Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

PSY 1010 - General Psychology (Darling, Face to Face)

PSY 1010-08

Course: PSY 1010-08
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: PSY
CRN: 33637

Course Description

Psychology is the scientific study of behavior. This course provides a broad overview of this field of science.

Graded (Standard Letter)

Registration Restriction(s): Intensive English Program majors may not enroll

General Education Category: Social and Behavioral Sciences

Required Texts

Required course readings will come from:

Textbook: Feist, G. J., & Rosenberg, E. (2021). Psychology: Perspectives and Connections (5th ed.). McGraw Hill. ISBN-13: 978-1260721270.

This book can be found at the SUU bookstore, but may also be found for cheaper prices on Amazon or other bookstores. Further, this book may be rented as an ebook for a cheaper cost than buying; simply make sure that your rental extends until the end of the course, as you will need it until the last week.

Additional Readings: All other articles, videos, or other types of course materials will be provided to you free of cost.

Learning Outcomes

 1. Knowledge of Human Cultures & the Physical and Natural World:

  • Explain and differentiate between the basic subfields of psychology
  • Identify, describe, and apply the research methods used to collect information in psychology
  • Practice using psychological terminology and jargon
  • Identify, describe, and explain key ideas and studies in psychology

2. Intercultural Knowledge and Competence:

  • Identify how psychological findings may differ depending upon one’s cultural background and environment
  • Identify challenges faced by ethnic and cultural minority groups
  • Identify assumptions often held by non-minority group members

3. Lifelong Learning:

  • Connect theoretical findings with applied situations in life
  • Identify subfields of psychology that are of interest to you personally
  • Assess how information covered in the scope of this course has altered your beliefs on human psychology and behavior

Course Requirements

Chapter Concept Maps and Outlines

Each week, as preparation for the upcoming week's lectures, you will create either a concept map or outline for the assigned textbook chapter, generally due Sundays at 11:59pm. These assignments ensure you engage with reading material before class and build your study toolkit for exams. Keep all your work organized - it will serve as your primary study material for the final assessment. I recommend using a dedicated notebook for these assignments.

Research Skills Assignments

Weekly assignments (generally due Wednesdays at 11:59pm) designed to build research literacy skills essential for academic success and critical thinking. These brief, focused assignments help you gradually develop skills in finding credible sources, APA citations, research methods, and scientific thinking - skills valuable throughout your academic and professional career.

In-Class Activities and Participation

Psychology is best learned through active engagement. Each class includes hands-on activities, demonstrations, and group work designed to help you apply psychological concepts to real-world situations. These activities cannot be made up if missed and are essential for developing critical thinking skills.

Assessments

Various assessments throughout the semester will evaluate your understanding and application of psychological concepts. These may include written work, exams, projects, or other assignments designed to demonstrate your learning and critical thinking abilities.

Final Assessment

A comprehensive final assessment requiring you to demonstrate understanding by connecting concepts across units and applying psychological principles. You may use your concept maps and outlines during the assessment.

*Note on Study Skills Development: This course emphasizes learning how to learn, helping you develop effective study strategies for your academic career.

Detailed grading breakdown will be provided in class.

Course Outline

Week Date Day Weekly Topic
1 27-Aug Wednesday Introduction to Psychology
29-Aug Friday Introduction to Psychology
2 3-Sep Wednesday Research Methods
5-Sep Friday Research Methods
3 8-Sep Monday Biology of Behavior
10-Sep Wednesday Biology of Behavior
12-Sep Friday Biology of Behavior
4 15-Sep Monday Sensation & Perception
17-Sep Wednesday Sensation & Perception
19-Sep Friday Sensation & Perception
5 22-Sep Monday Human Development
24-Sep Wednesday Human Development
26-Sep Friday Human Development
6 29-Sep Monday Consciousness
1-Oct Wednesday Consciousness
3-Oct Friday Consciousness
7 6-Oct Monday Learning
8-Oct Wednesday Learning
10-Oct Friday Learning
8 13-Oct Monday NO CLASS - FALL BREAK
15-Oct Wednesday Memory
17-Oct Friday Memory
9 20-Oct Monday Language & Thought
22-Oct Wednesday Language & Thought
24-Oct Friday Language & Thought
10 27-Oct Monday Intelligence, Problem Solving, and Creativity
29-Oct Wednesday Intelligence, Problem Solving, and Creativity
31-Oct Friday Intelligence, Problem Solving, and Creativity
11 3-Nov Monday Motivation & Emotion
5-Nov Wednesday Motivation & Emotion
7-Nov Friday Motivation & Emotion
12 10-Nov Monday Stress & Health
12-Nov Wednesday Stress & Health
14-Nov Friday Stress & Health
13 17-Nov Monday Personality
19-Nov Wednesday Personality
21-Nov Friday Personality
14 Thanksgiving week NO CLASS - THANKSGIVING BREAK
15 1-Dec Monday Social Psychology
3-Dec Wednesday NO CLASS - Psychology Department Fall 2025 Symposium
5-Dec Friday Social Psychology
16 8-Dec Monday Mental Health
10-Dec Wednesday Mental Health
11-Dec Friday Final Assessment

Attendance Policy

My teaching philosophy is built on personal responsibility and focuses on preparing you for adult professional life, so I will not take formal attendance or track your absences. However, a significant portion of your grade comes from in-class activities, discussions, worksheets, and participation that cannot be replicated outside of class. Missing class will directly impact your grade through missed points that cannot be made up. Budget your absences wisely and understand that your attendance choices have consequences for your final grade. If you miss more than a few classes, you will likely struggle to pass this course.

Excused vs. Unexcused Absences: According to SUU Policy 6.30, excused absences are only granted for students representing SUU at academic events, artistic performances, NCAA intercollegiate competitions, jury duty, or military/law enforcement obligations. For any excused absence, students must notify me prior to the absence and arrange makeup work in advance. All other absences are considered unexcused. Practices, rehearsals, sports clubs, intramural events, Greek activities, and career fairs do not qualify as excused absences.

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

For university-approved excused absences, I will provide an equitable opportunity to complete missed work as required by SUU policy. For all other absences, no makeup opportunities will be provided. Each class session includes low-stakes activities and participation that cannot be recreated outside of class time. 

Most assignments cannot be completed late. When late submission is possible, it will be noted on the specific assignment.

Office Hours

My office hours for Fall 2025 will take place on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:30am-12:00pm. If these times don't work with your schedule and you would like to meet, please email dianedarling@suu.edu with 2-3 alternative times that work for you and I'll do my best to accommodate.

Recording Policy

Audio or video recording of class sessions, lectures, or discussions is prohibited without advance written permission from the instructor. 

This policy protects the privacy of all students and maintains an open learning environment where students feel comfortable participating in discussions. 

Students with approved disability accommodations for recording should coordinate with me prior to any recording. Unauthorized recording may result in removal from class.

Communication Expectations

Email is the fastest way to contact me. Due to FERPA regulations, please only email me from your official SUU email address. If you email me from your personal address, I may not respond due to potential FERPA violations. 

Every effort will be made to answer student emails as quickly as possible. However, students should be aware that questions related to assignments should be sent at least 24 hours before the submission due date/time to ensure a timely response. I will respond to student emails within 48 hours, barring weekends, holidays and any emergencies/extenuating circumstances. Please note that I will not return emails on weekends, regardless of assignment due dates.

Email Etiquette:

Part of my job as your instructor is making sure you are prepared for the professional world, whether you have already begun your career or hope to start after graduating. Email, and email etiquette, is an important aspect of many jobs. When emailing me, please follow these guidelines to ensure clear and professional communication; if you have questions about any of these recommendations, or how they might be related to your career/professional life, please feel free to email me (…using the guidelines below).
  • Subject Line: Always include a clear and concise subject line that reflects the content of your email. For example:
    • Appropriate Subject Line: “PSY 1010: Question About Week 3 Homework”
    • Inappropriate Subject Line: “Help!/i won't be in class can sally take my notes/Hey I have a question for you but couldn’t attend your office hours and am hoping you can help me here I couldn’t submit assignment three because a bear ate my laptop etc. etc. etc. …”
  • Salutation: Start your email with a salutation. You should address me as Dr. Darling. For example:
    • Appropriate Salutation: "Dr. Darling,/Hello,/Good morning,/Good afternoon,"
    • Inappropriate Salutation: “Hey/Sup/WYD," or simply starting the email with no salutation
  • Body of the Email: Clearly state your question or concern. Be specific and provide any relevant details to help me understand and address your issue. Use good grammar, including punctuation and capitalization. Do not use abbreviations (ex: “IDK how to do this”).
  • Closing: End your email with a closing and your name. For example:
    • Appropriate Closing: “Thank you/Regards/Sincerely, [Your Name]”
    • Inappropriate Closing: “Later/Peace"/no name at all

AI Policy

AI tools (like ChatGPT or Dall-E) can be used for brainstorming, organizing ideas, and creating visuals, but all AI use must be cited. Example: "ChatGPT-4. (2025, September 15). 'Help me organize my presentation outline.' Generated using OpenAI. https://chat.openai.com/" However, all writing, critical thinking, source evaluation, and analysis must be your own work. Psychology careers require human insight and problem-solving skills that you need to develop through practice. Using AI without citing it will result in a zero for academic integrity violations. Use AI as a brainstorming tool, not a replacement for your own thinking.

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.