COURSE PREPARATION

Successful teaching experiences take careful planning. To design the most effective learning experience for students, instructors should examine sample syllabi on file in academic unit administrative support offices, talk to faculty who have taught the course before, understand how the course fits into the unit's course curriculum, and find out the class size and classroom location from the unit's academic support office.

COURSE SYLLABUS

All faculty are required to provide students with a printed syllabus during the first class meeting. A course syllabus is essentially a 'contract' between the instructor and the student. It should contain a course description with clearly stated goals and objectives, and an outline of course requirements for the students. Generally, copies of previous course syllabi are available from academic unit administrative offices. [See Appendix F for a sample course syllabus.]

A course syllabus should contain the following:

General Course Information - Course number and title, number of credits, present semester, instructor’s name, office hours, telephone number(s) and email address if you will be using electronic communication with students.
• Course Description - A narrative description of the course content similar to that contained in the University Catalog.
• Course Objectives - Clearly articulated course objectives that the student is expected to have achieved upon completion of the course. Course objectives should be closely linked to all course related materials.
Course Expectations - A list clearly outlining the instructor’s expectations concerning missed exams, absenteeism, class preparation, class participation, assignment due dates, etc.
• Course Texts & Materials - A list of the required course text(s) with full bibliographic citation(s), other major readings and materials to be used in the course and where they can be obtained.
• Course Requirements - A list of requirements and expectations (graded and ungraded) for completion of the course. Descriptions of projects, papers, exams, and all other assignments should contain clear, concise information about the format, length and any other specifications necessary for successful completion of assigned activities. When possible, written assignment handouts should be given to all students when an assignment is first introduced.
• Grading Criteria - A grading scale containing relative weight or point distribution for each assignment/exam or class activity that will be assessed including class participation efforts.
• George Mason University Honor Code - A statement reminding students about their responsibility in maintaining the academic integrity of the learning process. [See Appendix B for a copy of the Honor Code].

COURSE MATERIALS

Textbooks and Supplies. Faculty are responsible for selecting texts for single-section courses. Such decisions will be made by the chair or other members of the local academic unit if new part-time faculty are hired too late to make the decision.

Faculty may not earn profits from the sale of unpublished notes, manuscripts, or other materials which they require for classroom use. Faculty should review the Comprehensive Conflict of Interests Act which is available at the University Libraries.

Faculty are obliged to make significant use of required texts. Those not planning to use optional materials should inform their students of this fact at the first class meeting.

Similar principles apply to the planning of laboratory exercises and the ordering of laboratory supplies. Whenever primary responsibilities for multiple laboratory sections are delegated to a single individual with the consent of the faculty of that discipline, this person must consult with those teaching the sections and follow democratic procedures in coordinating their activities.

Faculty should contact their academic unit's administrative office for specific textbook ordering procedures to ensure that textbooks are available in the University Bookstores before the beginning of each semester (see Appendix I). Contact the University Bookstore, Fairfax Campus (703-993-2666/2675) or the University Bookstore, Arlington Campus (703-993-8170) for more information.

Course Packets. Instructors may want to prepare a collection of lesson outlines, slides or supplementary readings that students can purchase before classes begin each semester. These materials must be prepared and submitted to the Copyright Office on the Fairfax Campus at least eight weeks before the beginning of each semester. Copyright permission forms are available from the Copy Center on the Arlington Campus, the Copyright Office on the Fairfax Campus, and the Prince William Library on the Prince William Campus. Appendix D contains the University’s Copyright Policy and Procedures. Appendix J contains a copy of the Copyright Permission Form.

If you are including published articles in your packets, you need to allow two months for obtaining copyright permission. If copyright permission is not obtained, your articles cannot be copied. For more information and current deadline dates, stop by any of the University’s copy centers and ask for a copy of Creating Your Own Anthology: What You Need to Know, or contact the Copyright Coordinator, Print Services, on the Fairfax Campus in SUB 1 next to the Copy Shop (703-993-2562/3158 or rbortel@gmu.edu).

Materials on Reserve. Supplementary readings and course materials can be placed on reserve at the Fenwick Library (Fairfax Campus) or at the Law Library (Arlington Campus) . To place materials on reserve contact the reserve librarian at Fenwick Library (703-993-2230/2240) or Arlington Library (703-993-8107/8104).

Students may check out reserved materials for 2 hours to 2 days depending on your instructions. Photocopying machines are available in all University Libraries for students to make copies of reserved materials. Materials placed on 2 hour reserve cannot be checked out of the libraries.

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