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Syllabus Creation

One way to support your students’ mental health and well-being is to exercise care when creating your course syllabus. Eberly, Newton, and Wiggins (2001) suggest that syllabi should serve to address three domains of need in higher education: administrative, course development and interpersonal. Here are some ideas for creating a course syllabus that supports all three goals.

Creating A Syllabus that Supports Student Well-being

Instead of copying and pasting a statement about mental health and resources from another source, write your own personal statement about the importance of mental health and resources available to support it.

Mental Health Resource Statement Example:

Your well-being is a priority in this class. College and its coursework are difficult for everyone, and this difficulty can become overwhelming. If you are struggling to cope, please reach out to me, the TA, a friend or family member, or another resource. I’m not trained as a professional counselor, but I can help you get the support you need. Here are a few resources that may be helpful:

  • 24/7 Counseling and Mental Health Center (CMHC) Crisis Line
    512-471-CALL (2255)
  • Counseling and Mental Health Center (CMHC)
    healthyhorns.utexas.edu/cmhc
    512-471-3515
  • TimelyCare Virtual Mental Health Platform
    www.healthyhorns.utexas.edu/cmhc/timelycare.html
  • CARE (Counselors in Academic Residence Program) Counselor, CMHC counselors located in all academic schools and colleges
    healthyhorns.utexas.edu/cmhc/care.html
    Our college’s counselor: _____________________________
  • 24/7 Nurse Advice Line
    512-475-NURS (6877)
  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
    988
  • University Health Services (UHS)
    healthyhorns.utexas.edu
    512-471-4955
  • Student Outreach and Support
    deanofstudents.utexas.edu/sos
    512-471-5017
  • Behavior Concerns Advice Line (BCAL)
    bcal.utexas.edu
    512-232-5050

Please do not hesitate to reach out. My job as an instructor is to help ensure everyone in this class learns, feels cared for, and knows that they belong in this course and at UT.

Syllabus Additions to Support Student Well-being

  • In addition to including a mental health resource statement, consider writing similar statements related to students with disabilities and include information about campus academic supports and religious holidays.
  • Include your email address so students can reliably reach you. Let students know your realistic turnaround time for responding to email.
  • Use language that is…
    • Supportive (we vs. you)
    • Positive (do vs. don’t, can vs. can’t, etc.)
    • Inviting (“Welcome to ____”, “Looking forward to…”, etc.)
  • Provide clear, realistic learning outcomes and make sure all content to be taught relates to one or more of them.
  • Provide suggestions for how to effectively learn in the class (e.g., reviewing notes after class, quizzing yourself on the content, teaching the content to someone else).
  • Be prepared to be flexible in scheduling exams and assignments, readings, etc. Consider including a statement that shows students you are committed to being adaptable, for example: This course will reaffirm one of the core values here at UT Austin: Responsibility. Our responsibility to ourselves and each other is to put our humanity in the forefront of our academic pursuits. I commit to being adaptable, which is reflected in the course policies around attendance, grading, and assignments/exams. If you experience any hardships such as illness, accident, or family crisis, please communicate with me as soon as you feel comfortable doing so. If for any reason you do not feel comfortable discussing with me, please visit Student Emergency Services.
  • Allow for one or more mental health days during the semester. (A mental health day is when a student can miss class with no questions asked. They can simply let you know they need a day off for their own well-being.)
  • Ask for and incorporate student feedback related to the schedule, assignments, readings, etc.
  • Don’t set major exam dates or major project/paper due dates AFTER a break (e.g., spring break, Thanksgiving break). Instead, set these dates BEFORE these breaks. (Students don’t want to spend their entire break preparing for an exam or finishing a project/paper.)

For more resources related to drafting effective syllabi, see the following An Effective Syllabus page.

For more information about required and recommended syllabus components, see the UT Provost’s Office Your Syllabus at UT Austin page.

Check out this sample syllabus to see how one UT professor effectively incorporates language that supports student well-being and promotes a growth mindset.

References and Resources

Altman, H. B., & Cashin, W. E. (1992). Writing a Syllabus. IDEA Paper No. 27. Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED395539

Eberly, M. B., Newton, S. E., & Wiggins, R. A. (2001). The Syllabus as a Tool for Student-Centered Learning. The Journal of General Education, 50(1), 56–74. https://doi.org/10.1353/jge.2001.0003

Gurung, R. A. R., & Galardi, N. R. (2021). Syllabus Tone, More Than Mental Health Statements, Influence Intentions to Seek Help. Teaching of Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1177/0098628321994632

Hudd, S. S. (2003). Syllabus under Construction: Involving Students in the Creation of Class Assignments. Teaching Sociology, 31(2), 195–202. https://doi.org/10.2307/3211308

Supiano, B. (March 2021). Teaching: How Your Syllabus Can Encourage Students to Ask for Help. The Chronicle of Higher Education (Teaching Newsletter).

Weimer, M. (January 2018). As You’re Preparing the Syllabus… Faculty Focus.

Various articles from Faculty Focus about effective syllabus creation.