Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Spring Semester 2026

ORPT Senior Seminar (Face-to-Face)

ORPT 4900-01

Course: ORPT 4900-01
Credits: 3
Term: Spring Semester 2026
Department: PEHP
CRN: 11002

Course Description

A capstone course: ORPT majors will complete a capstone project to investigate current trends, issues, research, and professional standards in the field. Students will also prepare for internships. (Spring) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Registration Restriction(s): Outdoor Recreation in Parks and Tourism majors only; Senior standing required

Required Texts

There is no required textbook for this course.

Students who have not completed the CliftonStrengths Top 5 Assessment will be required to take the assessment. It may be purchased for $25.99 from https://store.gallup.com/product/cliftonstrengths-top-5/01tPa00000QhS6yIAF

With guidance from the instructor, students will select and assign scholarly articles for their peers to review as part of the student-led seminar discussions. Seminar topics will be related to ORPT program learning outcomes and approved by the instructor.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Professional Development Outcomes
    1. Demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills
    2. Demonstrate professionalism in all forms of communication
    3. Create and deliver professional resumes, cover letters, reports, and presentations
    4. Develop a professional guiding philosophy
    5. Develop knowledge/skill in a specific program learning outcome area by creating a capstone project
  2. Personal Development Outcomes
    1. Articulate strengths and leverage strengths to achieve personal and professional goals
    2. Identify desired career path in the park, recreation, and tourism field and corresponding qualifications
    3. Self-assess knowledge, skills and abilities and prepare a portfolio highlighting these qualities

Course Requirements

Optional Learning Activities
  1. Reading Notes: Students may provide reading notes to demonstrate they have completed assigned readings
  2. Project Progress Reports: Students may provide weekly updates on their capstone project progress
  3. Graduate School Programs: Students may identify a graduate program that would help them progress toward desired career goals
  4. Group Activity: Students may lead a group activity during the river trip
  5. Festival of Excellence Presentation: Students may present a project they have completed at the annual Festival of Excellence

Required Learning Activities
  1. PLO Assessment and Reflection: Students will complete an assessment aligned with the ORPT Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs), identify strengths and opportunities for growth, and complete a reflection.
  2. Strengths Assessment and Reflection: Students will complete a strengths assessment and reflect on how they can articulate and leverage their strengths to achieve personal and professional goals
  3. Seminar: Students will choose a topic related to the ORPT PLOs and organize a seminar for the class. This includes selecting and assigning appropriate readings and preparation materials, facilitating the class session, and developing discussion questions.
  4. Professional Portfolio: Students will prepare a professional portfolio highlighting their knowledge, skills, abilities, and professional experience.
  5. Capstone Project: Students will complete an independent capstone project informed by the PLO Assessment.
  6. Participation & Professionalism: Professional expectations for this course include:
    1. Attendance: attending class meetings and trips; arriving on-time. In-person attendance is expected for face-to-face classes.
    2. Preparation: being adequately prepared for class activities by completing assigned readings and lectures, bringing appropriate equipment and materials, etc.
    3. Follow-through: fulfilling commitments and completing work in a thorough, attentive, and timely manner
    4. Participation and Expedition Behavior: meaningful participation and modeling good expedition behavior in all course activities
    5. Appropriate use of technology in the classroom and during class activities
    6. Professional communication in all modes of communication (electronic, face-to-face)

Grading

This course utilizes ungrading, shifting the focus from “How many points did I get?” to “What did I learn?”. No points or grades will be given for assignments - only an acknowledgment of Complete (Satisfactory) or Incomplete (Unsatisfactory/Missing) work with feedback on strengths and opportunities for improvement. All assignments and learning activities will include Instructions, Criteria for Success, and a rubric with specifications for satisfactory work. Students may revise submitted work to demonstrate learning and receive a Satisfactory/Complete grade. For all assignments and learning activities, criteria for “Satisfactory” work are based on the standard of passing, or a C.

In order to pass the course, students must complete the following learning activities:

  • Assessments: complete the PLO Assessment and Strengths Assessment and submit their results
  • Seminar: students must satisfactorily prepare and facilitate an in-class seminar
  • Portfolio: students must complete a satisfactory professional portfolio
  • Capstone: students must complete a satisfactory capstone project
  • Participation & Professionalism: students must demonstrate a satisfactory level of participation and professionalism by attending class meetings and trips, and meaningfully participate in class discussions and activities. 

ORPT 4900 is listed as a “standard grade” course in the Academic Catalog. Therefore, students will receive a final letter grade (A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, F) at the end of the semester. Students will propose the grade they feel they earned and justify the proposal using evidence of engagement and completed work. The professor reserves the right to accept or not accept the final proposed grade based on evidence of the student's work and engagement over the course of the semester.

Course Outline

Regular course activities take place on-campus during the assigned class meeting time. Daily topics will be finalized during the beginning of the semester based on input from students enrolled in the course. Typically, the course is structured as follows:
  1. Post-Graduation Preparation: Covers topics relevant to helping students transition from their university program to a full-time professional position. Standard topics include articulating skills and experience, professional application materials, understanding graduate programs, and understanding job descriptions. Additional topics are determined based on student input and may include managing conflict in the workplace, understanding organizational policies and procedures, employment benefits, and other relevant topics.
  2. Student-led Seminars: Each student will be assigned to lead a seminar discussion or activity during one class period. 
  3. Capstone Project Presentations: Students will present their capstone project to the class.

In addition, the course includes a rafting trip on the San Juan River. The trip is scheduled for March 23-26, 2026. Additional information will be provided.

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

All learning activities will be posted on Canvas and include clear instructions, learning objectives, evaluation rubric, and submission instructions. Any assignment that needs to be turned in will have posted due dates and times. Due dates will be 11:59pm on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Students are always welcome to turn an assignment in early.

Work will be accepted up to 48 hours (2 days) past the posted deadline with no penalty. Extensions beyond the 2-day grace period are granted on a case-by-case basis and may be given for extenuating circumstances. Late assignments received >48 hours past the posted due date will receive half of the total points earned. Late assignments without an extension will not be accepted more than 7 days past the posted due date. No "extra credit" or alternative assignments will be granted to "make up" for missed learning activities.

Attendance Policy

Attendance will be taken daily and tracked in Canvas. Students will be marked as Present, Absent (Excused), Absent (Unexcused), or Late.

Your attendance and participation in this course is a valuable contribution to the entire class, and will benefit your learning and performance. Students shall make every reasonable effort to attend class and the river trip. 

Absences may be excused in the following circumstances:
  • Illness or urgent health need
  • University excused absences
  • As part of an accommodation authorized and communicated by the DRC
  • Family emergency
  • Other emergency or extenuating circumstance appropriately communicated to the professor
  • Pregnancy accommodations

Absences will not be excused for the following circumstances:
  • Work
  • Vacations
  • Weddings/honeymoons
  • Routine healthcare appointments

A minimum attendance of 75% is expected in order to pass the course.

Class sessions may be recorded on Zoom. Recordings may be made available upon request.

Course Format

This is a face-to-face course facilitated using a seminar format. This format requires attentiveness and active participation, utilizing discussion and other active learning methods. The course utilizes Canvas to provide assignments, announcements, and other course resources. 

Risk Statement

This course includes or could include, a laboratory, physical activity, personal travel, or field trips. Participation in the course may expose the student to certain foreseeable and unforeseeable risks of injury such as, but not limited to illness, injury or even death. Knowing of these risks, the student freely and voluntarily participates in the course and hereby agrees to assume and accept any and all associated risks.

Course Fees

Students will pay $75 for a 4-day San Juan River rafting trip included in the course. Assistance is available for students with a financial need.

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.