September 6, 2025 | Kingsborough English | Leave a comment English Department Syllabus PolicyRatified April 2025 English Department Syllabus Policy The Department of English is dedicated to supporting our students in any of the courses they may take in our department – core required composition, ESL, Literature, Creative Writing, and Professional Writing. One essential step in supporting students is providing clear and thorough syllabuses for all courses we teach. To that end, English department faculty have established a basic set of elements that are required on all syllabuses for English or ESL courses. This policy does not aim to tell instructors what or how to teach; accordingly, it does not specify (with the exception of title, description, and outcomes) what each of the elements below should contain. Please note that this policy establishes minimum shared elements common to all syllabuses and does not prevent instructors from adding additional sections or information to their syllabuses (e.g., descriptions of section-specifi c course themes, additional course policies) as they see fi t. All courses offered by the English Department should provide students with a syllabus that contains: ● Instructor Name and Contact Information o Course Modality and Meeting Times (if applicable) should be included.o If the course meets in person (whether fully face-to-face or hybrid), the course’s meeting room number should be included.o Instructor’s offi ce hours and location should be included. ● Course Title and Description o The course number, title, and description should match (verbatim) what is given in the current year of the Kingsborough College Catalog.o While the Catalog version of the title and description must be included verbatim, instructors are welcome to add section-specifi c course subtitles and themes.o The specifi c section number of the course should also be included. ● Textbook/Required Materials Information o If the course is using open access materials in lieu of a textbook to be purchased, the syllabus may specify this.o If no text is required for the course, the syllabus may specify this. ● Learning Objectives/Outcomes o These should match (verbatim) the version adopted by the department in its sample syllabus for the course. ● Assignment Descriptions o Major assignments, or assignment types, in the course should be described in some detail to provide students with a basic understanding of the work the course will require. ● Course Outline o The course outline or schedule should provide students with a sense of the rhythm and pacing of assignments and may contain an explicit acknowledgement that the schedule is subject to change, with appropriate notice, at the instructor’s discretion. ● Instructor’s Grading Criteria and Policy o Instructors should include the CUNY Uniform Grading Guidelines’ breakdown detailing numeric equivalencies of all course letter grades.o The assignment-by-assignment grade breakdown should total to 100%. ● Relevant Course Policies o Commonly included policies include: Participation policies; Instructor communication policies; Civility policies; Attendance policies; the Accessibility policy; Kingsborough’s Academic Integrity policy; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies; Academic Freedom policies, Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination policies; Camera Use policies (for courses with an online synchronous element); Classroom Behavior policies; Missed Work policies; and Resources available for Student Support.o Instructors are not required to include all of the policies listed above; instead, faculty should include policies by which they expect students to abide by their courses.