You are free to download and use the following documents as you begin planning your course. These documents can be helpful as you think about how to organize your course content and align course content to your course outcomes. Each of these are independent documents, so you could use any or all of them as needed; they do not need to be used in conjunction with one another.

Syllabus Template

Below is a checklist of items expected to be on your course syllabus, regardless of course modality. You are expected to have these elements in your syllabus at a minimum and may add any additional elements beyond this.

Course name and semester
Details about any synchronous class sessions
- Example: class days/times and classroom location for on-campus classes, days/times and zoom details for remote but synchronous classes, or office hour days/times and zoom details for blended or online classes.
Professor information, including name and Mitchell Hamline email address at a minimum. Office location and phone number are also encouraged.
Name(s) and Mitchell Hamline email(s) of grading adjuncts if applicable (note: this primarily applies to online and blended courses).
A course overview paragraph, which may be the same as the course description.
Course-level outcomes that articulate what the students should broadly know or be able to do by the end of the semester.
Required text
A breakdown of how the final grade will be calculated
Details on the final exam, including whether it will be scheduled or self-scheduled.
Standard policies and statements, including an attendance policy and a late work and extension policy, academic misconduct and plagiarism policy, the copyright notice, and details on MHSL disability services.
- Note that the ID team has drafted language for all of these policies, which you can adopt and modify as needed. There is a standard policy that must be included in your syllabus for 1L and 2L blended courses. Contact your ID for assistance with ensuring your syllabus includes the required policies. The downloadable syllabus template linked below includes all of the required sections noted above as well as the language for standard policies.

This Accessible Syllabus Template outlines all of the key sections expected in a course syllabus, including language for standard policies, and also contains headings and other elements of accessibility for students who may use a screen reader.

For more support on creating an accessible syllabus, see the syllabus reflection video below.

Course Alignment Map

The course overview and alignment map template is a document that will assist you in the course design process. It is intended to help you ensure that your course-level outcomes are connected to your weekly assessments and that the module-level content scaffolds learning to support student performance on those assessments. It will also help you identify if there are any gaps in coverage as well as help you align your course-level outcomes to the JD program outcomes. Even if your course is already designed and developed, you can retroactively complete this alignment map to check course alignment and make adjustments as needed. Your instructional designer can walk you through the process of completing this document!

The course overview and alignment map is exceptionally helpful when you are developing a course for the first time as it allows you to create a blue print for the course all within one document. Alternatively, if you already have a designed and developed course and you prefer a more simplified alignment map, you could use the basic assessment map template. Both documents are linked below.

Course Overview and Alignment Map Template
Basic Assessment Map Template

Workload Map

The Workload Map is intended to help you estimate total student workload in your course so that you can ensure the estimated workload is appropriate for the credit value of the course.

Course Prep Checklist

Below is a sample checklist you may consider using before publishing a Canvas course to ensure that necessary elements are in place and the course is aligned to general best practices. Please note that this list may not be all inclusive and some items on this list may not be relevant to your course. This is only intended to be used as a guide.

View and print the Course Launch Checklist from OneDrive

View and print a Condensed Course Launch Checklist from OneDrive

See the video below for details on how to complete the electronic version of the checklist from within Canvas!