Course Syllabus
Attention! The red text in this syllabus is intended for the teachers' information only. It must be deleted before the syllabus is published to students.
How to import and set up the syllabus template
How to import and set up the syllabus template - Video
If you need additional help, please email help@hi.is with the subject line "Template for my course syllabus," including the course name, course number, and semester.
About the Syllabus
A syllabus is often regarded as a contractual agreement between teachers and students regarding their learning. It conveys important information, establishes rules and expectations, and outlines responsibilities in the course. The syllabus is crafted with the student in mind and presented in a clear and easy-to-understand manner. As the syllabus is typically the first item presented by the teacher, it sets the tone for the course and subsequent communications. Within the syllabus, the course content is described, the purpose of the course is explained, and students receive information about the skills they will acquire upon completing the course (learning outcomes).
This template was developed in collaboration with experts in educational science. Teachers are free to modify and adapt it to their course.
It is important to ensure that the information in the syllabus is consistent with the course catalogue, rules, and regulations of the University of Iceland.
See more:
About The Course
Full name of the course (same as in UI course catalogue)
When taught:
Where (classroom no):
View the course in the course catalogue (link to the course in the UI course catalogue)
Academic year and semester:
Credits:
Faculty:
School:
For consideration - Some examples of content
Goal
What is the course's main goal? Explain the purpose of the course to students.
What goals do students set for themselves during the course?
. . .
Course Content
- What is the content of the course?
- Why is it important that students learn the content of the course?
. . .
Additional Information
- The origin of the course. Why is the course taught?
Where in the programme is the course? (undergraduate, master)
What are the connections to other courses?
. . .
Prerequisites
- What are the prerequisites for students (professional, other)?
. . .
Teaching philosophy and organization of teaching
- What is the teacher's teaching philosophy? What does the teacher emphasize in their teaching?
- What teaching methods will be used?
- What expectations does the teacher have for students?
- Are there any rules or policies the teacher wants to emphasize? (these may also belong on the Policies page)
- Teaching methods should take into account the learning outcomes. Which teaching methods are best suited to achieve the learning outcomes?
. . .
Students Participation
A detailed description of how students should participate in the course. What is required? Group work, student presentations, experiments, field trips, or other.
. . .
ECTS and working hours
Each ECTS unit should be backed by 25-30 hours. student's work. That amount of time includes everything, e.g., homework, attendance, watching/listening to videos, participation in teleconferences, communication, assignments, and exams.
By filling in the table with the estimated number of hours, you give the student an idea of how much work is involved in the course. Online calculators can also be used to estimate workload, e.g., this workload calculator from the Office of Online Education, Wake Forest University.
| hours | Course-related activities |
|---|---|
| Homework/reading | |
| Time attendance | |
| Remote meetings | |
| Recordings | |
| Group work | |
| Discussions | |
| Assignments | |
| Exams | |
| Total: |
Learning Outcomes
Learning outcomes refer to the specific knowledge, skills, and competencies a student will possess after completing a course. Ideally, a course should have 5-7 learning outcomes that are clearly defined and measurable. In setting learning objectives, the focus should be on the student, shifting from a teacher-centered approach to a learner-centered approach.
It is imperative that course content, teaching methods, and assessment are aligned with the learning outcomes. A crucial question to ask is which study materials and teaching strategies are best suited to achieve the desired learning outcomes. Additionally, determining what type of assessment is necessary to evaluate whether a student has attained the learning outcomes is equally critical.
- Learning outcomes must be concise and easy to comprehend.
- Learning outcomes should be measurable. Therefore, verbs used in a learning outcome must describe a measurable ability rather than a student's memory or state of mind. They specify how students demonstrate their competence.
- Learning outcomes refer to the minimum skills required to complete a course successfully. Failure to meet the learning outcomes implies that a student is ineligible to graduate from the course. Achieving the minimum grade in a course indicates that a student has met all the learning outcomes. However, exceeding the minimum grade implies that the student has surpassed the established learning standards.
- Learning outcomes for a course need to align with the program's learning outcomes.
- In developing learning outcomes, Bloom's hierarchy is frequently utilized to determine the appropriate action verbs when describing a student's abilities in a particular field of knowledge. These verbs provide a clear indication of a student's competence level.
Example:
After completing the course, the student should be able to:
Plan . . .
Assess . . .
Explain . . .
Rearrange . . .
Create . . .
Justify theoretically . . .
Take an active part in a professional discussion about . . .
Prepare . . .
Construct . . .
Analyze between . . .
Compare . . .
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- . . .
- . . .
- . . .
- . . .
- . . .
Teachers
For consideration
Does each teacher teach a specific section of the course? If so, is it indicated?
Does the teacher specify the method of communication they prefer students to use? Some teachers, for example, choose not to receive emails but instead ask students to use the Canvas messaging system (in blue navigation on the left). This makes it easier for the teacher to keep track of student messages.
Example of setup:
Teacher
Name and title
Department:
Email: . . . @hi.is, phone number (details on how the teacher prefers students to contact them).
Office hours: . . . . Please book a time.
Office:
Website: (list of publications and resume)
About the teacher
Brief summary of academic background or expertise.
Other
Example: "I encourage everyone to make use of my office hours. Whether you need an explanation of a specific topic in the course, have concerns about how you are doing in the class, or have feedback on something that could be improved, I am happy to see you. It is better to speak to me early in the course if things go wrong rather than waiting until the last minute when it is likely too late to take action." (GG)
Information about guest lecturers
Example: Each school year, the course is graced with at least two guest lecturers, typically industry professionals with expertise in the course content. However, securing a guest lecturer can be challenging, given their busy schedules and the need to coordinate a suitable time with the class schedule. Nonetheless, the lecturer's visit is announced at least two weeks in advance, and students are strongly encouraged to attend these presentations.
Study Materials
For consideration
- Does the course material reflect the most important aspects of the discipline?
- Can students influence the choice of study material or what material is covered in a course?
- What is compulsory reading, and what is supplementary material?
- Which articles should be read carefully, and which are suitable for speed reading?
- Do students receive the articles through the course website in Canvas? If not, where? Articles that are difficult to access should be shared on the course website.
- Book: Specify which chapters in the book are required reading.
- Why is the book or article important in the course?
- Videos: Which videos, about what, where available? Will there be links to videos in an appropriate place on the course website, e.g., for a week?
- Is there anything specific that can be useful for students to know about the topic?
- Would it be better to put very brief information about the course books or, e.g., one or two sentences about the content of individual articles?
- Where can you access books, articles, or other things, e.g., in the National and University Library of Iceland, the University Bookstore, or elsewhere?
- If a student has to buy books, how much do they cost?
- When selecting study materials, it is essential to consider how well they align with the desired learning outcomes.
Example of setup
Books
Author, year, title, publisher
Where to get, and estimated price.
Other information about the book.
Articles
Author, year, title, where published
Other information about the article.
Author, year, title, where published
Other information about the article.
Videos
Introduction / Information
. . .
- . . . (use descriptive titles referring to the content)
- . . .
- . . .
Other
Here, you can refer to other resources supporting students' learning, e.g., websites, videos, online courses, MOOC courses, etc.
Example:
In addition to the above-mentioned books, selected texts will be posted on the course website, and participants will be directed to various other reading materials and online data. Participants are also strongly encouraged to point out interesting topics in the course discussion (refer to a link to a discussion or page where students can share topics).
Assignment and Exams
For consideration
- This section contains information about assignments and exams in the course and the weight of each in the final grade.
- Assignments and exams are described so that students understand their scope and teacher's expectations as best as possible. Keep in mind what is helpful for the student to know. A description of an assignment or exam should always be located within the assignment/exam itself.
- Do students have a choice of activities?
- Do students have a choice in which form an assignment is submitted, e.g., video, oral presentation, or essay?
- Information about assessment and feedback in assignments. What is the assessment for? Are the criteria for assessment clear, i.e., are grading scales or such information available to students?
- Is assessment based on self or peer assessment, or is the teacher the only one who assesses student performance?
- Can students submit more than once, get feedback from the teacher, and submit again?
- If assignments and exams are published on the course website at the beginning of the course, students can be advised that the due dates will appear in the course calendar.
- If assignments and exams are not published on the course website right from the start, it is appropriate to have the estimated submission dates stated here.
- Consider that there is consistency in the names of assignments and exams on the one hand, in the syllabus and, on the other hand, where the assignments/exams are set up on the course website.
Example of setup
Check the rules for late submissions in the Policies section.
Assignment Title 20%
Assignment description
. . .
Assessment
. . .
Assignment Title 20%
Assignment description
. . .
Assessment
. . .
Assignment Title 20%
Assignment description
. . .
Assessment
. . .
Assignment Title 20%
Assignment description
. . .
Assessment
. . .
Assignment Title 20%
Assignment description
. . .
Assessment
. . .
Time Schedule
For consideration
If the modules/weeks of the course are organized based on the schedule on the course website, it may be unnecessary to have a schedule in the syllabus. It's up to the teacher to assess.
Is the course schedule clear?
Can students easily see each week's discussion topics and their roles?
Can students have an impact on the course schedule?
Is the course schedule and assignment submission organized with respect to other courses' submission timelines?
Has the course workload been assessed?
Are such workload calculation information accessible to students?
An example of a setup that works on smart devices
1st week - (dates)
Topics covered
Teacher:
. . . . .
Reading:
. . . . .
Assignment:
. . . . .
2nd week - (dates)
Topics covered
Teacher:
. . . . .
Reading:
. . . . .
Assignment:
. . . . .
3rd week - (dates)
Topics covered
Teacher:
. . . . .
Reading:
. . . . .
Assignment:
. . . . .
Assessment and Grades
For consideration
It is important that the assessment takes into account the learning outcomes. What kind of assessment best assesses whether the student has attained the learning outcomes?
Description of how assessment is carried out, which criteria are used, formative assessment, self-assessment, peer assessment. What kind of rubrics are used? Including a description of rubrics and a sample of the assignment, setup is good , so everything is clear. The better this is described, the better students understand what is expected and the fewer complaints and comments about grades. State if late submission affects grade. Rules regarding late submissions should be stated in the course policy section.
Does assessment take into account a diverse student body?
. . .
Feedback
Has the teacher established rules for feedback (timing, form, and arrangement)? How long does it take from the submission date until the student receives feedback?
. . .
Attendance and participation
If attendance is part of the assessment, it must be stated here. How important is attendance in the final course grade? Is attendance compulsory for all lessons or only where certain work takes place? What are the consequences for a student not attending? How often can a student be absent? Does each time lower the score? How does late attendance, absence, or excused absence affect the grade?
. . .
Policies
For consideration
Attendance, submission of assignments, late submission, course rules, reference to school rules, plagiarism, use of artificial intelligence (such as ChatGPT), reference to help materials for students, e.g., in the textbook. and on the UI website.
About due dates and late submitting
If the student is unable to submit on time . . .
Are the rules about due dates clear?
Do students know what to do if they cannot submit on time?
Is a grade deducted for late submissions? (if yes, how much and which rules apply).
Does a student who gets special permission from the teacher to submit late get a lower grade?
. . .
About grading and feedback
Has the teacher established rules for feedback (timing, form, and arrangement)?
Example: The teacher aims to provide grades and feedback to students on time within two weeks. Note that in some assignments, the student has to respond to the teacher's feedback and provide feedback on the feedback.
. . .
Equality
Does the syllabus take into account a diverse student body?
Are the sexes treated equally, e.g., in selecting reading material (when possible)?
. . .
About integrity in learning
Students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with and understanding Legislation, code of ethics and best practice at the University of Iceland that relate to their studies and their role. There, you'll find information about professional and high-quality work practices related to the acquisition and dissemination of knowledge, integrity in learning, and the proper handling of sources in writing and assignments
There are severe penalties for any type of misconduct in exams, assignment work, and essay writing. See more: Violations of rules and disciplinary sanctions.
- - -
Artificial intelligence
Information about the use of artificial intelligence in a course, such as the ethical use of artificial intelligence tools in project work, when it is permissible to use artificial intelligence and how to refer to it or inform about its use (if applicable).
- Syllabi Policies for AI Generative Tools - A collection of text fragments about artificial intelligence from the syllabi of different courses.
- Creating your course policy on AI - Teaching Commons, Stanford University.
- UI website on AI: gervigreind.hi.is
Attendance
Are there rules about student attendance in the course? Are they clear (and fair)? Do students have anything to say about them?
. . .
A student wants to drop out of a course
Example: If you need to drop out of the course for any reason, you must notify us by (day). Students who do not withdraw from the course before the deadline will receive an 'Absent' grade as their final grade, as per the UI rules.
. . .
Technical requirements
To participate in a course, it is necessary to have access to a computer and an internet connection. It is recommended that you use Chrome, Firefox, or Edge browser for Canvas.
Other technical requirements that the teacher wishes to mention.
Communication
Student communication
"It is important to treat others with kindness and respect, in accordance with the University of Iceland Code of Ethics. It is possible to exchange opinions, debate and disagree without communicating in an aggressive or derogatory way. At the University of Iceland, discrimination and gender-related or sexual harassment will not be tolerated, in accordance with the University of Iceland Equal Rights Policy. It is forbidden to humiliate, mock, threaten or attack people based on their sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, origin, skin colour, religion etc. This applies to all communication, both face-to-face and online.
Avoid falling back on stereotypes or putting people into predetermined boxes based on groups you believe they belong to. Ask yourself whether you would treat the person the same if they were not disabled, of a different gender, of a different sexual orientation, a different origin etc. If you are not sure how a certain comment will be received, it could be better to keep it to yourself. Treat each other with understanding and respect – let's work together to create a tradition of healthy debate."
Reporting harassment
In Ugla, it's possible to report incidents of harassment, gender-based and sexual harassment, violence, bullying, and other similar behavior. Additionally, the platform offers guidance on how to seek assistance for other types of communication difficulties or unwanted conduct. Report harassment.
For consideration
Below are some examples of what the teacher might want to cover:
Student inquiries
Teachers often set up a discussion in their course, "General questions regarding the course," where they answer students' questions, e.g. twice a week, and students are encouraged to answer. In the discussion's description, students are advised to familiarize themselves with the syllabus as they will find answers to most questions about the course there.
Inquiries of a personal nature can be sent to the teacher via the Canvas messaging system (the inbox in the blue banner on the left).
. . .
Students create groups and discussions
The teacher can allow students to create groups in the course settings (at the bottom, under more options). By entering a group's workspace, students can collect files, communicate, set up discussions, have meetings in Teams, and more. Note that groups created by students do not have exactly the same functionality as those created by the teacher. Groups formed by students cannot be a part of group assignments, for example.
In the course settings, the teacher can also allow students to create discussions directly in the course.
Instructions on creating groups.
. . .
About communication during remote meetings
What role do students play in remote meetings?
Are meetings recorded?
Student contribution, group work on remote meetings, student presentations, or other.
. . .
Students share content
Students share topics in discussion
Students can share topics for discussion, such as an interesting subject related to a reviewed topic, or submit their assignments in a course to receive feedback from their peers. They can also briefly describe their assignment in a discussion to facilitate this process.
Students share content on a page
Students can be allowed to post content on a page in a course. In the page configuration, select Teachers and students under Users who can edit this page.
. . .
Support
Information about services and support (Ugla)
In Ugla, there is information and tips on various services and support available to UI students, e.g., housing, health services, study facilities, preschools and childcare, sports facilities, restaurants and cafeterias, language courses, student Psychology Clinic, and more.
Student Counselling & Career Centre
UI Student Counselling and Career Centre (UISCCC) offers students academic and career counseling during their studies. Various information that might be useful for students is available on the UISCCC website, for example, about study skills and preparation for exams.
A student who has a right to receive special assistance during studies and exams, e.g., extended exam time, must book an appointment with a counselor, bring documents from an appropriate specialist, and make a written agreement for available assistance. See additional information on the website Who can claim services? The deadline to apply for special assistance is 1 October for the autumn semester and 1 March for the spring semester.
A student with a right to extended exam time, according to the agreement, must inform their teachers in advance and within good time before taking partial exams/home exams in Canvas.
National and University Library of Iceland
The University Library offers various services for students of the University of Iceland. You can photocopy or scan materials, book group work rooms, rent reading rooms, and more.
Teachers often use the Course Reserves for students at the library to facilitate access to textbooks, supplementary materials, and articles on the course reading list.
Center for Writing
The University's Center for Writing offers writing support for students; see Information about the Center for Writing services.
Email to book an appointment: ritver@hi.is
Do you need assistance with Canvas?
Please contact the Division of Information Technology Helpdesk if you have any questions about Canvas, tel. 525 4222, email: help@hi.is
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|