Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Summer Semester 2026

Marriage and Family Relations (Online)

FLHD 2400-SW3

Course: FLHD 2400-SW3
Credits: 3
Term: Summer Semester 2026
Department: FLHD
CRN: 20274

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. (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

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

Learning Outcomes

By faithfully completing the course requirements, including readings, discussions, exams, and written assignments, at the end of the term you should be able to:
  1. Identify and discuss the processes and stages of family development, both healthy and unhealthy from dating and mate selection to marriage and parenting (ELO #10, NCFR #2)
  2. Analyze family dynamics in response to normative and non-normative stressors including crises and trauma (NCFR #2)
  3. Facilitate and strengthen communication processes, conflict-management, and problem-solving skills (NCFR #2)
  4. Develop, recognize, and reinforce strategies that help families function effectively (NCFR #2)
  5. Identify and discuss internal dynamics of intimate relationships, including communication, problem solving, emotional intimacy, and principles found in healthy relationships (ELO #10, NCFR #2)
  6. Identify and explain contemporary challenges facing families, such as abuse, divorce, and single-parenting (ELO #10, NCFR #5)
  7. Apply what you have learned to your own relational and family experiences by demonstrating you can make connections among ideas taught in this class and your own personal experiences (ELO #10, NCFR #5)

Course Requirements


1. Group Discussion:
20% of your grade: 210 points (14 discussion posts @ 15 points each) Due each Saturday
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 10 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.

2.  Classes Quizzes: 20% of your grade: 140 points (14 x 10 points each) Due each Saturday
Quizzes are a great way to encourage retention from what you are learning from the reading and lectures.  Each week there will be one (possibly two) quizzes due. Quizzes will open the previous week before they are 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. 

3.  Learning Activities: 20% of your grade 
There will be five small assignment throughout the semester to help you better understand and apply important concepts from the course.  Though they may seem simple, please take them seriously and put in the effort including using appropriate grammar, spelling and punctuation.  

4.  Family Application Paper: 90 points (20% of your grade)
For this paper, you will choose ONE of the following two paper options described below.  

Choice One: Marriage Paper
In this paper you will discuss both the healthy and unhealthy relationship choices you have seen your parents and other couples make in  their relationships, along with the consequences of these choices.  You will also discuss future relationship choices based on what is  presented in your text.  

Choice Two: Parenting Paper
Similar to the paper above, you will discuss both the healthy and unhealthy parenting choices you have seen your parents and other  couples make in their parenting, along with the impact of such choices.  You will also discuss future relationship choices based on what is  presented in your text.  

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. Papers written at the last-minute show and are marked down accordingly.

5.  Midterm and Final: 50 points each (20% of your grade)
These 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 and PPTs.  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

Each week we will explore the following topics: 

Week 1: Marriage & Family Trends & Definitions
Week 2: Family Theory
Week 3: Communication 
Week 4: Conflict Resolution
Week 5: Sexual Intimacy 
Week 6: Gender & the Family
Week 7: Families & Money
Week 8: Friendship & Technology
Week 9: Dating & Cohabitation
Week 10: Strengthening your Marriage
Week 11: Parenting 
Week 12: Stress & Abuse
Week 13: Divorce, Single Parenting, & Stepfamilies
Week 14: Couples/Families in Mid & Later Life

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 up to 7 days after due date, up to 50% off.
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.

Course Fees

3 Credit(s) | $7.50 Fee

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.