Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

Critical Thinking for Logic and Design (Face-to-Face)

CSCY 1200-02

Course: CSCY 1200-02
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: CSIS
CRN: 30378

Course Description

This course develops students’ skills in critical thinking, problem analysis, and decision making. Students will learn to evaluate different solutions by identifying their strengths and weaknesses and comparing alternatives. The course emphasizes procedures for solving problems and making decisions through the development of pseudocode, flowcharts/diagrams, program definitions and descriptions, and test data that can be implemented in any high-level programming language. Additional topics include programming logic, physical design, specification, and documentation, with a focus on real-world business applications and programmable solutions. 

Required Texts

  • Starting Out with Programming Logic and Design, 5th Edition, by Tony Gaddis. Pearson. ISBN: 9780134801155. 
  • Course notes and handouts (provided by the instructor) 

Learning Outcomes

  • Describe critical thinking skills necessary for problem analysis, synthesis, and evaluation 
  • Describe the importance of program validation, data validation, and documentation, and incorporate them into pseudocode and flowchart solutions 
  • Identify the benefits of and utilize good programming design techniques 
  • Detect and fix design issues in programs 
  • Demonstrate basic object-oriented programming concepts by completing simple projects 
  • Describe and apply basic data structures and algorithms 

Course Requirements

This course emphasizes logical thinking and structured design. Students will complete programming labs, quizzes, a midterm exam, and a final project. These assignments are intended to reinforce core concepts such as modular design, control structures, and object-oriented thinking. The final project allows students to apply these ideas  in a project where students take the lead and put their skills into practice. 

Office Hours

 Tuesday, Thursday 16:00-17:00 ELC 408

Course Outline

Note: Schedule subject to change. Any modifications will be announced via Canvas. Additional readings or activities may be assigned as needed.
Date              Lecture Topic
--------------------------------------------------------------
2025-08-28  | Course Intro
2025-09-02  | Introduction to Computers and Programming
2025-09-04  | Input, Processing, and Output
2025-09-09  | Modules
2025-09-11  | Decision Structures and Boolean Logic I
2025-09-16  | Decision Structures and Boolean Logic II
2025-09-18  | Repetition Structures I
2025-09-23  | Repetition Structures II
2025-09-25  | Functions
2025-09-30  | Input Validation
2025-10-02  | Arrays
2025-10-07  | Midterm Review
2025-10-09  | Midterm
2025-10-16  | Sorting and Searching Arrays I
2025-10-21  | Sorting and Searching Arrays II
2025-10-23  | Files
2025-10-28  | Menu-Driven Programs
2025-10-30  | Text Processing
2025-11-04  | Recursion
2025-11-06  | Practice Lab
2025-11-11  | Object-Oriented Programming I
2025-11-13  | Object-Oriented Programming II
2025-11-18  | GUI Applications and Event-Driven Programming
2025-11-20  | Final Project Presentation I
2025-12-02  | Final Project Presentation II
2025-12-04  | Final Review
2025-12-09  | Final Exam

Grading Breakdown

Category   | Percentage
-------------------------------------------
  • Assignments     30%
  • Quizzes            15%
  • Midterm Exam  15%
  • Final Exam       20%
  • Final Project     20%
-------------------------------------------
Total                      100%  

Letter Grade Scale

Final letter grades will be assigned according to the following scale: 
Letter Grade | Percentage Range
-------------------------------------------
  • A                   93–100%
-------------------------------------------
  • A–                 90–92%
-------------------------------------------
  • B+                 87–89%
-------------------------------------------
  • B                   83–86%
-------------------------------------------
  • B–                 80–82%
-------------------------------------------
  • C+                 77–79%
-------------------------------------------
  • C                   73–76%
-------------------------------------------
  • C–                 70–72%
-------------------------------------------
  • D+                 67–69%
-------------------------------------------
  • D                   60–66%
-------------------------------------------
  • F                   Below 60%

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

Assignments submitted within 24 hours after the deadline will incur a 20% penalty. Assignments submitted more than 24 hours late will receive a score of zero. Exceptions may be granted only for special circumstances and must be discussed with the instructor in advance. 

Attendance Policy

Attendance is not mandatory but is highly recommended.


Use of AI Tools

Permitted uses include: 
  • Brainstorming and refining ideas 
  • Grammar and style checking 
  • Searching for information (you must verify its accuracy)
Not permitted uses include: 
  • Submitting AI-generated content such as assignments or discussion posts 
  • Using AI to write drafts, paragraphs, or entire assignments 
  • Submitting group-assigned work completed by AI 
Misuse of AI tools will result in a zero on the assignment and may lead to further academic discipline. If you are unsure about what is allowed, please ask the instructor for clarification in advance 

Course Fees

$11.00 per credit hour, for a total of $33

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.