Course item number, prefix, number, section designation and title
Quarter and Year
Class time, location & number of credits
note: if this course changed prefix and/or number and/or title because of Common Course
Numbering in 2008, please indicate the previous prefix, number or title so students don’t
mistakenly re-enroll in a course already completed and to assist baccalaureate institutions in
appropriately granting transfer credit.
Instructor
Instructor name (and how you would like to be addressed in class)
Office location & office hours
note : full-time faculty shall be available to confer with students in their office or
at a designated work site for a minimum of five hours per week. Part-time faculty
“are expected to be available to confer with students a minimum of .25 hours per
week for every credit hour or equivalent” for which he/she is contracted.
- 2006-09 Negotiated Agreement, sec. 4.81(b)
All faculty must designate a time and place for office hours – it is unacceptable
that the only specification of office hours is “by appointment.”
Contact Info
Office telephone number, e-mail address, instructor or course website URL, or
any other contact information you wish to share with students
Catalog
Description
The exact Catalog description of the course. Source: course proposal form or
the TCC Catalog.
Course
Overview
[optional]
A welcome, your personal description of the course, what you love about this
topic or discipline, what you hope students will take away.
How this course fits into your discipline and/or a sequence within that discipline;
why a student should take the course; why you have organized the course the way
you have.
It may be important to restate the prerequisites, why those skills and knowledge
are important, and how you will build on them. You may wish to refer students
to resources for correcting weaknesses that might interfere with their learning in
the course.
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College Wide
Student
Learning
Outcomes
Inclusion of the TCC college-wide student learning outcomes on one’s syllabus is
required. It is recommended you include the following statement, and follow it
with a list of the outcomes addressed significantly in your course by placing the
appropriate three letter outcomes abbreviation immediately after the course
learning objectives. These should be the same course learning objectives
identified on the course proposal form.
Tacoma Community College has identified five college-wide student learning
outcomes that form the foundation of our educational emphasis: 1)
communication (COM), 2) critical thinking & problem-solving (CRT), 3)
responsibility & ethics (RES), 4) information & information technology (IIT),
and 5) living & working cooperatively (LWC).
Program
Learning
Outcomes
[optional]
As these outcomes are developed it is recommended you include them with a
brief statement such as “The Natural Science Program has identified four
program learning outcomes that form the foundation of our natural sciences
courses: 1)…”
Course
Learning
Objectives
These should be the same course objectives identified on the course proposal
form. Identify the college-wide student learning outcomes significantly addressed
in your course by placing the three letter abbreviations immediately after the
course objectives to which they correspond.
Instructional
Methods Used
E.g., lecture, lab, small group work, web-enhanced, hybrid online, library research,
field trips, clinical practicum, community-based service-learning, etc.
Textbooks &
Supplemental
Materials
Include titles, editions and ISBN numbers if possible - the edition number is
important to students who may be purchasing used texts. Include print and/or
electronic reserve materials in the Library or in Angel..
Supplies
Supplies you require students to provide, which may include a statement of
expected costs of print-outs or copies, art supplies & tools, lab safety equipment
& tools, specialized clothing, lane rental at the bowling alley, field trip costs, etc.
List vender info if that may be helpful.
Technology
Will students need access to a computer to complete your course? Will they need
access to use the internet to visit your web page, search other pages or obtain ereserves? Will they be expected to be or become proficient with specific
software? List places at TCC that provide those resources (Information
Commons, Library, Gig Harbor).
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Assignments
[optional]
Kind, number, value, expected work load.
Evaluation
Criteria &
Grading
Standards
Is attendance mandatory? How will you deal with latecomers? If you intend to
grade on participation, be explicit in explaining how you will do so.
What are the evaluation criteria including rubrics for assignments and individual
and group projects?
What will the examinations be like? When are they scheduled? How will they be
structured? How will students know which material to emphasize? How much
material on examinations will be taken from reading assignments? Will
examinations be comprehensive?
How will you handle missed examinations and late homework and paper
submissions? What is your policy on make-up examinations?
Explain how you will calculate grades. What will be the point values and
weightings for assignments, activities, and examinations? What will be the cut-off
points for different grades?
Describe where and how students find up-to-the-minute and final grades.
Include TCC’s policy for withdrawals (W grade assigned by registration): “While
faculty permission is not required, a completed add/drop form must be submitted
to Registration and Records to complete drops from the 11th instructional day
through the 55th calendar day of the quarter” – specify the date. “The instructor
must sign the form or [send] an e-mail [to Registration] acknowledging the
withdrawal. If the instructor is not available, a signature from a full-time advisor
in the Advising Center is an acceptable substitute.” pg. 14 of the catalog
“After the 55th calendar day of the quarter . . . an instructor may grant a grade of
‘WI’ (Instructor Withdrawal)” – if you may grant this grade, include your criteria –
also pg. 14 of the Catalog.
Include TCC’s policy for incomplete grades (I) (requires contract @ TCC Online
> Forms > Academic Affairs. You should include your criteria for Incomplete (I)
grades in your syllabus.
See pg. 30 of the Catalog for full listing of grades used at TCC.
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Academic
Dishonesty
The TCC Catalog states, “All instructors will include in the syllabus a policy on
and sanctions for academic dishonesty” (pg. 33).
If your program or department has not developed its own statement, the
following language is recommended:
“As stated in the TCC Catalog, ‘Students are expected to be honest and forthright
in their academic endeavors. Cheating, plagiarism, fabrication or other forms of
academic dishonesty corrupt the learning process and threaten the educational
environment for all students” (pg. 33).
In this course, sanctions for academic dishonesty will be as follows: “put your
policies/sanctions here …”
The complete Administrative Procedure for Academic Dishonesty is available on
the TCC website at:
http://www.tacomacc.edu/resourcesforstudents/studentpolicies/administrativep
rocedureforacademicdishonesty.aspx
Accommodati
ons
Include the following statement plus any additional clarification on your syllabus:
Students with Special Needs: All students are responsible for all
requirements of the class, but the way they meet these requirements may
vary. If you need specific auxiliary aids or services due to a disability,
please contact the Access Services office in Building 7 (253-566-5328).
They will require you to present formal, written documentation of your
disability from an appropriate professional. When this step has been
completed, arrangements will be made for you to receive reasonable
auxiliary aids or services. The disability accommodation documentation
prepared by Access Services must be given to me before the
accommodation is needed so that appropriate arrangements can be made.
Course
Calendar
Include your Course Calendar.
Classroom
Policies (if
applicable)
State policies on the following and other policies you may institute:
Attendance
Written work
Late work
Laboratory procedures
Cell phone/beepers
Children in class
Food/beverages in class
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Etiquette for
Classroom
Dispute
Resolution
If your program has not developed a statement about the chain of resolution, the
following language is recommended:
If you have questions or concerns about this class or me, please come talk with
me about your concerns. If we are unable to resolve your concerns, you may talk
next with the Chair of the Program/Department, _(name)_______, bldg & room
# ____. The Chair can assist with information about additional steps, if needed.
note: if the instructor is the Chair, list the Dean as the next recourse for the
student.
Caveats
This syllabus and schedule are subject to change in the event of extenuating
circumstances. If you are absent from class, it is your responsibility to check for
announcements made while you were absent.
[Optional
Items]
Your expectations: for civility, participation, engagement.
Glossary: special terms used in the course.
Appendices: items that will be used in class: handouts, reference charts, models
of assignments, sample writings, assessment rubrics (e.g., for writing or oral
presentation assignments), requirements for writing assignments (e.g., doublespaced, word processed, etc.)
Descriptions and addresses of available academic support services: The Library,
Media Services, Language Lab, Writing & Tutoring Center, Math Advising &
Resource Center, Reading Lab, CAL Lab (Computer Assisted Learning Lab) and
Information Commons provide equipment and/or individual help and workshops
for students. Check college web pages for hours, locations and services.
Students often do not know about the academic support services that directly
apply to your course. Encouraging use of these services in the syllabus may
increase students’ use and therefore success.
Statement on laboratory safety or risk assumption in courses requiring physical
activity or field trips. Statement on transportation: notification to students of
expected transportation accommodations, e.g., students having to provide their
own transportation on a field trip or to an internship site.
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