Why do I have both a Syllabus link and a Course Syllabus link in my Canvas course? Which one should I use?
Course Syllabus opens the Concourse Syllabus tool, where you enter the syllabus information required for compliance with Ohio law. Syllabus is the Canvas Syllabus page, which you can use to share your course policies and guidelines.
Can I access or complete my Concourse Course Syllabus in a Prime or Development course?
No. The Concourse Course Syllabus tool is only available in live Canvas courses associated with an academic term. Prime, Development, and Test courses are not populated through PeopleSoft and therefore do not have a Concourse syllabus attached.
Faculty should complete their Concourse syllabus in a live semester course and can then use Concourse's Copy feature to copy the syllabus content to other applicable live course sections.
Do I have to use Concourse for my course?
All Undergraduate courses must use Concourse regardless of enrollment.
What if my course does not begin till later in the semester?
All courses no matter the start date within the semester must be completed by Friday prior to semester start date.
Which web browser works best with Course Syllabus?
Ohio University recommends using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox for the best experience.
Is Course Syllabus replacing my full syllabus?
No. Course Syllabus only captures the five syllabus elements required by Ohio law. You can continue sharing your course policies and guidelines in the Canvas Syllabus.
Can I upload my Course Syllabus as a PDF instead of entering the information?
No. Course Syllabus does not support uploading files such as PDFs or Word documents. You can include web links (URLs), but the required syllabus information must be entered directly into Concourse.
Can I give a link to another site instead of typing my course calendar?
No. All required Course Syllabus information must be inserted as text in the Concourse template. By law, this information must be available to the public at large and must remain stable for two years. Ohio University is complying with these requirements by maintaining the Concourse template text on our publicly accessible website.
I can't find the Course Syllabus link in my Canvas course. What should I do?
Enable the Course Syllabus navigation item in Canvas by going to Settings > Navigation, locating Course Syllabus, selecting Enable, and clicking Save.
I get the following message when accessing Course Syllabus: We’re sorry. The course you requested is not yet available in Concourse.
This message usually means you are accessing the Course Syllabus tool from a course that is not a semester course (such as a Test, Development, or Prime course), or you have recently been assigned as the Instructor of Record and your access has not yet updated (may take up to 24 hours).
How do I edit my Course Syllabus?
Open the Course Syllabus tool, click the Syllabus tab within Course Syllabus, select Edit, navigate to the Course Syllabus section, and use the Pencil icon to edit the content.
I keep getting the following message when I click on Course Syllabus:
Error: Could not verify ID token: State not found
This error message typically occurs when using the Safari browser. Please access the Course Syllabus tool using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox, and make sure your browser's pop-up blocker is disabled or allows pop-ups for Canvas and Concourse, as blocked pop-ups can prevent the tool from opening properly.
I teach multiple sections of the same course. Can I reuse my syllabus?
Yes. You can copy content from one Course Syllabus to another instead of recreating it each time.
I cross-listed multiple course sections in Canvas. Do I only need one Course Syllabus?
No. Follow the guidance provided to ensure each class section has the required Course Syllabus information. You can copy a syllabus to each course section in the Course Syllabus tool.
Do I have to create a separate syllabus for a lab section?
It depends. If the lab is zero credit hours or if the grade for the lab rolls up into the grade for the lecture, you do not normally need to enter a separate syllabus (it is best practice but not strictly required to add a note to the lab's course calendar stating that the schedule and all readings are included in the syllabus for the lecture section.) However, if the lab has an instructor of record different from the lecture instructor, that lab instructor's name and qualifications for teaching must be supplied in the Course Syllabus for the lab section.
I updated information in Syllabus in Canvas, but it didn't change in my Course Syllabus. Why?
Although you can access both your Syllabus and Course Syllabus in Canvas, updating one does not update the other. If you need to update your Course Syllabus, you'll need to make those changes directly in the Course Syllabus (Concourse) tool.
Why do I have to enter my textbook information in both Course Syllabus and the Registrar's textbook system?
Course Syllabus and the Registrar's textbook system serve different purposes, so you must enter your textbook information in both places. The Course Syllabus (Concourse) displays textbook information as part of your public course syllabus, while the Registrar's textbook system provides textbook information to the bookstore and helps students purchase the correct course materials.
When can students and the public view my Course Syllabus?
Your Course Syllabus becomes publicly searchable beginning the Friday before the semester starts.
What resources are available if I'm having trouble with Course Syllabus?
Faculty and staff can find Concourse support and resources at Concourse Syllabus Resources.