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, offer 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 inclusion for all students.
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
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.
- Use inclusive language
Use language that acknowledges that students come from diverse backgrounds and does not exclude or ignore any groups. Do not use slang or jargon. Use gender-neutral language.
Dr. Kim Case’s PowerPoint, Integrating Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Into Course Content and Assignments 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 Developing Student Learning Objectives
- Descriptions of all assessments
- Assignment instructions and due dates Assignment Prompts
- Rubrics for grading assignments and assessments Creating Rubrics
- Class participation guidelines Rubrics for Class Participation
- 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
Sources
Stanford University Teaching Commons
Building an Inclusive Syllabus
Columbia University
Designing an Inclusive Syllabus
University of Utah Martha Bradley Evans Center for Teaching Excellence
Developing and Inclusive Syllabus
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
University of Massachusetts
Sample Inclusive Course Policies and Diversity Statements
Carnegie Mellon University Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence & Educational Innovation
Diversity and Inclusion Syllabus Statements
University of Wisconsin/Madison L&S Instructional Design Collaborative
Make Your Syllabus More Inclusive
University of Kansas Center for Teaching Excellence
Inclusive Syllabi
Tufts University Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching
How do I create an inclusive syllabus?