Course syllabi are required at UW–Madison, and they are a valuable opportunity to promote student success and belonging by orienting students to the course. This guide provides a template, recommendations, and examples from UW–Madison instructors.
In this guide: Syllabus template | Share why the course matters | Share how to succeed | Connect academic policies to the course/field | Additional help
Syllabus template
NOTE: Your school/college or department may have its own syllabus template – see “Additional help.”
This Google Docs template describes all the information required to be in your syllabus as well as additional information that is helpful to include. To use this template:
- Log in to your UW–Madison Google account.
- Click to open the template link.
- In the “File” dropdown, select “Make a copy” and select “Copy comments and suggestions.” This will create a copy in which comments are visible. The comments explain what information is required and where to find it.
- This template was created to meet campus accessibility guidelines for digital documents, including using heading structure, meeting color contrast requirements, and providing alternative text for images. As you customize the template with information about your course, please keep digital accessibility in mind. For more information on best practices, refer to the Center for User Experience’s Make It Accessible guides
- Customize the template with your course information. When you have finished, in the “File” dropdown, select “Make a copy” and do not check “Copy comments and suggestions.” This will create a copy with no comments. Change the file name to the name of your course.
- Before sharing your syllabus or exporting it to another file format, use Grackle to check for accessibility.
- To export your syllabus as a .pdf, use Grackle’s “export to .pdf” feature, which will ensure the .pdf remains accessible. To export as a Microsoft Word file (.docx), go to the “File” dropdown in Google Docs and select “Download” and your desired format.
Share how to succeed
Explain workload
Communicating about workload helps students plan their study time and participate in the course in a more intentional, purposeful way. Your syllabus must include a credit hour explanation that outlines the amount and importance of expected coursework, both inside and outside of class meetings. In addition to the required credit hour explanation, you can provide more details about what to expect. The examples below model additional ways to increase transparency about workload, such as:
- Speaking directly to students using “you” and “we” language
- Previewing the overall format and structure of the course and assignments, including individual work and/or group work
- Supplementing a standardized explanation with details in the syllabus or in Canvas to highlight how students will be spending their time.
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Example 1 - 1 credit online course - Liza Chang, College of Agricultural & Life Sciences
Expect to spend about 5-6 hours per week on this course. This course is structured with weekly topic-based modules and a final project that you will work and build on throughout the course. At the beginning of each module, we will provide an overview of the topics and goals for the week. You will work through most readings, assignments, and/or activities independently. Some assignments will require peer collaboration and engagement, which you can coordinate with each other at a time and format that is convenient. We will hold a few synchronous community building and learning opportunities, these sessions will be optional and recorded when possible to share with students in the course Canvas after the events.
Example 2 - 3 credit in-person course - Mary Davis Michaud, LaFollette School of Public Affairs
Instructional strategies. This course makes use of a variety of evidence-based techniques to boost learning. You may not be used to them, and that is OK. Note the map of our classroom at left. It is an “active learning lab.” This means there will be less passive learning (i.e. lectures) than you may be used to. One strategy we will use is to “flip” the classroom. This means that instead of relying on a “reading—lecture—exam” course format, where students might listen more passively as I tell you about what you just read, you will review multi-media materials outside of class before classes meet.
I will then expect you to attend classes prepared to actively engage in activities that will help you understand and recall important concepts. More importantly, these activities will help you think critically, learn and work well with others, and apply new knowledge to complex problems. Ultimately, a series of reflections will help you gain a better understanding of how you and others learn. This will help you design less structured, more spontaneous, more independent learning once you graduate.
Share how to communicate
Since communication norms and preferences vary widely across different instructors and course contexts, it is helpful to give students guidance on how to talk with you both inside and outside of class. For example:
- Share your preferred name. Telling students what you’d like them to call you – for instance, Professor Tripathi, Dr. Andrews, or Martine – reduces one uncertainty they might feel when approaching you with questions.
- Explain your approach to office hours. Some instructors call these “student hours” to clarify their purpose. Regardless of what you call them, give examples of questions students can ask, topics they might discuss, and/or preparation they should do for these conversations. For instance, do you want them to bring problem sets to work on? Do you read drafts of papers? Should conversations focus on course content, or are you open to talking about other things, such as student career aspirations?
- Share other opportunities and expectations for asking questions. Do you welcome questions before or after class? What kinds of questions are appropriate to ask in different settings – before or after class, over email, on Piazza, during office or “student hours”? What is your typical response time?
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Example - Liza Chang, College of Agricultural & Life Sciences
How to contact us:
We will use email as the main mode of communication outside of class meetings, and class emails will also be posted as announcements in Canvas.
You are always welcome to contact the course instructor and peer leaders via email to ask questions or to set-up meetings. We will respond to you within 48 hours. Our contact information can be found on the first page of the syllabus.
Before & after class
The course instructor and peer leaders will be in the classroom early and stay after class, we welcome you to come chat with us or ask questions during these times.
Drop-in hours
We will hold weekly drop-in student hours on Thursdays 5 pm- 6pm via Zoom. Anyone is welcome to stop by at any time during drop-in hours, whether you have a question about the course content, are seeking advice on how to succeed in your classes or would just like to visit with us to debate about whether cereal is a soup. If you need to set up a separate meeting time, please contact us via email to schedule.
Weekly Check-in
At the start of each week’s Canvas module we invite you to fill out a brief check-in survey to let us know how things are going and how we can best support you. This optional survey is built into the weekly modules and acts as a “hallway check-in.” We may occasionally follow-up with you (via email or in-person before/after class) with regards to your response.
Foster a respectful learning environment
Setting clear expectations for students’ behavior and interactions can help build trust and understanding. Introduce expectations in the syllabus and reinforce them in the first class meeting and as needed throughout the course.
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Example 1 - Participating and listening - Aly Amidei, Theatre & Drama
Discussion and/or Laboratory Sessions
This class (and theatrical artmaking) demands personal and communal commitment. Theatre is inherently a collaborative art form and therefore, so is this class. I expect that each student will arrive prepared for each class session – mentally, physically, and emotionally. This includes arriving on time to class and completing all assigned work for the given session before class begins. This also means arriving for class mentally prepared to be an active listener and participant in the classroom. Listening skills are as important to the theatre artist as verbal and artistic skills. If at any time you feel as though your thoughts and opinions have been unfairly dismissed by me, or by another student, please speak to me about it as soon as possible, as I can then work toward improving your class experience.
Example 2 - Gender and pronouns - German Unit, German, Nordic & Slavic+
Gender Inclusivity and Pronouns
Nouns in German have a grammatical gender (masculine, feminine, or neuter), which are unrelated to socially constructed gender in society. In order to speak German accurately and to appropriately use pronouns, possessive adjectives, adjective endings, or declensions, we must learn the grammatical gender of nouns. The German language also assigns humans a gender in a rather rigid binary gender system. However, the use of gender-inclusive and non-binary language when addressing other people is becoming more common in German, for instance via using the Binnen-I form (as in StudentInnen), the Gender-Gap (Student_innen), the GenderSternchen (Student*innen), or neo-pronouns (e.g., xier). In this classroom, we respect everyone’s gender and pronoun preferences. I am happy to discuss resources for pronouns with you, and you may request a change in pronouns at any time in the semester. Throughout the course, if someone misgenders you, correct them. If you misgender someone, correct yourself, and apologize. We will all make mistakes – both in our first languages and in second languages – and we depend on everyone’s respect and goodwill for a positive classroom environment.
Example 3 - Discussion norms - PILL Teaching Team, School of Pharmacy
Discussion and Laboratory Interaction Guidelines
To be able to learn, we must be open to hearing views of people different from ourselves. In the discussion time that we will share together, please honor the uniqueness of your fellow classmates and value the opportunity this presents to learn from one another. This classroom is a professional environment where discussions and learning take place. Your instructors will make every effort to make this environment safe for you to share your opinions, ideas and beliefs. In return, you are expected to respect the opinions, ideas and beliefs of others. Please respect others’ opinions and refrain from personal attacks or demeaning comments of any kind. We can disagree in a positive and constructive way. Finally, remember to keep confidential all issues of a personal or professional nature that are discussed in class.
Normalize getting help
Students may need support that goes beyond your scope and responsibilities as an instructor. Normalize accessing campus resources (see this comprehensive list) by noting situations in which students might need them. Frame seeking help in terms of your teaching and learning values and/or your care and concern for students as people.
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Example - Wisconsin Institute for Science Education and Community Engagement (WISCIENCE)
Student Resources
We care about you as a human first and acknowledge that we learn as a whole person. It can be challenging to do your best in class if you have trouble meeting basic life needs, safe shelter, sleep, and nutrition. If you have trouble with any of these things, we urge you to contact the Office of Student Assistance and Support. Furthermore, please notify the instructor if you are comfortable in doing so, we are here to help and make sure those needs are met. We have created a collection of resources to support your success and your well-being, including links to other university services such as University Health Services and Undergraduate Academic Advising and Career Services. We will continue to add resources to this collection throughout the semester, such as supplemental readings and podcasts related to course topics and tools and tips for academic success. We welcome everyone to reach out and suggest resources to add at any time.
Connect academic policies to the course/field
Using standardized syllabus statements about academic policies provides consistency across courses. Including or linking to these statements is strongly recommended – you’ll find them in the syllabus template.
In addition, you may elaborate on and contextualize these statements for your discipline or course. Consider which of these statements support common practices in your field or are particularly important for succeeding in your course, or for creating a supportive learning environment. Explaining this helps make these policies more relevant to students and fosters active communication early in the semester about crucial topics.
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Example 1 - AI Usage
Currently UW-Madison has no standardized syllabus statement regarding the use of generative AI. Instead, policy states that “students are responsible for knowing their instructor’s expectations when it comes to using AI tools.” As a result, each instructor should develop and communicate their own course-specific expectations for students. For guidance and examples, see AI Statements for Course Syllabi.
Example 2 - Academic Integrity - Derek Johnson, Communication Arts
In the television industries, attribution matters. For writers, directors, costume designers, composers, electricians, and more, inclusion in the credits at the end of a program represents a hard-won battle for recognition of their labor. Just as every episode of The Mandalorian acknowledges it is “based on Star Wars by George Lucas,” your work should also make clear when it is indebted to others’ work. Throughout the semester, you will be consulting the work of experts whose research into the television industries provides a foundation on which you can build your own, original ideas. However, it is not only the most famous thinkers you need to acknowledge, but also your peers. Plagiarism from published work, online study guides, or any other source will not be tolerated in any form. Failure to offer proper credit will be treated as seriously as in the television industries, where concerns about plagiarism lead to institutional and legal action.
Example 3 - Diversity & Inclusion - Danielle Clevenger, Philosophy
Note on Philosophy’s (Lack of) Diversity and Inclusion:
In an ideal world, philosophy would honor all voices that have contributed to its concepts, theories, and conversations over time. Unfortunately, this world is not ideal. There are many people from marginalized communities who will likely never receive the recognition they deserve because philosophy has, and continues to, privilege a very small subset of voices. In this course, we will read papers from a diverse group of philosophers. Even so, I am sure that I have likely (if unintentionally) overlooked sources that deserve attention. It is possible (even likely) that there may be overt and covert biases in the material due to the lens with which it was written. Integrating a diverse set of experiences is important for a more comprehensive understanding of philosophy, and I want to discuss these issues as part of the course as they become apparent. Please contact me via email or in person if you have suggestions about how to improve the course along these lines.
Example 4 - Accommodations for Students with Disabilities - School of Business Toolkit
Encourage students to share their requests for disability-related accommodations as early as possible by supplementing the official syllabus statement with welcoming messages in the syllabus, Canvas, and/or email. You can also include a reminder slide in your beginning of class routine in the first two weeks of class. See the Instructor Guide to Student Accommodations for additional guidance and strategies.
Example – School of Business Toolkit with McBurney Disability Resource Center
If you are a student approved for accommodations through the McBurney Disability Resource Center, please don’t forget to make your selections in McBurney Connect as soon as possible. Once your Student Accommodation Letter has been sent, please send me a follow up email [alternative directive: I will send you a follow up email] so that we can connect and outline how your accommodations will work in this course.
Example 5 - Valuing Diversity in Ability, McBurney Disability Resource Center
In this course, disability will not be stigmatized and should not be treated as something “bad” or “less than,” because a person’s worth is inherent. This course recognizes that there are many ways of thinking, being, moving, and doing work as a college student. We honor the strengths, creativity, perspectives, and resilience that come with neurodiversity and the disability experience.
Oftentimes the response to disability is focused on “fixing” the individual and on what they need to do differently. I recognize that learning environments often contain barriers because they have not been designed for a broad definition of learner. I am committed to working to remove barriers and expanding students’ access to learning.
Accommodations help alter “default” university settings to be more reflective of human differences and provide equal access. If you have or think you may have a disability (e.g. attentional, learning, mental health, chronic health, sensory, and/or physical) and would like more information about accommodations, please contact the McBurney Disability Resource Center. Staff members there can work with you to explore your potential through access.
Additional help
Contact CTLM if you have questions or would like to speak with one of our specialists.
For more details on institutional syllabus requirements, contact Student Learning Assessment.
For support with the course proposal process, contact your school/college Academic Planner and review the online resources.
School/College resources
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Agricultural & Life Sciences
The Academic Planning Team in CALS Academic Affairs can provide a CALS syllabus template. The team supports faculty with course planning and development, program design, instructional and academic policy, and degree integrity. Email academicplanning@cals.wisc.edu.
Business
The Teaching, Learning, and Assessment Team supports faculty in delivering premium student learning experiences through innovative and evidence-based instructional practices. Areas of expertise include course design, media production, pedagogical or assessment questions, student data analytics, and teaching with technology.
Education
Media, Education, Research, and Information Technology (MERIT) provides library resources, technology support, and support for teaching and learning in the School of Education. The Teaching and Learning Team assists with designing learning experiences, thought-partners on teaching issues, and collaborates to create instructional media. We prioritize relationships and are committed to finding solutions to some of the most challenging elements of teaching and learning.
Engineering
The Center for Innovation in Engineering Education (CIEE) includes the Collaboratory for Engineering Education and Teaching Excellence (CEETE). CEETE partners with faculty, instructional staff, administration, and other areas on campus to support and continuously improve teaching, learning, and the student experience.
Human Ecology
The Teaching & Learning Team (Chelsea Martinez and Andrea Johnston) can provide a SoHE syllabus template as well as teaching and learning consultation and guidance on pedagogy, technology integration, and support for instructional spaces. Contact them at teaching@sohe.wisc.edu.
Law
A syllabus template, an adjunct faculty manual, information about referring law students for counseling, and other resources are available through the Faculty and Staff Resources webpage.
Letters & Science
The L&S Instructional Design Collaborative supports instructors and departments with consultation, community building, and strategic resources. Connect with the IDC for support with course design, instructional technology, and media creation.
Nursing
The School of Nursing Academic Technology and Innovation (ACT!) Team provides support for SoN courses and can be reached at blended@son.wisc.edu.
Veterinary Medicine
Under the leadership of Associate Dean for Professional Programs Dr. Peggy Schmidt, the School of Veterinary Medicine’s Curriculum and Education Support Team (CEST) offers consultations, coaching, instructional design assistance, and resources on all things education.
Resources include:
- Learning Activities Idea Book
- Self-guided Teaching Portfolio Development Course (you will be prompted to self-enroll via Canvas)
Acknowledgements
This resource was developed in 2025 by academic planning and instructional support staff from multiple campus units.
Special thanks to the UW–Madison instructors who graciously agreed to share the examples presented here and to the Center for User Experience for support with digital accessibility. The ESL 117 example, excerpted from Academic Writing, © by UW-Madison ESL Program, is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. The WISCIENCE example, excerpted from the syllabus for INTEGSCI 260, © 2024 by WISCIENCE, is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.
If you have feedback or information you’d like to contribute, please contact CTLM.