PSYC 2301 - Intro to Psychology: Intro to Psychology (SSII - July 07 to Aug 07)
Summer 2025 Syllabus, Section 480, CRN 51952
Instructor Information
Adriana Blasco-Rubio
Email: adriana.blasco-rubio@tamiu.edu
Office Hours:
Virtual Meeting Appointment
Times and Location
Does Not Meet Face-to-Face
Course Description
Student Learning Outcomes
Course Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:
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Define psychology, its historical roots, and contemporary approaches.
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Understand the scientific method as it relates to psychological research.
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Identify types of psychological research.
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Understand biological, cognitive, and social processes as they relate to human behavior, thought, emotions, development, and health.
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Define abnormal behavior, various psychological disorders, and therapies.
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Write effectively about theories, concepts, and current research pertaining to psychology.
Important Dates
Visit the Academic Calendar (tamiu.edu) page to view the term's important dates.
Textbooks
Group | Title | Author | ISBN |
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Required | Fundamentals of Psychology: Perspectives and Connections (1st Ed.) | • Feist, G. & Rosenberg, E. | McGraw Hill Connect |
Other Course Materials
Required Course Materials:
McGraw Hill Connect is required and will be integrated on blackboard for access to the required course textbook, assignments, and exams.
View the Connect Student Registration Video with Blackboard at:
If you need immediate help contact McGraw Hill Connect CXG Team Tech Support at:
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Phone Number: 1-800-331-5094
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Chat or Email: https://mhedu.force.com/CXG/s/ContactUs
The required textbook accessible through McGraw Hill Connect is:
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Feist, G. & Rosenberg, E. (2020). Fundamentals of Psychology: Perspectives and Connections (1st Ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.
This course will also require Proctorio a browser-locking and remote proctoring solution designed to protect the integrity of this course’s assessments within some of your Connect assignments. Pricing for Proctorio is $17.50 per course. View the Proctorio Student Orientation Video Here: Proctorio Student Orientation (mhhe.com). See more information for Proctorio under the Technology Requirements section below.
Grading Criteria
GRADE | PERCENTAGE |
A | 90-100 |
B | 80-89.9 |
C | 70-79.9 |
D | 60-69.9 |
F | Below 60 |
Open Boilerplate
Course Assignments, Quizzes and Exams:
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Syllabus and Policies, Connect Orientation, SmartBook Overview and Proctorio Orientation: Completion of the following five (5) tasks is required to proceed with the rest of the course: 1) Acknowledgement of Syllabus and Policies 2) Connect Orientation Video 3) SmartBook Overview 4) Proctorio Student Orientation and 5) Proctorio Practice Exam. These tasks are accessible through blackboard utilizing McGraw Hill Connect. These tasks are worth 5% of the overall course grade.
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SmartBook Reading Assignments: SmartBook Assignment submissions are required for each chapter reading. All SmartBook assignments have due dates, therefore please ensure you review deadlines. All SmartBook assignments are accessible through blackboard and utilize McGraw Hill Connect. SmartBook assignments are worth 10% of the overall course grade.
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Chapter Assignments: Assignments for each chapter will consist of a variety of tasks such as questions from readings, videos, etc. All chapter assignments have due dates, therefore please ensure you review deadlines. All chapter assignments are accessible through blackboard and utilize McGraw Hill Connect. Chapter assignments are worth 15% of the overall course grade.
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Chapter Quizzes: Quiz submissions are required for each chapter. Quizzes consist of twenty (20) multiple choice and true/false items. Quizzes are timed (60 minutes) and have a due date, therefore please ensure you review deadlines. Quizzes are designed to measure comprehension of assigned material presented in each chapter. All quizzes are accessible through blackboard and utilize McGraw Hill Connect and Proctorio. Quizzes are worth 20% of the overall course grade.
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Exams: Three (3) exam submissions are required for this course. Exams cover all chapters presented in a designated unit. Exams consist of sixty (60) multiple choice and true/false items. Exams are timed (90 minutes) and have due dates, therefore please ensure you review deadlines. Exams are designed to measure comprehension of assigned material. All exams are accessible through blackboard and will utilize McGraw Hill Connect and Proctorio. Exams are worth 25% of the overall course grade.
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Final Exam: The final exam covers all material presented throughout the semester. The final exam consists of 2 parts. Part 1 is a written essay that will be on a topic covered during the entire semester. Part 2 is a 60-minute timed exam with multiple choice and true/false questions for the last chapters in Unit 4 and will be accessible through blackboard and utilize McGraw Hill Connect and Proctorio. The Final Exam is worth 25% of the overall course grade.
Late Submission or Missed Deadline Policy:
All deadlines for SmartBook Assignments, Chapter Assignments, Quizzes, and Exams are clearly identified at the start of the semester. Students should review all deadlines and plan accordingly to ensure all deadlines are met. Late submissions will not be accepted, except for legitimate unforeseen circumstances (e.g., medical emergency, illness, death of a loved one, etc.). Documentation to support the missed deadline must be submitted in order to avoid a 20% penalty or grant an extension. Please contact the instructor immediately if a missed deadline needs to be discussed and know it is ultimately the instructor’s discretion to allow an extension.
ASSIGNMENT | VALUE |
Orientation Assignments | 5% |
SmartBook Assignments | 10% |
Chapter Assignments | 15% |
Quizzes | 20% |
Exams | 25% |
Final Exam | 25% |
Schedule of Topics and Assignments
Week of | Agenda/Topic | Reading(s) | Due |
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7/7 | 1. Introduction to Psychology 2. Conducting Research in Psychology 3. The Biology of Behavior 4. Sensing and Perceiving Our World | - Read Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4 - Review Lessons 1, 2, 3, 4 | Due Sun., July. 13th by 11:59pm: - Syllabus & Policies Acknowledgment - Connect Orientation - SmartBook Orientation - Proctorio Student Orientation - Proctorio Practice Exam - Meet and Greet Discussion - Smart Book Assignments 1, 2, 3, 4 - Chapter Assignments 1, 2, 3, 4 - Quizzes 1, 2, 3, 4 - Exam 1 (60 Minute timed exam) Opens Friday, July 11th at 8am Closes Sunday, July 13th at 11:59pm |
7/14 | 5. Human Development 6. Consciousness 7. Memory 8. Learning | - Read Chapters 5, 6, 7, 8 - Review Lessons 5, 6, 7, 8 | Due Sun., July 20th by 11:59pm: - Smart Book Assignments 5, 6, 7, 8 - Chapter Assignments 5, 6, 7, 8 - Quizzes 5, 6, 7, 8 - Exam 2 (60 Minute timed exam) Opens Friday, July 18th at 8am Closes Sunday, July 20th at 11:59pm |
7/21 | 9. Language, Thought and Intelligence 10. Motivation and Emotion 11. Stress and Health 12. Personality: The Uniqueness of the Individual | - Read Chapters 9, 10, 11, 12 - Review Lessons 9, 10, 11, 12 | Due Sun., July 27th by 11:59pm: - Smart Book Assignments 9, 10, 11, 12 - Chapter Assignments 9, 10, 11, 12 - Quizzes 9, 10, 11, 12 - Exam 3 (60 Minute timed exam) Opens Friday, July 25th at 8am Closes Sunday, July 27th at 11:59pm |
7/28 | 13. Social Behavior 14. Psychological Disorders 15. Treatment of Psychological Disorders | - Read Chapters 13, 14, 15 - Review Lessons 13, 14, 15 | Due Sun., August 3rd by 11:59pm: - Smart Book Assignments 13, 14, 15 - Chapter Assignments 13, 14, 15 - Quizzes 13, 14, 15 |
8/4 | Final Exam | - Read Final Exam Guidelines - Review and Study Course Materials - Work on Final Exam Essay | - Final Exam Part 1 Written Essay - Submit Essay at blackboard dropbox by Thursday, August 7th at 11:59pm - Final Exam Part 2 60 Minute timed exam Opens Thursday, August 7th, 8:00am Closes Thursday, August 7th, 11:59pm |
Core Curriculum Learning Outcomes
Core-Curriculum Learning Outcomes:
- Critical Thinking Skills (CT) - creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information
- Communication Skills (COM) - effective development, interpretation and expression of ideas through written, oral and visual communication
- Social Responsibility (SR) - intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities
- Personal Responsibility (PR) - ability to connect choices, actions and consequences to ethical decision-making
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
Course Structure and Requirements:
This course is designed as a web-based undergraduate course via Blackboard. Your success in this course depends on completing assigned readings, reviewing lessons and submitting assignments and exams. Measurements will be based on your ability to synthesize knowledge gained from the readings and lessons. Students will need to complete four (4) Units. Every unit includes chapter readings, lessons, assignments, quizzes and an exam. All course tasks will have assigned deadlines.
This course is taught entirely online and it is the student’s responsibility to ensure consistent access to Blackboard. Problems with personal computers are the responsibility of the student and are not acceptable excuses for missing any of the course requirements. Learning at a distance may be a different environment for many of you. You will generally set your own schedules, participate in class activities at your convenience, and work at your own pace. You may require some additional time online during the first few weeks while you become acclimated to the online format. 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. Additional skills required for this course include knowing how to use McGraw Hill Connect and Proctorio.
Technology Requirements:
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 course, you will need the following additional hardware: a webcam and microphone for assignments and exams utilizing Proctorio (see info on Proctorio below). Recently purchased laptops may have 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.
Additional Software
You will need the following additional software: Adobe reader and Microsoft PowerPoint for viewing lessons and course documents. TAMIU Students may access online versions of these softwares through their Dusty Office 365 account at https://dusty.tamiu.edu/. This site https://www.tamiu.edu/distance/technology/personal-software-resources.shtml also provides students with software resources for educational use.
Note: Students if you do not own the required hardware, software or do not have access to internet, it will be highly challenging for you to make any progress in this class. However, most of these requirements can be found at TAMIU’s library, computer labs, or classrooms. In addition, you may also purchase any of these items at any electronic store.
Learning Management System
Students are provided with guides on how to use the Blackboard LMS. Guides may be available at the Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services Page or by contacting the eLearning team at elearning@tamiu.edu
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, the OIT Help Desk, and E-mail support: Technical Support Services.
Proctorio:
This course will use Proctorio, a browser-locking and remote proctoring solution designed to protect the integrity of this course’s assessments within some of your Connect assignments. Pricing for Proctorio is $17.50 per course. View the Proctorio Student Orientation Video Here Proctorio Student Orientation (mhhe.com).
Assignments with Proctorio
You’ll be able to see which assignments in Connect include Proctorio settings because they will be clearly labeled with “Proctoring Enabled” in the assignment title. The settings used may vary depending on the assignment. When you start a proctored assignment, the settings in use will be indicated.
Proctorio Minimum System Requirements
Proctorio offers a flexible service, which may include recording of video, audio, and screen activity. The Proctorio system requirements are dependent on the exam settings and may require a webcam and a microphone. Test takers are encouraged to use a practice exam to test their system prior to taking an exam. Virtual machine3s and proxy connections will not work.
Equity and Fairness
The reason Proctorio settings have been enabled for specific assignments in this course is to make education more equal by allowing each student to earn the grades they deserve. The US Federal Government also requires that all schools have a process in place for verifying student identity to protect against Federal Student Aid (FSA) fraud.
Privacy
Proctorio is a trusted resource for remote proctoring because of the company’s commitment to student privacy. Proctorio uses single sign-on through Connect, and approved individuals, here at our institution, will have access to your exam data. Proctorio never requires personally identifiable information from students, and Proctorio will never sell your data to third parties.
Read more about Proctorio’s approach to privacy.
Security
Proctorio only runs as an extension in your Chrome browser. This means that Proctorio works within a sandbox and has limited access to your computer system, unlike traditionally installed software applications that have complete access to your computer’s hard drive, or other resources. Proctorio does not continuously run in Connect. Proctorio only runs while you are taking your proctored Connect assignment. After your proctored assignment ends, you may uninstall the extension by right-clicking on it, to bring you peace of mind. Just remember, if you choose to do this, you’ll need to reinstall the extension again before starting your next proctored assignment. All student data is kept safe using zero-knowledge encryption, meaning student data is scrambled and unreadable by anyone outside of our institution’s learning platform. Proctorio cannot see your proctored assignment data. Read more about Proctorio security.
Getting Started
Before getting started on your first proctored assignment, please watch the Student Orientation Video on Proctorio, and then make sure to follow the instructions in Proctorio’s Quick Start Test Taker Guide for the extension. To verify your computer system meets the requirements, take the practice quiz. This will ensure that everything will run smoothly on the day of the proctored assignment. If, after reading the Quick Start Test Taker Guide, you have any trouble while using Connect & Proctorio, you can access quick help guides or reach out to Connect or Proctorio support for troubleshooting. Support can assist in troubleshooting any extension related issues before, during, and after your proctored assignment.
Accessibility and Privacy Statements of 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. In this class, we will utilize Blackboard, McGraw Hill Connect, and Proctorio. You may find the accessibility and privacy policies of these technologies on the following pages: Accessibility Statements and Privacy Statements.
Accommodations/Accessibility Policy:
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 Director of Student Counseling and to contact the faculty member in a timely fashion to arrange for suitable accommodations. For more information, contact the Office of Disability Services for Students (DSS) via phone at 956.326.3086, online at www.tamiu.edu/disability or by visiting the staff at the Student Center room 124. A link to the Disabilities Services for Students site has also been included under the "Resources" tab in the Blackboard course shell.
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 Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services’ page on University Resources and Support Services.
Method of Communication: The Blackboard course message system will be the primary method of communication. Students should expect a response to Blackboard course messages within 48 hours (2 regular business days). Messages sent close to the weekend may take longer to receive a response.
Feedback and Other Methods of Communication: Students will receive feedback for assignments and assessments via Blackboard in the “feedback to learner” text box. Students can schedule an online meeting via the “Virtual Meeting Space” tab on the course menu. Students may also visit the professor during scheduled office hours or by appointment.