Public Syllabus Posting at Miami University

Accessing and editing your syllabus

All required fields are built into the Simple Syllabus template. Completing every required field in the template satisfies Miami’s statutory obligations under ORC §3345.029. You do not need to upload a separate document or replicate your full course guide.

Miami University Syllabus Library

https://miamioh-main.simplesyllabus.com/en-US/syllabus-library

Courses for the upcoming semester are automatically loaded to the library ahead of the registration period. You can search by course name, number, or instructor. Students, advisors, and the public can use this link to find and view any published syllabus without needing a Canvas account.

When to publish

Your syllabus must be published in Simple Syllabus no later than the first day of classes for the semester or academic term in which the course is offered. “Published” means submitted and publicly visible.

Students will be able to see your syllabus once it is submitted. Drafts are not visible to students or the public.

Teaching multiple sections of the same course

Each section requires its own Simple Syllabus record, regardless of whether the sections share readings, a calendar, or a Canvas shell. Submitting one section does not automatically update others.

To save time, Simple Syllabus offers two tools:

• The Import tool allows you to pull content from a previously completed syllabus into a new section.
• The auto-import feature can populate a new section with content from the most recent version of your syllabus for that course when you open it.

After using either tool, review the imported content carefully to ensure it accurately reflects the specific section before submitting.

Professional qualifications: required format

ORC §3345.029 requires that each syllabus include the instructor’s professional qualifications. At Miami, this means listing your degree title(s), discipline(s), and the institution(s) that awarded them, in the following format:

Example: Professional qualifications format J. Smith Ph.D., English Literature, The Ohio State University M.Ed., Education, University of Akron B.A., Sociology, University of Cincinnati

List your highest relevant credential at minimum. Include all credentials that are relevant to the course.

ORC §3345.029 defines a course syllabus as a document that includes all of the following:

• Name of the course instructor
• A calendar for the course outlining what materials and topics will be covered and when
• A list of any required or recommended readings for the course
• The course instructor’s professional qualifications

All four elements are captured in the Simple Syllabus template. The sections below explain how to handle each one.

Instructor name and contact information

Your name and institutional email address are required. Simple Syllabus will populate your name from Registrar data. Verify that it is correct and complete your contact information in the designated field.

Course calendar

The calendar must outline what materials and topics will be covered and when during the course. The statute does not require class-by-class granularity. A week-by-week or topic-block structure satisfies the requirement. For example:

• Week 1: Introduction to Environmental Policy — Smith, Ch. 1; Jones (2021)
• Weeks 4–6: The French New Wave — [three films listed]; Bazin excerpt
• Chapter 7: Grammatical structures and vocabulary — [textbook citation]

Use shorthand references in the calendar that link back to full citations in your readings list. You do not need to repeat full citations in every calendar entry.

Required and recommended readings

List all materials that students are assigned or expected to engage with at any point in the course. Both required and recommended readings must be listed. These terms are used as follows throughout this guidance:

• Required readings: materials students must complete as part of the course.
• Recommended readings: materials formally identified as optional but encouraged (e.g., “recommended,” “optional but encouraged,” “suggested companion text”).

What counts as a “reading”?

For syllabus purposes, “readings” include any content students are assigned to engage with — by reading, watching, or listening — in preparation for or as follow-up to class. Format does not matter; what matters is whether the material is assigned. This includes:

• Textbooks (entire books or selected chapters)
• Journal articles, book chapters, news or magazine articles
• Policy documents, reports, or white papers
• Web pages, blogs, or online resources
• Documentaries, films, podcasts, or audio materials assigned in advance
• Required online modules or multimedia resources
• Instructor-created documents (course packs, handouts, case studies, lecture notes) when explicitly assigned

What is the test for whether a material must be listed?

Include a material if it is assigned or expected of students at any point in the course — whether required or recommended. The exclusion criteria below handle the edge cases:

You may exclude:

• Incidental or ad hoc references mentioned briefly in class without a specific item assigned.
• General suggestions such as “follow news coverage on this topic” without identifying specific items.
• News or examples mentioned informally during a lecture that students are not expected to engage with independently.

Do we have to list every short excerpt or micro-reading?

No. Reasonable practice:

• List individually: monographs and article-length works.
• Group together: many short items under a packet or set, such as “Readings Packet: Ohio Policy Documents 2024–2026,” with a brief description.

How should readings be cited?

Use a standard citation and, where applicable, an ISBN or URL. Examples:

 

Citation examples Smith, J. (2022). Introduction to Environmental Policy (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Academic Press. ISBN: 978-1-2345-6789-0. Jones, A. (2021). “Climate Migration and Urban Planning.” Journal of Urban Affairs, 43(2), 145–167. “Ohio Voter Registration Guide.” Ohio Secretary of State. https://www.ohiosos.gov

 

For instructor-created materials not publicly available, identify the material by title, indicate how students will access it (Canvas, printed handout, etc.), and note that it is instructor-created.

What if a course has no readings?

If there are genuinely no assigned readings, indicate “None” or “Not applicable” in the readings field and briefly explain what students will engage with instead. Examples:

• “Required/Recommended Readings: None. Course activities center on individually assigned piano repertoire and in-class coaching; all instructions are provided during lessons and via Canvas.”
• “Required/Recommended Readings: Not applicable. This lab course uses only lab protocols and instructions provided in Canvas; all students work from the same standardized handouts.”

How closely must I follow the calendar?

Use the calendar as a good-faith plan. You may adjust for pedagogical reasons — pacing, guest speakers, weather disruptions, or other circumstances. When changes significantly affect topics or required readings:

• Update the schedule in Simple Syllabus, or add a note or addendum.
• Communicate changes to students through Canvas and/or in class.

A recommended practice is to review your Simple Syllabus around midterm to ensure that any changes to required readings have been documented.

Can I add or change readings during the term?

Yes, provided that:

• Core readings known at the start of the term are listed by the first day of class.
• New required or recommended readings added during the term are documented in Simple Syllabus with a full citation and an explanatory note.
• Students are given at least 7 calendar days’ notice before they are held responsible for any new required material. This is Miami’s institutional standard; the statute does not specify a notice period.

Example note for a mid-term addition “Additional required reading added 10/5/26 to support guest speaker Dr. Lee: [full citation].”

Online, hybrid, and in-person courses

Online, hybrid, and in-person undergraduate courses must all have a publicly posted syllabus that includes the mandated elements. The law does not require identical assignments or readings across modalities. Each section’s Simple Syllabus must accurately reflect what is expected of students in that specific section. Every section, regardless of modality requires its own Simple Syllabus record.

Multiple instructors teaching the same course number

When multiple instructors teach different sections of the same course number, each instructor posts their own Simple Syllabus record. Departments may coordinate on shared readings or calendar structure, but each record must accurately reflect that specific section and must include that instructor’s own qualifications. Submissions for one section do not carry over to another instructor’s section.

No instructor assigned by the first day

If no instructor has been assigned by the first day of class, post a syllabus using placeholder language:

• Instructor: “To be assigned; the instructor will meet Miami University’s faculty qualification standards.”
• Update the syllabus once the instructor is assigned, adding their name, contact information, and professional qualifications.

If a course is canceled before it runs, no syllabus posting is required. Any syllabus already posted may remain but does not need to be updated.

Independent studies and tutorials

Independent studies are undergraduate courses and require a syllabus by the first day of the term, even if the content is individualized. Use specific placeholder language:

• Readings: “To be determined in consultation between student and instructor based on the approved topic.”
• Schedule: Structured phases (topic selection, research, drafting) with milestones noted as set in consultation.

Treat tutorials similarly: provide a syllabus that outlines goals, a basic schedule, and how readings will be selected.

Lecture/lab, studio, and combined formats

If a lecture and lab or studio share a single combined grade, one syllabus may cover both components, with the schedule and readings indicating which component each item supports. If the lab or studio carries a separate grade, it should have its own syllabus with its own calendar and readings.

Practica, internships, and experiential courses

These courses still require a syllabus with the mandated elements:

• A calendar-level structure: hours, milestones, and deadlines.
• Known required or recommended materials (e.g., safety manuals, professional guidelines, reflection texts).
• A note when readings are site- or project-specific and will be finalized later.

Cross-listed or merged sections

Each officially listed course section needs its own Simple Syllabus record. When cross-listed sections share content, you may create one syllabus and use the Import tool to copy it to each section. Merged Canvas shells can share content, but each scheduled section must have its own associated Simple Syllabus record.

Film course with thematic blocks

A film studies instructor organizes the course around three-week thematic units rather than individual class meetings. The calendar entry for weeks 4–6 reads: “The French New Wave: context, aesthetics, and legacy” with three films and one critical essay listed. This satisfies the statute. Week-by-week or topic-block organization is acceptable; class-by-class granularity is not required.

Language course using a textbook by chapter

A language instructor structures the course around textbook chapters, with two to three weeks per chapter. The calendar reads: “Chapter 7: Verb conjugation and daily routines — Weeks 6–8.” The textbook is listed once in the readings section with a full citation. This is sufficient; the instructor does not need to re-cite the textbook in every calendar entry.

Reading added mid-semester

An instructor assigns a journal article in week 9 to respond to a current event. The instructor adds it to Simple Syllabus with the note: “Added 10/14/26 in response to the SCOTUS ruling discussed in class; students are responsible for this material beginning week 10.” The instructor announces the addition in Canvas and in class with more than 7 calendar days before students are responsible for it.

Course with no external readings

A statistics course uses only software exercises and data sets provided through Canvas. The readings field in Simple Syllabus reads: “Required/Recommended Readings: Not applicable. All course materials are provided within Canvas; there are no separate textbooks or external readings.” This satisfies the requirement.

Multiple sections, same instructor

An instructor teaches three sections of the same introductory course. They complete the syllabus for Section 001 fully, then use the Import tool to pull that content into Sections 002 and 003. They review each imported syllabus to confirm accuracy, then submit all three. Each section now has its own public record.

Miami University — policy and access questions

For questions about Miami’s public syllabus policy, what is required under ORC §3345.029, or issues with locked fields that need to be corrected at the institutional level, contact Associate Provost Marko Dumančić, dumanim@miamioh.edu

Miami University — wrong course information or issues with instructions in locked fields

This is a Miami data issue, not a Simple Syllabus issue.Contact Academic Application Technology Specialist Nkosi Shanga, shangan@MiamiOH.edu

Simple Syllabus — platform and technical support

For technical issues with the Simple Syllabus platform, such as  login problems, browser errors, platform behavior, contact Simple Syllabus support directly. Post-implementation, placing a ticket with their support team is the fastest way to get assistance.

• Email: help@simplesyllabus.com
• Submit a ticket through their knowledge base, Simple Guide
• Use the in-app help form: click the question mark icon in the lower-left corner when logged into Simple Syllabus

Common technical issues and quick fixes Can’t log in or see your course: Check your browser cookie settings (Simple Syllabus requires cookies to be enabled). Try a different browser if the problem persists. “Sit tight” or “Refused to connect” error: These are known browser or network issues. See Simple Syllabus’s troubleshooting guide or submit a support ticket. Using a mobile device: Simple Syllabus is optimized for desktop browsers. Mobile access is possible but may be limited; use a desktop or laptop for editing when possible.