The syllabus is a crucial requirement of all who teach as adjunct faculty members. Every instructor must prepare a course syllabus and make it available to each student in the class. School for Adult Learning adjunct faculty members must submit one copy of the syllabus to the Dean or Department Chairperson of their academic unit, and one copy to the Dean of the School for Adult Learning NOT LATER THAN the 2nd week of the semester or session. Instructors teaching Accelerated Programs Division courses are required to submit the syllabus to the SAL office two weeks prior to the beginning of the session. Continuing Education Division instructors also submit their teaching materials to the SAL office.

For Accelerated Programs Division instructors, submission of the course syllabus in electronic format is encouraged. We prefer that you prepare the syllabus using Microsoft Word® software. A printed handout explaining syllabus preparation for the Web is available at the front desk in the SAL office.

The primary purpose of the syllabus is to communicate to students (a) what the course is about, (b) why the course is being taught, (c) where it is going, and (d) what will be required to satisfactorily complete the course. This presupposes that the instructor has planned the course. The Deans and Department Chairpersons will assist any adjunct faculty member in syllabus preparation upon request. Listed below are the essential elements of a course syllabus at the University of Indianapolis:

The Course Syllabus.

(please attach content/competency objectives for your course as identified by your academic unit. Consult your Dean or Department Chairperson. Use these objectives to expand your own objectives, content, and methodology.)

The first three words on the syllabus should be University of Indianapolis. These syllabi may turn up anywhere nationwide; hence, the origin of the syllabus should be clearly identified.

The following items should be included in your syllabus:

I. Course Information

• Course Title
• Course Number
• Number of Credit Hours
• The semester or session and the year
• Prerequisites required to take this course
• Permission of instructor required?
• Location of the classroom
• Day(s) of the week that the class meets
• Hour(s) of the day that the class meets
• Lab/studio requirements and times (if appropriate)

II. Instructor Information

• Your full name
• Your title
• Your office location
• Your office telephone number
• Your office hours
• Your work office telephone number with any calling restrictions
• Your home telephone number with any calling restrictions
• The name of your Dean or Department Chairperson and telephone number

III. Texts, Readings, Materials

• The name of the textbook for this course, author, date, and edition
• Publisher and estimated cost of the textbook
• Where is this textbook available?
• Supplementary readings. List any other readings, whether required or recommended, and whether readings are on reserve in the library or available for purchase in the bookstore.
• Materials: any additional materials required.

IV. Course Description and Objectives.

• Describe the course (you may use the description from catalog).
• General content and why the course is important.
• Instructional methods (lecture, discussion, etc.)
• Objectives, phrased positively (e.g., "the student will understand...will develop...will learn...," etc.)

V. Course Calendar (for each session)

• List topics to be covered
• List exams, quizzes, other means of evaluation
• List due dates for all assignments
• List required special events

VI. Course Policies

• Clearly explain your attendance policy.
• Clearly explain your tardy policy.
• Make a statement about required attendance and penalties; about lateness and penalties (if any).
• Clearly define your policy on Incomplete grades. See the Academic Catalog. page 61, for information on this subject. The remaining work must be completed within six months of the time the Incomplete grade was submitted or "within a time frame established by the instructor." Be sure to establish your time frame!
• Define your policy on missed examinations, missed assignments, missed homework, etc. Can exams or assignments be made up? How? May extra credit be earned? How?
• Define your policy on Academic Honesty. Address questions related to cheating and plagiarism. See Appendix C of this Adjunct Faculty Handbook, Academic Misconduct, for more information about the university’s policy on these subjects.
• Grading. How will students be evaluated? What factors will be included? How will they be weighed? How will this translate into grades? What is your grading rubric for this course?
• Available Support Services. library, writing lab, math lab, tutoring services, computers, etc.

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