Guidance for Core Submissions
Consult with Chairs
When department chairs and program directors assign faculty to teach Core courses, they may provide the faculty member with a syllabus that has already been approved or invite the faculty member to
- Submit a new syllabus to the Office of Undergraduate Studies, copying the department chair
- Consult with the Core Director to select an approved syllabus submitted by another faculty member.
Faculty should always consult with their department chair or program director before submitting syllabi for Core approval. Having a syllabus approved does not guarantee or even increase the likelihood that a faculty member will be assigned to teach that course.
See the syllabus approval guidelines for submission deadlines and information about details that must be included in Core syllabi.
Syllabus Requirements
All Core syllabi must list the learning objectives for the Core area. Faculty are encouraged to provide information on the syllabus about which assignments map to each learning objective.
Including Core learning objectives on the syllabus with explicit statements indicating which assignments map to which Core learning objectives helps the Office of Undergraduate Studies and the Assessment Office gather authentic evidence of student learning. As we move forward the importance of communicating learning objectives and expectations for student attainment to students has not diminished. It is important for us to continue the best practices developed and implemented in the last few years.
Submission Process
- Check the submission deadlines (listed on bottom right of the Faculty Resources Page of the Core Curriculum website)
- Review the Syllabus Submission Guidelines
- Make sure to include all required information, including the Cover Sheet described in the Syllabus Submission Guidelines
- Email the proposed syllabus to ugradstudies@scu.edu
Approval Process
The FCCs approve syllabi, not instructors. Department chairs and program directors
- Ascertain courses submitted for Core approval are active in PeopleSoft so that the Core attribute can be added
- Work with the deans to schedule courses for the Core that will meet student needs
- Assign faculty to teach Core courses
- Ensure that Core courses are taught with approved syllabi
- Evaluate faculty teaching in Core courses
The Core web site provides information about ways an approved syllabus can change without requiring resubmission for evaluation by the Faculty Core Committee. See “Changes In Approved Syllabi”.