The University of Southern Mississippi - Syllabus Template - Accessibility Compliant WCAG 2.1/2.2 AA

Aug 31, 2026

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A reformatted University of Southern Mississippi syllabus template designed to be fully compliant with modern digital accessibility standards, including WCAG 2.1/2.2 AA. The document specifies key accessibility upgrades such as semantic heading hierarchy for screen readers, removal of visual-only cues, replacement of raw URLs with descriptive hyperlinks, and an accessible schedule table structure. It also defines mandatory syllabus components and provides standardized sections covering course overview, instructor contact information, objectives, requirements, course communication, and university workload and grading policies.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPaper Templates

FormatDOCX

Pages1

AccessFree to download

Course Overview

Required Section: Course Title

Course Number, Semester, Meeting Time and Credit Hours

Contacting Your Instructor(s)

Instructor of Record

Teaching Assistants (If Applicable)

Course Objectives and Requirements

Course Description and Objectives

Course Learning Outcomes

Course Materials

Course Requirements

Course Communication

University Policies and Statements

Required University Language: Course Workload Statement

Grading Policies and Calculation

THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI: SYLLABUS TEMPLATE This syllabus template has been reformatted and restructured your syllabus template to be fully compliant with modern digital accessibility standards (including WCAG 2.1/2.2 AA). Key Accessibility improvements made: ●Semantic Header Hierarchy: Replaced arbitrary text styles and symbols with structured Markdown headings (##, ###). This allows screen readers to navigate the document logically. ●Removal of Visual-Only Triggers: Removed references to color-coding (e.g., "highlighted in yellow/green") and asterisks, replacing them with clear textual indicators ([REQUIRED SECTION], [REQUIRED UNIVERSITY LANGUAGE]) so users with visual impairments don't miss crucial context. ●Descriptive Hyperlinks: Converted raw, unreadable URLs into meaningful, descriptive hyperlinks (e.g., replacing www.usm.edu/asc with [Academic Success Center Website] (https://www.usm.edu/asc)). Screen readers typically read out links explicitly, and raw URLs are highly disruptive. ●Accessible Table Layout: Rebuilt the schedule table with clean Markdown syntax, explicit column headers, and removed empty spacer rows to ensure it reads correctly from left to right. Administrative Note: Items marked [REQUIRED SECTION] are mandatory components for all syllabi. Items marked [REQUIRED UNIVERSITY LANGUAGE] must include the exact text provided below. All other sections are optional. For additional suggestions on sharing course info, visit the HYPERLINK "https://www.usm.edu/faculty-development/" \h Center for Faculty Development Website. Course Overview [REQUIRED SECTION] Course Title ●Course Number: [Insert Number] ●Semester: [Insert Semester] ●Course Meeting Time and Credit Hours: [Insert Time / Credits] [REQUIRED SECTION] Contacting Your Instructor(s) Instructor of Record ●Instructor Name: [Insert Name] ●Office Address: [Insert Office Location] ●Office Hours: [Insert Hours] ●Email: [Insert Email] ●Phone: [Insert Phone Number] Teaching Assistants (If Applicable) ●TA Name: [Insert Name] ●Office Address: [Insert Office Location] ●Office Hours: [Insert Hours] ●Email: [Insert Email] ●Phone: [Insert Phone Number] Course Objectives and Requirements Course Description and Objectives Provide a general description of what the course will cover and what students will learn, written in everyday language. What is the purpose of this class? How will it add to their knowledge? Where does it fit in the curriculum of the major? How will it contribute to their professional growth? Course Learning Outcomes By the end of this course students will: Be as specific as possible about the learning outcomes the class is designed to produce. Describe both the content/subject matter that the students will learn as well as the actions/products the students will develop to demonstrate their knowledge (e.g., collect and analyze data, write a well-researched paper, demonstrate a particular skill). Course Materials List required books, technology (e.g., iClickers), or other materials, including full titles and ISBN numbers. Course Requirements Identify specific requirements and expectations for students. This section should outline all that is required in the course—e.g., papers, essays, reports, and/or projects; quizzes and tests; attendance and/or participation. Clear descriptions of these requirements should be provided along with due dates, grading criteria, or general expectations. Course Communication Discuss expectations related to course communication, such as: the platform used for virtual office hours and how to access it; norms for making appointments outside of office hours; class meeting and discussion protocol; messaging response windows in Canvas; and norms for interacting virtually with peers. University Policies and Statements [REQUIRED UNIVERSITY LANGUAGE] Course Workload Statement Students are expected to invest considerable time outside of class in learning the material for this course. The expectation of the U

FAQs

What are the mandatory components of the syllabus in this template?

Items marked [REQUIRED SECTION] are mandatory components for all syllabi. Items marked [REQUIRED UNIVERSITY LANGUAGE] must include the exact provided text.

How does the template improve accessibility for screen reader users?

It replaces arbitrary styles with structured Markdown heading hierarchy, removes visual-only triggers, converts raw URLs into descriptive hyperlinks, and rebuilds the schedule table with clear column headers and clean layout.

What workload statement does the template require for university policy?

It states that students should invest about 2–3 hours outside class for every hour in class, or roughly ten hours per week for a three-credit online course, and references related student help resources.

Aug 31, 2026

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