A syllabus is, in essence, a contract between the teacher and student regarding policies, procedures, and content of a course.  Because this contract is so important, it is useful for new and experienced teachers alike to review their syllabi to ensure that all necessary material is included.  This section highlights several "generic" issues that should be addressed in a well constructed syllabus.   In addition to this resource, instructors are also encouraged to review colleagues' syllabi, course catalogue descriptions, and campus policies on issues like attendance, special needs accommodation, and plagiarism when constructing their syllabi.

The building blocks of a well thought out syllabus revolves around four issues: Course objectives, course policies, course assignments, and the course schedule.  Each of these issues are discussed in detail.

Course Objectives

When planning your course it is important for you to keep in mind the objectives you have for your students.  Typically, objectives are thought of in terms of behavioral or observable objectives.  That is, the objectives you set for your students should specify the exact behaviors you want to observe from your students as a result of instruction.  To meet this requirement, effective objective statements should describe an observable target behavior for students and specify the conditions under which those behaviors should be enacted.  By specifying objectives in this way, both you and your students are clear on what it takes to successfully complete the course.

Courses in interviewing are typically performance-based classes where students engage in several "mock" interviews ranging from simple informative interviews to more complex professional interviews (e.g., the medical interview).  The performance nature of this class makes it incumbent on teachers to specify clear objectives.   Although numerous objectives could be articulated, here are some sample objectives for a typical interviewing course:

After completing this course, you should be able to:

1. Identify, explain, and apply general theoretical principles related to interviewing including the major types of interviews, the parties involved in interviews, the roles enacted during interviews, the role of perception in interviews, and the nature of communication interactions.
2. Identify the functions and techniques for the three major components of an interview: the opening, the body, and the closing.
3. Construct an interview guide containing a variety of primary and secondary questions following a sequence appropriate for the purpose of the interview.
4. With a partner, engage in two of the following specialized interviews: journalistic interview, survey interview, persuasive interview, performance interview, counseling interview, and/or health care interview.
5. Prepare a job description, cover letter, and resume appropriate for a position you intend to apply for within the next 5 years.
6. Answer questions during a mock employment interview based on the job description, cover letter, and resume you create.
7. Prepare a selection interview guide based on a job description, cover letter, and resume constructed by one of your peers.
8. Conduct a selection interview following appropriate EEO laws and interviewing principles discussed in the course.

Policies and Procedures

Because the syllabus is analogous to a legal contract, several policies and procedures must be covered to adequately protect both teachers and students.  Especially if you are a new instructor on a campus, you are encouraged to seek advice from colleagues and/or campus teaching centers about campus-specific policies and procedures.  Briefly, these are some issues you should address:

1. Attendance Policy.  Most campuses have some form of attendance policy.  Some campuses may specify the number of absences a student may have in a course and the consequences for exceeding that number whereas other campuses may officially leave attendance to the discretion of the instructor.  Typically, such policies are articulated in the campus undergraduate bulletin/catalogue.  In your syllabus you should specify, in detail, your attendance policy.  In particular, you should indicate the number of absences students may have, the specific consequences for exceeding that number, and what you count as "excused absences."
2. Academic Misconduct Policy.  As with attendance policies, most campuses have official policies governing cases of academic misconduct including cheating and plagiarism.  This policy should be articulated in your syllabus as well including definitions of academic misconduct and potential consequences if such conduct is proven.
3. Accommodation Policy.  Obviously, teachers have an obligation (and legal responsibility) to make reasonable accommodations for students with special needs.   In your syllabus, you should explain that you are willing to make such accommodations and also provide the contact information for your campus disability services office.
4. Late Work Policy.  Many instructors fail to include this policy on their syllabi and decide whether to accept late work on a case-by-case basis.   Unfortunately, this strategy can create perceptions of inequity if students perceive such decisions to be inconsistent.  In your syllabus, you should explain the exact conditions (if any) under which you will accept late work or allow "make up" exams.
5. Grading Policy.  In your syllabus you should specify exactly how students will be graded and the grading scale used to determine final grades (even if the scale is a standard 90-80-70-60 scale).

Course Assignments

Assignment sheets should be included in your syllabus for each major assignment in the course.  At minimum, the assignment sheet should include a detailed description of the assignment and general expectations for successful completion of the assignment (e.g., length, format, etc.).  You may also include appropriate examples or other resources to aid students in completion of the assignment.  By providing this information in the syllabus, students have "fair warning" about the work involved in the course.   This website contains activities which illustrate the components of an assignment sheet.

Course Schedule

Most instructors include a "tentative" daily schedule in their syllabus (it is often referred to as "tentative" so that changes can be made during the semester if the class begins to move too slowly or too quickly).  The most important rule of thumb when constructing the daily schedule is to make it intuitive!  Students should be able to easily understand what material should be read on what day as well as when assignments are due.  When constructing your daily schedule, you should plan for appropriate pacing in the course.  That is, space major assignments apart from one another and avoid covering more than 1 chapter per day if possible.  Sample daily schedules are included in other sections of this website.

Final Thoughts

A well designed course syllabus is essential for a well organized course.   Remember, the basic rule of thumb is that if it is not in the syllabus it is NOT an official policy of your course.  Especially with performance courses like Interviewing, instructors must take great care when constructing the syllabus.  Although sample daily schedules and one sample syllabus is currently included, you are invited to submit your syllabus for inclusion in this website so that other Interviewing instructors can see how you format your course.  Please contact Scott Titsworth if you are willing to have your syllabus included.