Simple Syllabus at FSU
Frequently Asked Questions
Additional Resources
Updates to some FAQs and new questions were posted on February 19, 2026. They are marked as such in the list below.
Updates to some FAQs and new questions were posted on November 21, 2025. They are marked as such in the list below.
These FAQs were initially posted on October 31, 2025. Please check back periodically for new questions that may be added and for possible updates to answers. If you have questions not covered in this FAQ list, please send them to fda-faculty@fsu.edu.
What is the most efficient way to add my course readings to my Syllabus? Updated 03/11/26
To efficiently list readings without entering each item individually in the platform:
- Create a Word document containing your full list of readings.
- Login to Simple Syllabus and choose the syllabus on which you would like to work.
- Go to the "Required Textbooks and Readings" section of your syllabus and click on the pencil icon.
- In the Title/Material Name field, type: "Please see required readings below."
- In the Notes field, paste the full list of readings from your Word document.
- Click save.
This approach allows you to include a complete list of readings quickly while still meeting platform requirements.
How do I access my syllabi and task list when I go to the FSU Simple Syllabus Course Library page, https://fsu.simplesyllabus.com? Updated 02/19/26
When you go to the Simple Syllabus Course Library, you must login to the system to see your task list and syllabi. To do this, click the icon in the top-right corner of the page. This will allow you to see the "login" link. Click on that link and use your FSU credentials to login to the system. Click on the “Edit” button associated with the syllabus you would like to complete and the Simple Syllabus builder will open.
Will faculty be able to customize the syllabus created within Simple Syllabus? Updated 02/19/2026
Faculty may add or edit the “Course Description” and “Course Objectives” if that information is blank or inaccurate in the Simple Syllabus builder. This can be done by copying and pasting that information into the appropriate fields in Simple Syllabus.
Faculty must add “Required Textbooks and Readings”, “Topical Outline/Course Schedule”, and “Assignments and Evaluations” in the corresponding areas in Simple Syllabus. If the course contains “Recommended Readings” they should be entered in the corresponding area, if not, that section can be made invisible.
Faculty may hide the “Meeting Location” and “Meeting Days and Times” information in Simple Syllabus by selecting “Invisible” at the top left-hand corner of that field.
Faculty may choose to display only their name and FSU email address in the “Instructor Information” section of Simple Syllabus. Because “Department/Office Location” is a required field in that area, faculty may choose to type their department name or “N/A” if they do not wish to share an office number.
Faculty may update the “Grading Scale” that appears in Simple Syllabus. A default grade scale will be presented in the template. The instructor for each course will determine the grading scale for their course and may edit the grading scale presented.
Faculty will not be able to edit other types of information that is prepopulated (e.g., required syllabus statements; course number and title).
For more detailed instructions, information, and visual aids, click here.
Where can I find the most current objectives for a class I am teaching? Updated 02/19/2026
Full-time faculty can access the course objectives via Coursedog, our FSU Curriculum Management platform. Click on “Courses" in the left-hand navigation menu and search for the course using the search bar in the upper right-hand corner to locate the class. Objectives can be copied and pasted into Simple Syllabus from Coursedog. (Please see next question regarding courses which have been updated but not fully approved through Coursedog).
If you are not a full-time faculty member, please ask your department chair for the information.
Some revisions to courses that meet university-wide graduation requirements offered in Spring 2026 have been submitted, but have not been fully reviewed and approved through all required Faculty Senate committees. For these courses, the Coursedog data warehouse will contain inaccurate information. If you are teaching a course that meets a university-wide graduation requirement and are unsure about whether the information in Coursedog is accurate, please check with your department chair.
What if I need to post additional information not included in the Simple Syllabus template?
The FSU template for Simple Syllabus will be streamlined with a focus on information that would be common to syllabi across the campus (e.g., catalog course description, required textbook/readings, required syllabus language, etc.). Some faculty have included in their syllabus additional information about their teaching philosophy or perhaps a biographical statement. That information can be posted in Canvas rather than entered into Simple Syllabus.
What if I change or add some readings after I publish my syllabus in Simple Syllabus?
Faculty should make every effort to have their syllabus set prior to its public posting to ensure that students are consulting current information as they make timely enrollment decisions. However, if new readings emerge between the time a syllabus is initially published and the start of class or even within the semester, the syllabus can be modified and republished in Simple Syllabus. This is in accordance with FSU’s existing Syllabus Change Policy: “Except for changes that substantially affect implementation of the evaluation (grading) statement, this syllabus is a guide for the course and is subject to change with advance notice.”
What if I update assignments that I have listed in my published syllabus in Simple Syllabus?
Faculty should make every effort to have their syllabus set prior to its public posting to ensure that students are consulting current information as they make timely enrollment decisions. However, if assignments have to be updated between the time a syllabus is initially posted and the start of class or even within the semester, the syllabus can be modified and republished in Simple Syllabus. This is in accordance with FSU’s existing Syllabus Change Policy: “Except for changes that substantially affect implementation of the evaluation (grading) statement, this syllabus is a guide for the course and is subject to change with advance notice.”
If I am teaching a course with multiple sections, but using the same syllabus, does each instructor need to create a syllabus for their section in Simple Syllabus?
Yes, each instructor who is the instructor of record and maintains their own Canvas site for their section of a multi-section course would create a syllabus in Simple Syllabus. If all instructors have the same syllabus within Canvas, this should be an easy conversion. One of the advantages of Simple Syllabus is that it allows instructors to fulfill the required attestation on course materials, which needs to be completed by each instructor of record.
If I am teaching a course with multiple sections and I use the Canvas Cohort feature, does each section need a syllabus in Simple Syllabus? Updated 11/21/25
Yes, BOG Regulation 8.003 passed and requires the public posting of each syllabus for each section of a multi-section course. As such, the instructor will need a syllabus for each section. If all sections have the same syllabus, Simple Syllabus has the ability to easily copy over the same syllabus to multiple sections of a course.
When must I enter my Fall course into Simple Syllabus if I am not on contract in the summer? Updated 11/21/25
BOG Regulation 8.003 passed, and it requires that all course syllabi be publicly posted 45 days prior to the start of classes. Faculty who are not on summer contract will need to use some of their Spring 2026 contracted effort for syllabus creation so that their syllabus is ready for Fall. This may require chairs and deans, in consultation with their faculty, to identify a small amount of effort for course preparation in the spring semester to account for that activity.
When will I have to post my syllabus for other semesters beyond Spring 2026?
See “Additional Resources” at the top of this page. There is a timeline for when instructors will need to post their syllabus for a given semester in 2026.
Are there courses for which faculty do not need to use Simple Syllabus? Updated 12/02/25
Yes. Currently, thesis, dissertation, directed individual study, and similar individual-specific courses that often do not require a syllabus. A graduate seminar may require Simply Syllabus use depending on how it is defined in Coursedog and Campus Solutions (see link in Resources below for a list of the course components that necessitate the use of Simple Syllabus). This doesn’t change with the university’s adoption of Simple Syllabus. If you teach one of those types of courses and do create a syllabus, then you may elect to use Simple Syllabus, but you are not required to do so.
Can I opt out of having my syllabus posted publicly in Simple Syllabus? Updated 11/21/25
No. BOG Regulation 8.003 passed, and it requires that syllabi for lecture, lab, discussion, and medical science (in the College of Medicine) courses at FSU will need to be posted publicly. Faculty will need to use the “publish” button in Simple Syllabus to post their syllabus publicly. Faculty will use Simple Syllabus during the Spring 2026 semester to publicly post their Spring 2026 syllabus.
Is there any way to guard against others taking my syllabus from the public website for Simple Syllabus? Updated 11/21/25
We are exploring all possible options for making clear at the Simple Syllabus Library site that syllabi are intended for FSU students. While a public website is widely accessible, we understand faculty concerns that the hard work they put into crafting their courses, including the curation of readings and assignments, may be used by others without the permission of the instructor.
Where can I find resources to help me navigate Simple Syllabus?
See “Additional Resources” at the top of this page.
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