ACC 3340 180: Advanced Managerial Accounting < Texas A&M International University

ACC 3340 - Advanced Managerial Accounting

Fall 2025 Syllabus, Section 180, CRN 17331

Instructor Information

Wulung Li, PhD

Associate Professor of Accounting

Office: WHTC 217C

Office Hours:
Tuesday 3pm-4pm
Wednesday 2:30pm-4:30pm
Thursday 11am-12pm & 3pm-4pm

DO NOT send me messages via Blackboard. Use e-mail for communication purposes instead. I will reply to your e-mail in 24 hours (weekend excluded).

Times and Location

Does Not Meet Face-to-Face

Course Description

A study of the standard accounting procedures used in manufacturing firms and uses of accounting data by management in organizations. Emphasis is on problem solving, using accounting data. Prerequisite: ACC 2302 with a grade of "C" or better.

Intnl Banking&Finance Studies Department, Sanchez School of Business

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:

Analyze the manufacturing cost flows of an organization;
Differentiate between job-order costing, process costing, and activity-based costing systems;
Analyze cost behavior and cost-volume-profit relationships;
Identify and analyze relevant cost information decision making;
Prepare a variety of budgets and calculate and evaluate variances

Important Dates

Visit the Academic Calendar (tamiu.edu) page to view the term's important dates.

Textbooks

Group	Title	Author	ISBN
Required	Managerial Accounting: The Cornerstone of Business Decision Making, 9th Edition	Maryanne M. Mowen, Don R. Hansen, Dan L. Heitger (Cengage	9798214041926

Other Course Materials

Access to the textbook’s online system “CengageNOWv2” for homework assignments

Set up your CengageNOWv2 immediately. You will need access to it for reading the textbook and submitting homework assignments. Use the following link https://startstrong.cengage.com/cnowv2-blackboard-ia-no/ to learn how to register and access course materials. If you are new to CengageNOW, you need to create an account before you register. The technology sufficiency is your own responsibility to do your assignments online. If you have any technical problems about CengageNOW, contact the publisher’ technical support center www.cengage.com/support or call 800-354-9706.
After you have registered our CengageNOWv2 course, you can access the CengageNOWv2 course (eBook and homework) through the CengageNOWv2 course link on Blackboard (as described above) or through Cengage website directly at www.cengage.com/dashboard.
TAMIU OIT usually does network maintenance once every month. The maintenance dates and times vary, but the maintenance runs from Friday evening to Saturday early morning on the maintenance date. You cannot access Blackboard during the maintenance. OIT sends out emails about the maintenance schedule in advance. Pay attention to the maintenance schedule and adjust your plans for doing assignments accordingly. While you cannot access our CengageNOWv2 through Blackboard during the maintenance, you can still access our CengageNOWv2 course through Cengage’s website. Thus, the due dates for assignments will NOT change due to OIT network maintenance.

Supplementary materials created by me

I will add supplementary materials that are not included in the textbook to some of the modules/chapters covered in this course. The materials (PowerPoint, Excel and video files) are posted on Blackboard. Supplementary materials will also be covered in the exams.

Grading Criteria

Total 400 points:

Exam I: 100 points
Exam II: 100 points
Final Exam: 100 points
Homework Assignments: 80 points (8 assignments x 10 points each)
Project: 20 points

Semester letter grade:

90-100% (360-400 points) A
80-90% (320-360 points) B
70-80% (280-320 points) C
60-70% (240-280 points) D
Below 60% (below 240 points) F

Course Structure

Unlike face-to-face courses, which are usually instructor-centered, online courses are typically learner-centered. This means that students (you) will study the materials by themselves, and the role of the instructor is to facilitate students’ learning by putting up the course materials and information students need to learn and assisting them whenever they have questions. The online course instructors will not go into detail like they would teach the materials in the classroom.

Nine modules are covered in this course. They are from three broad categories: costing systems, cost behavior and decision making, and planning and monitoring. Each module is tied to one chapter in the textbook. In addition, supplementary materials are provided in some modules. The breakdown of the course and the schedules for the modules can be found in the course calendar in section X Course Topics/Course Calendar. For each module, you will:

Read a short module introduction that I give (posted on Blackboard).
Read the textbook (via physical book or eBook on CengageNOWv2) and watch the chapter videos on CengageNOWv2.
Read/watch the supplementary materials I create (for select modules; posted on Blackboard).
Watch the exercise videos I create (posted on Blackboard).
Optional - Read the chapter PowerPoint slides (posted on Blackboard). VERY IMPORTANT: chapter PowerPoint provides only the outline of the chapter, while the chapter text in the book discusses the materials in detail. As such, the chapter PowerPoint slides are NOT the substitute for the chapter text in the book. It is NOT sufficient that you only read the chapter PowerPoint slides without reading the chapter text.

Homework assignments on CengageNOWv2

Students will submit homework assignments online using Cengage Homework system CengageNOWv2. Each student must set up an account to access the online assignments. To access homework assignments, click on "Assignments" in the toolbar on the top of our CengageNOWv2 course page.
There will be 9 Cengage assignments (one for each module covered in this class). Each assignment is worth 10 points. I will count the highest eight Cengage assignment grades and drop the lowest Cengage assignment grade to accommodate your excuses that may prevent you from doing them. As such, NO makeup will be given. 80 points are assigned to Cengage homework (8 assignments x 10 points each).
All Cengage assignments are due at 11:55 pm on the due dates. See due dates in the course calendar below. No extension will be given once the due dates have passed. TAMIU OIT usually does network maintenance once every month. The maintenance dates and times vary, but the maintenance usually runs from Friday evening to Saturday early morning. You cannot access to Blackboard during the maintenance. OIT sends out emails about the maintenance schedule in advance. Pay attention to the maintenance schedule and adjust your plans of doing the assignments accordingly. The assignment due dates will NOT change due to such maintenance.
You have five attempts to answer each assignment problem, which works as follows: There is a "Check My Work" tab at the bottom of each problem on Cengage assignment page. For each problem set, you are allowed to click on "Check My Work" four times to check your answers, and the system will tell you whether your answers are correct. Once you have used "Check My Work" four times, you will no longer be able to check again, but you can still revise your answers, which is the fifth attempt. Some problem sets have multiple questions. Note that each chance to check answers goes to the entire problem set, not each of the questions in the same problem set. For instance, assume that there are two questions in a problem set. When you click "Check My Work," your answers to both questions in this problem set are checked. You do not have four checks on one question 1 and another four checks on question 2; rather, you have four checks on the entire problem set. In addition, in some problems, when you click "Check My Work," it does not give you feedback if you do not complete the entire problem (and your chance of checking answers has been used). As such, to best utilize "Check My Work," you should answer all questions under the same problem before you attempt to check your answers. Once you have finished all problem sets in the assignment, click “Submit Assignment” to submit the entire assignment. The solutions to each assignment will become available after you submit the assignment.
Review the textbook and other course materials and fully understand the whole chapter before you start working on the assignments. If you need to constantly check the book/notes while doing assignments, you may get good assignment grades, but there is a good chance that you will do the exam poorly. After all, there is nothing to check when you take the exam. As such, when you do homework, treat it as an exam and rely on the book/notes as little as possible.

Exams

There will be three closed-book exams. Each exam is worth 100 points.
Students are expected to take all three exams as scheduled. All exams will be administered through Respondus LockDown Browser features. See below "Taking exams: Respondus LockDown Browser and Monitor Requirement" in the section of “Distance Education Courses”.
Absences due to extraordinary circumstances should be pre-approved by me at least one day before the scheduled exam date, with appropriate documents. An absence without my preapproval will result in a zero for the exam. Students who miss more than one exam will receive an “F” for this course.
I will give a synchronous exam review session before each exam. While not required, attending the review sessions synchronously is highly recommended as you can ask questions while I solve the problems step by step. The review sessions will be recorded and posted on Blackboard.
Using the restroom during the exams is not allowed. See more information about taking exams in section XI Additional Course Information/Other Policies.
Issues with cheating or violating exam rules will be taken very seriously and result in severe consequences.

Project:

There will be one project worth 20 points. Each student will work on the project individually and submit the results via Blackboard. The project details will be given during the semester. See the calendar below for the due date (due at 11:55 pm).

IMPORTANT: Technical difficulties will not be an excuse for failing to submit the required work by deadlines. Start the work early to avoid technical issues that may delay your submission.

Course Calendar

Week of	Agenda/Topic	Reading(s)	Due
8/25	Module 1/Chapter 2. Basic Managerial Accounting Concepts	Ch2. Basic Managerial Accounting Concepts Li: Connecting Managerial Accounting to Financial Statements (Materials starting with “Ch” are from the corresponding chapters in the textbook. Materials starting with “Li” are supplementary materials I created and can be found on Blackboard.)	Ch2 Homework 9/1
9/1	Module 2/Chapter 4. Job-Order Costing and Overhead Application (1.5 weeks)	Ch4. Job-Order Costing and Overhead Application Li: Assigning Costs of Support Departments Using the Reciprocal Method	Ch4 Homework 9/10
9/8	Module 2/Chapter 4. Job-Order Costing and Overhead Application (Cont'd) Module 3/Chapter 6. Process Costing (1.5 weeks)	Ch4. Job-Order Costing and Overhead Application Li: Assigning Costs of Support Departments Using the Reciprocal Method Ch6. Process Costing Li: JIT and Process Costing	Ch4 Homework 9/10 Ch6 Homework 9/22
9/15	Module 3/Chapter 6. Process Costing (Cont'd)	Ch6. Process Costing Li: JIT and Process Costing	Ch6 Homework 9/22
9/22	Exam 1	Ch 2, 4, 6 and Li's materials	Exam 1 9/26 (open 6 AM to 10 PM)
9/29	Module 4/Chapter 5. Activity-Based Costing and Management	Ch5. Activity-Based Costing and Management	Ch5 Homework 10/6
10/6	Module 5/Chapter 3. Cost Behavior and Forecasting	Ch3. Cost Behavior and Forecasting Li: The Regression Method Parts 1-3	Ch3 Homework 10/13
10/13	Module 6/Chapter 7. Cost-Volume-Profit Analysis	Ch7. Cost-Volume-Profit Analysis Li: Operating Leverage and Sensitivity Analysis	Ch7 Homework 10/20
10/20	Project Week	Project	Project 10/27
10/27	Exam 2	Ch 3, 5, 7 and Li's materials	Exam 2 10/31 (open 6 AM to 10 PM)
11/3	Module 7/Chapter 8. Tactical Decision-Making and Relevant Analysis	Ch8. Tactical Decision-Making and Relevant Analysis Li: Decision Making with Uncertainty	Ch8 Homework 11/10
11/10	Module 8/Chapter 9. Profit Planning	Ch9. Profit Planning	Ch9 Homework 11/17
11/17	Module 9/Chapter 10. Standard Costing and Variance Analysis (1.5 weeks)	Ch10. Standard Costing and Variance Analysis Li: Breaking Direct Materials Usage Variance into Yield and Mix Variances	Ch10 Homework 11/26
11/24	Module 9/Chapter 10. Standard Costing and Variance Analysis (Cont'd) Thanksgiving (11/27-11/29)	Ch10. Standard Costing and Variance Analysis Li: Breaking Direct Materials Usage Variance into Yield and Mix Variances	Ch10 Homework 11/26
12/1	Final Exam	Comprehensive (All chapters and Li's materials)	Final Exam 12/5 (open 6 AM to 10 PM)
12/8	Have a great winter break!	N/A

University/College Policies

Please see the University Policies below.

COVID-19 Related Policies

If you have tested positive for COVID-19, please refer to the Student Handbook, Appendix A (Attendance Rule) for instructions.

Required Class Attendance

Students are expected to attend every class in person (or virtually, if the class is online) and to complete all assignments. If you cannot attend class, it is your responsibility to communicate absences with your professors. The faculty member will decide if your excuse is valid and thus may provide lecture materials of the class. According to University policy, acceptable reasons for an absence, which cannot affect a student’s grade, include:

Participation in an authorized University activity.
Death or major illness in a student’s immediate family.
Illness of a dependent family member.
Participation in legal proceedings or administrative procedures that require a student’s presence.
Religious holy day.
Illness that is too severe or contagious for the student to attend class.
Required participation in military duties.
Mandatory admission interviews for professional or graduate school which cannot be rescheduled.

Students are responsible for providing satisfactory evidence to faculty members within seven calendar days of their absence and return to class. They must substantiate the reason for the absence. If the absence is excused, faculty members must either provide students with the opportunity to make up the exam or other work missed, or provide a satisfactory alternative to complete the exam or other work missed within 30 calendar days from the date of absence. Students who miss class due to a University-sponsored activity are responsible for identifying their absences to their instructors with as much advance notice as possible.

Classroom Behavior (applies to online or Face-to-Face Classes)

TAMIU encourages classroom discussion and academic debate as an essential intellectual activity. It is essential that students learn to express and defend their beliefs, but it is also essential that they learn to listen and respond respectfully to others whose beliefs they may not share. The University will always tolerate different, unorthodox, and unpopular points of view, but it will not tolerate condescending or insulting remarks. When students verbally abuse or ridicule and intimidate others whose views they do not agree with, they subvert the free exchange of ideas that should characterize a university classroom. If their actions are deemed by the professor to be disruptive, they will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action (please refer to Student Handbook Article 4).

TAMIU Honor Code: Plagiarism and Cheating

As a TAMIU student, you are bound by the TAMIU Honor Code to conduct yourself ethically in all your activities as a TAMIU student and to report violations of the Honor Code. Please read carefully the Student Handbook Article 7 and Article 10 available at https://www.tamiu.edu/scce/studenthandbook.shtml.

We are committed to strict enforcement of the Honor Code. Violations of the Honor Code tend to involve claiming work that is not one’s own, most commonly plagiarism in written assignments and any form of cheating on exams and other types of assignments.

Plagiarism is the presentation of someone else’s work as your own. It occurs when you:

Borrow someone else’s facts, ideas, or opinions and put them entirely in your own words. You must acknowledge that these thoughts are not your own by immediately citing the source in your paper. Failure to do this is plagiarism.
Borrow someone else’s words (short phrases, clauses, or sentences), you must enclose the copied words in quotation marks as well as citing the source. Failure to do this is plagiarism.
Present someone else’s paper or exam (stolen, borrowed, or bought) as your own. You have committed a clearly intentional form of intellectual theft and have put your academic future in jeopardy. This is the worst form of plagiarism.

Here is another explanation from the 2020, seventh edition of the Manual of The American Psychological Association (APA):

“Plagiarism is the act of presenting the words, idea, or images of another as your own; it denies authors or creators of content the credit they are due. Whether deliberate or unintentional, plagiarism violates ethical standards in scholarship” (p. 254). This same principle applies to the illicit use of AI.

Plagiarism: Researchers do not claim the words and ideas of another as their own; they give credit where credit is due. Quotations marks should be used to indicate the exact words of another. Each time you paraphrase another author (i.e., summarize a passage or rearrange the order of a sentence and change some of the words), you need to credit the source in the text. The key element of this principle is that authors do not present the work of another as if it were their own words. This can extend to ideas as well as written words. If authors model a study after one done by someone else, the originating author should be given credit. If the rationale for a study was suggested in the discussion section of someone else's article, the person should be given credit. Given the free exchange of ideas, which is very important for the health of intellectual discourse, authors may not know where an idea for a study originated. If authors do know, however, they should acknowledge the source; this includes personal communications (p. 11). For guidance on proper documentation, consult the Academic Success Center or a recommended guide to documentation and research such as the Manual of the APA or the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. If you still have doubts concerning proper documentation, seek advice from your instructor prior to submitting a final draft.

TAMIU has penalties for plagiarism and cheating.

Penalties for Plagiarism: Should a faculty member discover that a student has committed plagiarism, the student should receive a grade of 'F' in that course and the matter will be referred to the Honor Council for possible disciplinary action. The faculty member, however, may elect to give freshmen and sophomore students a “zero” for the assignment and to allow them to revise the assignment up to a grade of “F” (50%) if they believe that the student plagiarized out of ignorance or carelessness and not out of an attempt to deceive in order to earn an unmerited grade; the instructor must still report the offense to the Honor Council. This option should not be available to juniors, seniors, or graduate students, who cannot reasonably claim ignorance of documentation rules as an excuse. For repeat offenders in undergraduate courses or for an offender in any graduate course, the penalty for plagiarism is likely to include suspension or expulsion from the university.
- Caution: Be very careful what you upload to Turnitin or send to your professor for evaluation. Whatever you upload for evaluation will be considered your final, approved draft. If it is plagiarized, you will be held responsible. The excuse that “it was only a draft” will not be accepted.
- Caution: Also, do not share your electronic files with others. If you do, you are responsible for the possible consequences. If another student takes your file of a paper and changes the name to his or her name and submits it and you also submit the paper, we will hold both of you responsible for plagiarism. It is impossible for us to know with certainty who wrote the paper and who stole it. And, of course, we cannot know if there was collusion between you and the other student in the matter.
Penalties for Cheating: Should a faculty member discover a student cheating on an exam or quiz or other class project, the student should receive a “zero” for the assignment and not be allowed to make the assignment up. The incident should be reported to the chair of the department and to the Honor Council. If the cheating is extensive, however, or if the assignment constitutes a major grade for the course (e.g., a final exam), or if the student has cheated in the past, the student should receive an “F” in the course, and the matter should be referred to the Honor Council. Additional penalties, including suspension or expulsion from the university may be imposed. Under no circumstances should a student who deserves an “F” in the course be allowed to withdraw from the course with a “W.”
- Caution: Chat groups that start off as “study groups” can easily devolve into “cheating groups.” Be very careful not to join or remain any chat group if it begins to discuss specific information about exams or assignments that are meant to require individual work. If you are a member of such a group and it begins to cheat, you will be held responsible along with all the other members of the group. The TAMIU Honor Code requires that you report any such instances of cheating.
Student Right of Appeal: Faculty will notify students immediately via the student’s TAMIU e- mail account that they have submitted plagiarized work. Students have the right to appeal a faculty member’s charge of academic dishonesty by notifying the TAMIU Honor Council of their intent to appeal as long as the notification of appeal comes within 10 business days of the faculty member’s e-mail message to the student and/or the Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement. The Student Handbook provides more details.

Use of Work in Two or More Courses

You may not submit work completed in one course for a grade in a second course unless you receive explicit permission to do so by the instructor of the second course. In general, you should get credit for a work product only once.

AI Policies

Your instructor will provide you with their personal policy on the use of AI in the classroom setting and associated coursework.

TAMIU E-Mail and SafeZone

Personal Announcements sent to students through TAMIU E-mail (tamiu.edu or dusty email) are the official means of communicating course and university business with students and faculty –not the U.S. Mail and no other e-mail addresses. Students and faculty must check their TAMIU e-mail accounts regularly, if not daily. Not having seen an important TAMIU e-mail or message from a faculty member, chair, or dean is not accepted as an excuse for failure to take important action.

Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to download the SafeZone app, which is a free mobile app for all University faculty, staff, and students. SafeZone allows you to: report safety concerns (24/7), get connected with mental health professionals, activate location sharing with authorities, and anonymously report incidents. Go to https://www.tamiu.edu/adminis/police/safezone/index.shtml for more information.

Copyright Restrictions

The Copyright Act of 1976 grants to copyright owners the exclusive right to reproduce their works and distribute copies of their work. Works that receive copyright protection include published works such as a textbook. Copying a textbook without permission from the owner of the copyright may constitute copyright infringement. Civil and criminal penalties may be assessed for copyright infringement. Civil penalties include damages up to $100,000; criminal penalties include a fine up to $250,000 and imprisonment. Copyright laws do not allow students and professors to make photocopies of copyrighted materials, but you may copy a limited portion of a work, such as article from a journal or a chapter from a book for your own personal academic use or, in the case of a professor, for personal, limited classroom use. In general, the extent of your copying should not suggest that the purpose or the effect of your copying is to avoid paying for the materials. And, of course, you may not sell these copies for a profit. Thus, students who copy textbooks to avoid buying them or professors who provide photocopies of textbooks to enable students to save money are violating the law.

Students with Disabilities

Texas A&M International University seeks to provide reasonable accommodations for all qualified persons with disabilities. This University will adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required to afford equal education opportunity. It is the student's responsibility to register with the Office of Student Counseling and Disability Services located in Student Center 126. This office will contact the faculty member to recommend specific, reasonable accommodations. Faculty are prohibited from making accommodations based solely on communications from students. They may make accommodations only when provided documentation by the Student Counseling and Disability Services office.

Student Attendance and Leave of Absence (LOA) Policy

As part of our efforts to assist and encourage all students towards graduation, TAMIU provides
LOA’s for students, including pregnant/parenting students, in accordance with the Attendance Rule (Section 3.07) and the Student LOA Rule (Section 3.08), which includes the “Leave of Absence Request” form. Both rules can be found in the TAMIU Student Handbook (URL: http://www.tamiu.edu/studentaffairs/StudentHandbook1.shtml).

Pregnant and Parenting Students

Under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, harassment based on sex, including harassment because of pregnancy or related conditions, is prohibited. A pregnant/parenting student must be granted an absence for as long as the student’s physician deems the absence medically necessary. It is a violation of Title IX to ask for documentation relative to the pregnant/parenting student’s status beyond what would be required for other medical conditions. If a student would like to file a complaint for discrimination due to his or her pregnant/parenting status, please contact the TAMIU Title IX Coordinator (Lorissa M. Cortez, 5201 University Boulevard, KLM 159B, Laredo, TX 78041,TitleIX@tamiu.edu, 956.326.2857) and/or the Office of Civil Rights (Dallas Office, U.S. Department of Education, 1999 Bryan Street, Suite 1620, Dallas, TX 75201-6810, 214.661.9600). You can also report it on TAMIU’s anonymous electronic reporting site: https://www.tamiu.edu/reportit.

TAMIU advises a pregnant/parenting student to notify their professor once the student is aware that accommodations for such will be necessary. It is recommended that the student and professor develop a reasonable plan for the student’s completion of missed coursework or assignments. The Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity (Lorissa M. Cortez, lorissam.cortez@tamiu.edu) can assist the student and professor in working out the reasonable accommodations. For other questions or concerns regarding Title IX compliance related to pregnant/parenting students at the University, contact the Title IX Coordinator. In the event that a student will need a leave of absence for a substantial period of time, TAMIU urges the student to consider a Leave of Absence (LOA) as outlined in the TAMIU Student Handbook. As part of our efforts to assist and encourage all students towards graduation, TAMIU provides LOA’s for students, including pregnant/parenting students, in accordance with the Attendance Rule and the Student LOA Rule. Both rules can be found in the TAMIU Student Handbook (https://www.tamiu.edu/scce/studenthandbook.shtml).

Anti-Discrimination/Title IX

TAMIU does not discriminate or permit harassment against any individual on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, educational programs, or employment. If you would like to file a complaint relative to Title IX or any civil rights violation, please contact the TAMIU Director of Equal Opportunity and Diversity/Title IX Coordinator, Lorissa M. Cortez, 5201 University Boulevard, Killam Library 159B, Laredo, TX 78041,TitleIX@tamiu.edu, 956.326.2857, via the anonymous electronic reporting website, ReportIt, at https://www.tamiu.edu/reportit, and/or the Office of Civil Rights (Dallas Office), U.S. Department of Education, 1999 Bryan Street, Suite 1620, Dallas, TX 75201-6810, 214.661.9600.

Incompletes

Students who are unable to complete a course should withdraw from the course before the final date for withdrawal and receive a “W.” To qualify for an “incomplete” and thus have the opportunity to complete the course at a later date, a student must meet the following criteria:

The student must have completed 90% of the course work assigned before the final date for withdrawing from a course with a “W”, and the student must be passing the course;
The student cannot complete the course because an accident, an illness, or a traumatic personal or family event occurred after the final date for withdrawal from a course;
The student must sign an “Incomplete Grade Contract” and secure signatures of approval from the professor and the college dean.
The student must agree to complete the missing course work before the end of the next long semester; failure to meet this deadline will cause the “I” to automatically be converted to an “F”; extensions to this deadline may be granted by the dean of the college. This is the general policy regarding the circumstances under which an “incomplete” may be granted, but under exceptional circumstances, a student may receive an incomplete who does not meet all of the criteria above if the faculty member, department chair, and dean recommend it.

WIN Contracts

The Department of Biology and Chemistry does not permit WIN contracts. For other departments within the college, WIN Contracts are offered only under exceptional circumstances and are limited to graduating seniors. Only courses offered by full-time TAMIU faculty or TAMIU instructors are eligible to be contracted for the WIN requirement. However, a WIN contract for a course taught by an adjunct may be approved, with special permission from the department chair and dean. Students must seek approval before beginning any work for the WIN Contract. No student will contract more than one course per semester. Summer WIN Contracts must continue through both summer sessions.

Student Responsibility for Dropping a Course

It is the responsibility of the student to drop the course before the final date for withdrawal from a course. Faculty members, in fact, may not drop a student from a course without getting the approval of their department chair and dean.

Independent Study Course

Independent Study (IS) courses are offered only under exceptional circumstances. Required courses intended to build academic skills may not be taken as IS (e.g., clinical supervision and internships). No student will take more than one IS course per semester. Moreover, IS courses are limited to seniors and graduate students. Summer IS course must continue through both summer sessions.

Grade Changes & Appeals

Faculty are authorized to change final grades only when they have committed a computational error or an error in recording a grade, and they must receive the approval of their department chairs and the dean to change the grade. As part of that approval, they must attach a detailed explanation of the reason for the mistake. Only in rare cases would another reason be entertained as legitimate for a grade change. A student who is unhappy with his or her grade on an assignment must discuss the situation with the faculty member teaching the course. If students believe that they have been graded unfairly, they have the right to appeal the grade using a grade appeal process in the Student Handbook and in the Faculty Handbook.

Final Examination

All courses in all colleges must include a comprehensive exam or performance and be given on the date and time specified by the Academic Calendar and the Final Exam schedule published by the Registrar’s Office. In the College of Arts & Sciences all final exams must contain a written component. The written component should comprise at least 20% of the final exam grade. Exceptions to this policy must receive the approval of the department chair and the dean at the beginning of the semester.

Mental Health and Well-Being

The university aims to provide students with essential knowledge and tools to understand and support mental health. As part of our commitment to your well-being, we offer access to Telus Health, a service available 24/7/365 via chat, phone, or webinar. Scan the QR code to download the app and explore the resources available to you for guidance and support whenever you need it. The Telus app is available to download directly from TELUS (tamiu.edu) or from the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Distance Education Courses

Taking exams: Respondus LockDown Browser and Monitor Requirement

This course requires the use of LockDown Browser AND Respondus Monitor (webcam) for exams. The webcam can be built into your computer or can be the type that plugs in with a USB cable. Respondus Monitor will record you taking the exam from the beginning to the end.

Watch this short video to get a basic understanding of LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor (the webcam feature). A student Quick Start Guide (PDF) is also available.

Download Instructions

To download Respondus LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor, go to https://www.tamiu.edu/distance/technology/respondus-ldb-and-monitor.shtml. Links to download the software for PC and Mac are listed in Installing the Respondus LockDown Browser Download section. It is free to download and install the software. You won't be able to access tests using a standard web browser. If this is tried, an error message will indicate that the test requires the use of LockDown Browser. Simply start LockDown Browser and navigate back to the exam to continue. Note that Respondus LockDown Browser must be downloaded through TAMIU’s website. Respondus LockDown Browser retrieved from other sources is not compatible with TAMIU Blackboard and does not grant access to any of our tests.

Once Installed

Open LockDown Browser
Log into Blackboard
Navigate to the test and begin
Note: Once you have installed Respondus LockDown Browser, you should run a system and network check (before the first test day) to see if your equipment works well. To run the check, start Respondus LockDown Browser and access the Help Center form the toolbar.

Cost for Respondus Monitor

There is a fee for the webcam feature that's used together with LockDown Browser (sometimes referred to as Respondus Monitor). This is a one-time fee, valid for 12 months (365 days) for all courses that use Respondus Monitor. You will be prompted to make the purchase the first time you use LockDown Browser's webcam feature. Payment can be made with PayPal, Visa or Mastercard.

To pay for Respondus Monitor:

Start Respondus LockDown Browser.
Navigate to your test.
Complete the set-up process, which includes a payment screen for entering credit card information.
Payment and entering credit card information is only necessary one-time per course.

Guidelines

All exams are CLOSED-BOOK tests. You CANNOT use any references, including but not limited to books, notes, PowerPoint slides, cheat sheets, tablets, cellphones, while taking an exam. You cannot communicate with other people during the exam, either. The process of you taking the exam will also be videotaped through Respondus Monitor.

When taking an online test that requires LockDown Browser and a webcam, remember the following guidelines:

Sign in your Blackboard account through Respondus LockDown Browser. You will NOT need a password to take the test if you sign in the test using Respondus LockDown Browser. Access to any of our tests will be denied if you use a regular browser (e.g., Chrome, Firefox, Edge) to sign in. If you are prompted to enter a password, you are not doing it correctly.
Select a location where you won't be interrupted.
Before starting the test, know how much time is available for it, and also that you've allotted sufficient time to complete it.
Turn off all other devices (e.g. tablets, phones, second computers).
Clear your area of all external materials — books, papers, other devices.
Remain at your computer for the duration of the test.
To produce a good webcam video, do the following:
- Avoid wearing baseball caps or hats with brims
- Ensure your computer or tablet is on a firm surface (a desk or table) — not on your lap, a bed, or other surface that might move
- If using a built-in webcam, avoid tilting the screen after the webcam setup is complete
- Take the exam in a well-lit room and avoid backlighting, such as sitting with your back to a window
LockDown Browser will prevent you from accessing other websites or applications; you will be unable to exit the test until all questions are completed and submitted.

Getting Help

Several resources are available if you encounter problems with LockDown Browser:

The Windows and Mac versions of LockDown Browser have a "Help Center" button located on the toolbar. Use the "System & Network Check" to troubleshoot issues.
If you have problems downloading, installing, or taking a test with Respondus LockDown Browser, email the TAMIU eLearning Team at elearning@tamiu.edu.

Webcam Checkout for Personal Computer

If students are unable to use personal or borrowed computers and equipment, students may stop by the Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services office to check out webcams (with built-in microphones). Checkout for a webcam is on a first-come, first-service basis. Speak with an eLearning staff member to checkout a camera. Students will sign an Equipment Loaner Agreement, making them responsible for the care of the camera. Webcams checked out must be returned within five business days of the checkout date.

Student-Instructor Communication Policy and Response Time

Course Messages/Emails

I will communicate with you about important course information via your TAMIU emails. Check your TAMIU emails frequently so that you do not miss important information.
When you send me an email, please use your TAMIU email and include an appropriate email subject, or the TAMIU email system may automatically move your email to the junk folder. In your email sent to me, please indicate your name and the course/section you are taking with me. I teach multiple classes, so I won’t be able to address your question without such information.
I usually reply to emails within 24 hours (excluding weekends and holidays).
For course policies and homework/exam schedules, please refer to this syllabus and do not ask via email.

Assignments and Assessments

Your homework assignments through CengageNOW and exams via Blackboard are automatically graded.

Correction of Grading Errors

After grades of homework, exams, and project have been posted on the Cengage system or Blackboard, all requests regarding course record corrections must be submitted in writing within one (1) week. After that time, all grades and records become final. Please note that any and all changes are at the sole discretion of the instructor.

Course Communication Guidelines (Netiquette)

There are course expectations concerning etiquette or how we should treat each other online. We must consider these values as we communicate with one another. Visit Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services’ web page on Netiquette for further instruction.

Accommodations/Accessibility Policy

Texas A&M International University seeks to provide reasonable accommodation for all qualified persons with disabilities. This University will adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required to afford equal educational opportunity. It is the student's responsibility to register with the Director of Student Counseling and to contact the faculty member in a timely fashion to arrange for suitable accommodation. For more information, contact the online at Office of Disability Services for Students (DSS), via phone at 956.326.3086 or by visiting the staff at the Student Center, room 118. A link to the Disabilities Services for Students site has also been included under the "Resources" tab inside the course.

Student Support Resources

The University wishes to have all students succeed in their courses. To provide support to our students, an array of services in the areas of technology support, academic support, student support, and accessibility support may be found at the University. For more information, visit the Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services page on University Resources and Support Services.

Computer/Technology Requirements

When participating in distance education courses, it is vital to consider the technology involved in order to have a successful course. Online students will need regular access to a personal computer that runs on a broadband Internet connection.

It is recommended that you meet the technical requirements listed on the Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services’ webpage when using the learning management system (LMS) of the University.

Additional Hardware. For this class, you will need the following additional hardware: a webcam and microphone for exams. Recently purchased laptops may have the built-in web cameras. If you do not have this equipment, it is recommended to purchase a stand-alone webcam, microphone or a webcam with a built-in microphone from your local electronic store or any online store.

NOTE: Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services may check out available webcams to students on a first-come, first-served basis. To check out a webcam, please stop by Killam Library, Room 259, and request an available webcam.

Additional Software. You will need the following additional software: Microsoft PowerPoint, Word and Excel for viewing course files. TAMIU Students may access online versions of this software through their Dusty Office 365 account at https://dusty.tamiu.edu/. This site also provides students access to download the Microsoft suite for educational use. See instructions for downloading the Microsoft Office suite.

Note: Students, if you do not own the required hardware or software or do not have access to the Internet, it will be highly challenging for you to make any progress in this class. However, my goal is to assist you in finding solutions and guide you appropriately most of the required materials can either be found free of charge at TAMIU’s library, classrooms, and available computer labs. Visit Media Services’ web page on the availability of on-campus computer labs. In addition, you may also purchase any of these items at any electronic store.

Learning Management System (Blackboard)

Students are provided with an orientation (*eLearning (Blackboard) Student Orientation*) and access to guides on how to use the Blackboard LMS. Guides may be available at Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services' Student eLearning Tutorial Videos page or by contacting the eLearning team at elearning@tamiu.edu.

Minimum Technical Skills Expected

When participating in distance education courses, it is vital to consider the technology involved in order to have a successful course. Students in distance education should have knowledge of basic computer and Internet skills, as mentioned on the Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services’ webpage.

Technical Support Services

Because of the nature of distance education courses, the Office of Information Technology (OIT) computing and information services are vital to the success of online students. This webpage covers contact information for Distance Education Services (Blackboard Support), the OIT Help Desk, and E-mail support: Technical Support Services.

Web Conferences/Synchronous sessions

[Instructors that host synchronous virtual meeting sessions should list details on how students will meet with the instructor in this section and whether these meetings are optional or required. Include the frequency of these meetings and a general explanation of the purpose for these sessions.]

Late Work Policy

All homework assignments must be submitted before the date dates, and exams must be taken at the scheduled times. Late work will not be accepted.

Accessibility and Privacy Statements on Course Technologies

At Texas A&M International University, we believe that all students should have equal technology opportunities in the classroom. These technologies/sites may also require user data, such as the creation of a username and password. You may find the accessibility and privacy policies of the technologies used in this class on the following pages: Accessibility Statements and Privacy Statements.

In this class, we will utilize: CengateNOWv2.

Syllabus Subject to Change

While information and assurances are provided in this course syllabus, it should be understood that content may change in keeping with new research and literature and that events beyond the control of the instructor could occur. Students will be informed of any substantive occurrences that will produce syllabus changes.