Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

Individual Graduate Research

COMM 6850-A70

Course: COMM 6850-A70
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: COMM
CRN: 32104

Course Description

The project is individually arranged and negotiated with a faculty advisor to provide students an opportunity to gain experience in a communication field. This project is distinct from a capstone project. (Fall [As Needed], Spring [As Needed], Summer [As Needed]) [Pass/Fail] Prerequisite(s): Instructor permission Repeatable for Add’l Credit? Yes - Total Credits: 6 Registration Restriction(s): MA in Professional Communication majors only

Required Texts

N/A. Required readings and texts will be provided by the instructor.

Learning Outcomes

1. Communication- Students will develop and express ideas in writing and speaking at a high scholarly level, producing a research manuscript suitable for submission to a peer-reviewed journal.

2. Critical Thinking- Students will actively and skillfully conceptualize, apply, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information from their research to form evidence-based arguments.

3. Information Literacy- Students will identify, locate, evaluate, attribute, and share information effectively and ethically, including proper citation practices and source integration in their research.

4. Inquiry & Analysis- Students will systematically explore a research question through the collection and analysis of evidence, arriving at informed conclusions or judgments.

5. Integrative Learning- Students will connect ideas and methods from coursework, research literature, and professional practice to create new knowledge in the field of communication.

Course Requirements

Students are expected to meet the following requirements to ensure successful completion of the course:

  1. Regular Meetings with Instructor- Students must meet with the instructor on a regular basis, as arranged, to discuss project progress, receive feedback, and address challenges. These meetings are an essential component of the mentoring process and help ensure the research project remains on track.

  2. Completion of All Research Project Components- Students are required to complete all aspects of an original research project, from the development of the research question through data collection, analysis, and final manuscript preparation. The end product should be a publishable paper suitable for submission to a peer-reviewed academic journal.

  3. Canvas Engagement- Students must regularly access the Canvas learning management system to review course materials, track deadlines, and complete assigned activities. All course communications, resources, and announcements will be posted on Canvas.

  4. Submission Standards- All submissions must be in PDF format, clearly readable, and uncorrupted. Students are responsible for verifying the integrity of uploaded files. Files that are unreadable or corrupted will be treated as unsubmitted.

  5. Academic Integrity- Students must uphold the highest standards of academic integrity. Cheating, plagiarism, or the unauthorized use of artificial intelligence tools is prohibited unless explicitly permitted by the instructor. All work is subject to originality and authorship verification through tools such as CopyLeaks.

  6. Communication Protocols- For out-of-class communication, text messaging is the preferred method. The instructor is also available via phone call, email, or Zoom. Students can expect prompt responses during normal working hours.

Course Outline

The course outline will be provided by the instructor during the initial instructor–student meeting. This meeting will serve as a foundation for the semester, during which the instructor and student will review the scope of the project, establish a mutually agreed-upon schedule, and clarify expectations regarding deadlines, deliverables, and communication protocols. The outline will act as a guiding framework, ensuring that both parties share a clear understanding of the course objectives and the steps necessary to complete a high-quality, publishable research project.

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

Late work is never accepted unless previously discussed with instructor PRIOR to the assignment being submitted. 

Attendance Policy

This is an asynchronous online course; therefore, attendance is not taken. Participation is demonstrated by the timely completion of the final artifact. 

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.