Since 2007, the Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Assessment (CETLA) has sponsored the "Exemplary Syllabus Awards". These awards recognize the importance of developing a well-designed course syllabus. A well-designed syllabus offers more than the instructor’s contact information and a course outline. It also provides information about course goals and objectives, grading procedures, support services, and course policies regarding class participation, missed examinations, late assignments, and academic integrity. (See the ID01 Syllabus Tutorial.)

CETLA believes that the syllabus is one of the most important documents that an instructor develops. It is an end-product of curriculum development and the beginning of teaching, learning, and assessment, which when done well and aggregated across courses, leads to better program development and outcomes. CETLA appreciates the efforts of faculty to create effective syllabi and so has begun to give $250 awards for syllabi, one in each of five categories.

Below are links to the award-winning syllabi. Please observe copyright rules if you wish to borrow ideas or sentences from these syllabi.

Note: No Spring 2007 entries met the benchmark for Natural Sciences (see "Criteria" below).

Categories for Syllabus Awards

CETLA recognizes the diversity that exists among the various programs of study at the University; hence, a syllabus award is made in each of the following five categories:

Natural Sciences (including Engineering, Architecture, and Computer Science)

1. Social Sciences (including Business, Education, Social Work, and Law)
2. Humanities (including Fine Arts, Divinity, and Communications)
3. Health Sciences (Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Nursing, and Allied Health Sciences)
4. Team Courses (courses designed by multiple faculty members within or  across disciplines)

Criteria for Evaluation

CETLA has adopted the following weighted criteria to complete its internal evaluation of submitted syllabi. Using a scale from 1 (Poor) – 5 (Excellent), judges will evaluate the extent to which the syllabus meets the following criteria:

1. Articulates goals and objectives.
2. Specifies assessment methods and grading policies.
3. Describes assignments and criteria for evaluating them.
4. Conforms to other Howard University guidelines.

Syllabi that omit any of the first three components will not advance through the process. In other words, syllabi must first meet criterion #1 for further consideration. Those that meet criterion #1 must then meet criterion #2. Finally, syllabi that meet criterion #2 must meet criterion #3 to remain competitive. The extent to which syllabi meet the criteria will determine the number of points. Thus, the benchmark score for an award will be 40 out of 50 points.