SBU Syllabus MCP

An MCP server that transforms course syllabi into structured, queryable data — accessible directly from Claude.ai.

Problem

Students manually dig through multiple syllabi every semester to track exams, deadlines, and policies. This is repetitive and doesn't integrate with AI tools.

Solution

Upload a syllabus PDF to Claude.ai → Claude parses it → stores structured data in MCP server → query anytime with natural language.

┌──────────┐     ┌───────────┐     ┌────────────┐
│  Upload  │────▶│ Claude.ai │────▶│ MCP Server │
│   PDF    │     │ (parses)  │     │ (stores)   │
└──────────┘     └───────────┘     └────────────┘
                       │
                       ▼
              "When's my exam?"
                       │
                       ▼
              "May 15, 2:15 PM"

Tech Stack

• Protocol: Model Context Protocol (MCP)
• Server: FastMCP + Starlette + SSE
• Storage: JSON
• Hosting: Railway
• Runtime: Python 3.10+ / uv

Usage

1. Connect

Add to Claude.ai → Settings → Integrations:

https://sbu-syllabus-mcp-production.up.railway.app/sse

2. Upload

Attach PDF and say:

"Parse and upload this syllabus"

3. Query

Exams

"When are my CSE 351 exams?"
"What's the date of the CSE 351 final?"
"Show me all my upcoming exams"

Grading

"How is CSE 351 graded?"
"What percentage is the final worth in LIN 200?"
"What do I need to get an A in CSE 300?"

Policies

"What's the late policy for CSE 351?"
"How many absences am I allowed in CSE 300?"
"Can I make up a missed exam in LIN 200?"

Schedule

"What's the CSE 351 schedule?"
"What topic is covered in week 5 of LIN 200?"
"When do we learn about machine learning in CSE 351?"

Calendar

"Add CSE 351 exams to my Google Calendar"
"Export LIN 200 exam dates to calendar"
"I want to add all my exams to my calendar"

General

"What courses do I have stored?"
"Show me everything about CSE 351"
"Who's the instructor for LIN 200?"

Features

• Syllabus Parsing: Extracts course info, exams, grading, policies, and weekly schedule
• Natural Language Queries: Ask questions about any stored course
• Calendar Export: Export exam dates as ICS file for Google Calendar / Apple Calendar
• Multi-Course Support: Store and query multiple syllabi
• Zero API Cost: Claude.ai handles parsing — no additional API keys needed
• Persistent Storage: Data persists across sessions

Architecture

server.py      # MCP server + tools
storage.py     # JSON persistence
schema.py      # Pydantic models

Data Schema

Syllabus
├── course: { code, title, credits, semester, modality }
├── instructors: [{ name, email, office_hours }]
├── meetings: [{ days, start_time, end_time, location }]
├── grading: [{ name, weight, details }]
├── grade_scale: [{ letter, min_percent, max_percent }]
├── exams: [{ name, date, time, location }]
├── policies: { late_work, attendance, academic_integrity, makeup_exam }
├── schedule: [{ week, topic, due }]
└── textbook

Tools

Tool	Description
upload_syllabus	Store parsed syllabus data
get_syllabus	Get full syllabus
get_exam_dates	Get exam dates
get_grading_breakdown	Get grading weights
get_policies	Get course policies
get_schedule	Get weekly schedule
export_calendar	Export exams as ICS for calendar import
list_courses	List stored courses

Why MCP?

• Native Claude.ai integration — no custom UI needed
• Standardized tool protocol
• SSE streaming built-in
• Works with Claude Desktop too

Local Development

git clone https://github.com/mkjun2016/sbu-syllabus-mcp
cd sbu-syllabus-mcp
uv sync
uv run python server.py

Claude Desktop Config

Add to ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "sbu-syllabus": {
      "command": "uv",
      "args": ["run", "--directory", "/path/to/sbu-syllabus-mcp", "python", "server.py"],
      "cwd": "/path/to/sbu-syllabus-mcp"
    }
  }
}

Deployment

Deployed on Railway with automatic GitHub integration.

# Procfile
web: python server.py

Roadmap

• [x] MCP server setup + schema design
• [x] SSE transport for remote access
• [x] Railway deployment
• [x] Claude.ai integration
• [x] Structured syllabus upload
• [x] Query tools (exams, grading, policies, schedule)
• [x] Calendar export (ICS)
• [ ] Cross-course conflict detection
• [ ] Deadline reminders

License

MIT