BIOL 3051 1L1: Biochemistry I Lab

BIOL 3051 - Biochemistry I Lab

Fall 2025 Syllabus, Section 1L1, CRN 15895


Instructor Information

Dr. Melissa G. Carrizales

Email: melissa.carrizales@tamiu.edu

Office: LBV 259

Office Hours:
MWF 9:30 am - 10:30 am

Office Phone: 9563263121


Times and Location

R 10:05am-1:05pm in Academic Innovation Center 207


Course Description

Biology&Chemistry Department, College of Arts & Sciences

Additional Course Information

Biochemistry studies the structure, organization, function, synthesis, and degradation of biomolecules in living cells. Biochemistry aims to describe the structure and function of the different biomolecules. It also seeks to present a molecular focus on life processes. This upper-level biology course is intended to help the student learn, understand, and apply the fundamental principles of biochemistry. BIOL/CHEM 3051, Biochemistry Laboratory, is taken concurrently with BIOL/CHEM 3451, lecture. BIOL/CHEM 3051 will cover buffers, protein assays, lipid tests, and other biochemical techniques. The laboratory exercises are designed to support concepts learned in the lecture and to give students hands-on experience with commonly used tools of biochemistry.

Attendance: You are expected to be on-time and ready to perform the scheduled experiment during your designated lab time. Being ready means that you have read the experiment before coming to class, watched any videos instructed by professor, you have your lab manual, laboratory notebook, inkpens, and safety goggles, and that you are dressed properly to do the experiment. There will be NO laboratory make-ups.

Technology: All cell phones and computers are to be put away unless otherwise instructed in lab. These devices create unwanted distractions in the laboratory where we need to be attentive and aware of our surroundings. Students who have cell phones or other electronics out will have points deducted from the day’s lab and may be asked to leave the lab.

Make-up Work: If you miss an exam or a quiz due an unexcused absence it will be graded a ZERO. NO MAKE-UP exam or quiz will be given for UNEXCUSED absence. A student will be permitted to take a missed exam or quiz due to an excused absence only. An excused absence is one that is verifiable, such as sickness with doctor’s certification or sponsored university activity (http://www.tamiu.edu/documents/absence_rules.pdf). A written request with attached excused absence verification must be submitted in order to request a make-up exam or a quiz. Send these 2 via email to your lab instructor. The make-up will have to be taken within one week after the missed exam or quiz. It is the student’s responsibility to make arrangements with the professor or the lab instructor for a make-up exam or quiz.

NOTE: THE SYLLABUS (and details) IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

Course Expectations:

  • In order to get as much as you can out of this course, you must have the necessary background in the coursework, you must make an effort to stay current with the assigned readings, read the lab manual prior to the class for which the reading is assigned.
  • You should seek help from me whenever you don’t understand something we’re doing in the lab.
  • Attendance in the lab class is a requirement. You will miss your performance grade and any written report grade if you are absent. A written lab report cannot be submitted if you are absent and did not perform the laboratory experiment. In the case of an EXCUSED absence a 5-page term paper, single space and the topic to be assigned by the professor will be the make-up report for the missed report.
  • If an assignment have been announced one week prior to the submission date, no late assignments/reports will be accepted. No late reports will be accepted for lab reports done in class, and were required to be submitted on the same day the reports are done. If you are absent on the date that an assignment is due and the absence is excused, you should submit your documentation and discuss with your professor your make-up the assignment or report on the first day that you come to the lab after your absence. Not following this instruction and class policy will result to no makeup given to the student.

Student Learning Outcomes

  • At the end of the course, the student will gain a fundamental knowledge of biochemistry, which will give the student an appreciation for this vast field and a solid background for graduate-level/advanced biochemistry courses.
  • The student will learn some commonly used biochemical techniques and their applications. 
  • The student should be able to explain the principles of these techniques and thus apply these techniques in research studies.
  • The student will be able to use and develop critical thinking skills through examinations and in class discussions.
  • The student should be able to interpret and analyze laboratory experimental results, write laboratory reports, and present oral reports competently.
  • The student will develop the ability to work independently and cooperatively with others.

Important Dates

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

Textbooks

Group Title Author ISBN
Biochemistry Laboratory Manual Pearson Custom Library by Ruby A. Ynalvez. (Available at the bookstore) 9781323962657

Other Course Materials

  • Scientific Calculator
  • Pen
  • Safety goggles
  • Lab Appropriate Attire 

Grading Criteria

Grading and Course Requirements: The lecture grade makes up 75% while the lab grade contributes 25% of the course grade. It is less likely that a student can pass the course without passing both the lecture and the laboratory. In both lecture and lab, most quizzes are announced. The professor or the lab instructor may give unannounced/surprised quizzes.

  • Exams can consist of a combination of objective type questions e.g. multiple choices, identification and challenging questions e.g. problem solving and analysis, answering questions. Questions will be basic and applied.
  • Quizzes can also consist of either or a combination of objective type questions e.g. multiple choices, identification and challenging questions e.g. problem solving and analysis, answering questions.
  • Books, notes, cell phones, computers or any technical/electrical gadgets are NOT allowed to be on sight and in use 5 minutes before and during the quiz/exam and during the quiz/exam (whether a regular or make-up quiz/exam). 

Below is the list of the laboratory requirements and their corresponding percentages.

  • Quizzes: 25% (Coverage: Pre and Post) 
    • Expect lab quizzes every week (not unless announced otherwise). It will be at the beginning of lab (10:05 AM/1:15 PM/1:10 PM). If you come late you might miss the quiz or will not have enough time to complete the quiz. The length of the quiz may range from 10-20 min (more or less), depending on the content of quiz for that lab day. The length of the lab quiz will vary depending on the lab exercises, and will be designed to fit the given allotted time for each quiz. • No extra time can be given to late comers to be fair with students that come to class on time. • PRE: Questions for the quiz will come from the reading assignment of lab exercise to be performed for that particular week. Thus, come to the laboratory class prepared by reading the exercise of the week. You need to study these resources. • POST: Quiz will also include a post coverage. It will include the pre-lab discussion done by your lab instructor from the lab exercise of the previous week (that’s why it’s called “post coverage”), whatever had been discussed in the lab during the performance or after the performance of the lab exercise and may include your answers to questions from the lab sheet or written report of the lab exercise that’s being covered in the respective lab quiz.
  • Lab Sheets/Lab Report: 15%
    • The lab sheets will be submitted either at the end or at the beginning of the lab period. It will be graded whether it is complete and organized i.e. data inputted and questions answered. It will be announced if there will be lab sheets or mini-report due at the end of the lab period or the beginning of lab of the following week.  
  • Performance: 15%
    • (0-10 pts per meeting, minus 3 pts for being late (for every 5 min) or leaving early (excused or unexcused), minus 5 pts for not following laboratory rules i.e. not cleaning up after the lab. If a student does not perform during lab class e.g. just sitting, watching labmates perform will not get the full lab performance points e.g., minus 5 pts for not actively participating in the laboratory class. A student who has missed 30% or more excused absences of the meetings whereby performance was graded, cannot be given the 15% performance (5% only) for performance, but instead the performance weight of 15% will be distributed to Quiz and Lab Exam percentages (Quiz becomes 30% and Lab Exam 30%). As expected unexcused absences will be graded a zero.
  • Group Oral Presentation: 20%
    • A lab group will do oral presentation; the syllabus has the date of the poster presentation. The research topic of your choice for will be due the day of Exercise 4 and submitted via BlackBoard. Use subject heading: Group # research topic. Details to follow soon.
    • If you missed presenting on the designated date for an unexcused absence, the group or the student will get a zero. This is a group project therefore you will be graded as a group with a few exceptions. Make efforts to work cooperatively and collaboratively. Take this opportunity to lead your group towards a productive output. The details for the instructions with regards to this requirement including the rubric for its evaluation will be posted. The instructions are posted ahead of time so you can read the instructions early and prepare accordingly. This will also allow you to ask questions to your lab instructor relatively early and prior to the presentation.
  • Laboratory Exam: 25%
    • The lab exam will be comprehensive comprising both theoretical and practical questions. Further details will be given in class as we come closer to the final.
GRADE PERCENTAGE
A 90-100
B 80-89.9
C 70-79.9
D 60-69.9
F Below 60

Schedule of Topics and Assignments

Day Date Agenda/Topic Reading(s) Due
Thu 8/28 Lab Policies: Why is safety important in the lab? Lab Manual pg 3-12
Thu 9/4 Exercise 1: Biochemical Calculations Lab Manual pg 13-17
Thu 9/11 Exercise 2: Buffers and the Bicarbonate Systems Lab Manual pg 19-26
Thu 9/18 Exercise 3: Characteristics of Amino Acids; Separation of Amino Acids Lab Manual pg 27-39
Thu 9/25 Exercise 4: You Got Milk- How much protein is in your milk? Peptide Condensation and Hydrolysis; Protein Denaturation; DUE DATE: Research Topic and Article Submission Lab Manual pg 41-46; 47-49; 51-53 Research Topic and Article Submission
Thu 10/2 Exercise 5: Factors Affecting Enzyme Activity; Enzyme Activity Assay Lab Manual pg 55-60
Thu 10/9 Post-Lab Discussion: Exercises 1-5
Thu 10/16 Exercise 6: Carbohydrate Tests Lab Manual 61-65
Thu 10/23 Exercise 7: Glycolysis, Anabolism, Catabolism, Carbohydrate Metabolism and ATP Production Lab Manual pg 67-69
Thu 10/30 Exercise 8: Hydrocarbons and Fatty Acids Triglycerides and Dietary Fats, Lipid Metabolism Lab Manual pg 82-85; 87-94; 102-104
Thu 11/6 Group Oral Presentations
Thu 11/13 Post Lab Discussions: Exercises 6-8
Thu 11/20 Comprehensive Lab Exam
Thu 11/27 No Lab Thanksgiving Holiday
Thu 12/4 No Lab
Thu 12/11 No Lab

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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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:

  1. 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;
  2. 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;
  3. The student must sign an “Incomplete Grade Contract” and secure signatures of approval from the professor and the college dean.
  4. 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.