Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Summer Semester 2026

Human Development through the Lifespan (Online)

FLHD 1500-SW1

Course: FLHD 1500-SW1
Credits: 3
Term: Summer Semester 2026
Department: FLHD
CRN: 20224

Course Description

Emphasizes and examines aspects of human development across the lifespan. Includes holistic view of developmental changes that integrate theories, research and application. Overview of the development of the individual and the family in society. (Fall, Spring, Summer) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Registration Restriction(s): Intensive English Program majors may not enroll General Education Category: Social and Behavioral Sciences

Required Texts


*Book will be offered via inclusive access and can be located at the top of the modules page*

Invitation to the Lifespan
(5th ed.) by Kathleen Stassen Berger

Publisher: Macmillan Learning          ISBN: 9781319331986

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the class, students will be able to:
  1. Examine: Examine institutions and human behavior through social and behavioral concepts, methods, or theories; (Aligns with NCFR #3)
  2. Analyze: Identify diverse perspectives to explore and examine social and behavioral phenomena; and (Aligns with NCFR #3)
  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. (Aligns with NCFR #3)

Course Requirements

None

Course Outline

Exams


You will have 4 exams in this course. Each exam will consist of 50 multiple-choice questions. You will need to ensure you have access to a working computer with a camera and sufficient access to wifi.

  • Exam #1 – 50 pts.
    • Covering chapters 1-4
  • Exam #2 – 50 pts.
    • Covering chapters 5-8
  • Exam #3 – 50 pts.
    • Covering chapters 9-11
  • Exam #4 – 50 pts.
    • Covering chapters 12-Epilogue

Students will take these exams via HonorLock.
Students will have 60 minutes to take each of these exams.
Students can take each exam twice, keeping the highest score. 
All exams are closed book and notes. 

Learning Curves

  • Each chapter will include 2-3 "Learning Curves" for a combined 30 points per chapter. 
  • These "learning curves" allow students to utilize the textbook's e-book platform to take interactive and adaptive "quizzes" pertaining to various topics from each chapter. 
  • Each learning curve is set to be completed at a specific total point value. Students will answer questions worth varying point values. Students will be given questions until they reach the designated total point value. Meaning, if students complete each learning curve, they are all but guaranteed 100% on each learning curve "quiz", IF they complete them by the designated due-date. 
  • More information can be found HERE.
    Links 

Assignments

  • Syllabus Quiz: Understand what is expected of you this term. You have unlimited time and two chances at the quiz. Referencing the syllabus is encouraged. 
  • Video Introductions: This assignment is used to acquaint you with your classmates and serves as an introduction to using a Padlet and recording and posting a video.
  • Announcement Agreement: This activity ensures that you will receive course announcements that I send out throughout this course.
  • Letter to Future Child: This assignment requires you to integrate the role of nature and nurture in child-rearing with your personal philosophy of a productive life.
  • Video Observation-Infancy: This assignment provides an opportunity for you to observe and identify developmental milestones of infants.
  • Video Observation-Toddlerhood: This assignment provides an opportunity for you to observe and identify developmental milestones of toddlers.
  • Research Topic Selection: This assignment engages the learner in choosing a debate topic about human development to research for future assignments.
  • Friendship Reflection: This assignment requires you to read, analyze and reflect on your own friendships growing up.
  • Research Article Summaries: This assignment requires you to locate and summarize articles that address both sides of your selected debate topic (Research Topic Selection assignment).
  • Research Poster Presentation: This assignment requires you to create a video poster presentation based on your research debate and post it for classmates to view.
  • Adolescent Suicide Prevention: This assignment requires you to research and evaluate online resources focused on adolescent suicide prevention and compose a personal insight paper that reflects on your findings and personal experience.
  • Research Video Poster - Viewing and Feedback: This assignment engages peers in viewing and evaluating and providing feedback to the video poster presentations of classmates.
  • Adulthood Interview: This assignment requires you to select and interview two adults regarding the aging process and reporting on your experience.
  • Life Sketch: This assignment invites you to create your own life sketch as if you are coming up on your 100th birthday. 

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 the due date, including weekends. 

  • Please note, this late policy does not apply to the exams or the Learning Curves. 

Extra Credit will not be given.

Attendance Policy

Attendance - This is an asynchronous online course and therefore no synchronous attendance is counted. Your participation in the course activities, assignments, and exams are essentially your attendance.

Student Expectations

Discussion and exchanging ideas is highly encouraged. With that expectation, the utmost respect should be taken for other classmates regardless of personal opinion or view. 

AI Policy

AI is a useful tool and it's one that you will likely want to be familiar with as you look for a job. That being said, the purpose of this class is to develop critical thinkers that can describe, explain, and analyze the complexities of human life through the understanding and application of theory and research. In this class you are welcome to use AI to help you during the brainstorming and research gathering part of the class as well as checking grammar and syntax. However, during the composition of the assignments, the work needs to be your own. AI used to answer questions or create drafts for your assignments or final research project is in violation of academic integrity under plagiarism and may result in punishments from failing the assignment/class up to being expelled. AI checkers and plagiarism checkers may be used for any discussion, assignment, test, or project. The responsibility for violations of intellectual property laws, misinformation, or unethical content lies on the student. If you have any questions, please reach out to me.

Final Grade Policy

Final grades are based on the work submitted and the grading criteria outlined in this syllabus and individual assignment descriptions. The grade you earn throughout the semester is the grade you will receive. Please plan accordingly and reach out early in the semester if you need support or clarification. Requests made at the end of the semester to submit missing work, complete additional assignments, receive extra credit, or adjust a final grade will not be considered. Requests for grade changes or re-evaluation after final grades are submitted will not be considered.

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.