Distance Learning Syllabus Guidelines
The course syllabus constitutes a contract between the instructor and the student. It should be clear and concise, and provide all necessary information for students to maximize their time and efforts and complete the course successfully.
For DL courses, the syllabus is especially important since faculty contact with students is less frequent than in traditional on-campus classes. DL course syllabi must include not only the standard ACC syllabus components, but also appropriate information to help DL students navigate the college "at a distance." In order to make course information readily available to all students, DL faculty are expected to post their course syllabi online.
The following links provide additional information about ACC and DL syllabus requirements.
The ACC Syllabus Information website provides information about syllabus components and guidelines for both Master (departmental) and Class Syllabi, including a design guide to help faculty and departments develop syllabi, and a checklist to insure that all syllabi meet ACC standards.
The Master Syllabus allows instructional departments to describe those elements common to all courses of the same name and number. Any department-specific policies will also be explicated here so that instructors and governing bodies can see them. The instructor may adapt the Class Syllabus within the parameters set by the discipline. As much latitude as possible is given to instructors in developing the content of their syllabus;, however, the college asks faculty to ensure that class syllabi include, at a minimum, the standard component areas. Faculty will be required to complete and submit the Syllabus Review Checklist 
along with two copies of the syllabus to the Department Chair as part of the Faculty Evaluation Portfolio Process. After review, the form and one copy of the syllabus will be forwarded to the Dean.
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DL course syllabi should include the following components:
- Course name and number, section and synonym number
- Faculty contact information: instructor's name, ACC email address, ACC telephone numbers, on-campus and online office hours, campus location and/or mailing address
- Course description and prerequisites
- Detailed information about textbooks (including ISBN numbers) and other materials students will be required to purchase
- Information about technical requirements or additional hardware/software needed for the course and technical support, if available
- Instructions for accessing Blackboard, if applicable
- For Instructional Television courses: Information about ITV viewing options and the Cable TV Schedule ("Telecourse Info Sheet") for the session
- For Distance Learning Hybrid courses: An overview of the delivery mode and class meeting information (day and time; campus, building, and room number)
- Course rationale, objectives, outcomes
- Course format: study units, reading/viewing assignments, special projects, etc.
- Calendar showing due dates for assignments and exams, and detailed instructions about how to submit assignments (If requiring students to submit assignments to your campus mailbox, specify how and where the papers should be turned in, including your campus location information.)
- Grading policies, grade scale
- Class-specific testing requirements; Academic Testing Center policies; Distance Testing procedures
- Faculty-student and student-student communication expectations; information about how interactions will be conducted (e.g.; discussion boards, chats, instant messaging, voice conferencing, other types of synchronous or asynchronous communication)
- Expected response times (e.g.; emails answered within 24 hours); timeline for when students can expect feedback or grades from assignments and tests
- DL Help Line contact information
- DL Course Orientation policy; course-specific orientation procedures
- ACC student academic guidelines and policies and procedures, including the Student Complaint Procedure
- Information about ACC course policies such as attendance and withdrawals
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In accordance with ACC's Syllabus Components and Format guidelines, DL faculty are expected to make their course syllabi available online. The syllabus must be available publicly, both to students and non-students, so that prospective students may view the syllabus before registering for the course, and to provide course information for accrediting agencies.
The ACC Syllabus Information website provides direction to faculty and departments developing class and master syllabi. For additional information about online syllabus preparation, faculty members should contact their Department Chair.
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