Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2026

Technology and Ethics (Online)

CSCY 2400-30I

Course: CSCY 2400-30I
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2026
Department: Computer Science/Cybersecurity
CRN: 32318

Course Description

This is a course covering the ethical, policy and social aspects of information technology, the business within information technology, and the foundations of ethical decisions. The class will probe issues related to relationships in business, information acquisition, access and stewardship, software, and intellectual property. Areas of social concern will include decisions, liability, freedom, privacy, and control. The ultimate goal of the course is to give students an ethical perspective on the multiple challenges created by business and the diffusion of computer technology in the modern home and workplace. (Fall, Spring) [Graded (Standard Letter)] General Education Category: Social and Behavioral Sciences

Required Texts

Reynolds, George W., 2018. Ethics in Information Technology (6th Edition), Cengage Learning, Boston, 02210. ISBN 978-1337405874

Learning Outcomes

ESSENTIAL LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Upon successful completion of the General Education Social and Behavioral Sciences requirement, students will be able to: 
·         CLO 1 (GE SBS – Examine): Examine institutions and human behavior through the major theoretical perspectives, concepts, and methods of Technology Ethics.

·         CLO 2 (GE SBS – Analyze): Identify and analyze diverse perspectives to explore social and behavioral phenomena, including individual, cultural, and contextual differences in behavior and cognition.

·         CLO 3 (GE SBS – Apply): Apply discipline-relevant Technology Ethics theories and scientific methods to make inferences about, or applications to, behavioral phenomena at the personal, institutional, or cultural level.

·         CLO 4 (Durable Skill – Communication): Communicate technology ethical concepts, evidence, and applications clearly in written and oral form.

·         CLO 5 (Durable Skill – Critical Thinking): Evaluate evidence and reasoning to draw well-supported conclusions about behavior.


Alignment with USHE Board Policy R470, Social and Behavioral Sciences Essential Learning Outcomes:


 | R470 SBS Essential Learning Outcome | Course Learning Outcome (CLO) | Where It Is Assessed | Examine | CLO 1 Examine institutions and human behavior through the major theoretical perspectives, concepts, and methods of Technology Ethics. | Chapter Quizzes (12); Chapter Homework research questions (12)
| Analyze | CLO 2 Identify and analyze diverse perspectives to explore social and behavioral phenomena, including individual, cultural, and contextual differences in behavior and cognition. | Personal Technology Ethics Reflection Papers (2); Video Discussion Forums (12)
| Apply | CLO 3: Apply discipline-relevant Technology Ethics theories and scientific methods to make inferences about, or applications to, behavioral phenomena at the personal, institutional, or cultural level. | Weekly Video Case Studies (12) & video Presentation (2); Final Exam
 
DURABLE SKILS AND HIGH-IMPACT PRACTICE:
This course intentionally embeds two AAC&U-aligned durable skills and one high-impact practice (HIP) for first-year classrooms, in keeping with SUU's GE "First" design philosophy:

·         Critical Thinking — students evaluate technological ethics and apply theory to real behavioral phenomena (Chapter Quizzes (12), Video Case Studies (12).

·         Communication — students practice written communication (Personal Technology Ethics Papers (2)) and oral/visual communication Presentation (2)).

·         High-Impact Practice — Public Demonstrations of Learning: the Applied Case Study & Presentation asks students to present an analysis of a real-world behavioral issue to peers in a structured, public format, deepening learning through preparation, feedback, and accountability beyond a private submission. The unit also builds in Formative Feedback (weekly quizzes) and Reflection (the two reflection papers).

Course Requirements

To succeed in this course, the student must (1) view all classes of instruction and/or actively observe all electronically published instructional presentations, (2) work with the software outside of scheduled class times, for a minimum of 90 hours that are typically required for a 3-credit course, and (3) focus on mastering the student learning outcomes published for this course.

Course Outline

Week 01:
Addendum 00 – An Overview on College Technical Writing
Primer – The Need for Technology Ethics
Chapter 01 – An Overview on Ethics
Assignment - SUU Commenced Attendance Quiz (2 points)
Assignment – Video Case Study and Response (20 points
Assignment – Discussion Question (5 points)
Assignment – Homework Questions from chapter readings (10 points)
Assignment – Open Book Practice Quiz from Publisher (take as many times as
the student wishes) (5 points)
Assignment – Open Book Quiz from Publisher (student can take only once) (10
points)
Assignment – Introduction of Ethics Essay (40 points)
Extra Point work – Discussion Question (5 points)
Extra Point work – Entrance Quiz (10 points)
Extra Point work – Plagiarism Quiz (10 points)
Week 02:
Addendum 01 – Needs, Motives, Standards, & Corporate Corruption
Addendum 02 - Leaders, Managers, Teams and Politics
Assignment – Video Case Study and Response (20 points)
Assignment – Video Case Study and Response (20 points)
Assignment – Discussion Question (5 points)
Assignment – Discussion Question (5 points)
Assignment – Homework Questions from chapter readings (10 points)
Assignment – Homework Questions from chapter readings (10 points)
Week 03:
Chapter 02 – Ethics for IT Professionals
Assignment – Video Case Study and Response (20 points)
Assignment – Discussion Question (5 points)
Assignment – Homework Questions from chapter readings (10 points)
Assignment – Open Book Practice Quiz from Publisher (take as many times as
the student wishes) (5 points)
Assignment – Open Book Quiz from Publisher (student can take only once) (10
points)
 
Week 04:
Chapter 03 - Cyberattacks and Cybersecurity
Assignment – Video Case Study and Response (20 points)
Assignment – Discussion Question (5 points)
Assignment – Homework Questions from chapter readings (10 points)
Assignment – Open Book Practice Quiz from Publisher (take as many times as
the student wishes) (5 points)
Assignment – Open Book Quiz from Publisher (student can take only once) (10
points)
 
Week 05:
Chapter 04 – Privacy
Assignment – Video Case Study and Response (20 points)
Assignment – Discussion Question (5 points)
Assignment – Homework Questions from chapter readings (10 points)
Assignment – Open Book Practice Quiz from Publisher (take as many times as
the student wishes) (5 points)
Assignment – Open Book Quiz from Publisher (student can take only once) (10
points)
 
Week 06:
Assignment – Mid-Term paper due (50 points)
Assignment – Mid-Term paper video presentation (50 points)
 
Week 07:
Chapter 05 - Freedom of Expression
Assignment – Video Case Study and Response (20 points)
Assignment – Discussion Question (5 points)
Assignment – Homework Questions from chapter readings (10 points)
Assignment – Open Book Practice Quiz from Publisher (take as many times as
the student wishes) (5 points)
Assignment – Open Book Quiz from Publisher (student can take only once) (10
points)
 
Week 08:
Chapter 06 – Intellectual Property
Assignment – Video Case Study and Response (20 points)
Assignment – Discussion Question (5 points)
Assignment – Homework Questions from chapter readings (10 points)
Assignment – Open Book Practice Quiz from Publisher (take as many times as
the student wishes) (5 points)
Assignment – Open Book Quiz from Publisher (student can take only once) (10
points)
 
Week 09:
Chapter 07 - Software Development
Assignment – Video Case Study and Response (20 points)
Assignment – Discussion Question (5 points)
Assignment – Homework Questions from chapter readings (10 points)
Assignment – Open Book Practice Quiz from Publisher (take as many times as
the student wishes) (5 points)
Assignment – Open Book Quiz from Publisher (student can take only once) (10
points)
 
Week 10:
Chapter 08 – Impact of IT on Society
Assignment – Video Case Study and Response (20 points)
Assignment – Discussion Question (5 points)
Assignment – Homework Questions from chapter readings (10 points)
Assignment – Open Book Practice Quiz from Publisher (take as many times as
the student wishes) (5 points)
Assignment – Open Book Quiz from Publisher (student can take only once) (10
points)
 
Week 11:
Chapter 09 - Social Media
Assignment – Video Case Study and Response (20 points)
Assignment – Discussion Question (5 points)
Assignment – Homework Questions from chapter readings (10 points)
Assignment – Open Book Practice Quiz from Publisher (take as many times as
the student wishes) (5 points)
Assignment – Open Book Quiz from Publisher (student can take only once) (10
 
Week 12:
Holiday
 
Week 13:
Chapter 10 - Employer/Employee Issues
Assignment – Video Case Study and Response (20 points)
Assignment – Discussion Question (5 points)
Assignment – Homework Questions from chapter readings (10 points)
Assignment – Open Book Practice Quiz from Publisher (take as many times as
the student wishes) (5 points)
Assignment – Open Book Quiz from Publisher (student can take only once) (10
points)
 
Week 14:
Assignment – Final paper due (50 points)
Assignment – Final paper video presentation (50 points)
Assignment – Final Ethical Situation paper (150 points)
Assignment – Final Ethical Situation video presentation (50 points)
Assignment – Final Exam (50 points)

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

DELIVERABLES:
No deliverable will be accepted late for any reason. At the discretion of the Professor,
with extreme documented circumstances, a deliverable may be accepted late. Any
deliverable accepted late will, maximally, only be worth half of its original point value.
MISSED EXAMS:
Any missed exams can be made-up BUT if it is an open book exam, then the make-up
becomes closed book. There is also a penalty of 10% deduction.
CALCULATION OF GRADES:
NOTE: This class is worth 1000 points!!!
To calculate a student grade, take the total points as shown and divide by 10. This score
will be the final grade based upon the grading scale for this class.
GRADE CURVING/EXTRA WORK POLICY:
No grades are curved. There are 50 extra points available for any student to earn. No
other extra points are awarded.

Attendance Policy

ATTENDANCE:
It is always a student’s responsibility to drop/withdraw from class by the published drop/withdraw date. Students enrolled in class at end of term will be issued a grade. The instructor is not required to provide makeup provisions for missed coursework unless there is a documented medical excuse.

Course Fees

There is a $20.25 fee for this class.

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.