SLLC SYLLABUS TEMPLATE
Spring 2015
Adapt this template to suit your style, but please be sure to include at least the information listed.
Course Title
Course and Section Number
Professor:
Office:
Office Hours:
Telephone:
E-mail:
Class Meetings:
Pre- or co-requisites:
ELMS Site or Course Webpage:
Course Description: University culture seems to be favouring as complete a course description as you
can give. Rather than a brief catalogue description, give enough information to allow students to make
as informed a choice as possible about taking your course. Mention the course format—lecture,
discussion, etc.—and the major assignments and expectations.
Course Goals or Learning Outcomes: This course aims to familiarize, prepare, train, etc. By the end of
this course students can expect to be able to relate, interpret, communicate, know, do, appreciate, etc.
(mention skills, areas of knowledge, interpretation, etc., that will be developed during the semester. This
section can also be used as a ‘rationale’ statement on how the course fits into the rest of the program’s
curriculum)
Grading: (for example)
x% participation in class
x% quizzes, in-class assignments, etc.
x% term paper
x% midterm exam
x% final exam (cumulative)
Expectation for Students: Expectations for participation, contribution to group work, and other
information supporting a successful student experience in the context of the course.
Grading Scale:
Method for Communication with Students Outside the Classroom: Regarding class cancellation, room
change, or other timely announcements
Emergency Protocol: Means by which courses will be continues/completed in case of an emergency that
closes the University for an extended period of time
Course materials:
Textbooks required:
Include author, title, publisher, edition, ISBN. The university now requires this last so that students can
search for the least-expensive books available. You can also suggest where students might procure the
materials. If Blackboard is used, or library reserves, please mention that as well.
University Policies:
1. The Foreign Language Placement Test (FLPT) - Language classes mostly affected by this policy
are language/culture classes at the 100 and 200-level. The FLPT is an online exam designed to
place students in the appropriate foreign language course. See:
http://www.arhu.umd.edu/undergraduate/flpt. All students who have not taken a language
class prior to course registration for Spring 2014 are required to take the FLPT unless they have
(1) received a high enough AP or IB score to meet the prerequisite for the course he/she plans
to take and has sent the scores to UMD and there is
(2) transcript evidence of the pre-requisite college course work for the course they plan to take.
2. Classroom Climate - The University of Maryland values the diversity of its student body and is
committed to providing a classroom atmosphere that encourages the equitable participation of
all students regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, national origin, race, religion, or
sexual orientation. Potential devaluation of students in the classroom that can occur by
reference to demeaning stereotypes of any group and/or overlooking the contributions of a
particular group to the topic under discussion is inappropriate. (See Statement on Classroom
Climate, http://www.umd.edu/catalog/index.cfm/show/content.section/c/27/ss/1584/s/1541)
3.
Students with disabilities should contact the instructor at the beginning of the semester to discuss
any accommodation for this course.
4. The University has approved a Code of Academic Integrity (http://www.shc.umd.edu/code.html)
which prohibits students from cheating on exams, plagiarizing papers, submitting the same paper
for credit in two courses without authorization, buying papers, facilitating academic dishonesty,
submitting fraudulent documents, and forging signatures. Plagiarism policy: all quotations taken
from other authors, including from the Internet, must be indicated by quotation marks and
referenced. Paraphrasing must be referenced as well. The following University of Maryland Honor
Pledge, approved by the University Senate, should be handwritten and signed on the front page
of all papers, projects or other academic assignments submitted for evaluation in this course: "I
pledge on my honor that I have not given or received any unauthorized assistance on this
assignment/examination."
5. As of fall 2012, the University has adopted adopt a new policy on plus/minus grading. The new
edition of the Catalog reflects this policy that
1. Students must earn a grade of C- or higher in each course counted toward a major, minor or
certificate.
2. Students matriculating in fall 2012 or later must earn a cumulative GPA of 2.0 within the
major (or minor or certificate) in order to graduate.
See detailed implementation plan for the new policy on plus/minus grading:
http://www.testudo.umd.edu/plusminusimplementation.html
6. Religious observance: Please inform your instructor of any intended absences for religious
observance at least two weeks in advance. Link to the University’s policy on religious observance
and classroom assignments and tests:
http://faculty.umd.edu/teach/attend_student.html#religious
7. Course evaluations are a part of the process by which the University of Maryland seeks to
improve teaching and learning. Your participation in this official system is critical to the success
of the process. All information submitted to CourseEvalUM is confidential. Instructors can only
view group summaries of evaluations and cannot identify which submissions belong to which
students.
8. Absences from class due to the illness of a student: (a) Students missing a single class due to
illness must provide a self-signed note attesting to the date of illness. The note must also
contain an acknowledgement by the student that the information is true and correct and that
providing false information is prohibited under Code of Student Conduct. The student is also
obligated to make a reasonable attempt to inform the instructor of his/her illness in advance.
Note: A self-signed note does not apply to a Major Scheduled Grading Event such as previously
scheduled exams, tests, quizzes, final and/or take-home exams as listed on the course syllabus
or announced in class prior to the date of illness.
(b) Prolonged absence or illness preventing attendance from class requires written
documentation from the Health Center and/or health care provider verifying dates of treatment
and time(s) when student was unable to meet academic responsibilities.
9. This syllabus may be subject to change. Students will be notified in advance of important
changes that could affect grading, assignments, etc.
10. Unless otherwise directed, students are expected to remain in the classroom for 15 minutes in
the unlikely event that the instructor should not arrive on time. After 15 minutes, it may be
assumed that class will not be held.
Schedule : Please include daily/weekly readings as well as a thematic progression and due dates for
major assignments.
Week: 1 – 1/26 Monday – First Day of Classes: Spring 2015 Semester
1/27 Tuesday
1/28 Wednesday
1/29 Thursday
1/30 Friday
Week 2 – 2/2 Monday
2/3 Tuesday
2/4 Wednesday
2/5 Thursday
2/6 Friday – Undergraduates: Last Day of Schedule Adjustment for Spring 2015
Week 3 – 2/9 Monday
2/10 Tuesday
2/11 Wednesday
2/12 Thursday
2/13 Friday
Week 4 – 2/16 Monday
2/17 Tuesday
2/18 Wednesday
2/19 Thursday
2/20 Friday
Week 5 – 2/23 Monday
2/24 Tuesday
2/25 Wednesday
2/26 Thursday
2/27 Friday
Week 6 – 3/2 Monday
3/3 Tuesday
3/4 Wednesday
3/5 Thursday
3/6 Friday
Week 7 – 3/9 Monday
3/10 Tuesday
3/11 Wednesday
3/12 Thursday
3/13 Friday
Week 8 – 3/16 – 3/20 – Spring Break
Week 9 – 3/23 Monday
3/24 Tuesday
3/25 Wednesday
3/26 Thursday
3/27 Friday
Week 10 – 3/30 Monday
3/31 Tuesday
4/1 Wednesday
4/2 Thursday
4/3 Friday – Good Friday; Passover (until Saturday, 4/11)
Week 11 – 4/6 Monday
4/7 Tuesday
4/8 Wednesday
4/9 Thursday
4/10 Friday
Week 12 – 4/13 Monday – Undergraduates: Last Day to Drop with a “W”
4/14 Tuesday
4/15 Wednesday
4/16 Thursday
4/17 Friday
Week 13 – 4/20 Monday
4/21 Tuesday
4/22 Wednesday
4/23 Thursday
4/24 Friday
Week 14 – 4/27 Monday
4/28 Tuesday
4/29 Wednesday
4/30 Thursday
5/1 Friday
Week15 – 5/4 Monday
5/5 Tuesday
5/6 Wednesday
5/7 Thursday
5/8 Friday
Week 16 – 5/11 Monday
5/12 Tuesday – Last Day of Classes: Spring 2015
5/13 Wednesday – Reading Day
5/14 – 5/20 – Final Exams
1. Final Exam - Link to Final Exam Schedule http://registrar.umd.edu/current/registration/exam.html
NB: Clearly state your exam make-up policy.