Syllabus Checklist for Fall 2015
Faculty Senate Policy 43-00 http://senate.psu.edu/policies-and-rules-for-undergraduate-students/43-00syllabus/ requires that the following information must be provided in the first ten calendar days of the
course:
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Course content and expectations
Basis for grades, as detailed as possible
Examination Policy (include evening exam schedule, if applicable)
Academic Integrity Statement
Disability Statement
Changes to the syllabus (e.g., changes to policies or due dates) must be distributed in writing. Although
not required, a syllabus “subject to change statement” is recommended.
A syllabus is a roadmap that students follow in order to be successful in a course. A thorough syllabus
will contain most or all of the following items, some of which “cover” required items listed at the top
of this sheet.
Basic Course Information
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*Course ID, Name, Number/Section title
*Credit hours
*Prerequisites (courses, skills, experience)
*Permission from instructor required to register?
*Classroom location and time
*Lab/Recitation location and time
*Class meeting days
*ANGEL web address (https://cms.psu.edu) or course web page address
Course start/end dates
Course hashtag/QR code
Instructor Information
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*Full name and title
*Office location
*Office phone
*Office hours and how to arrange a meeting at times not regularly scheduled
*E-mail address
*Teaching Assistants’ names, locations, and phone numbers
Department location and phone number
Home phone number and calling hours
Chat and/or Twitter account
Educational Philosophy
* usually included
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Text, Readings, Materials
□ *Textbook(s): title, author, date and edition, publisher, cost, ISBN#
□ *Supplementary readings
□ *Other materials
Course Descriptions/Content/Objectives/Expectations
□ *Course description (also see descriptions at http://bulletins.psu.edu/undergrad/courses and
http://bulletins.psu.edu/graduate/courses/)
□ *Course goals
□ *Learning objectives for students (explicit atatements about intended learning outcomes)
□ *Instructional methods to be used
□ *Technologies to be used
□ *Descriptions of major assignments
□ Student responsibilities are described (e.g., students will need to use ANGEL dropboxes to
submit assignments, students will use Yammer for discussion, etc.)
Course Policies
□ *Academic integrity policy: REQUIRED (Senate Policy 43-00 http://senate.psu.edu/policiesand-rules-for-undergraduate-students/43-00-syllabus/)(Sample below)
□ *Your Grading policy: REQUIRED (Senate Policy 47-00 http://senate.psu.edu/policies-andrules-for-undergraduate-students/47-00-48-00-and-49-00-grades/)
o Grading Scale – What is “A,” “B,” etc.
o Your formula to determine an overall course grade (points, percentage weights)
o Which assignments are graded, and grading criteria for each assignment
o All components and weights are clear
□ *Examination policy: REQUIRED (Senate Policy 43-00 http://senate.psu.edu/policies-andrules-for-undergraduate-students/43-00-syllabus/)
o To include exam dates/times, percentage of grade, course content covered, etc.
□ *Disability Access Statement: REQUIRED (See Note and Sample Disability Statement
below) (Senate Policy 43-00 http://senate.psu.edu/policies-and-rules-for-undergraduatestudents/43-00-syllabus/)
□ *Attendance, lateness, policy for missed classes (see 42-27 Class Attendance
http://www.psu.edu/ufs/policies/ha)
□ *Class participation (expectations, importance)
□ *Policy for missed assignments, make-up quizzes and exams
□ When applicable, policies for extra credit are given and are clear
□ *Laboratory safety
□ *Emergency statement – procedures to follow in case of University-wide emergency
□ Penn State Principles (see Principles at http://www.psu.edu/this-is-penn-state/penn-stateprinciples/ )
□ Penn State’s Code of Conduct (see Code at http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/conduct/)
Course Calendar/Schedule
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*Syllabus subject to change statement (must provide changes in writing)
*Tentative weekly schedule of topics, assignments and due dates
*Dates for exams/quizzes
*Due dates for major assignments
* usually included
C. McQuiggan, 7/06/15
Available online at http://sites.psu.edu/facultycenter/teaching/resources/faculty-toolkit/
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□ *Required special events
Available Student Support Services
□ *Russell E. Horn Sr. Learning Center, W117 Olmsted Building (Optional information provided
below)
□ *Disability Services, Swatara Building (See Disability Access Statement below)
□ Library
□ Academic Advising, W131 Olmsted
□ Career Services & Student Conduct, Room 216, Educational Activities Building
□ Counseling Services, Swatara Building
□ Technology Help Desk, Basement of Olmsted Building (can also direct students to lynda.com
at http://lynda.psu.edu/)
□ Recreation and Fitness, CUB
Note:
On September 10, 2013, the Faculty Senate voted to amend Faculty Senate Policy 43-00 to add as a
required element a statement for students needing accommodations on how to contact the Office of
Disability Services. The new policy is scheduled to read:
"A written (paper or electronic form) syllabus must be distributed to students in each course within the
first ten calendar days of a semester or its equivalent. In addition to course content and expectations,
the syllabus must include the course examination policy, basis for grades, and the academic integrity
policy for the course, and information on procedures related to academic adjustments identified by the
Office of Disability Services. Changes to the syllabus shall also be given to the student in written
(paper or electronic) form."
Sample Emergency Statement
In the event of a University-wide emergency, course requirements, classes, deadlines, and grading
schemes are subject to changes that may include alternative delivery methods, alternative methods of
interaction with the instructor, class materials, and/or classmates, a revised attendance policy, and a
revised semester calendar and/or grading scheme.
In the case of a University-wide emergency, please refer to the following about changes in this course:
o Course web page (list address)
o Instructor’s email (list address)
o Instructor’s chosen emergency telephone number(s) (list numbers)
For more general information about the emergency situation, please refer to:
o Penn State Harrisburg’s home page at http://harrisburg.psu.edu/
o PSUAlert (info for PSUAlert at http://psualert.psu.edu). This is a service designed to alert the
Penn State community via text messages to cell phones when situations arise on campus that
affect the ability of the campus - students, faculty and staff - to function normally. Everyone is
encouraged to sign up to receive the text alerts.
Sample Academic Integrity Statement
Academic dishonesty is not limited to simply cheating on an exam or assignment. The following is
quoted directly from the "PSU Faculty Senate Policies for Students" regarding academic integrity and
academic dishonesty: "Academic integrity is the pursuit of scholarly activity free from fraud and
deception and is an educational objective of this institution. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not
limited to, cheating, plagiarizing, fabricating of information or citations, facilitating acts of academic
dishonesty by others, having unauthorized possession of examinations, submitting work of another
* usually included
C. McQuiggan, 7/06/15
Available online at http://sites.psu.edu/facultycenter/teaching/resources/faculty-toolkit/
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person or work previously used without informing the instructor, or tampering with the academic work
of other students." All University and Penn State Harrisburg policies regarding academic
integrity/academic dishonesty apply to this course and the students enrolled in this course. Refer to the
following URL for further details on the academic integrity policy of Penn State Harrisburg:
http://harrisburg.psu.edu/academics/academic-guidelines-and-policies (scroll down to C-7). Each
student in this course is expected to work entirely on her/his own while taking any exam, to complete
assignments on her/his own effort without the assistance of others unless directed otherwise by the
instructor, and to abide by University and Penn State Harrisburg policies about academic integrity and
academic dishonesty. Academic dishonesty can result in assignment of "F" by the course instructor or
"XF" by Judicial Affairs as the final grade for the student. (Note: Indicate if you plan to use Turnitin
(http://turnitin.psu.edu/) as a plagiarism detection tool.)
Suggested Disability Access Statement
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University’s educational programs. Every Penn
State campus has an office for students with disabilities. The Office for Disability Services at Penn
State Harrisburg is located in 109 Swatara Building. The Disability Services Coordinator, Alan
Babcock, can be reached via email at aub15@psu.edu or phone 717-948-6025.
In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the Office for
Disability Services, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation:
http://equity.psu.edu/ods/guidelines. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable
accommodations, your campus’s disability services office will provide you with an accommodation
letter. Please share this letter with your instructor and discuss the accommodations with me as early in
this course as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request
accommodations.
Russell E. Horn Sr. Learning Center Syllabus Information For All Faculty Members
You have a vital role in encouraging students to use the academic support services of the Learning
Center. Will you please insert one of the following passages in your syllabus as appropriate? Contact
Dr. Janice Smith at jes57@psu.edu if you have any questions.
Learning Center Writing Support Information for your syllabus
The Russell E. Horn Sr. Learning Center provides tutoring support for writing assignments in this
class. Do you need help developing your thesis and ideas? Do you need objective feedback when
you’re drafting or revising your papers? Do you have questions about MLA, APA, or Chicago
formats? Do you want to improve your academic writing skills? The writing tutors at the Russell E.
Horn Sr. Learning Center are experts at helping students improve their writing. Several tutors also
specialize in working with writers who have learned English as another language. Writing tutors will
not edit your writing, and they won’t write your papers for you. What they will do is offer you
strategies to become a more effective and independent writer.
To make an in-person or online appointment, click the ONLINE SCHEDULER button from the
Learning Center home page (http://harrisburg.psu.edu/learning-center), go to
http://psuh.mywconline.com, call 717.948.6475, or stop in at W-117 Olmsted or 106 EDUC ACT.
An appointment is recommended, but not required.
Writing handouts are available in the ANGEL group, Writing Resources - Harrisburg Learning Center
(or search “Writing Resources” from the “Find a Group” link in ANGEL to enroll). Print copies are
* usually included
C. McQuiggan, 7/06/15
Available online at http://sites.psu.edu/facultycenter/teaching/resources/faculty-toolkit/
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available in W-117 Olmsted. You can also like us on Facebook at PSHLearningCenter and follow
us on Twitter @PSUHLC.
Learning Center Math and Stat Support Information for your syllabus
The Russell E. Horn Sr. Learning Center may have a tutor who can assist you in this course. (Any
math course through MATH 141 and STAT 200 has a tutor; higher level courses may have a tutor.)
Check the tutors listed in the online scheduler at http://psuh.mywconline.com, call 717.948.6475 or
drop in to W-117 Olmsted or 106 EDUC ACT. An appointment s recommended, but not required.
Math tutoring is provided in 116 EDUC ACT. If you have a request for a course or time that is not on
the schedule, email tutorrequest@psu.edu with our request. We’ll try to find an option. Additional
information is provided at the math department's website: http://cs.hbg.psu.edu/additional-syllabusinfo/. You can also like us on Facebook at PSHLearningCenter and follow us on Twitter
@PSUHLC.
Learning Center General Tutoring Information for your syllabus
The Russell E. Horn Sr. Learning Center may have a peer tutor who can assist you in this course. To
make an in-person or online appointment, click the ONLINE SCHEDULER button from the Learning
Center home page (http://harrisburg.psu.edu/learning-center), go to http://psuh.mywconline.com, call
717.948.6475, or stop in at W-117 Olmsted or 106 EDUC ACT. An appointment is recommended, but
not required.
To inquire about appointments or for other questions, call 717.948.6475 or stop in at W-117 Olmsted
or 106 EDUC ACT. You can also request a tutor by emailing tutorrequest@psu.edu. We will do our
best to find a tutor to match your schedule and course needs, although we can’t guarantee one. And
don’t forget to like us on Facebook at PSHLearningCenter and follow us on Twitter @PSUHLC.
For Instructors: Links to Guidelines, Policies, and Rules
All Penn State Harrisburg Academic Guidelines and Policies are available at
http://harrisburg.psu.edu/academics/academic-guidelines-and-policies. Refer to C-4 and C-5 for class
cancellations, and C-7 for Academic Integrity.
All Penn State University Faculty Senate Policies and Rules for Undergraduate Students are available
at http://www.psu.edu/ufs/policies/. These might be of special interest: 43-00 Syllabus, 44-10 General
Examination Policy, 44-20 Final Examination Policy, 47-40 Grading System, 47-60 Definition of
Grades, 49-20 Academic Integrity (also see G-9 Academic Integrity at
http://www.psu.edu/oue/aappm/G-9-academic-integrity.html).
* usually included
C. McQuiggan, 7/06/15
Available online at http://sites.psu.edu/facultycenter/teaching/resources/faculty-toolkit/
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