Comprehensive Syllabus Content Document
Comprehensive Syllabus Content Document
Created: December 2019
Updated: April 16, 2026
Next Review Date: February 2025
Office Responsible: Office of the Provost
Contact: Vice Provost for Academic Strategy & Effectiveness
Credit: UM-Flint Inclusive Teaching Toolkit
Note: Items marked with an asterisk (*) are required components.
*Course Information
- *Course Prefix/Number and Course Title
- *University Name
- *Number of Credits
- *Term/Year
- *Course Modality
- *Time/Day(s)
- *Co- or Pre-Requisites
*Course Description
[Insert same course description from current version of University Catalog]
*Instructor Information
- *Name and Pronouns
- *Office Location
- *Contact Information – phone, email, and other applicable/appropriate contact information (e.g., slack channel, IG username, etc.)
- *Student Support Hours (formerly known as Office Hours)
*Support Staff
- Name(s)
- Office Location
- Contact Information
- Brief narrative that provides students context on why they might want to go to these individuals for help
*Course Learning Outcomes and Expectations
- *List what outcomes you have for the course
- Discuss the alignment of the course outcomes to the General Education attributes (from current version of the University Catalog), if applicable
- Provide alignment of the course outcomes to any state and/or professional standards, if relevant
- Consider listing any expectations you have for your students, as well as yourself as the instructor.
- Include a statement encouraging students to engage in reflective practices about their learning, linking course activities to their personal and professional growth.
*Textbook and Course Materials
- *Identify if the readings are required or optional
- *Indicate where students can buy or access the items
- Consider the cost of the materials, especially in light of how often you will have the students use the materials
- Use innovative ways to utilize technology for learning and engagement, which includes open educational resources to reduce costs to students, and multimedia elements to enrich course content.
*Course Structure and Requirements
- *Describe how the course is structured and what students can generally expect to experience in the course on a daily/weekly basis
- Describe how you can and will make course materials available – consider different modalities in order to be inclusive of all different learning preferences
- *Explicitly link course requirements to course learning outcomes
- *Describe all course requirements including course participation, if graded
- *Brief descriptions of each assessment
- *Brief description of how students should submit any assessments for the course
- Encourage continuous feedback from students on the syllabus and course structure.
*Course Topics and Assignment Schedule
- *Insert a table with relevant dates, course topics, required readings, and assignments (see sample table below).
- It is acceptable to insert here that this is a tentative schedule that is subject to change, if necessary, and that if any changes are made, students will be notified as soon as possible.
- Consider inviting students to share their feedback with you as the instructor on any changes that are made to the course schedule, as some students may be inadvertently impacted by course changes (even if those course changes are thought to be of benefit to students).
- Whenever possible, focus on creating a course schedule that takes into account the diverse lives of students
- For example, do not cluster assignments so they are all due around the same time or around a known busy time (e.g., drop/add deadline, parent-teacher conferences, high school homecomings, etc)
- Try to provide options of the types of assignments that students can complete to demonstrate fluency of a given concept
- Incorporate Transparency in Learning and Teaching practices by offering detailed guidance on assignment purpose, tasks, and criteria for success, which can help support equitable learning.
- Consider using content tag warnings within your schedule and/or an overall statement to indicate the presence of specific topics that might be triggering for some of your students.
Sample Course Topics and Assignment Schedule
| Dates | Topic(s) | Required Readings | Assignments |
|---|---|---|---|
Example Content Tag Warning
Week 1: Read chapters 1-4 from ‘Your Blues Ain’t Like Mine;’ Tags: Racism, Racist Slurs, Violence, Socio-Economic Class
Example Sensitive Course Content Statement
The contents of and discussion in this course will necessarily include weekly discussions about racism, sexism, and/or violence. These discussions may be emotionally and intellectually challenging for some students. For particularly graphic or intense content throughout the term, I will add specific warnings and/or content tags. I aim to make this classroom a space where we can engage bravely, empathetically, and thoughtfully with difficult content every week.
*Instructor Communication and Anticipated Response Time
- *Include this information for all course modalities
- *Clearly identify your expected response time and feedback to students
- Set expectations for students by providing a specific window of time they can expect to hear back from you concerning email communications
- Note that feedback on class assignments will likely be more time consuming, so clarify when you will be grading and when students should expect feedback on their coursework.
*Classroom, Department, and/or Unit Policies
- *Include policies such as
- Attendance
- Deadlines
- Extensions
- Late or missed assignment
- Consider allowing students a certain number of assignments that can be turned in late, instead of penalizing students a % of their maximum earned grade for each late assignment
- Classroom behaviors such as use of technology and cell phones
- *If students are expected to use particular technologies in your course, provide links to where they can find those technologies.
- Include links to support services for these technologies when they are available.
- *Outline any technical specifications for required software (Windows and Mac OS) or hardware.
*Course Grades Assignments and Policies
- *Include a clear explanation of your grading policy for the course
- *Include a grading scale that you will use to assign course grades
Additional Resources to Support the Course
Consider including different resources that will support students’ learning in the course. For example:
- Tips on how to read/comprehend course readings
- (Free) tutoring opportunities on campus
- Websites that provide additional practice for course skills
Sample Syllabus Statements
The following items are sample statements/links that provide students in your class further context about the course itself and/or how students can seek help to support their academic support. While some of the statements are required to be included in your syllabus, there are many different examples of statements you can include based on the specific content of your course. You can find some other examples Inclusive Syllabi that may be applicable to your course. Please feel free to create your own statement if you desire.
1. Syllabus Statement
This course syllabus is a guide and every attempt is made to provide an accurate overview of the course. Circumstances and events may make it necessary for the instructor to modify the syllabus over the course of the semester. If you have any questions or concerns about revisions or changes made to the syllabus, please consult with your instructor.
2. Land Acknowledgement
We would like to acknowledge that the land the University of Michigan-Flint occupies is the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary homeland of many Indigenous nations, most recently the Anishinabek (including Potawatomi, Chippewa/Ojibwe, and Odawa) tribal nations.
We acknowledge the painful history of genocide, forced relocation, and removal of many from this territory, and we honor and respect the many Indigenous people, including those of the Three Fires Alliance, who are still connected to the land upon which the University of Michigan-Flint is located.
For more information: Intercultural Center
3. UM-Flint’s Statement on Mutual Respect
As part of the University of Michigan, our University strives to provide an equitable, safe space for all individuals. This class will be conducted in an atmosphere of mutual respect. I encourage your active participation and welcome both respectful discourse and reasoned debate. However, if your language or conduct at any time demonstrates a lack of respect for anyone’s race, gender identity or expression, sexuality, culture, beliefs, or abilities, you will not be permitted to participate further. Adapted from “LGBTQ On Campus for Faculty & Staff”
For more information: visit CGS
4. *Academic Integrity
The University of Michigan-Flint has established a Code of Academic Conduct as well as a statement regarding the Procedural Rights of the Accused Student. Visit Student Rights & Responsibilities
5. *Disability Statement
The University of Michigan-Flint is committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible learning environment for all students. We recognize that students with disabilities may require specific accommodations to fully participate in our courses and reach their academic potential. If you have a disability or suspect that you may have one, we encourage you to seek the necessary support and accommodations from the Disability & Accessibility Support Services Office (DASS).
DASS is dedicated to working collaboratively with students to identify and implement appropriate accommodations based on individual needs. Some examples of accommodations may include extended time for exams, note-taking assistance, alternative formats for course materials, or classroom modifications. These accommodations are designed to level the playing field and ensure equal opportunities for success. DASS is located in Suite 245 of the University Center and can be contacted at 810-424-5256 or dassflint@umich.edu. Accommodation requests can be initiated online at DASS
6. Resources for Student Well-Being
As students, you may experience stressors that can impact both your academic experience and your personal well-being. These may include academic pressure and challenges associated with relationships, mental health, alcohol or other drugs, identities, finances, etc.
If you are experiencing concerns, seeking help is a courageous thing to do for yourself and those who care about you. If the source of your stressors is academic, please contact me so that we can find solutions together. For both academic and personal concerns, UM-Flint offers the following resources.
For questions about comprehensive syllabus content, please contact the Vice Provost for Academic Strategy & Effectiveness in the Office of the Provost