How do I add a syllabus to my site?

Shanay Murdock

Oct 11, 2024

8814

There are two syllabus options available in Canvas. Click on the links below for more information about each method:

Use an easily customized HTML template to create your syllabus on the Syllabus page
Upload a document/PDF syllabus file to the Syllabus page

1. Use an easily customized HTML template to create your syllabus on the Syllabus page

We recommend you use Canvas's Syllabus page, which is similar to uploading a Word document/PDF file, except it is more interactive for students. For example, students can click on specific assignment titles and be taken to that Assignment page in Canvas because the "Course Summary" section of the page automatically syncs with all the assignments and the course calendar to display assignment dates and course events.

You can copy and paste the content from your Word document syllabus into the Syllabus page's description. Or, you can use a Design Tools template to format your HTML Syllabus directly in the Syllabus page description - no coding knowledge needed! The added bonus of using Design Tools is that it makes your Syllabus content more accessible to students regardless of any visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, or neurological disabilities they may have and any assistive technology they may be using. Using Design Tools also ensures that the FSU Institutional Policies contained in your syllabus remain up-to-date each semester. All you have to do is open the Design Tools menu and the Institutional Policies section of your syllabus will be automatically updated!

Further Resources

2. Upload a document/PDF syllabus file to the Syllabus page

If you would prefer to create your syllabus offline and then upload a Word document/PDF syllabus file, we recommend that you upload the file and create a hyperlink for it in your Syllabus page's description. While creating your syllabus file, you will need to make sure that its content is accessible to students regardless of any visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, or neurological disabilities they may have and any assistive technology they may be using. Learn how to create accessible Word files.

Steps to follow

Click into your Canvas course site.
On the course navigation menu that displays on the left, select Syllabus.
Click on the Edit button that displays in the upper right of the page.
If the Design Tools menu automatically opens for you, you can close it out by clicking the x in the upper right corner.
Put your cursor in the Rich Content Editor where you want the file to be embedded.
(Click image below to enlarge it)
Follow the steps in this resource that details how to upload a document using the Rich Content Editor. If you have already uploaded your syllabus document into your course or user files, then use these directions for adding hyperlinks to course content in the Rich Content Editor. Keep in mind that to save your changes on the Syllabus page, you will need to click Update Syllabus, not Save. Other than this, the steps are exactly the same.