Uploading your Syllabus to Canvas

The following instructions will walk you through uploading your Syllabus to Canvas - in a location where it will be automatically downloaded and saved for accreditation purposes. Even if you choose to provide your syllabus to students in another form or location, following this process is necessary and required for curation of all syllabi. Thank you for your cooperation.

1. After preparing your syllabus, save it as a .pdf and ensure that the title of the document includes the word "syllabus" (Ex: FA25PHIL120ASyllabus.pdf) (Remember where you saved it so you can find it in step 6.) For assistance with saving your syllabus as a .pdf, please see this article.
2. Log into Canvas and open up the course that you need to upload your syllabus to.
3. Click on the Syllabus link on the left navigation bar.

4. Click the Edit button in the upper right corner.
5. In the Syllabus Description text editor, select Insert → Document → Upload Document

6. Drag and drop your syllabus .pdf that you saved in step 1, or click Upload File and navigate to where it is saved and upload.
7. Click the Submit button.
8. Uncheck the Show Course Summary if you do not wish to have the Canvas Course Assignments showing.

9. Click the Update Syllabus button

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I link to a document in my Google Drive instead of uploading a .pdf?
  • Unfortunately no, not at this time. In order for the automated syllabus collection process to run properly, all syllabi need to be uploaded as a .pdf.

• But my syllabus is a “living” document and I may need to make adjustments throughout the semester.
  • For syllabus collection purposes for HLC, there needs to be a STATIC document that won’t change. For student viewing purposes, you can link to a Google Doc, but for syllabus collection process, a .pdf is necessary.

• I prefer to use the syllabus section in Canvas and place my syllabus directly into the text-editor of that page. I feel it presents a nicer view for the students.
  • Using the Syllabus section in this way is GREAT and does present the syllabus nicely for students, however, in order for our automated syllabus collection process to work properly, we do still need you to upload a .pdf version of your syllabus. If you prefer, you can upload this to the Files section of Canvas instead of the Syllabus section.

More information on creating a syllabus can be found on the Faculty Development website.