- 1). Review departmental paper work, especially if this course is taught by different faculty members every year. If the course is new, you will have both more work and more freedom. You should be able to find learning objectives and curriculum standards for older classes.
- 2). Read texts that have been used to teach this class in the past. If the class is new, read books that cover that topic. You'll need to pick textbooks, but you will also gain a sense of others' approaches to the topic. If you need help finding texts, ask the research librarian at your school and your department head.
- 3). List your personal philosophy of education and goals for the students. Do you want to teach critical thinking skills or expose them to a breadth of theory? Do you want to sharpen their critical writing skills or help them apply class concepts to their own lives? How do you want the students to be different at the end of the course than when they began?
- 4). Think about the types of students who will be taking the class. An introductory level class will probably have new students and a few upperclassmen. An advanced class will have mostly department majors. Are your students likely to be working full time? Are they taking this class to fulfill a requirement or because they're interested in the subject?
- 5). Outline a lesson plan based on course content. Write down everything you want the students to learn. You will narrow it down shortly, so let your imagination run. List any required concepts and texts in your outline.
- 6). Refine your outline. Keep the class schedule in mind. How many class meetings do you have, and how long are they? What type of work will the students do outside of class? The new outline should realistically reflect the amount of work your students can do in one semester.
- 7). Choose reading material and in-class activities that reinforce the concepts in your outline.
- 8). Ask a departmental head for feedback on your course syllabus. If you are a graduate student, you should have an adviser who can make sure your program planning is complete. Make any necessary changes.
- 9). Prepare a syllabus for the students that outlines key concepts in your course planning.
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