The syllabus is the first opportunity an instructor has to give students an impression of a course. In addition to providing an overview of course goals, policies, and content, a well-designed syllabus can demonstrate an instructor’s teaching style, values, and commitment to student success in the course. An inclusive syllabus utilizes language, policies, and principles that promote equal access and opportunities for all students.
Below are recommendations for creating an inclusive syllabus:
- Use a warm, welcoming tone and language: describe what students will do in the course, not what they must not do
Here are some specific examples:
| Cold Language | Warm Language |
| If you need to contact me outside of class… | I welcome you to contact me outside of class… |
| Students are required to attend all course sessions. | We highly encourage students to attend all live lectures, but we will also be posting recordings to Canvas for students who cannot attend. |
| Some of the skills you should learn in the course include… | Some of the skills I hope you will learn throughout the course include… |
| Late work will be penalized by 50%. | Late work is still eligible for 50% partial credit. |
Building an Inclusive Syllabus
- Focus the course description on what students can learn rather than course content (i.e., what the course will teach)
Here are some specific tips:
- Provide information on what your students will need to do and what resources are available.
- Be transparent with students about grading and expectations.
- Switch from saying “this course will…” or “students will…” to “we will…” and “you will…”
- Let students know what you hope they will learn through your course and what useful skills they will gain.
Building an Inclusive Syllabus
- Adopt supportive and understanding course policies and provide the rationale behind policies and expectations.
Here are some specific ideas:
- Be empathetic with students in your attendance and assignment policies. For example, if you want attendance to be mandatory, communicate this to students, but also be understanding if students must miss a class for health, family, or other important reasons.
- Consider dropping students’ lowest test or assignment scores to help reduce stress and help students balance work with other obligations.
- Offer regularly scheduled office hours as well as flexible options for students with conflicting schedules. Explain the purpose of your office hours and what students can gain from connecting with you.
- Assume students’ best intentions when talking about academic integrity.
Building an Inclusive Syllabus
- Use accessible design to make the course accessible to all students; not only should the syllabus make it clear that all students will be supported equitably, but also the design of the syllabus itself should be accessible to all students.
Here are some recommendations for accessible design:
- Focus on making your syllabus easy to read and navigate, such as by keeping paragraphs short and including clear section titles.
- Draft your syllabus using Google Docs. Documents created with the platform work well with accessible technologies such as braille devices, screen readers, and screen magnification.
- Rather than providing the syllabus in only hard copy at the first class, consider also offering an accessible digital version (e.g., using Microsoft Word, which has a built-in accessibility checker feature), so that students might use a screen reader as needed.
- Create a course schedule in table form. This is a concise and organized way to help students understand what the course will look like and how they can best prepare for each session. Make sure to use clear column and row headers and follow other best practices for accessibility with screen readers.
Building an Inclusive Syllabus
- Include a syllabus statement about your commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Here are guidelines and considerations for creating a statement and some examples:
Guidance for Creating a Diversity, Inclusivity, and Respect Syllabus Statement
Diversity and Inclusion Syllabus Statements
Diversity Statements
Diversity Statement on a Syllabus
Diversity and Inclusion Syllabus Statements
Sample Inclusive Course Policies and Diversity Statements
- Include information on resources that provide student support.
At Alliant, the SharePoint Student Resource Hub contains information, resources, documents and forms designed to support and enhance the student experience. It includes links to Student Affairs, Student Finance Resources, Center for Student Excellence, Library Services, Information Technology, and Resources for Trans and Gender-Expansive Students. Additionally, links to the Office of Accessibility, Alliant Veteran Services, and International Student Services are also available.
- Use inclusive language
Use language that acknowledges that students come from diverse backgrounds and does not exclude or ignore certain groups. Do not use terms that reflect only the dominant culture (e.g., terms such as Christmas break rather than winter break, slang, or jargon). Use gender-neutral language (e.g., avoid generic use of male pronouns and use singular “they”).
Dr. Kim Case’s PowerPoint presentation, Integrating Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion into Course Content and Assignments (Kim Case, PhD) provides additional specific examples.
- Be transparent and explicit and set clear expectations.
Transparency helps students better understand the expectations of instructors, including how they will be assessed. According to the Columbia University Center for Teaching Excellence, “The syllabus is an opportunity to be transparent and explicit; for example, how do the course assessments support students’ achievement of specific learning outcomes? Why is the course divided across specific topics?”
It is important to provide students with specific information and underlying rationale, for the course including
- Course goals and learning objectives
- Descriptions of all assessments
- Assignment instructions and due dates
- Rubrics for grading assignments and assessments
- Class participation guidelines
- Information on how to communicate with instructor
Additional CTE Resources
How to Create a Syllabus
Quick Guide to Accessible Syllabi
Inclusive Teaching
Universal Design for Learning
Gender Inclusive Teaching
Sources
Stanford University Teaching Commons
Building an Inclusive Syllabus
Columbia University
https://ctl.columbia.edu/resources-and-technology/resources/designing-inclusive-syllabus/
Indiana University/Bloomington Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning
Inclusive and Equitable Syllabi
University of Utah Martha Bradley Evans Center for Teaching Excellence
Developing and Inclusive Syllabus
U Mass/Amherst Center for Teaching & Learning
Six Principles of Inclusive Syllabus Design
Oregon State University Center for Teaching and Learning
Writing a Warm Syllabus
Oregon State University
Guidance for Creating a Diversity, Inclusivity, and Respect Syllabus Statement
Brown University Sheridan Center for Teaching and Learning
Diversity and Inclusion Syllabus Statements
Yale University Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning
Diversity Statements
Carnegie Mellon University Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence & Educational Innovation
Diversity Statement on a Syllabus
San Diego State University Division of Student Affairs and Campus Diversity
Diversity and Inclusion Syllabus Statements
University of Massachusetts
Sample Inclusive Course Policies and Diversity Statements
Below is a summary of a recent article on equity, diversity and inclusion considerations in creating a syllabus:
There are multiple ways for instructors to implement their commitment to inclusive teaching. One of these was discussed by Fuentes, Zelaya, and Madsen (2020) in their recent article on Rethinking the Course Syllabus: Considerations for Promoting Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. The authors contended that the course syllabus sets the tone for the course environment; it is instrumental in the attempt to integrate equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) into a course. Hence, faculty “need to consider pedagogical approaches that are attentive to equity and inclusion and make these efforts evident in the syllabus” (p. 3).
To that end, Fuentes et al. offered eight considerations for promoting EDI in the course syllabus:
- Engage in reflexivity: consider how one’s own sociocultural backgrounds may influence one’s approach to EDI.
- Adopt a diversity– centered approach: consider the relevance of cultural factors and infuse this consideration in every aspect of the course, including topics, readings, lectures, activities, and assignments.
- Highlight diversity in the course description and acknowledge intersectionality: make sure the course description indicates that diversity will be included and commit “not to recreate systemic oppression within the classroom” (p.6).
- Develop diversity– centered learning objectives: either adopt a culture-centered approach, which involves infusion of EDI into all learning objectives, or add a specific learning objective focusing on EDI.
- Include a diversity statement: develop, adapt, or adopt a statement that includes (a) a commitment to respect for diversity, (b) a list of relevant dimensions of diversity, (c) a commitment to valuing diverse perspectives, and (d) expectations regarding classroom behavior. (The articles provides citations for model diversity statements.)
- Decolonize the syllabus: acknowledge and counter the traditional power structure in academics by (a) focusing on readings by authors from marginalized and historically underrepresented groups, (b) acknowledging different holidays and privileges of holidays celebrated, (c) explaining and emphasizing the importance of office hours in order to mentor first-generation college students, (d) re-examining policies regarding grading, class participation, and attendance to assure equity, (e) rethinking assignments and tests to take into account the diversity of learning abilities and incorporating alternative approaches (e.g., active learning), (f) including territorial acknowledgement.
- Foster a family-friendly syllabus: develop a policy that promotes the diversity of needs and equitable treatment.
- Establish ground rules for communication: promote civil discourse by working with students to develop classroom communication guidelines.
The authors contended that when faculty include EDI considerations in syllabi, it will “raise their cultural consciousness, help students from marginalized backgrounds feel welcomed, and assist students with more privilege to increase their own awareness and intercultural competence” (p. 9).