Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

SS: Acculturation (Face-to-Face)

SUU 1020-04

Course: SUU 1020-04
Credits: 2
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: INDS
CRN: 30022

Course Description

The Acculturation Course is designed to help international students adapt to life at SUU. Course materials will address immigration regulations, SUU programs, on-campus and off-campus opportunities, local outdoor excursions, US culture, local culture/history, and SUU academic expectations.

Required Texts

There are no required texts or materials for this course. All material and information will be posted on Canvas or provided to the students during class.

Learning Outcomes

This course is designed to aid international students with the acculturation process. At the completion of this course, international students will be able to:

  • Prepare for and address the challenges of culture shock.
  • Plan for academic and personal success at SUU.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of immigration laws and regulations affecting international students.
  • Identify and engage in opportunities for involvement at SUU and in the community.
  • Understand the cultural significance of the local landscape (e.g. Bryce Canyon National Park). SUU is the University of the Parks…
  • Locate and utilize various on-campus resources.
  • Better understand aspects of US, Utah, Cedar City, and SUU culture.

Course Requirements

AssignmentPointsPercentage
Attendance/Participation10010%
Group Project5010%
Quizzes8020%
Discussion/Homework5520%
Creative Project/Passport15020%
Final5020%
Total485100%
FD-DD+C-CC+B-BB+A-A
0-59%60-62%63-66%67-69%70-72%73-76%77-79%80-82%83-86%87-89%90-92%93-100%
0 -356pts357 -374pts375 -398pts399 -416pts417 -434pts435 -458pts459 -476pts477 -494pts495 -518pts519 -536pts537 -554pts555 -600pts
Quizzes

Quizzes will be posted by the end of each week (unless otherwise noted). Each quiz will cover the topics and information discussed during class that week. All quizzes will be posted on Canvas and are due Sundays at 11:59 pm. Quizzes are open-book and open-note, but only one attempt is allowed.

Homework

Homework assignments are designed to expand upon your understanding of important course topics. These assignments are in the form of group discussions, activities passport, a group project, quizzes and a final video project, etc. Homework is due by 5:00 pm (if submitted in-person) or by 11:59 pm (if submitted via Canvas) on the assigned day.

Involvement

Students will be required to complete a passport on campus resources this semester. We want to empower our students with knowledge and want you to connect with different resources on campus. You will be given a blue passport book for this project. In the book you will need to document FIVE on campus resources that you utilize this semester. You will need to tell me what the resource is, what they offer and how you utilized the resource. I would also recommend taking a photo of the location and including that in your passport. This will be due on Friday, 12/05/2025 no later than 4pm. You can complete this project at any time and hand it in early. You can add more than five resources for extra credit.

Final Project & Exam

Students are required to produce a final creative video highlighting their first semester at SUU. Additional details and video examples will be provided as this assignment gets closer. The creative project is due Friday, 12/05/2025 at 11:59pm. A comprehensive final exam will be given at the end of the semester to ensure that you have learned all essential information. The final exam will cover topics and information discussed during the entire semester. A study guide will be provided.

The final exam will be in the TESTING CENTER during finals week Monday 12/08/2025 – Thursday, 12/11/2025.

Course Outline

DateTopic
Week 1Welcome, Introductions, Syllabus Review and Campus Resource Passport
Week 2NO CLASS – LABOR DAY (Monday and Tuesday sections)
SUU Involvement, Fall sports and traditions
Week 3Mental Health and Culture Shock
Health and Wellness
Week 4Immigration Maintenance and SEVIS
Employment and Drivering while in the US
Week 5Communication Etiquette, locate resources on campus
Navigating Roommates and Housekeeping
Week 6Academic Integrity
American Holidays
Week 7Creative Project and Group Project
Financial Wellness
Week 8NO CLASS - FALL BREAK (Monday and Tuesday sections)
Writing Center
Week 9Registration and Degreeworks
Southern Utah Museum of Art
Week 10History of Utah Culture
Project Presentations
Week 11Project Presentations
Project Presentations
Week 12Law Enforcement
Gratitude
Week 13I20 Maintenance, Spring Registration and Spring Housing
Stress Management, Final Video Project and Passport
Week 14NO CLASS - THANKSGIVING BREAK
Week 15Final exam prep
No Class
No Class
Week 16FINAL EXAM

Schedule is subject to change

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

Late Work

Late work is accepted. However, it will be graded at the professor’s discretion based on advance notice, student initiative, number of days late, etc. A minimum of ½ letter grade will be deducted from late coursework. The last day to submit late assignments will be Monday, December 1, 2025.

Extra Credit

Extra credit opportunities will be announced throughout the semester. It is more important that you learn the material, not necessarily earn a good grade. However, understanding that grades are still important, extra credit is offered as an opportunity to all students.

Personal Electronics

Unless directed or approved by the professor, use of laptops, tablets, smart phones, etc is absolutely forbidden during class! Personal electronics distract you and other students from the lecture. You are in class to learn, not play with technology. If a student is using one of these devices, it must immediately be put away. The student will also lose participation points for the day. Repeat offenses will result in more drastic consequences and point deductions.

Attendance Policy

Attendance and class participation

Attendance and participation are mandatory! Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class period. Excessive absences will result in points being deducted from your grade. It is incredibly important to be present and participate in class. Points may also be deducted for lack of participation during class.

Tardiness

Punctuality is crucial to your success in this course. In addition to missing part of the lecture, being late is very disrespectful to the professor, your fellow students, and guest speakers. If you are late (show up after attendance has been recorded), you may be marked as absent for the day. If you happen to be late—do not be a distraction—please go directly to your seat as quietly as possible. If extenuating circumstances caused your tardiness, speak to the professor at the end of class.

Course Fees

Content for this section will be provided by the instructor.

Term Dates

Fall 2025

August 27-December 11, 2025

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.