Preparing and Teaching Classes
NYU Academic Calendar
Use the academic calendar to determine when breaks (spring, winter, etc.) and if the semester has any "Legislative Days" you will need to schedule around.
Sample Syllabus
Our sample syllabus contains the structure, categories, language, and formatting that you must use as a guide to tailor for your syllabus. The template uses digitally-accessible characteristics, which is required of all Wagner syllabi. For content purposes, can also preview other syllabi here. Contact wagner.facultysupport@nyu.edu if you have any questions regarding your syllabus.
Uploading Syllabi
Within the Faculty and Staff Portal of Wagner website, you can upload your digitally-accessible syllabus, where it will be available to students (the page is password protected).
Ordering Books
You can place orders with the NYU Bookstore in one of two ways: 1) Use Follett Discover: log in to Brightspace and click on “NYU Bookstore” in the left-hand navigation column to begin. If you choose to use this system, please view this tutorial. 2) Email the bookstore directly at wsq.text@nyu.edu, including course/section number, book title, author, edition/year, and ISBN. You can also place printed course materials on reserve at Bobst Library and audio/visual materials on reserve at the Avery Fisher Center.
Copyright Law
NYU has a website and offers helpful workshops on copyright law, permissions, and Fair Use.
NYU's Learning Management System (LMS)
NYU Brightspace is NYU's learning management course site system. It is the platform by which you will distribute your syllabus to students, post assignments and materials, collect completed work, foster dialogue and interaction, and much more. If you are new to teaching at Wagner, we help create the LMS site for your course. Please contact us at wagner.facultysupport@nyu.edu to initiate the process. Please do not create your own LMS site unless you've been in touch with us.
Albert (Faculty Center) and FERPA
In Albert (student information system) you can find your class roster (with student photos available at the beginning of the semester) and classroom location, and enter student grades. The grade posting option will be made available at the end of the semester. (If your course meets in the first half of the semester the grade roster will be available soon after your final class meeting).
Before accessing Albert for the first time, you should understand essential information regarding FERPA.
- FERPA tutorial - Complete this 10 min tutorial to learn about student information and obligations for proper use and protection of student records.
Classrooms and A/V Demo and Training via Campus Media
Search for your classroom to see available technological equipment and room capacity. Classroom Media Services also provides equipment demonstrations for Classroom Media AV equipment throughout each semester and training classes for professors before the start of each semester. Call them at 212.998.2655 or fill out an Equipment Request Form to arrange for a one-on-one demonstration.
Guest Speakers
Guest speakers in the classroom qualify as a campus visitor. All guest speaker visitors must be sponsored by an NYU employee and must be registered using the NYU Visitor Access Request Form. Please complete the request form 3 business days before your guest's visit. They must present a government-issued form of identification to the public safety officer upon entry into NYU buildings. Please note, Wagner does not provide honoraria to guest speakers.
Inclusion, Diversity, Belonging, Equity, and Access Resources (IDBEA)
Wagner is committed to promoting the values of IDBEA in public service and to bringing an IDBEA lens to the various domains that shape our institutional culture and help advance our mission. This webpage is a collection of resources for faculty to create an inclusive classroom environment.
Publicases and Harvard Business Publishing Case Studies
Publicases (formerly Electronic Hallway) is a centralized hub for public affairs case teaching content and resources using open source principles. NYU Wagner has an institutional membership, contact wagner.facultysupport@nyu.edu for login credentials. If you decide to use a Harvard case study in your class, you'll need to create an account and a course pack, which the students will need to purchase (indicate this (and cost) in your syllabus). Contact wagner.facultysupport@nyu.edu for assistance.
The Center for Faculty Advancement and Teaching & Learning Services (TLT)
The Center for Faculty Advancement partners with Teaching, Learning & Technology (TLT) to offer a variety of resources to foster learning communities among NYU faculty and to support them in their teaching. TLT offers a variety of central resources to support your teaching needs, including instructional designers, emerging tools and educational research.
Wagner’s Teaching in Progress (TIP) Workshops
TIP engages in peer learning to enhance our teaching—in general and especially as it relates to issues of identity, diversity, and inclusion. In each session, a faculty member brings a knotty question or experience (a mini-case) to the group. We dig in and see what we can learn from the conversation (rather than simply giving advice to the faculty member). In the past, case writers have brought difficult class interactions, questions about how to teach a particular race-related topic, or a design of a syllabus. Led by Clinical Professor of Public Service Thom Blaylock, TIP workshops typically occur twice per year and you will be invited via email after the start of the semester.
Course Feedback/Mid-Course Feedback
All faculty are required to conduct mid-course feedback in their classes. You will be prompted to do so by an email from Rajeev Dehejia. Feedback does not have to be shared with anyone on staff or faculty, it merely serves as a temperature check with students. You will be given a template you can use, or you can use your own tool. Approximately two weeks before the end of the term, final course feedback will open. Course feedback is facilitated through Albert and are anonymous. We ask that faculty set aside 5 minutes at the end of their last class to allow students to complete their feedback forms, which are mobile friendly.
Program Director and Specialization Heads
Wagner's program directors and specialization heads are a helpful resource regarding questions about Wagner's curriculum and teaching. There is a program director for each of our Health, PNP, and Executive programs within the MPA degree. There is also a program director for our MUP, MSPP, and PhD degrees. Specialization heads oversee each of our finance, international, management, and policy specializations within the Health and PNP programs, and our social innovation, investment and innovation (aka SI3) and advocacy specializations, which exist only in our PNP program.
We support the effective use of technology and design in teaching initiatives. Learn about instructional technology tools and services available at NYU Wagner and view examples of technology-based enhancements for courses.
Grading Scale and Policy
Academic Code
All students are required to review and acknowledge Wagner's Academic Oath explaining academic integrity policies and procedures prior to the beginning of classes. NYU also has an Academic Integrity Policy that students must abide by.
Assignment Grading Rubric
Every course should use a grading rubric. Rubrics are very useful tools to communicate assignment performance expectations and to detail the areas in which students are and are not succeeding. Rubrics can help you grade more efficiently and consistently. They can also help you clearly communicate to students the specific requirements and performance standards that you expect from an assignment they submit. Share your rubric(s) as early as possible and before you give the assignment feedback. We have a sample Wagner grading rubric which you may use as a guide, or use other NYU and non-NYU resources.
Grade Distribution
Faculty may request grade distribution history of their course. Please contact wagner.academicservices@nyu.edu to request.
Peer Evaluation Form
A sample peer evaluation form you may use as a guide, we strongly recommend using this if your course has a significant group project.
Entering Grades
SUPPORTING YOUR STUDENTS
Find all resources related to advisement and services available to NYU students.