- Steans Center - Student Records - Academic Calendar - Campus
Connection DePaul Teaching & Learning Blogs Twenty years ago,
many instructors would have described the syllabus as a "table
of contents" or, alternatively, a "contract." Today's books on
college teaching and course design are likely to draw on
different metaphors: the syllabus is a map or travelogue, as it
both describes the intended destination and explains why one
might want to go in the first place (Nilson, 27). The most
effective syllabus goes beyond listing the logistics and the
topics covered in the course - it (a) articulates the conceptual
framework for the course; (b) introduces students to the key
questions or problems facing experts in the field; (c) suggests
the ways in which an understanding of the course subject
matters; and (d) identifies the specific skills and knowledge
students will be able to demonstrate upon leaving the course.
Typical elements of a syllabus - Title page (Course title,
semester, date written, your name) - Cont