SYLLABUS SUGGESTED FORM
SYLLABUS SUGGESTED FORM

HONOLULU COMMUNITY COLLEGE
July 26, 1999

This syllabus is offered as a guideline only. The items shown may be ordered, aligned, or titled differently, but they should be included in one way or another. Other items, including graphical images, may be included as you need or desire. The syllabus should be distributed to students on the first day of class. It is advised that the syllabus also be located at your personal and/or course web site and (each term) submitted to the Dean's Office for filing.


COURSE ALPHA & NUMBER
COURSE TITLE
COURSE SYLLABUS
TERM, YEAR
INSTRUCTOR: JOHN DOE
OFFICE LOCATION: Building ?, Room ???
OFFICE HOURS: 00:00 - 00:00 Mon, Wed, Fri; 00:00 - 00:00 Tue, Thr
OFFICE PHONE: 000-0000 (goes to voice mail after six rings)
E-MAIL ADDRESS: name@hcc.hawaii.edu
ONLINE CHAT: Day, hour, access address
INSTRUCTOR WEB PAGE: http://home.honolulu.hawaii.edu/~name
COURSE WEB PAGE: http://www.honolulu.hawaii.edu/???
CLASS HOURS: 00:00 - 00:00 Mon, Wed, Fri (or ...)
CLASS CODE: ???? (from the HCC Schedule of Classes)
PREREQUISITE(S): Course alpha and number (prerequisite #1), and
Course alpha and number (prerequisite #2), and
... (from the latest approved curriculum action)
A. COURSE DESCRIPTION
Paragraph description of the course (from the latest approved curriculum action)

B. METHOD OF INSTRUCTION
Paragraph description indicating lecture, lecture/lab, group discussion, or other primary form of instruction; frequency or number of interim exams/quizzes; reading requirements; hands-on activities; field trips -- roughly how the course described in "A" will be presented.

C. COURSE OBJECTIVES (five or six objectives; general but comprehensive)
  1. Objective 1 (statement)
  2. Objective 2 (statement)
  3. Objective 3 (statement)
  4. Objective 4 (statement)
  5. Objective 5 (statement)
  6. Objective 6 (statement)

D. COURSE TOPICS/UNITS AND DATES

E. TEXTBOOK(S) AND REQUIRED TOOLS OR SUPPLIES
  1. Textbook (required): TITLE and author
  2. Textbook (recommended): TITLE and author
  3. Supplies and/or tools: (should be available in the Campus Bookstore)
    1. Item, size, quantity, color, etc.

F. GRADING PLAN
  1. Clarify whether you will use a letter grade system or a point system. If you will use a point system, explain final point and letter grade equivalents.
  2. Either, explain the weighting of course components:
    1. Component 1 (e.g., exercises), weight (% or points)
    2. Component 2 (e.g., quizzes), weight
    3. Component 3 (e.g., interim exams), weight
    4. Component 4 (e.g., participation), weight
    5. Component 5 (e.g., attendance), weight
    6. Component 6 (e.g., final exam), weight
    Or, in competency-based courses, explain the level at which each compretency must be mastered in order to complete the course.
  3. Explain how difficult-to-quantify things such as effort, improvement, and participation will be graded, if graded.
  4. Explain your policies regarding "I" and "N" grades -- also attendance policies if attendance will be factored into the final grade.
  5. Give the date of the last day to withdraw from the course. Restate the college "disappearer" policy.

G. COURSE COMPONENT SPECIFICS
Explain any policies or procedures pertaining to homework, expected participation, research form or guidelines, homework/exam make-ups, plagiarism, etc. Give dates and deadlines of assignments and dates of tests. A list may be appropriate. State that "information will be provided later" (or similar wording) where explanations of policies or procedures will be postponed until more appropriate times.

H. CLASSROOM RULES OF CONDUCT
This may be a serious list of "rules," or general statements of expectations regarding courtesy, sexual harassment, simple idiosyncratic operating procedures, etc.

Safety rules, if any, should go here or under a separate heading. If coursework is inherently dangerous, safety instructions and tests are required before any equipment may be used. Safety rules should be listed in the syllabus or in an attachment to it. Safety rules must also be posted, and safety tests taken by students must be kept until the students have completed or otherwise left the program.

I. EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
  1. Evacuation procedures:
  2. Location of first aid kit:
  3. Emergency ambulance:
  4. School nurse: location, phone, hours
  5. Campus security: location, phone, hours

J. MISCELLANEOUS (AS NEEDED OR DESIRED)
  1. Suggestions for success
  2. Student personal data needed; privacy policies
  3. Course/instructor evaluations
  4. Guest speakers/instructors/observers
  5. References, study sheets, etc.
  6. Permission forms; liability issues
  7. By the next class, please ...

K. WEEKLY OR DAILY TENTATIVE SCHEDULE (OPTIONAL)
Be sure to entitle it "tentative" to avoid any legal risk if you later vary from it even slightly.

L. AFFIDAVIT (OPTIONAL)

My signature below indicates that I have read and understand this syllabus and have been given a copy of my own to keep.


Student Signature Date

M. VALIDATION AND REFERENCE (OPTIONAL)
Show the following statement in small type at the end of the syllabus:
This syllabus conforms to the Honolulu Community College syllabus guideline adopted July 26, 1999.
http://www.honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/syllab-1.htm


NOTE:
The principal purpose of a syllabus is to inform students in a formal and timely way of the nature and content of the course, policies and procedures that will apply, and logistics involved in participating in classes. In addition to being informative, however, a syllabus is also a promise of yours that is both explicit in what it states will be part of the course, and implicit in what it infers (by not including) will not be part of the course. The syllabus needs to be consistent with the latest approved curriculum action, and everything done or required in the class at any time throughout the term should be in agreement with what the syllabus states or does not state. Additional textbooks should not be required during the term, the grading system should not be significantly altered, important projects should not be required if not explained or provided for in the syllabus, attendance should not be graded if the syllabus does not make it clear that it will be factored into the final grade, etc. If anything will be significant and unique, it should be explained in the syllabus, or it would better be left until another term. A well planned and well written syllabus is always well worth the time and effort required to prepare it. A weak syllabus, on the other hand, or no syllabus, could result in serious personal, professional, and legal problems.

Teaching Tips Index Faculty Guidebook Faculty Home Page Intranet Home Page