INSTRUCTION

Course Outline

The course outline is a document that outlines the structure of a course developed for catalog or special topics course approval. The course outline includes a course description, credit hours, number, title and other required information. Course outlines of catalog courses will be reviewed and updated at least every three years. Special topics course outlines are valid for one academic year, including summer sessions.

Syllabus

The syllabus serves as a contract between the instructor and student. It should reflect the competencies that the student can expect to master in that class. The general education requirements (Academic Catalog pg. 58) form the basis of all two or four year degrees. The UAS competencies (Academic Catalog pg. 57) include communication, computer usage, critical thinking, information literacy, professional behavior, and quantitative skills and every course must explain how the content, knowledge, and skills build upon one or more of the UAS competencies.

A course syllabus must be provided to each student at the first class session of a course, with a copy also being filed with the appropriate Dean’s office. UAS Online provides each course with a Website where a course syllabus must be posted either by faculty or their department.

A course syllabus is required to contain the following: (1) clearly defined student outcomes; (2) scope of the material to be covered in the course; (3) required texts and readings; (4) grading method to be used (pass/fail or letter grade, including whether “+ or -” will be employed); (5) explanation of the basis for awarding student grades: exams, papers, quizzes, projects, or other along with due dates and weighting towards calculation of the final grade; (6) notification that student ratings of instruction will occur at some point during the last three weeks of class including specifics on the purpose of the student rating questionnaire; (7) information on locating and using UAS Online; and (8) other pertinent information concerning course management and instructor expectations of students.

Occasionally two or more courses are scheduled in the same classroom at the same time (e.g., ENGL 218/418, Themes in Literature and Advanced Themes in Literature). These are referred to as “stacked courses.” The semester class schedule will indicate if a course is being offered in stacked format. Separate syllabi are required for each stacked course reflecting the distinct and appropriate differences in course requirements and grading and explaining the nature of stacked courses.

08/07