Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2026

General Psychology (Online)

PSY 1010-31I

Course: PSY 1010-31I
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2026
Department: Psychology
CRN: 32659

Course Description

Psychology is the science of behavior and mental processes. General Psychology is designed to familiarize students with the basic concepts of psychology and explore the scientific study of human behaviors and mental processes. Students develop an understanding of behavior and apply strategies for self-improvement. This class is not only designed to teach the basics of Psychology but also to help you develop an awareness of your mental cognition. Personal application is a big part of your development in this class.

Required Texts

Required Text: Psychology In Modules 13th edition; David G. Myers, C. Nathan Dewall

Learning Outcomes

There are five broad learning objectives for this course. All class activities (e.g. readings, class discussions, mental journals, quizzes, exams, and papers) are designed to help students meet, and/or assess their progress on these objectives. While there are content specific learning objectives available on Canvas (see the “Course Goals and Objectives”), the course-level objectives are included here. By the end of the course, successful students will:

  • Demonstrate fundamental knowledge and comprehension of the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, and historical trends in the field of psychology.
  • Understand and apply basic skills and concepts in interpreting behavior and be able to apply research methods in concluding psychological phenomena.
  • Develop ethical and socially responsible behaviors and become familiar with professional ethics and values that are the foundations of psychology as a science.
  • Demonstrate competence in writing and oral interpersonal communication skills.
  • Understand and apply psychological principles to personal, social, and organizational issues.

Course Requirements

Weekly Discussions: Essay questions will need to be answered with 150 words or more each week. There may be multiple questions you can answer, but you are only required to answer one of them. You will also need to reply to two other class members' responses. You will earn 3 points when you respond to my questions and an additional point for responses to your classmates. Total points for these assignments will be 5 points each.

Quiz: Students are required to complete quizzes about the units or content provided in the assigned week. Quizzes are available at the beginning of every unit and are due on Sunday at 11:59 p.m. unless otherwise stated. These are tools for you to learn so you can retake them, and the computer will count your highest score toward your grade.

5-Page Final Paper: Students will, by the end of the trimester, complete and submit a 5-page paper in APA format, considering the topics that they have covered in this class. This paper is meant to be an analysis of the content as it applies to the student's life. As the assignment is submitted (Drafts), Students will learn the method of the APA writing style. You may choose the topic for this paper, and you will need to have at least 3 references. A rough draft will be submitted in week 6 for me to review and help you stay on track for this complete paper. Then the final paper will be due in week 11.

Tests: Students will take two tests for the trimester (midterm and final). The format will be multiple-choice questions. Tests cover the chapters that precede the Tests and are not cumulative. Note Systems can be used on the Test. If you are absent on the day of a test, makeup will only be allowed if you have communicated ahead of time.

The following grading standards will be used in this class:

GradeRange
A100 % to 93.0%
A-< 93.0 % to 90.0%
B+< 90.0 % to 87.0%
B< 87.0 % to 83.0%
B-< 83.0 % to 80.0%
C+< 80.0 % to 77.0%
C< 77.0 % to 73.0%
C-< 73.0 % to 70.0%
D+< 70.0 % to 67.0%
D< 67.0 % to 60.0%
F< 59.0 % to 0.0%

Course Outline

Course Summary
DateDetailsDueFri Sep 4, 2026 | Assignment EVALUATION METHODS AND CRITERIA (Review this during the first 3 days of class) | due by 11:59pm
Sun Sep 6, 2026 | Quiz FERPA Consent Waiver | due by 11:59pm
Sun Sep 13, 2026 | Discussion Topic Module 1 Discussion | due by 11:59pm
Quiz Module 1 Quiz | due by 11:59pm
Sun Sep 20, 2026 | Assignment Module 2 Assignment | due by 11:59pm
Discussion Topic Module 2 Discussion | due by 11:59pm
Quiz Module 2 Quiz | due by 11:59pm
Sun Sep 27, 2026 | Discussion Topic Module 3 Discussion | due by 11:59pm
Quiz Module 3 Quiz | due by 11:59pm
Sun Oct 4, 2026 | Discussion Topic Module 4 Discussion | due by 11:59pm
Quiz Module 4 Quiz | due by 11:59pm
Sun Oct 11, 2026 | Discussion Topic Module 5 Discussion | due by 11:59pm
Quiz Module 5 Quiz | due by 11:59pm
Sun Oct 18, 2026 | Discussion Topic Module 6 Discussion | due by 11:59pm
Quiz Module 6 Mid Term | due by 11:59pm
Assignment Module 6 Midterm Paper (Draft) | due by 11:59pm
Sun Oct 25, 2026 | Assignment Module 7 Assignment Vision Board | due by 11:59pm
Discussion Topic Module 7 Discussion | due by 11:59pm
Quiz Module 7 Quiz | due by 11:59pm
Sun Nov 1, 2026 | Discussion Topic Module 8 Discussion | due by 11:59pm
Quiz Module 8 Quiz | due by 11:59pm
Assignment Module 8 Career Assessment | due by 11:59pm
Sun Nov 8, 2026 | Discussion Topic Module 9 Discussion | due by 11:59pm
Quiz Module 9 Quiz | due by 11:59pm
Sun Nov 15, 2026 | Discussion Topic Module 10 Discussion | due by 11:59pm
Assignment Module 10 Person, Person, Tree, House | due by 11:59pm
Quiz Module 10 Quiz | due by 11:59pm
Sun Nov 22, 2026 | Assignment Module 11 APA Psychology Research Paper | due by 11:59pm
Sun Dec 6, 2026 | Discussion Topic Module 12 Discussion | due by 11:59pm
Quiz Module 12 Quiz | due by 11:59pm
Sun Dec 13, 2026 | Assignment Module 13 Quiz | due by 11:59pm
Fri Dec 18, 2026 | Quiz Module 14 Final | due by 11:59pm

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

You are welcome and encouraged to message me on canvas with any questions or comments you may have about the course materials or assignments. I prefer canvas messages because I teach several classes and it’s easier for me to figure out which class you are in over canvas. If you would like to email me, you are certainly welcome to just please include ‘Psy 1010’ in the subject line. I will respond to all messages and emails within 72 hours. I don’t check my email on the weekends or holidays so please keep that in mind. I also ask that you consult the syllabus, class announcements, and assignment details for questions that have already been answered for you, such as the due dates for assignments, late submission policies, and what to do if you miss an exam.

If you are absent on the day of a test, makeup will only be allowed if you have communicated ahead of time.

Attendance Policy

Because this is an online class attendance is all on your own.

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.

Religious / Conscience Belief Accommodation

RELIGIOUS / CONSCIENCE BELIEF ACCOMMODATION: In accordance with SUU Policy 6.7 Student Belief Accommodation, students may request, in writing, that their faculty accommodate their sincerely held religious or conscience beliefs. Students should provide their faculty with sufficient advanced notice, if possible within the first five (5) business days of the semester or session, or thereafter with good cause for requesting an accommodation after the first five (5) business days.

Faculty must provide a schedule accommodation or excuse an absence, in any course, for students to observe or participate in religious holidays or an organized activity conducted under the auspices of the student’s religious tradition or religious organization.

In courses that are required for graduation or for an academic major, a faculty member may accommodate a religious or conscience belief by modifying an assignment or examination if its content conflicts with the student’s belief. Faculty may decline the accommodation if it would fundamentally alter the course requirements. If declined, the student may request review by a neutral arbiter using the Belief Accommodation Request Form: https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv&layout_id=5

Questions go to Assistant Provost Jake Johnson at johnsonj@suu.edu.

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.