Course Syllabus

A course syllabus serves as a roadmap, offering a clear overview of course content, learning outcomes, teaching and learning activities, assessment methods, and essential policies. It is a vital document for instructors to communicate course design and expectations, guiding students as they navigate their learning journey for a successful term.

This page provides syllabus templates, sample language, examples, and resources to support effective course syllabus preparation. You can choose from the UBC Vancouver Course Syllabus template or other recommended templates developed across UBC—their use is entirely optional, but designed to assist you. 

Syllabus Policy

The policy on Content and Distribution of Course Syllabi (Policy V-130) applies to all credit-bearing courses offered by the University of British Columbia including direct studies, special topics, fieldwork, and practicum courses. Graduate-level thesis and dissertation courses are exempt.

Syllabus Template

To assist faculty in preparing syllabi that meet the policy, a template has been prepared for optional use. 

Download Course Syllabus Template (Word version).

 Click each section title below to expand and read more content below.

Information about the UBCV Course Syllabus Template

  • This template is broken into discrete sections. All sections are required for all course syllabi as set out in Senate Policy V-130 (PDF) unless they are marked as ‘highly recommended’ or ‘optional’ in this template.
  • You can rearrange, modify, or add sections to fit your course, teaching style, or your academic unit’s template.
  • The text inside square brackets [ ] provides guidance on what to include in each section. These instructions are meant to explain the kind of information expected but do not cover all possible details you might include. Delete the brackets and instructions after completing each section.

Make Your Syllabus Accessible

  • This template is designed with accessibility in mind to ensure all students can access and navigate its content. Specifically, the template uses clear and logical headings, readable fonts, proper list and table formatting, sufficient color contrast, and descriptive hyperlinks. It will serve as a strong first step that makes your syllabus content accessible to all learners, including those using screen readers.
  • When editing table elements, such as merging cells, adding/deleting rows or columns, or changing headings, please use caution. Making structural changes can unintentionally affect screen reader navigation and impact accessibility. If unsure, consult accessibility guidelines or reach out for support.
  • Avoid using screenshots of text. Instead, type out the text to support accessibility.
  • Avoid overusing bold, italics, or underlining for emphasis. Too much formatting can make text harder to read. Use headings to organize content clearly and consistently.
  • When saving your syllabus as a PDF, follow the steps below to create an accessible PDF.
    • Windows users: Using “Save As PDF” usually creates an accessible PDF by default. If not, click “More Options,” go to the Options menu, and make sure “Document structure tags for accessibility” is checked.
    • Mac users: Use Word (Office 365) to create accessible PDFs. Choose “Save As,” then under “File Format,” choose PDF. Select “Best for electronic distribution and accessibility (uses Microsoft online services),” then click “Export.”

Distribute to Students

  • Date the document, save it as an accessible PDF document, and distribute it to your students. If you are using Canvas, you may wish to upload the content into the syllabus tool. If a student requests it, provide a paper copy.
  • The syllabus must be provided to registered students within the first week of class unless you will create the syllabus in consultation with the students, in which case the syllabus must be finalized prior to the last date by which students are permitted to drop the course without receiving a “W” on their transcript.
  • If any changes are made to the syllabus after the last day students can drop the course without receiving a ‘W’ on their transcript, the instructor must explain the rationale to the class. The instructor must provide students with a revised and dated version of the syllabus and notify them electronically of the changes.

Components of a Syllabus

Click each component title below to expand and read more content, including instructions, sample language, examples, or resources. All sections are required components of a syllabus unless stated otherwise.

Land Acknowledgement [Highly Recommended]

These acknowledgements involve providing more detailed information about the colonial, historical, and cultural context of the lands you are on. They typically include a brief introduction of yourself and a statement about your relationship to the nations whose lands you are acknowledging. They may also offer additional context about your own cultural and geographical background. A personal land acknowledgement often takes only one-two minutes (or one-two short paragraphs), and in most scenarios, there is enough time and space to ensure a personal acknowledgement is given.

(Source: Land Acknowledgement at UBC) 

Create a personal land acknowledgment that meaningfully connects to your course content, reflecting your personal connections and commitments to action. (Some faculties or departments may have established land acknowledgment statements for consistency across syllabi.) Find additional guidance at:

Example (UBC’s Indigenous Portal)

UBC’s Point Grey Campus is located on the ancestral and unceded territory of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam) people. The land it is situated on has always been a place of learning for the Musqueam people, who for millennia have passed on their culture, history, and traditions from one generation to the next on this site.

Example (Catherine Rawn, PSYC_V 217)

Land Acknowledgement: Throughout this course we will gather at UBC Vancouver’s Point Grey Campus, which is situated on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded, territory of the hənqəminəm speaking Musqueam (xʷməθkʷəyəm) people, who have been learning and living here for thousands of years. Learn more about Musqueam here.

Why? About 100 years ago, colonialism was baked right into the discipline we’re studying and into the institution that brings us here on this land. What does this mean for us today? There are no easy answers, except one: It’s our responsibility to continually open ourselves up to learning. Join me on this journey.

Course Information

Provide course essential course information (as in the Academic Calendar), including:

  • Course Code, Section, and Title: As listed in UBC Academic Calendar, e.g., CODE_V 100 001 Course Title
  • Academic Period: e.g., 2024-25 Winter Term 1
  • Credits: e.g., # Credits
  • Course Delivery Mode: e.g., In-Person, Online, Hybrid, Multi-Access
  • Prerequisites and Corequisites: List any prerequisite or concurrent courses required for this course. If none, indicate there are none.

Course Description

Calendar Description

Provide Course Description as on UBC Academic Calendar.

Extended Course Description

In addition to the description from the UBC Academic Calendar, provide your extended course description, clearly stating the overall reason for the course, its intended audience, connections to related courses, and underlying philosophy, and so on. You may highlight pedagogical approaches or special activities such as fieldwork or a capstone project. The goal is to give students a deeper understanding of the course, its intent and practice than the academic calendar description does alone.

Example (Duffy Roberts, CONS_V 449)

An excerpt from CONS_V 449

Our course engages the following (larger) place-specific questions: How do writers make sense of place? How do we make sense of any place? What stories do forests and trees tell?  How does space become place? How does place become home? What stories do places tell? How are we constituted by home, by homing? How do we constitute home? Where is here? (Northrop Frye). Our course will also emphasize that places are interconnected systems, and by engaging with them, by enacting inquiry and discovery and foraging through these multi-valent places, students will see the creative potential for environmental and place-based education rooted in meta-cognition and lived, place-based experiences.

Example (Antoine Coulombe, SOWK_V 335)

This course will explore theories, key concepts and methods to support our ability to analyze and understand privilege, discrimination and oppression in the context of Social Work practice. We will examine how ableism, ageism, capitalism, cisnormativity, classism, colonialism, heterosexism, patriarchy, racism and other systems of oppression intersect to create social locations, violence, oppression, and political resistance. Our approach will be guided by critical theories, structural theory, anti-oppressive practices, and the empowerment perspective.

Throughout the course, you will gain the skills to conduct a comprehensive and insightful social analysis. You will improve your ability to understand complex situations by participating in personal, cultural, and structural (PCS) analysis. This analysis will explore the relationships between individual and societal factors within different structural contexts. By the end of the course, you will have developed a forward-thinking theoretical and practical framework that can assist you in understanding and working with individuals, families, and groups.

Instructor(s) and Other Instructional Staff

These sections provide key details about the course instructor(s) and any student-facing members of teaching staff such as teaching assistants.

  • Name: Provide name.
  • Contact Details: Include all contact information / communication channels you are willing to have students use. If you have a preferred mode, state it. For example, do you accept email inquiries? What is your typical response time?
  • Office: List a physical office location and/or virtual office room.
  • Office Hours: Do you have set office hours or can students make appointments? Do you hold “office hours” online? If so, how do students access you?
  • Teaching Roles (Only for Other Instructional Staff): Describe how they support students’ learning (e.g., leading discussions, labs, grading). For what reasons should the students contact the teaching staff and for what reasons should they contact you?

Instructor’s Bio [Highly Recommended]

For a personal touch, consider providing a short biography, positional statement, accessibility statement and/or approach to teaching in this course. Here are some tips for writing your short biography:

  • Use the first person and write as if you are talking to your students.
  • Introduce your academic background and relevant experiences that connect to the course content.
  • Share what excites you about teaching your course.
  • Briefly mention your teaching approach.
  • Add a sentence or two about your interests, hobbies, or a fun fact to help students see you as approachable.
  • Keep your bio concise. Limit it to one-two paragraphs. If you’d like to share more, consider expanding your bio in your Canvas course space.

Instructor’s Bio Example in the form of Positionality Statement (Catherine Rawn, PSYC_V 217)

I’m a white settler, descended from Scottish, British, and Northern Irish immigrants (in the 1800s and 1900s), and German Palatine refugees (in the 1700s). I was born and raised in Guelph Ontario, unknowingly on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation of the Anishinaabek Peoples. My extended family is large and complicated. I was the first in my close family network to attend university, and although we always had food we experienced great financial hardships. I attended St. Jerome’s (Catholic) University within the University of Waterloo, where I majored in Psychology, minored in Human Resources Management, and met my future husband. I ended up at UBC, on Musqueam territory, for graduate school in social psychology, thanks to a long history of excellent teachers who encouraged and taught me how to keep pursuing education. My commitment to teaching grew from a desire to help others learn things I had struggled with (like statistics). Education has changed me and my family relationships, in helpful and hurtful ways. I am currently a Professor of Teaching in UBCV’s Psychology Department (hired in 2009 immediately on graduation, tenured in 2014). My journey through this course re-design has been inspired by some massive shifts, globally, locally, professionally, and personally, concentrated over the past three or so years. I was trained as a social psychologist, and have long been interested in motivation and learning. Self Determination Theory of motivation (Ryan & Deci, 2000) often informs my teaching practice. I strive to create conditions that support your experience of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Where can you spot applications of this theory in this course design? What additional ideas do you have for how to apply this theory? For more information: https://selfdeterminationtheory.org.

Why? As we will explore together, understanding positionality is about identifying the social roles and lived experiences that shape the perspective you uniquely bring to learning, research, teaching, and your life more broadly. I share with you here a sample of my working understanding of who I bring to you in this course, while we understand how knowledge is created in psychology. Sharing this information makes me feel vulnerable, but it also feels true and transparent— part of what it means to be taking this course with me this year. I recognize the power I have as a Professor of Teaching, with tenure, to model my positionality so openly. I will invite you to consider your positionality in relation to what we are learning about research in psychology, and to write about it in your Researcher Notes. But I will not ask you to share anything you do not want to share, and I will not expect you to share your writings with peers if you do not wish to do so.

Accessibility Statement Example (Weaver Shaw, LLED 201)

I am committed to maximizing the accessibility of this course. I strive to offer open materials, provide accessible formats, offer choices and flexibility, and offer additional support to assist you in completing assessments. If you encounter any difficulties or barriers, please contact me right away. I welcome your feedback on ways to improve the course’s support and ensure it honours your learning needs. My goal is to foster decolonized and inclusive learning environments that promote your educational journey. Your physical, emotional, and mental health are all factors on that journey. Please see our list of UBC resources on Canvas for more information.

Accessibility and Diversity Statement Example (Antoine Coulombe, SOWK_V 335)

As your instructor, my goal for this term is to provide an inclusive and accessible learning environment for everyone. I am committed to designing a course that removes barriers to learning and embraces inclusivity. This means that I will work to improve diversity and accessibility so that we can reduce the need for accommodations. Creating an accessible learning experience requires the effort of everyone in the class. I expect you to consider accessibility when completing assignments shared with your classmates. For example, please include close-captioning for videos and alternative text for images shared in the discussion forum. I value your feedback, so please let me know immediately if you encounter any barriers so I can assess potential adjustments to the course design.

Course Learning Outcomes/Objectives

Course learning outcomes or objectives (LO) define what skills, knowledge, or attitudes students are expected to acquire and be assessed on throughout the course. These LOs, developed by your department and approved by Senate, outline the intended results of this course in relationship to the degree/department. If the approved LOs are outdated or need revisions, consult with your department.

Effective LOs are specific, use action-oriented verbs that are measurable and observable, and are challenging yet achievable upon successful completion of the course. Each LO should support the course’s overall goals and directly link to assessments outlined in the Assessment of Learning section in the syllabus. 

Find more detailed guidance on writing effective learning outcomes at:

Learning Materials

List of required learning materials, including (but not limited to) textbooks, reading packages, on-line assessment tools, lab and field trip manuals and equipment, technological devices. For each item, include:

  • Where students can obtain them.
  • An estimated cost.
  • Edition, ISBN, and publisher, if applicable.
  • Any software or app requirements, including if they are limited to certain operating systems.

Consider the use of Open Educational Resources for accessibility and affordability. 

Assessment Materials/Tools: Cost to access fee-based assessment materials/tools must not exceed 12% of the domestic tuition (about $70 for each three-credit course at the time this template was developed in 2024/2025) and cannot account for more than 20% of overall assessment grade. See Policy V-131 (PDF).

Open Educational Resources (OERs): For accessibility and affordability, you could explore the use of Open Educational Resources (OERs) in your course. Visit Open UBC to learn about and get support about OERs.  

Learning Material Procurement:

  • If you need to order learning materials for students, visit UBC Bookstore. 
  • You can use the Library Online Course Reserves (LOCR) to create a single list of course materials, accessible via the Canvas course menu. If you need support with LOCR, submit your syllabus to UBC Library via ‘Syllabus Service.’

Course Structure and Learning Activities

Outline main components of your course, such as lectures, labs, discussions, and tutorials and their modalities: in-person, online, hybrid, and multi-access. Describe the main learning activities that students will engage in (e.g., case studies, online discussions, presentations, field trips) so your students can prepare and better engaged in, and they can reach out for extra support when needed.

Excerpt Example (Katie Bunting, OSOT_V 511)

We have designed this course intentionally to best support your learning ☺ We will learn together mostly through in-person classes held indoors, but we’ll also learn outdoors too! We will use active learning approaches (e.g., case-based, arts-based, place-based, discussion), self-directed study, and more traditional lectures. We do our best to post class materials two days before class. Let’s have fun 😀 

Excerpt Example (Antoine Coulombe, SOWK_V 335)

Class Structure: During each class, we will spend approximately two hours engaging in the essential topics of Social Work Analysis for Practice, discussing the main components of this course and exploring different topics with guest speakers. The remaining class time will be spent in your Community of Practice.

Individual Work: Complete assigned readings, materials and assignments. Visit Canvas weekly to keep current on coursework and contribute knowledge and ideas in class and in your CoP.

Community of Practice (CoP): CoPs are groups of people who share a passion for a common subject and come together to discuss and explore ideas and grow their understanding of theory and practice. You have been randomly assigned to a CoP of around 6-8 people. You will deepen your understanding of how theory can inform social work practice through rapport-building, analyzing case studies, and collaborating on assignments. Additionally, your CoP will provide a sense of belonging and serve as your primary source of support and discussion. You can access your CoP through the Groups tab on Canvas, where there is a designated area for sharing ideas and working collaboratively.

Course Schedule

Provide a schedule with list of topics. Include necessary information such as dates, required and optional readings, learning activities, and/or important deadlines.

Assessments of Learning

Identify the diverse ways used to assess achievement of stated learning outcomes or objectives, when each will occur, and the weighting of each component in the final grade.  

Provide a short description of each assessment to let students know the key information without overwhelming them. Detailed instructions, criteria, and grading rubrics for each assessment may be in either Appendix, on separated documents, or in corresponding sections on Canvas.

Excerpt Example (Katie Bunting, OSOT_V 511)

We use assignments to assess your learning and receive feedback as you progress in achieving the course learning objectives. We use both traditional (e.g., exam, case application) and non-traditional (e.g., peer feedback, self- reflection, critical creative projects, video) assignments to know that you’ve completed the major course learning objectives. You will notice some diversity in assignments, as well as choice with your summative (final) assignment, in line with universal design for learning. 

Assignment Marks weight (% of Final Grade) Deadlines
Case-based Application Worksheet 1 17.5 17.5% Fri, Oct 4, 11:59 pm
Case-based Application Worksheet 1 17.5 17.5% Fri, Nov 15, 11:59 pm
Occupational Analysis 25 25% Fri, Oct 25, 11:59 pm
Choice of Summative Assignment 40 40% Thurs, Dec 5, 11:59 pm

Course Policies

State your course policies, in accordance with the Grading Practices and Campus-wide policies and regulations that can be found in the Academic Calendar. You may include the following: 

Attendance

Clarify how absences or lack of participation might affect a student’s grade and provide any guidelines for makeup work in case of excused absences. 

Late Submission and/or Missed Work

Outline your late or missed submission policy, including penalties, deadlines for accepting late work, and conditions for extensions (e.g., illness or emergencies). Explain how students should request extensions.  

Regrading

Provide instructions on how students can request regrading, if applicable, and clarify any conditions or deadlines for regrading requests. 

Example (Antoine Coulombe, SOWK_V 305G)

If you believe an assignment has been unfairly graded, you can submit a Re-Grade Request. To qualify, you must send me a written request via email or Canvas within one week of the grades being posted. In your request, please clearly state the specific aspects of the assessment that require reevaluation and provide references to the grading criteria. I will carefully consider your request and respond via email as soon as possible. Please note that the re-grade may result in an increase or decrease, and the decision is final.

Academic Integrity/Mis-conduct

Explain what academic integrity in your course is and emphasize the importance of originality and integrity in their work. Explain what students need to do to show their understanding. Outline (or provide a link to) how you and your department handle misconduct. You are encouraged to share this Academic Integrity for Students site with your students. Find additional guidance and sample language at:

Sample Language for Examinations (UBCO Centre for Teaching and Learning)

Closed-Book Examinations

The examinations in this course are all closed-book, so you are NOT permitted to access any of the course materials, including your notes, during the exam. You are NOT to use any search engines or other programs except for the program required to complete the exam. You are also NOT to communicate with anyone about the exam during the scheduled write time or after the examination – you are to work independently. Communication with other students (written, text, verbal, etc.) is not permitted and will constitute Academic Misconduct.

If you violate these conditions you have engaged in Academic Misconduct and will be subject to the consequences articulated in the Academic Integrity section [insert link in your course syllabus].

Students will be asked to acknowledge the academic integrity pledge prior to completing the examination. [Include this statement only if you intend to use this pledge] & [instructors, please include a reference to the software being used (i.e., Respondus Lockdown Browser, Proctorio) and exam invigilation procedures]

Open-Book Examinations

The examinations in this course are all open-book, i.e., you have access to any of the course materials, including your notes, during the exam. It is important to note, however, that you will likely not have enough time to look up the majority of the answers, so preparation prior to the examination is beneficial. You should prepare for these exams as if you had to do them under supervised conditions so studying for them will be necessary if you wish to succeed.

You are NOT allowed to discuss questions and answers with your peers. You are/are NOT allowed to use any search engines [instructors, please include reference to the software being used (i.e., Respondus Lockdown Browser, Proctorio) and exam invigilation procedures.]

Use of Educational Technology

Specify what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable use of educational technology (e.g., Generative AI) in learning and assessments as well as a rationale for students to understand how their use aligns or does not align with course learning objectives. Find additional guidance and sample language at:

Sample Language for Use of Generative AI (Sauder School of Business)

Generative AI (Including ChatGPT) Not Permitted 

Any work submitted must be your own original work. Any use of generative artificial intelligence (AI), including ChatGPT, is prohibited and constitutes academic misconduct. Any student suspected of submitting work that includes AI generated content may be asked for preliminary work or other materials to evidence the student’s original and unaided authorship. The student may also be asked to separately explain or support their work. AI identification methods may also be employed by the instructor. After review, if it is determined by the instructor that submitted work likely contains AI generated content, the work may receive a zero and may be subject to further misconduct measures set out in the UBC Academic Calendar.

Generative AI Permitted Where Specified With Attribution 

For this course, students may use generative artificial intelligence (AI), including ChatGPT, for specific assessments or coursework, where it is expressly specified by the instructor. In these cases of permitted use, students must disclose any use of AI-generated material as per the assessment guidelines and keep a record of how it was used. [Optional inclusion: At a minimum, this will include proper attribution, including in-text citations, quotations and references. Please see your assessment guidelines for full details.

Academic concession

Academic concessions are meant to help with unexpected or short-term life events your students may experience. Please contact the Academic Advisory Office in your Faculties to identify faculty-based resources to support your students and your teaching.  

Accessibility and Accommodation

UBC’s Centre for Accessibility (CfA) coordinates academic accommodations for students with disabilities and ongoing medical conditions. If your Faculty or department has specific procedures for handling accommodation letters, please include those instructions here so students are aware of the correct steps to follow.

University Policies and Resources

University Policies and Resources

The following statement should be included in your course syllabus.

UBC provides resources to support student learning and to maintain healthy lifestyles but recognizes that sometimes crises arise and so there are additional resources to access including those for survivors of sexual assault. UBC values respect for the person and ideas of all members of the academic community. Harassment and discrimination are not tolerated nor is suppression of academic freedom. UBC provides appropriate accommodation for students with disabilities and for religious, spiritual and cultural observances. UBC values academic honesty and students are expected to acknowledge the ideas generated by others and to uphold the highest academic standards in all of their actions. 

Details of the policies and how to access support are available on the UBC Senate website. 

Learning Resources and Support [Highly Recommended]

Inform any support resources that are important for student learning in this course.

Example (Duffy Roberts, CONS_V 449)

  • lectures will be recorded
  • PPT slides will be shared
  • lots of in- and out-of-class writing support
  • 50%(ish) of the class will be labor-based grading
  • out class will also accommodate for almost any student access, inclusion, or diversity need; namely, if you’re handing an assignment late, if you missed an assignment, or if you missed classes or need to miss classes in the future. So, you need to miss a class, let us know. You need an extension on an assignment, let us know. Having a difficult time with the class or school, let us know. You require extra support in your writing, let us know. A theme of the above accommodations is “let us know” – communication is key.

Additional Information [Optional]

Use this space to provide additional information, such as but not limited to: Accessibility statement, EDI statement, Wellness information, Learning Analytics, Copyright.

For Learning Analytics, inform your students how you may access and use data to improve teaching and learning and/or conduct scholarly work on teaching and learning. 

Sample Language for Learning Analytics

This course will be using the following learning technologies: [Canvas, WordPress, iPeer, Piazza….]. Many of these tools capture data about your activity and provide information that can be used to improve the quality of teaching and learning. In this course, I plan to use analytics data to: (Example data uses:) 

  • View overall class progress 
  • Track your progress to provide you with personalized feedback 
  • Review statistics on course content being accessed to support improvements in the course  
  • Track participation in discussion forums 
  • Assess your participation in the course 

Sample Language for Copyright

All materials of this course (course handouts, lecture slides, assessments, course readings, etc.) are the intellectual property of the Course Instructor or licensed to be used in this course by the copyright owner. Redistribution of these materials by any means without permission of the copyright holder(s) constitutes a breach of copyright and may lead to academic discipline. 

State whether you permit students to record your classes. 

Additional Syllabus Templates

Your program or department may have its own syllabus template. Below are sample syllabus templates developed by various disciplines across UBC.

Resources for Going Further

Syllabus Consultation

For consultation and support with syllabus design, please contact learning.design@ctlt.ubc.ca or submit a request via the contact form.

Additional Resources

UBC Vancouver Senate

UBC Okanagan Course Syllabus Resources

The CTLT is located on the ancestral and unceded territory of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ - speaking xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) peoples. These lands have long been a place of learning for Musqueam, with cultural and traditional knowledge passed down from generation to generation for thousands of years.