Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Spring Semester 2026

Human Anatomy (Face-to-Face)

BIOL 2320-01

Course: BIOL 2320-01
Credits: 3
Term: Spring Semester 2026
Department: BIOL
CRN: 12727

Course Description

The study of the structure of the human body with emphasis on surface, regional, and systemic anatomy of all body systems. Three (3) hours of lecture per week. A minimum grade of "C" (2.0 or above) must be earned in this course before it can be counted in a biological science major or minor or as a prerequisite for any other biology course. (Fall, Spring, Summer) [Graded (Standard Letter)]

Required Texts

OPTIONAL RECOMMENDED TEXT: "Principles of Human Anatomy 15th edition", Tortora and Nielsen, Wiley and Sons Publishing, ISBN: 9781119662761, or any edition of this book (ex: 12th-15th) will work.

ONLINE INFORMATION: Email and Canvas are primary tools for this course. All materials, assignments, and updates are on Canvas, and assignments must be submitted there—not by email. Exams and quizzes may also be moved to Canvas if necessary.

COMPUTER/INTERNET: This course requires proficiency with computers, word processing, the internet, email, .pdf files, and especially SUU’s Canvas System. Assignments and some quizzes/tests may be submitted through Canvas. Students must use personal or campus computers to complete coursework.

REQUIRED HARDWARE/SOFTWARE: You need a device with a large screen, reliable internet, webcam, and microphone, or access to an on-campus computer lab. Do not use a phone.

Google Chrome internet browser is highly recommended. Other browsers do not work well with Canvas.

Most common issues are fixed by using Chrome, clearing your cache, logging out/rebooting/logging back in, and contacting Tech Support. I am not tech-savvy. I won’t be able to help you.

Zoom will be used for Lectures and Office Hours, as/if needed.

Learning Outcomes

GOAL 1: Gain Factual Knowledge (terminology, classifications, and trends) in beginning Human Anatomy.

Students will demonstrate an understanding of the relation between structure and function in human anatomy. Students will demonstrate understanding of the anatomy and variation present within the human body by examining the major systems of the body.

GOAL 2: Learn fundamental principles or theories important to beginning Human Anatomy.

This course will provide introductory background information for students interested in pre-professional and health science programs, basic information necessary for students interested in teaching at the pre-college level, and basic information important for informed decision making as a citizen.

GOAL 3: Learn to apply course material (improve thinking/problem solving).

Students will analyze and interpret images of the human body from varying planes of view. Skills include regional and structural identification, comparison, and interpretation using prosected cadavers and sectioned images/models. Students will interpret variable structural patterns. Analytical skills will be used to develop an awareness of the degree of variation in human morphology and its relevance to understanding human structure and function.

Course Requirements

TYES OF ASSESSMENT

I strongly encourage participation in live class activities to support learning and build community. This course meets face-to-face; Zoom will only be used if I need to isolate. At times, you must watch recorded lectures outside regular meeting hours. Expect to spend significant time outside of class mastering the material.

Workload Expectation

Although you receive separate grades for lecture and lab, treat them as one course. For every hour in class or lab, plan to spend 2–3 hours weekly studying or working on assignments outside class. With 4 total credit hours, this means at least 8–12 hours of independent work per week, not including time spent in class or lab.

Canvas Learning Quizzes

Canvas Learning Quizzes: on readings, labs, and lectures will be announced ahead of time and available for several days. Make-up quizzes are not allowed under any circumstances. The total quiz points equal approximately one exam grade.

Examinations

There will be 3 or 4 in-class exams. No make-up exams are allowed. Test dates will be provided ahead of time.

Final Examination

The final exam (Wednesday April 22, 1:00-2:50 pm) must be taken at the scheduled time for credit. The exam covers all material: readings, quizzes, lectures, and additional topics.

Only SUU event attendance or a documented health or family emergency qualifies for early exams. Vacations or honeymoons are not exceptions valid excuses for missing an exam.

Grading and Extra Credit

Don't request extra credit. To earn a good grade, focus on mastering key topics, working hard, and staying attentive from the start of the semester.

Grades will be determined by calculating the average of total points earned divided by the total points possible, with letter grades subsequently assigned based on the resulting percentage.

A= 92.45 -100%
A-= 89.45-92.44%
B+= 86.45-89.44%
B= 82.45-86.44%
B-= 79.45-82.44%
C+= 76.45-79.44%
C= 72.45-76.44%
C-= 69.45-72.44%
D+= 66.45-69.44%
D= 62.45-66.44%
D-= 59.45-62.44%
F= less than 59.45%

THERE IS NO STATISTICAL CURVING OF GRADES.

Extra credit assignments may be offered to the entire class but will not be given on an individual basis. Requests for personal extra credit will be denied as it is unfair to other students.

Online Proctoring for Graded Activities

You must be logged in and visible on Zoom for all graded online activities; otherwise, you will receive a zero.

Course Outline

Tentative class schedule:
The information provided in this syllabus and schedule is subject to modification with prior notice, as considered appropriate. However, all policies regarding examinations, late assignments, and grading are fixed and will remain unchanged. No exceptions will be made.

Tentative Schedule: SUU has a 14 week long semester. Week long breaks and holidays are not shown in this schedule.  Only weeks of                                            instruction are shown in this schedule.

Dates | LECTURE TOPIC:
| All readings from "Principles of Human Anatomy" Tortora and Nielsen
Week 1: Introduction, Body Orientation: Chapter 1
Week 2: Tissues, and Integumentary System: Chapters 3, 5
Week 3: Finish Chapters 3 and 5, begin Axial Skeleton, Appendicular Skeleton: Chapters 6, 7, 8, Unit 1 Chapter 6 Assignment
Week 4: Finish Axial and Appendicular Skeleton: Chapters 7-8
Week 5: Unit 1 Exam: Chapters1,3,5,6,7,8,begin Muscles: Chapters 10, 11
Week 6: Muscles: Chapters 9, 10, 11, Unit 2 Chapter 9/Muscles Assignment
Week 7: Muscles: Chapters 9, 10, 11, Unit 2 Exam: Chapters 9, 10, 11
Week 8: Start Nervous Tissue: Chapter 16 Nervous Tissue, Spinal Cord, Brain: Chapters 16, 17, 18
Week 9: Finish Brain, Chapter 18. Start Heart, Blood Vessels: Chapters 13, 14
Week 10: Heart, Blood Vessels: Chapters 13, 14
Week 11: Finish Heart, Blood Vessels: Chapters 13, 14, Unit 3 Exam: Nervous System, Heart, Vessels: Chapters 16, 17, 18, 13, 14
Week 12: Begin Respiratory System: Chapter 23
Week 13: Finish Respiratory, begin Digestive, and Urinary systems: Chapters 23, 24, 25 Unit 4 Chapter 25 Assignment
Week 14: Finish Digestive and Urinary Systems: Chapters 24, 25. Do Reproductive System? Exam 4?
Week 15: Final Exam

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

Make-up quizzes are not allowed under any circumstances.

No make-up exams are allowed. Test dates will be provided ahead of time.

Only SUU event attendance or a documented health or family emergency qualifies for early exams. Vacations or honeymoons are not exceptions valid excuses for missing an exam.

Make-up opportunities for missed exams, quizzes, or final assessments are not generally provided. If you have a documented excuse for missing a graded activity, it is essential to contact me promptly regarding your absence; however, this does not guarantee that an accommodation will be granted. The only excused absences recognized are those for official university activities such as athletics or academic field trips, which must be supported by a letter from the coach or instructor submitted prior to the absence. Make-up work must be completed within three school days. In the event of an emergency resulting in an absence from an exam, only documentation signed by a certified medical professional with diagnostic and prescriptive authority (M.D., D.O., N.P., P.A.), or evidence of a documented family emergency provided within one day of returning to campus, will be accepted—unless prior arrangements have been made. Notes from employers, friends, or family members are not considered valid unless the individual acted in a professional, diagnostic capacity. Absences due to SUU-sponsored events will be addressed individually. If your military obligations require you to miss class, please notify me immediately, as these circumstances constitute acceptable reasons for absence as well. If you fall into any of these categories, please arrange to meet with me directly. Absences due to vacation, honeymoon, or early departure before the semester concludes are not considered valid excuses for missing exams, quizzes, or class sessions.

Assignments must be submitted on Canvas—not by email.

Plan ahead; computer issues are not valid excuses for late work.

Attendance Policy

Class attendance is required, and missing too many sessions will lower your grade. I strongly encourage participation in live class activities to support learning and build community. This course meets face-to-face; Zoom will only be used if I need to isolate. At times, you must watch recorded lectures outside regular meeting hours. Expect to spend significant time outside of class mastering the material.

Student Participation: All Students are expected to make positive, relevant contributions to the class.

If you miss a class, you're still accountable for all missed work and exams. To stay on track, get notes from a classmate. Missing classes or not participating may affect your grade.

Course Fees

Computer/Internet: This course requires proficiency with computers, word processing, the internet, email, .pdf files, and especially SUU’s Canvas System. Assignments and some quizzes/tests may be submitted through Canvas. Students must use personal or campus computers to complete coursework.

Required Hardware/Software: You need a device with a large screen, reliable internet, webcam, and microphone, or access to an on-campus computer lab. Do not use a phone.

Google Chrome internet browser is highly recommended. Other browsers do not work well with Canvas.

Most common issues are fixed by using Chrome, clearing your cache, logging out/rebooting/logging back in, and contacting Tech Support. I am not tech-savvy. I won’t be able to help you.

Zoom will be used for Lectures and Office Hours, as/if needed.

Additional Course Information and Enrollment Requirements

Additional Course Policies and Information
Health and Safety

If you are sick or think you've been exposed to a contagious illness (such as covid, flu, or RSV), please wear a mask. I am high risk for severe complications, as are others in class—if asked, mask up.

Co-Requisite and Pre-Requisite

CO-REQUISITE: BIOL 2325, Human Anatomy Lab

Pre-Requisite: Completion of BIOL 1610 (General Biology Lecture), with a grade of C or better.

Exam Review

After exam grades are posted, students can review their tests during office hours until the next exam. After that, previous exams will be destroyed and cannot be reviewed. Please check your graded paper with the Canvas grade and discuss any feedback with me promptly.

Course Materials and Note-taking

PowerPoint slides used in class are only outlines for organizing your notes and checking spelling. Copying slides alone is not enough to pass this class.

Communication and Classroom Conduct

You are expected to write and speak in standard English for all classroom related activities.

Please refrain from using computers and phones for non-class activities during instruction. Your presence here is to engage in learning, and maintaining focus during the lecture will increase your chances of achieving a grade you can be proud of. Additionally, staying attentive contributes to a stronger sense of community and connectedness among your peers and with me as your instructor. If I notice that a student is not paying attention, such as sleeping or engaging in side conversations, I will address it during class. I encourage everyone to remain focused to foster a positive and productive learning environment.

Emergency Considerations

I will treat emergencies individually: If you miss class or face any issues, contact me so we can address your situation and help you stay on track. I'll ensure fairness and support for everyone, but won't allow actions that give unfair advantages. My aim is to keep the process straightforward and equitable.

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.