Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Spring Semester 2026

Elementary Astronomy (Online)

PHYS 1040-30I

Course: PHYS 1040-30I
Credits: 3
Term: Spring Semester 2026
Department: PSCI
CRN: 12127

Course Description

A conceptual study of basic astronomy including the night sky as observed from the Earth; apparent and real motions of celestial objects; a short history of the development of theories and tools used in astronomy; the wave and particle theories of light and their application; an overview of the solar system including planets, comets, asteroids, and meteors; and a non-mathematical approach to the nature of stars, stellar evolution, and cosmology. Designed for non-science majors and those seeking a science endorsement for teaching Earth Science in secondary schools. A minimum grade of “C” (2.0 or above) must be earned in this course before it can be counted in a physical science major or minor or as a prerequisite for any other course. (Fall, Spring, Summer) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Co-requisite(s): PHYS 1045 Registration Restriction(s): Intensive English Program majors may not enroll General Education Category: Physical Sciences

Required Texts

Fraknoi, Morrison, & Wolff. Astronomy. OpenStax, ISBN: 978-1-938168-28-4 https://openstax.org/details/books/astronomy

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Describe the formation, evolution, and final state of planets, stars, and galaxies (Problem Solving).
  2. Understand how scientific theories are developed and identify what constitutes a valid scientific hypothesis (ELO: Inquiry & Analysis).
  3. Describe how theory, observation, and experimentation are complementary tools in the study of the basic laws of the universe (ELO: Inquiry & Analysis).
  4. Apply the principles of physics and astronomy across discipline boundaries (ELO: Inquiry & Analysis).
 
This is a General Education Course in the Physical Sciences Knowledge Area. The General Education Learning Outcomes are:
 
Physical Sciences: Upon successful completion of the General Education Physical Sciences
 requirement, students will be able to:
 
1. Explain scientific methods: Explain science as a process and as a way of understanding the physical world;
2. Understand: Demonstrate understanding of matter, energy, and their influence on physical systems;
3. Evaluate: Evaluate the credibility of various sources of information about science-related issues; and
4. Apply: Describe how the Physical Sciences utilize their foundational principles to confront and solve pressing local and global challenges, shaping historical, ethical, or social landscapes in the process.
 
Course Assessment Table
 
 | Course Assessments | Course Outcomes
 | Homework, Midterms, Discussions, Final | Outcome 1
 | Homework, Midterms, Discussions, Final | Outcome 2
 | Homework, Midterms, Discussions, Final | Outcome 3
 | Homework, Midterms, Discussions, Final | Outcome 4

Course Requirements

Course Assessment
The course grade is determined using this weighting:
 
| Category | Percentage
| Homework | 30%
| Discussions | 10%
| Midterm Exams | 45%
| Final Exam | 15%

Homework
Each module has a reading quiz that is drawn from chapters of the textbook. These quizzes will assess students’ understanding of the material covered in the module and will consist of online questions in various formats. Students are strongly encouraged to watch each module's video(s) before attempting the homework. Students are welcome to consult any material or person (including classmates!) while working to complete these assignments. All homework is due Friday at 10:00 PM. Homework accounts for 30% of the grade. The lowest homework score is dropped from the overall grade.
 
Discussions
An important part of each module is a discussion where students can talk with classmates about the current class concepts. Students will also have the opportunity to apply knowledge to new situations. Discussions usually require each student to create one post of their own and to reply to another student’s post. All discussions are due by Friday at 10:00 PM. Discussions account for 10% of the grade. The lowest discussion score is dropped from the overall grade.
 
Midterm Exams
There are three midterm exams, and each will be administered on Canvas, using Honorlock, after a set of 5 modules. These exams will assess student learning over the course of the relevant modules. Midterm exams account for 45% of the grade.
 
Final Exam
The final exam will assess student learning over the entirety of the course and accounts for 15% of the grade.

Note that all exams are ONLY available inside of their designated availability windows. It is the student's responsibility to make sure they can complete the exams within the availability window. Exam availability windows will not be extended under any circumstances.

Be sure to use the latest versions of the Google Chrome browser and the Honorlock extension to take the exams. If you do not have the latest versions installed, you may be prompted to enter an access code to take the exam. If this happens, you must update the browser and the extension and restart the device. Please do not ask the instructor for the access code; the instructor does not have an access code. Honorlock handles the passcode automatically.
 
Any submission of homework, discussion, or exams may only be made once. There are no resubmissions.

Final Grades
This table contains the grade ranges that are used in this class.

| Grade | Range (%) | Description | A | 93 – 100 | Excellent
| A- | 90 – 92.99 | Excellent
| B+ | 87 – 89.99 | Above average
| B | 83 – 86.99 | Above average
| B- | 80 – 82.99 | Above average
| C+ | 77 – 79.99 | Average
| C | 73 – 76.99 | Average
| C- | 70 – 72.99 | Average
| D+ | 67 – 69.99 | Below average
| D | 63 – 66.99 | Below average
| D- | 60 – 62.99 | Below average
| F | < 60 | Failure

The instructor may apply a scale to all final grades at the close of the semester by favorably adjusting the score ranges that correspond to each letter grade. Individual items are not scaled.

Course Outline

Module 1: Brief Tour of the Universe and Observing the Sky Overview
Module 2: Orbits and Gravity
Module 3: Seasons and Tides
Module 4: Properties of the Solar System
Module 5: Exoplanets
Module 6: The Sun
Module 7: Stellar Properties
Module 8: Star Birth
Module 9: Stellar Lives
Module 10: The Death of Stars
Module 11: The Milky Way
Module 12: Galaxies
Module 13: Galaxy Evolution
Module 14: The Origin of the Universe

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

Late Work Policy
Late work is not accepted. Submissions made by or before 10:00 PM are on time. Submissions made at 10:01 PM or later are late and will not be graded. It is advised to submit homework ahead of the deadline to allow time to resolve any technical issues that could delay submission. The only circumstances under which deadline extensions may be granted are determined by the Disability Resource Center and/or the SUU Health Clinic. The instructor only responds to requests for deadline extensions if they are made by these entities. The deadlines in this course are designed to guide students through the material at a reasonable pace. Students are encouraged to work ahead but must avoid late work. Many assignments are due at the end of the semester; it is advised to budget time for this. It is better to turn in incomplete work on time than to attempt to turn in complete work late. 

Attendance Policy

This is an asynchronous online course. This course does not meet in person and attendance does not contribute to the grade. Assignment due dates are chosen to guide students through their independent work at a reasonable pace throughout the semester.

Course Fees

The course fee is $13.50 per credit hour.
View all of SUU's Program and Course Fees.

Additional Course Policies

Extensions, Accommodations, and Student Medical Records
Students are not to share medical information or records of any sort with the instructor under any circumstances. The instructor is not a medical professional and is not qualified to make decisions based on medical information. Student medical records are private, and the instructor is not privy to them. The instructor can only offer extensions and other accommodations when instructed by the Disability Resource Center (DRC) or the SUU Health Clinic. The instructor does not respond to requests for accommodations made by students.
 
Extra Credit
Extra credit is not offered in this course.
 
File Uploads
It is the student's responsibility to make sure file submissions are uploaded to the appropriate assignment in Canvas and in pdf format. Any files that are blank or corrupted will be given a score of zero. Any files that are submitted to the instructor via any means other than Canvas will not be graded.
 
Due Dates & Times
All assignments are due on Fridays at 10:00 pm Mountain Time. All times in this course are in Mountain Time. If a student is in a different time zone, it is their responsibility to make the necessary time adjustments. Due dates for assignments in the lab are different from those in the class. It is the student's responsibility to be aware of due dates/times in both the class and lab.
 
Electronic Communication Etiquette
Electronic Communication Etiquette is to be observed when communicating with peers and the instructor. Students are expected to stay on top of communication from the instructor through Canvas and email. Students are encouraged to enable email notifications for updates to the course's Canvas page. Messages sent to the instructor must use common etiquette including subject titles, salutation, clear and thoughtful writing in the body, and valediction.

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.