Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Summer Semester 2026

Stress and Pain (Online)

PSY 3600-30I

Course: PSY 3600-30I
Credits: 3
Term: Summer Semester 2026
Department: PSY
CRN: 20609

Course Description

According to the World Health Organization, stress has reached epidemic proportions worldwide.  More and more people report feeling high levels of stress. Almost all illnesses and diseases have a stress-related component and this is costing us billions of dollars annually. But did you know that there is now evidence that stress can only harm us if we believe stress is harmful?

The first purpose of this course is to provide you with a theoretical understanding of stress and stress management. We will use this foundation to learn, practice, and appreciate a number of stress management tools and techniques. On successful completion of this section of the course, you will be able to recognize symptoms of stress in yourself and in others and have the resources necessary to cope effectively with stress.

The second purpose is related to a universal experience - pain. Ranging from unpleasant to downright agonizing, pain helps to keep us alive. But sometimes things go wrong and pain no longer serves a purpose. It has become a "disease" in its own right. 

The second purpose of the course is to provide you with a theoretical understanding of pain. We will approach pain using a psychobiological perspective, as pain is as much mental as it is physical. Once armed with this foundation, you will learn how to apply many of the techniques used for stress coping to alleviate pain. You will also learn about other techniques that are more "pain-specific," including drug therapy and the sensory modulation of pain. On completion of this section of the course, you will recognize how stress and pain interact. I hope that you will come to understand that both are not "inherently evil". They can co-exist and be effectively managed by you.

 (Fall [As Needed], Spring [As Needed], Summer [As Needed]) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Prerequisite(s): PSY 1010 - Prerequisite Min. Grade: C- Registration Restriction(s): None

Required Texts

There is no required text for this course. However, students will need a pulse oximeter for many of the class activities. The one recommended for this course is the Zacurate Pro Series 500DL Fingertip Pulse Oximeter, sold on Amazon and Walmart for about $20-25.

Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully complete the course will be able to;

a.      Articulate and explain what stress is, the different kinds of stressors, and why stress is necessary at times
b.      Articulate and explain the biopsychosocial variables that determine whether an event or condition becomes a stressor
c.      Practice and use a comprehensive list of stress management techniques
d.      Build a stress portfolio of themselves, their coping techniques, and ways to change OR identify recurring stressors, create a plan to cope with them, execute
         the plan, and create a new plan for future stressors
e.      Articulate and explain what pain is, the different kinds of pain, and why pain is necessary at times
f.        Articulate and explain the biopsychosocial variables that influence pain perception and pain behaviors
g.      Practice and use pain management techniques to reduce unnecessary pain
h.      Identify and summarize relevant peer-reviewed research

Course Requirements

video lecture segment quizzes  20%
seek, answer, relate, apply (SARA) project  20%
15 SARA quizzes  5%
15 class activities  15%
 self-discovery OR mix & match project   25%
 video reflection posts     5%
 final exam 10%
 
 each graded activity is described in detail on the website for the course:  https://www.lynnwhite-suu.com/stress-and-pain

Course Outline

The Psychological Basis of Stress
 The Social Basis of Stress
 The Spiritual Basis of Stress
 The Physiology of Stress
 Personality and Stress
 Stress Emotions
 Stress and Disease
 Stress Management Techniques
 The Psychology of Pain and Types of Pain
 The Physiological Basis of Pain
 Pain Theories 
 Drug Therapy
 Sensory & Psychological Interventions

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

Due dates have been established to help you stay on track and discourage procrastination. But "life happens". Maybe you are sick, have a dentist appointment, or need a mental health day. The reason does not matter. I have a penalty-free three-day grace period on everything EXCEPT discussion posts and the final exam. Before you celebrate this policy, it is important to understand that submitting many things late might result in an unmanageable pile-up at the end. Also, with respect to the video lecture quizzes, you will not have access to these after the grace period. Why does matter? If you need to take the final, 100% of the questions will come from the video lecture quizzes. Without access to these, how will you study? 

What if I need more time beyond the grace period?
If you cannot submit something by the end of the grace period because of an unforeseen, unavoidable, and justifiable reason, you may contact me (via email or a direct Canvas message) to request an extension. You will need to tell me which graded activity was or will be missed and why. Documentation will be required. IMPORTANT: requests for an extension must be made as soon as possible. Waiting too late might result in a request denial.

Students with ADA Accommodations​
If you have accommodations for an extension "when symptoms of your disability appear”, the three-day extension begins from the due date, NOT from the end of the grace period.

Attendance Policy

n/a because this is an online course

Course Fees

$12

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.