Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

American National Government (Online)

POLS 1100-14C

Course: POLS 1100-14C
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: PSCJ
CRN: 33811

Course Description

Source of democratic ideas and principles of the constitutional system. Cultural, group, party, and governmental influences on the process of public policymaking. The administration and impact of public policy. (Fall, Spring, Summer) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Registration Restriction(s): Intensive English Program majors may not enroll General Education Category: American Institutions

Required Texts

We The People, Ginsberg, Lowi, Weir, Tolbert and Spitzer, 13th  Essentials Edition, W.W. Norton and Company, ISBN- 978-0-393-93705-3.  If you wish to use the 12th Edition (or any earlier edition) please contact me.

Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of this course students will possess a firm understanding of the structure and function of the Federal Government in the United States as well as an appreciation for Constitution and Constitutional Amendments of the United States of America. 

General Education Essential Learning Objectives for this SUU American Institutions core requirement are:

(1)  Civic Engagement:  Students demonstrate that they possess the combination of knowledge, skills, values and motivation to make a difference in the civic life of their community and to promote the enhancement of the quality of life in a community through both political and non-political processes.

(2)  Ethical Reasoning:  Students describe and analyze positions on ethical issues, apply reasoning about right and wrong human conduct, demonstrate ethical decision-making skills, and demonstrate an evolving ethical self-identity.

(3)  Critical Thinking: Students demonstrate disciplined processes of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action.

Course Requirements

1.  ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION:  Summaries and quizzes will be due at the end of each week. You will be responsible for your own time management.  

2.  COURSE SCHEDULE AND READING ASSIGNMENTS:  You are responsible to have read the assigned portions of the textbook and Constitution each week in order to understand the material and answer the questions on the quizzes. 

3.  QUIZZES:  There is a quiz given every week, which will test you on the two or three chapters from your assigned reading. Quiz questions will also be pulled from the lectures. I will provide study guides for each chapter. If you fill them out and study them, you will be ready for the quizzes. 

4.  WRITING ASSIGNMENTS:  You will read portions of our nation’s Constitution and write a summary of what you read. The summary needs to cover two basic questions every time and you must have your name on it for full points! 1) What is the purpose of this Article/Amendment? (Just summarize)
2) How has it affected my life today? (If you say it doesn't affect you, you will not receive points for this question.)

5. FINAL PAPER:  The final paper will be a three page MLA or APA formatted paper with a title page and reference page (if you have included any). You will be writing your thoughts on the Constitution’s history, meaning, relevance in our day, and its future as the foundational document of our country. Grading will be based mainly off of grammar, organization, and overall writing ability. You will NOT be docked for sharing your opinion, so be as honest and educated as possible. 

Course Outline

Week 1 - Introduction: The Citizen and Government, and The Founding of the Constitution.

Watch: Orientation video (Instruction about the course)
Watch: Chapters 1-2 lecture videos
Read: Chapters 1-2 
Quiz: Chapters 1-2 
Assignment: Constitution Articles I-III (1-3)


Week 2 - Federalism, Civil Liberties, and Civil Rights

Watch: Chapters 3-5 lecture videos
Read: Chapters 3-5 
Quiz: Chapters 3-5
Assignment: Constitution Articles IV-VII (4-7) 
Assignment: Constitution Amendments I-V (1-5)


Week 3 - Public Opinion and The Media

Watch: Chapters 6-7 lecture videos
Read: Chapters 6-7
Quiz: Chapters 6-7
Assignment: Constitution Amendments VI-XII (6-12)


Week 4 - Political Parties and Interest Groups; Participation, Campaigns, and Elections; and Congress

Watch: Chapter 8-10 lecture videos
Read: Chapter 8-10
Quiz: Chapter 8-10 
Assignment: Constitution Amendments XIII-XVIII (13-18)


Week 5 - The Presidency and The Bureaucracy

Watch: Chapter 11-12 lecture videos
Read: Chapter 11-12
Quiz: Chapter 11-12
Assignment: Constitution Amendments XIX-XXIV (19 – 24)


Week 6 - The Federal Courts, Domestic Policy, and Foreign Policy

Watch: Chapter 13-15 lecture videos
Read: Chapter 13-15
Quiz: Chapter 13-15
Assignment: Constitution Amendments XXV-XXVII (25 – 27)


Week 7 - Finish Writing Final Paper

Final Paper Due

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

Late work will be accepted but can only receive up to half the points. If circumstances outside of your control arise that prevent you from completing your work on time, please contact me ASAP to arrange alternative due dates. I am flexible when situations can't be avoided, but communication is key.

Attendance Policy

As this is an online course, there are no required days you need to physically attend. However, full participation is essential to understand the course material. It is expected that you will watch all lecture videos and complete all quizzes and assignments.

Course Fees

None

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.