Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2026

Building Codes & Ethics (Face-to-Face)

CM 3270-01

Course: CM 3270-01
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2026
Department: Engineering and Technology
CRN: 30465

Course Description

This course introduces students to professional codes of conduct and ethics adopted by the International Building Codes. Students examine building classification and fire protection systems, as well as regulations worldwide to classify buildings as safe. This course provides a thorough examination of the height limitations, structural strength requirements and occupancy regulations. Upon completion, students should be able to determine the code constraints governing construction projects. (Fall) [Graded (Standard Letter)]

Required Texts

2024 International Building Code, International Code Council. Students must have consistent access to the code in print or approved digital form. 

Learning Outcomes

Course Objectives
1.     Code Navigation: Use the organization, definitions, tables, exceptions, and referenced provisions of the 2024 IBC efficiently.
2.     Building Classification: Classify occupancies and construction types and recognize mixed-use, special-use, and incidental conditions.
3.     Code Constraints: Determine allowable height, area, stories, fire-resistance, fire-protection, accessibility, egress, and structural coordination requirements.
4.     Professional Analysis: Document facts, assumptions, code paths, and conclusions in a clear and reviewable format.
5.     Ethical Judgment: Evaluate professional responsibilities involving public safety, competence, truthful communication, conflicts of interest, compliance, and risk reporting.
6.     Teamwork and Communication: Prepare and present a coordinated code-analysis package for a building project.
Course Outcomes
1.     Accurate Code Interpretation: Navigate and cite applicable IBC provisions and explain how exceptions and cross-references affect a conclusion.
2.     Occupancy and Construction Analysis: Determine occupancy classifications, construction type, allowable building size, and related project constraints.
3.     Life-Safety Analysis: Identify major fire-resistance, fire-protection, accessibility, and means-of-egress requirements.
4.     Integrated Code Review: Prepare a concise written and graphic code analysis for a representative building scenario.
5.     Ethical and Professional Responsibility: Apply public-safety, competence, integrity, disclosure, and risk-communication principles to construction decisions.
6.     Communication and Teamwork: Communicate code findings clearly to owners, designers, contractors, and code officials while contributing effectively to a team.

Course Requirements

1.     Attendance and Participation: Regular attendance, preparation, and professional engagement are expected because class meetings include guided code reading, case discussion, and project coordination. Students are responsible for material covered when absent.
2.     Homework and Code Exercises: Work must be neat, organized, and professionally formatted. State the problem, relevant facts and assumptions, applicable code sections, analysis, and conclusion. Students may discuss concepts unless instructed otherwise, but submitted work must be their own except for designated group assignments.
3.     Late Work. Assignments are due on the stated date. Late work may be penalized 10% unless the instructor approves a documented exception.
4.     Quizzes: Quizzes assess code navigation and application. They may be announced or unannounced and may be delivered in class or through Canvas. Make-up opportunities are at the instructor’s discretion when supported by an approved or documented absence.
5.     Ethics Case Brief Presentation: During the semester, students will complete several group presentations explaining assigned IBC chapters. Each group will study the assigned provisions, demonstrate its understanding of the code requirements and their application, and present the chapter clearly to the class. Presentations may also address ethical and professional issues related to code interpretation and compliance.
6.     Team Code Analysis Project: Teams prepare a code-analysis package addressing occupancy, construction type, height and area, egress, fire resistance and protection, accessibility, structural coordination, assumptions, and professional responsibility. Teams must divide work, communicate regularly, and review the final package collectively.
7.     Midterm Exam: The in-person midterm covers material assigned through October 14. The exam is open book, and students may consult the 2024 IBC during the exam. Work must be completed independently. No make-up exam will be given except for an approved university absence or other arrangement authorized by the instructor.
8.     Final Exam: The comprehensive final exam is scheduled according to the University Final Exam Schedule. The exam is open book, and students may consult the 2024 IBC during the exam. Work must be completed independently. Students must address exam conflicts through the university process and contact the instructor promptly.
9.     Generative AI: AI tools may be used for grammar support, brainstorming study questions, or formatting notes, but not to replace a student’s own code interpretation, ethics reasoning, or citation work unless explicitly authorized for an assignment. Any permitted use must be disclosed. Invented or unverified code citations are unacceptable.
10.  Professional Conduct and Safety. Students must communicate respectfully, document work honestly, follow applicable safety procedures, and use university facilities or equipment only as instructed. Code analysis in this course is academic work and does not replace review by the authority having jurisdiction or a licensed design professional.

Course Outline


| Date(s) | Module | Focus 
| Wed 09/02 | Course and syllabus introduction | Course expectations; code access; professional responsibility
| Fri 09/04 | Course and project introduction | Project scope, teams, deliverables, and code-analysis workflow
| Wed 09/09 | Chapter 1 | Scope and administration
| Fri 09/11 | Chapter 2 | Definitions
| Mon 09/14-Wed 09/16 | Chapter 3 | Occupancy classification and use
| Fri 09/18-Mon 09/21 | Chapter 4 | Special detailed requirements based on occupancy and use
| Wed 09/23-Mon 09/28 | Chapter 5 | General building heights and areas
| Wed 09/30 | Chapter 6 | Types of construction
| Fri 10/02-Mon 10/05 | Chapter 7 | Fire and smoke protection features
| Wed 10/07 | Chapter 8 | Interior finishes
| Fri 10/09-Wed 10/14 | Chapter 10 | Means of egress
| Fri 10/16 | Midterm examination | Chapters and material assigned through October 14
| Wed 10/21 | Chapter 11 | Accessibility
| Fri 10/23 | Chapter 14 | Exterior walls
| Mon 10/26 | Chapter 15 | Roof assemblies and rooftop structures
| Wed 10/28-Mon 11/02 | Chapter 16 | Structural design
| Wed 11/04-Fri 11/06 | Chapter 17 | Special inspections and tests
| Mon 11/09-Fri 11/13 | Chapter 18 | Soils and foundations
| Mon 11/16 | Chapter 19 | Concrete
| Wed 11/18 | Chapter 21 | Masonry
| Fri 11/20 | Chapter 22 | Steel
| Mon 11/30-Fri 12/04 | Chapters 27-29 | Electrical, mechanical, and plumbing systems
| Mon 12/07-Fri 12/11 | Project presentations | Team code-analysis presentations and professional review

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

Assignments are due on the stated date. Late work may be penalized 10% unless the instructor approves a documented exception.

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance, preparation, and professional engagement are expected because class meetings include guided code reading, case discussion, and project coordination. Students are responsible for material covered when absent.

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.