WSU Syllabus Requirements

Find information on the required syllabus elements for mandatory courses, ensuring compliance with USHE guidelines and HB 261.

INTERACTIVE TRAINING FROM WSU ONLINE

WSU Online has created a simple syllabus training module for faculty. This will help walk you through the process of deciding which courses you will need a Simple Syllabus for and how to upload them in the system.

FACULTY RESPONSIBILITIES AND BEST PRACTICES

• Mandatory Courses

  Complete the syllabus template by using the Simple Syllabus tool in Canvas at least five calendar days before the start of each semester to meet legislative requirements.

• Non-mandatory Courses

  Students benefit from clear expectations that are communicated early and consistently by their instructors. The recommended best practice is to share the syllabus with students in Canvas prior to the start of the semester and/or in person during the first day of class. Existing Canvas functionality allows faculty to share their syllabi in published Canvas courses before the course start date. Individual departments and colleges may set additional requirements for salaried and adjunct faculty for non-mandatory courses.

• Adjunct Faculty

  The university’s template adjunct contracts require syllabi to be submitted to department chairs at least five calendar days prior to the start of class, or as soon as possible after hire, if within five calendar days of class starting.

• Simple Syllabus - Software Functionality

  • Access Simple Syllabus through the course navigation menu in Canvas.
  • Complete the syllabus template with the mandatory course details.
  • Use Canvas modules to deliver course introduction materials to enrolled students.

• Faculty Training

  Training took place in April 2025.
  
  Ongoing training

  • A recorded training session is available on Kaltura.
  • An interactive, self-paced training is available through Learn Weber (WSU’s new training platform, replacing Bridge).

• Required Public Syllabus Elements

  For course sections that meet the USHE definition of mandatory, instructors should use the syllabus template in Simple Syllabus. The template allows for additional details to be added, but at a minimum, instructors will need to include the following information:

  • Course Description (available in the WSU catalog’s Course Description section)
  • Course Learning Outcomes
  • Required and Recommended Readings
  • Required Assignments and Grading Methods
  • Required University Policies (pre-populated in the syllabus template)

FACULTY RESPONSIBILITIES AND BEST PRACTICES

• What if a course is added after the syllabus deadline?

  Faculty should try to post syllabi in Canvas as soon as possible for students within the time they have before the semester starts.

• Do concurrent enrollment courses need to post syllabi?

  No, concurrent enrollment courses are exempt from the legislative requirement.

• What if the course reading assignments include current articles from journals, newspapers, or other periodicals as they are published during the semester?

  Please include a statement in the Required and Recommended Readings section of your syllabus similar to the following: Recent articles published during the semester from journals, newspapers, or other periodicals will be provided to support a current understanding of the subject matter or field of study.

• What if I use responsive pedagogy and adjust assignments or other course plan details to meet the learning pace and needs of my students?

  The syllabus template includes the following statement to account for such adjustments in support of student learning: Assignments and readings are subject to change to support students in meeting course learning outcomes.

  If you update assignment information in Canvas, those changes will automatically be reflected in the public syllabus as well.

• Do I have to post a syllabus for an IND course?

  No. Due to the alternative track nature of independent study courses, they are not included in the public-facing syllabus requirement. 

• Can I unpublish a syllabus after it's been published?

  Any syllabus content that has been submitted in Simple Syllabus will be publicly visible five calendar days before the start of a semester. You may edit or delete items, but it is not possible to remove a listing.

• Can I use the Simple Syllabus listing as my main Canvas course syllabus?

  Yes, although it is not recommended. The WSU instance of Simple Syllabus was designed to meet USHE requirements and may not include critical information, such as instructor contact details and office hours. The Canvas Syllabus tool is integrated with other features in Canvas and is recommended as the primary syllabus tool for in-class instruction.

• When do syllabi get published on the public website?

  USHE requirements state that syllabus content must be posted publicly at least five calendar days before the semester begins. Faculty are highly encouraged to submit content before this deadline so all content is accessible on the appropriate day.

• Does previewing a syllabus update my public listing?

  No. The preview button will open a new tab in your browser where you can view what your work will look like when published. Close this tab and return to the browser tab where you are editing content, and press submit to save your work.

• Does each instructor need to publish a syllabus, or can we do it for them at the department or course chair level?

  Each section must publish its syllabus. USHE requires that every section of a course provide a syllabus that reflects the content in that course. Course content in the Simple Syllabus can be imported into future semesters by the course instructor. WSU Online will handle requests to design department- or course-level syllabus templates.

  Requests that do not meet USHE standards will be forwarded to the Registrar’s office for review.

FIND SUPPORT & MORE INFORMATION