Have you ever read (or written) a course guide that reads more like the vague clues in a scavenger hunt than the detailed directions from a well-programmed GPS? Of course, we don’t create confusing course guides on purpose, but it’s easy to get lost in all the nitty-gritty details and to forget that these documents are ultimately intended to help our students succeed, not to hinder their learning progress.
One way to help your students map a clear path through your course is to include a course schedule in your course guide. A course schedule includes all the topics, readings, assessments, etc., that you have planned for the term. Does this take some time and effort to create? Yes, but it’s time and effort well-spent. Charting the course of your semester helps you communicate where you’re going and how you’re going to get there. Furthermore, it gives students an accurate picture of the workload and its distribution throughout the term, which in turn helps them plan how to manage their time not just for your class, but for all the classes they’re taking this semester.
A course schedule can take multiple forms. At its most basic, it may be simply a chronological list of due dates and associated assignments. However, displaying the course schedule as a table or calendar format can make it easier for students to understand and use for their own planning and time management purposes.
Course Schedule Templates
Want to make a course schedule for your class next term? The CFC has your back! We’ve created a set of course schedule templates that have all the class dates and official University breaks already filled in for Spring 2027. There are separate versions for MWF and TR classes. Please download, adapt, and fill out these templates to make them work for you and your students!
Best Practices
- Use the course schedule to show students when readings, homework, assessment, etc., are due, not when they are assigned.
Explain this expectation in writing (in the course guide) and also in class. - To prevent unnecessary confusion, make sure the course schedule is fully aligned with the assignments and due dates listed in Canvas.
If you need help setting due dates for Canvas assignments, see this how-to guide. - Include a disclaimer that says something to the effect of, “This schedule is subject to change.” This type of disclaimer acknowledges that even the best-made plans may need to be changed (for example, by weather-related closures, natural disasters, illness, or taking more time than expected to cover a certain topic).
- When the schedule changes, make sure to communicate those changes as soon as possible to your students. If changes are significant or affect multiple dates, consider updating and distributing a new version.
- Introduce the course calendar to your students in class and explain how they can make the most of it.
Ideas: Put it in the front sleeve of their binder for the course; use it to put due dates in their personal calendar; highlight important dates; mark off assignments / days when completed, etc.
Additional Resources
- Syllabus Resources (WCU-specific guidance)
- “How to Write a Syllabus” (Cult of Pedagogy)
- “Creating an Effective Syllabus + Free Template” (Cengage)
- Syllabus resource page (Center for Innovative Teaching & Learning at NIU)
- Syllabus Templates (Semester Schedule Templates dropdown) (Center for Teaching Excellence at USC)