Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

Elementary Organic Bio-Chemistry (Face-to-Face)

CHEM 1120-03

Course: CHEM 1120-03
Credits: 5
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: PSCI
CRN: 31704

Course Description

An introduction to organic chemistry and biochemistry designed for pre-nursing students, biology majors choosing chemistry track one, and other programs that require only one (1) year of basic chemistry. The first portion of the course will cover hydrocarbon chemistry and the chemistry of organic functional groups. The second portion of the course will be an overview of biochemical processes. Five (5) hours of lecture per week. A minimum grade of "C" (2.0 or above) must be earned in this course before it can be counted in a physical science major or minor or as a prerequisite for any other course. (Fall, Spring, Summer) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Co-requisite(s): CHEM 1125 Prerequisite(s): (CHEM 1110 and CHEM 1115) or (CHEM 1210 and CHEM 1215) - Prerequisite Min. Grade: C

Required Texts

Fundamentals of General, Organic and Biological Chemistry, 8th edition”-John McMurry, et al.  Published by Pearson. ISBN 978-0-13-401518-7.

Learning Outcomes

Chem 1120 is taught with the following goals in mind, (1) to develop a basic understanding of the principals and concepts of organic and biochemistry, (2) to provide an understanding of chemistry's importance both to the student as an individual and to society as a whole, (3) to gain critical thinking, problem solving and logical reasoning skills.  Essential Learning outcomes include: Critical Thinking, Information Literacy, Inquiry and Analysis, Lifelong and Integrative Learning.

Course Requirements

Successful completion of homework assignments, successful performance on in-class quizzes and examinations.

Course Outline

                                                                                                       Chapters 

Week 1               Syllabus/Carbon                                                    12
Week 2               Functional groups, Hydrocarbons                        12, 13
Week 3               HC, alcohols, ethers phenols                             13, 14
Week 4               phenols, Aldehydes/Ketones                               14, 15
Week 5               Aldehydes, Ketones, Amines                               15, 16
Week 6               Carboxylic Acids/Amides/Esters                           17
Week 7               Amino Acids/Proteins                                            18
Week 8               Enzymes, DNA, RNA                                            19
Week 9               Protein Synth/Genome/Eng.                                 26, 27
Week 10            Carbohydrates, Lipids                                            20
Week 11            Lipids/Membranes, Transport                               20, 23
Week 12            Hormones, Signaling/Bioenergetics                       28
Week 13            Electron Transport/ATP/Carb metab                  21, 22
Week 14            Carb Met/Lipid/Amino Acid Metab                   22, 24, 25
Week 15            Final Exam       

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Late work will not be accepted without approval by the professor in cases of extenuating circumstances.

Attendance Policy

Although no points are assigned for attendance, attending classes regularly on time is expected.  This will allow you to ask questions and participate. As an added incentive, pop-quizzes will be administered during class which will account for 10% of the final grade.

Course Fees

$67.50

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.