by students to be successful. Include any prerequisite courses and the specific knowledge and/or skills that students are expected to possess prior to enrolling, etc.
• Highlight the primary course objectives in an engaging fashion. Describe what students will learn while taking this course.
• Discuss how the course has been structured and organized. For example, indicate why the topics are sequenced as listed.
• Indicate how class time will typically be spent. For example, include what type of pre-class preparation is expected and describe how class time will typically be spent (e.g., will there be lectures, discussions, problem-solving activities, or group presentations?)
• Describe the types of intellectual activities the course will require. For example, include your expectations regarding student writing and/or speaking, whether assignments will require students to describe, analyze, provide evidence, criticize, or defend, and whether assigned readings will emphasize primary or secondary source materials and why.
• Describe significant classroom policies and procedures. For example, include any formal expectations/rules governing proper classroom conduct you have, and what your policies are regarding assignments that are submitted late.
• Preview the assigned textbook and/or readings. Indicate why these texts were chosen, what their relative importance is to success in the course, and how much time the typical reading assignment will take to complete.
• Indicate the frequency and types of exams that will be given. Include the scheduled exam dates, the types of tests -- multiple-choice, essay -- that will be used, whether the tests require the ability to memorize, to apply knowledge in a new context, or to synthesize. Describe also your policies regarding makeup exams.
• State the steps you will take to prevent and/or respond to academic dishonesty. Include your views about students working together on assignments, what constitutes plagiarism, and how accusations of dishonesty can be avoided.
• Specify how course grades will be assigned. Include activities that will contribute to the computation of final course grades and how each activity will be evaluated.
• Being clear and explicit on these matters at the beginning of the term will significantly reduce the number of stressful and unpleasant grade disputes you may have to resolve at the end of the semester.