Arriculate key concepts

A syllabus summarizes the content of your course, and it also shares with students your approach to learning and setting up expectations and requirements for your class. Both of these aspects matter when it comes to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI).

The table below outlines the different ways that syllabi can communicate a number of implicit rules and assumptions to students, and offer examples of how these messages may relate to questions of EDI, often in ways that you may not have intended.

Aspects of syllabi to consider for EDI, and some examples
Concept	Example
Implicit rules: Assumptions, procedures, processes, or methods that are not explained on the syllabus or elsewhere, but that you assume the students will know, understand, and follow.	Office hours may be listed but not all students may know how or when they are allowed to engage with professors in their office hours.
Implicit messages: Unwritten messages about which students are welcome in the course, as well as its content, and assumptions about the learning process.	Only mentioning men with Western-sounding names as contributors to the discipline in the course description can reinforce ideas about the kind of person who fits naturally in the discipline.
Hidden biases: Ways in which course assessment methods might inadvertently disadvantage specific types of students.	Assessing students with only one type of assessment – say, a term paper – might disadvantage students who showcase their learning better through other means.
Teaching philosophy: How the syllabus communicates your teaching philosophy to students.	Language that suggests that the content/skills of the class are learned qualities rather than fixed skills frames the course through a growth mindset. Including a rationale for course objectives makes it easier for students to see the course content as engaging and relevant.

To learn more about inclusive syllabi, check out this resource from the Inclusive Teaching @ UBC website.