Policy

Your syllabus is a contract with the students which cannot be changed without notice. The Academic Courses Policy require that on the first day of class, you should provide the class syllabus.

Creating your class syllabus

The course syllabus allows instructors to convey to students an overview of the key elements of a course including what the students will learn, who the instructor is, how students will be assessed, and other important course information.

It also allows the instructor to set the tone for the class and build rapport with students. In addition, please review the Religious Accommodations page on this site prior to creating and distributing your syllabi.

Refer to the policy for information regarding:

 

USask Syllabus Generator

To assist instructors in creating course syllabi, the University has developed a syllabus generator integrated into Canvas. This tool provides the following:

  • all syllabus elements required under the Academic Courses Policy,
  • other elements that are suggested to be included,
  • sample language and explanation for the inclusion of each element,
  • an easy-to-use template to create your syllabus within Canvas, and
  • an opportunity to quickly indicate the institutional priorities addressed in your course.

If your college or department would like custom language included in the template, please contact the GMCTL to arrange a consultation.

If you wish to use an Microsoft Word version of the template, see the links below for the template and guide with the suggested language for each element.

Whether you use one of these templates, one specific to your college or department, or create your own, all USask syllabi must be written in accordance with the Academic Courses Policy.


Last updated - October 2023

Why is my syllabus public?

Syllabi posted in Canvas are automatically set to public as the default at the USask, to allow students to view course syllabi before registering for courses and help fellow faculty know what has been taught in prerequisite courses. Syllabi set to public are added to the programs page, under the course description button. Instructors may choose to hide a syllabus by making it private in Canvas each time they make a course.

Is there anything I should keep in mind about my public syllabus?

We encourage you to leave your syllabi public for the benefit of students and to help promote your course. Like the abstract for a journal article, a public syllabus helps people know what your course is focused on without sharing all your content, ideas, and instructional materials.

With this in mind, remember not to:

  • include any copyrighted material within your syllabus (e.g., images), or 
  • include contact information for anyone, such as your teaching assistants, without their approval.
  • Information like cell phone numbers you want to share with your students but not publicly can go on a private page in Canvas or course handout instead of the syllabus.

What should I do if I don't want my syllabus public?

You should change the settings in Canvas, so the syllabus is private, which is the default for all other course materials in Canvas. Do this as a part of your regular course set up.

Getting help

Registrarial Services

For information on class scheduling and examinations.


Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching and Learning

Whether you are just starting to draft your syllabus or simply want to make revisions, staff at the GMCTL provide feedback about any aspect of the syllabus, including what elements are required and/or recommended by the Academic Courses Policy.