Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Spring Semester 2026

Marriage and Family Relations (Online)

FLHD 2400-15C

Course: FLHD 2400-15C
Credits: 3
Term: Spring Semester 2026
Department: FLHD
CRN: 13034

Course Description

Examines concepts and skills which enhance human growth and development within the context of marriage and family. Helps students understand how intimate relationships are formed, maintained, and change over time. Factors affecting marriages and families are studied and applied.

Required Texts

Olson, D., DeFrain, J. & Skogrand, L. (2021). Marriages and Families: Intimacy, Diversity and Strengths (10th ed.) New York: McGraw Hill.
ISBN: 9781264169467

Learning Outcomes

By faithfully completing the course requirements, including readings, discussions, quizzes, written assignments, and the final, at the end of the term you should be able to:

  1. Identify and define healthy and unhealthy characteristics pertaining to stages in family and relationship development (NCFR #2)
  2. Analyze family functioning using various theoretical perspectives including a systemic perspective (NCFR #2)
  3. Analyze family dynamics in response to normative and non-normative stressors including crises and trauma (NCFR #2)
  4. Facilitate and strengthen communication processes, conflict-management, and problem-solving skills (NCFR #2)
  5. Develop, recognize, and reinforce strategies that help families function effectively (NCFR #2)

Additionally, you should be able to meet the following General Education Learning Outcomes: 

  1. Examine: Examine institutions and human behavior through social and behavioral concepts, methods, or theories;
  2. Analyze: Identify diverse perspectives to explore and examine social and behavioral phenomena; and
  3. Apply: Apply discipline-relevant and scientific theories and methods to make inferences about or applications to social and behavioral phenomena at personal, institutional, or cultural levels.

Course Requirements

Group Discussion: 20% of your grade: 100 points (10 discussion posts @ 10 points each) Due each Friday
Discussions provide you an opportunity to think critically about what you are learning, to share this with others, and to learn from your fellow students. Each week a discussion question will be posted. You are expected to create your own response (a minimum of four sentences) and then respond to two other posts (two to three sentences).

Your first response is worth 5 points, with follow-up comments worth 2.5 points each. Please keep in mind this is not a casual text to your friend but a well-thought out response, using professional language including appropriate punctuation, capitalization and grammar. Use of in text citation will add depth to your post. Please write according to APA-7. 

Reading Quizzes: 25% of your grade: 150 points (15 x 10 points each) Due each Wednesday
Quizzes are a great way to encourage reading. Each week there will be one reading quiz due. Quizzes are objective (e.g., multiple-choice, matching, and true/false) and worth 10 points. Quizzes are time limited but can be taken twice, with Canvas retaining your highest score. Quizzes will be administered through Canvas utilizing Honorlock Links to an external site.. At the end of the semester, I will drop the lowest quiz score (only 1 quiz). 

Content Activities: 15% of your grade Due Saturday 
Most weeks there will be a small assignment to help you better understand the and apply the material. Sometimes these assignments will be a video clip of you having some sort of discussion or a short write up (no more than half a page).

Family Application Paper: 90 points (20% of your grade)
For this paper, you will choose ONE of the following two paper options described below. It will seem a little confusing, because Canvas may tell you a paper is missing, but I’ve instructed Canvas to drop the lowest grade. So, you will be okay. Make sure to answer every question.

  • Marriage Paper
In this two-page paper (not including the title page) please answer each of the following questions:

  1. Healthy Relationship Choices: Explain in detail three healthy choices you have seen couples make in their marriage or relationship. At least one of those examples need to be from your parents (you are welcome to use your parents for all three).  After each point, explain in detail the positive results of these choices.  
  2. Unhealthy Relationship Choices: Explain in detail three unhealthy choices you have seen either your parents or other couples make in their marriage - at least one needs to be of your parents. Next, explain in detail after each point the results of these choices.  
  3. Future Relationship Choices: Identify and describe in detail two concepts from the reading you would like to incorporate into your marriage. Make sure to explain why you chose those two concepts. Do not quote the text, but use your own words. Also, be sure to cite the text appropriately: (Olson, DeFrain, & Skogrand, 2019).

  • Parenting Paper
In this two-page paper, follow the same format as described above (three sections – each with a section heading, a title page, etc.). Address each of the following questions:

  1. Healthy Parenting Choices: Identify three healthy choices you have seen your parents make. In detail, describe what have you seen as the result of these choices. Identify three healthy choices you have seen other parents make. In detail, describe what have you seen as the result of these choices.      
  2. Unhealthy Parenting Choices: Identify three unhealthy choices you have seen your parents make. In detail, describe what have you seen as the result of these choices. Identify three unhealthy choices you have seen other parents make. In detail, describe what have you seen as the result of these choices. 
  3. Future Parenting Choices: Identify and describe in detail two concepts from the reading you would like to incorporate into your parenting. Explain why you believe this will be beneficial to your future (or current) children, comparing it to the healthy and/or unhealthy experiences you had with your parents. Do not quote the text, but use your own words. Also, be sure to cite the text appropriately: (Olson, DeFrain, & Skogrand, 2019).

Please Note
: All papers should be double-spaced and written in Times New Roman 12-point font. Point(s) will be deduced for each spelling and/or grammatical error. Remember that paragraphs are generally four to six sentences, at the very least they are not a page long, nor are they two sentences. Be sure to write according to APA 7 including in text citations and references.

Exams: 100 points (20% of your grade)
Exams are designed to help you retain what you’ve learned. It will pull from the quizzes along with concepts presented in the weekly discussions. It is objective (e.g., multiple-choice, matching, and true/false) and a study guide will be provided in advance. Like the quizzes, exams will be administered through Canvas utilizing Honorlock

Course Outline

These topics will be explored through our 14 weeks together. Topics include:
Family Definitions and Trends
Diversity in the Family
Communication
Handling Conflict
Sexual Intimacy
Gender in the Family
Managing Economic Resources
Friendship, Intimacy, & Singlehood
Dating, Mate Selection, and Living Together
Marriage: Building a Strong Foundation
Parenthood Joys and Challenges
Stress, Abuse, and Family Problems
Divorce, Single-Parent Families and Families Worldwide
Families in Midlife and Old Age

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

Late Policy/Make Up Work - Late work will be accepted at a 10% penalty per day after due date, including weekends (This late policy does not include quizzes or exams).
Extra Credit will not be given.

Attendance Policy

Attendance - This is an asynchronous online course and therefore synchronous attendance is not required. Your participation in the course activities and discussions are essentially your attendance.

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.