As was said in the section on the first class meeting, you should hand out your syllabus in the first class. The syllabus should include your preferred contact information, a course description, your goals and learning objectives, the grading scheme, and a description of each week’s topic area, readings, and assignments. Framing these in the form of a question is often a very effective technique.
It is a good idea to include a statement on your syllabus about classroom accommodations for students with disabilities. The Office of Student Accessibility Services has provided the following language for faculty to include on syllabi:
“Tufts University values the diversity of our students, staff, and faculty, recognizing the important contribution each student makes to our unique community. Students with disabilities are assured that the Student Accessibility Services office will work with each student individually to ensure access to all aspects to student life. Tufts is committed to providing equal access and support to all students through the provision of reasonable accommodations so that each student may access their curricula and achieve their personal and academic potential. If you have a disability that requires reasonable accommodations, please contact the Student Accessibility Services office at 617-627-4539, or through their email at Accessibility@tufts.edu, to make an appointment with the director to determine appropriate accommodations. Please be aware that accommodations cannot be enacted retroactively, making timeliness a critical aspect for their provision.”
Finally, because our courses are intended to be interactive and participatory, you should indicate that attendance and class participation will be considered in the final grading. It is important to understand that your syllabus becomes a contract between you and your students.
Also keep in mind that a one-credit course at Tufts is equivalent to a three-credit course at many other institutions. The University recommends that for every hour spent in class there should be two-to-three hours of work outside of class.