PSYC 4310 380: Psychology of Human Sexuality

PSYC 4310 - Psychology of Human Sexuality: Psychology of Human Sexuality (SSI - June 03 to July 05)

Summer 2024 Syllabus, Section 380, CRN 51614


Instructor Information

Dr. Ray Garza

Email: ray.garza@tamiu.edu

Office: AIC 386

Office Hours:
By appointment.

Office Phone: 956-326-2638


Times and Location

Does Not Meet Face-to-Face


Course Description

Covers psychological issues in human sexuality including genetic, hormonal, cognitive, and cultural determinants. The causes and treatment of sexual dysfunctions, sexual deviations, sexual life style variations, and gender identity will also be explored. May be taken for graduate credit.
Psychology & Communication Department, College of Arts & Sciences

Student Learning Outcomes

  1. Understand the male and female sexual anatomy and their important functions.
  2. Understand how psychologists approach research questions about human sexuality. 
  3. Be familiar with applications of research findings and theory within the study of human sexuality 
  4. Be able to access and understand psychological journal articles in human sexuality 
  5. Apply theoretical and research approaches to scientific questions in studying sexuality. 
  6. Orally communicate research questions, hypothesis, and findings about issues in human sexuality. 

Important Dates

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

Textbooks

Group Title Author ISBN
Required The Psychology of Human Sexuality Lehmiller 9781119883975

Other Course Materials

Grading Criteria

Exams:  Exams will consist of multiple-choice and essay questions. You will be given the entire class day to access the exam, and once you begin you will have 2-hourse to complete. Exams will be administered online on Blackboard using the lockdown respondus and webcam monitor system. It is important that students download the required software and pay for the respondus monitor fee before taking an exam. You are only allowed to makeup an exam within one-day of the exam date and incur a 5-point penalty. All exams must be completed by 11:59pm. 
Exams: 90pts (3 @ 30pts); Final Exam: 60pts

Class Discussions: Class discussions are an important component of any online course. This will be a forum in which students will reply to a post/question, and in doing so facilitate class dialogue with other peers. All students are required to participate in class discussions. Responses to discussions must be original and demonstrate adequate knowledge and application of the material read. Short replies that do not have substance (i.e., exactly, I agree, interesting post, etc…) will be given a grade of zero. You are required to respond to at least 2 peers in your discussions. There will be one due date for your initial post (Wednesday, see schedule below), and then there will be a separate due date for peer replies (Friday, see schedule below). The discussion post will be graded on a 15-point scale, while discussion replies will be graded on a 10-point scale. 

Discussions: 50pts (2 @ 25pts)

Quizzes: There will be ten quizzes throughout the session covering concepts important in human sexuality. Each quiz will consist of 10 questions, and some questions will be helpful in preparation for exams. Due dates are provided in the course schedule, and quizzes for each section can be due ahead of time. All quizzes will be due by 11:59pm. 

Quizzes: 50pts (10 @ 5pts)

Extra CreditStudents can choose to participate in extra credit by participating in studies being conducted in the university that are related to psychology. For studies using the SONA system, you may sign up to participate in a study by using the following link: https://tamiu.sona-systems.com/Default.aspx?ReturnUrl=/. If you do not have a SONA account, please request one. 

Students also have to option to evaluate research articles from the library database by writing a 2-page, double-spaced paper on a topic of human sexuality. This is very important: I will only accept extra credit electronically. On Blackboard, there will be a dropbox titled “Extra Credit Dropbox” and that is where you will submit your extra credit. If it is a proof of participation slip, scan and upload it with your name written legibly. If it is a document of an article evaluation, then upload the document. If your name is not legible, or if the article summaries are not original (i.e., plagiarism issues), credit will not be given. To ensure that original work is being submitted, I will only credit summaries that have less than 10% similarity. Extra credit is worth 10 points, which is 2 points per summary/study.

Grading Criteria

GRADE POINTS
A 225-250
B 200-224
C 175-199
D 150-174
F < 150

Open Boilerplate

Grading Summary VALUE
Exams (3) 90 pts
Final Exam 60 pts
Discussions (2) 50 pts
Quizzes (10) 50 pts
Total 250 pts

Schedule of Topics and Assignments

Week of Agenda/Topic Reading(s) Due
6/3 Unit 1: Theoretical Perspecitves 6/3: Ch1. Theoretical Perspecitves
6/4: Ch2. Research in Sexuality
6/5: Ch3. Sexual Anatomy
6/6: Ch4. Sexual Response
No submissions due in the first week.
6/10 Unit 1: Continued
6/12: Unit 2: Gender Identity and Sexual Behaviors
6/10: Review for Exam 1
6/12: Ch5. Gender Identity
6/13: Ch6. Sexual Orientation
6/10: All quizzes for Unit 1 due.
6/11: Exam 1 due.
6/12: Discussion 1 Post due
6/14: Discussion 1 replies are due
6/17 Unit 2: Continued 6/17: Ch 7. Attraction & Ch8. Intimate Relationships
6/18: Ch9. Sexual Behaviors
6/19: All quizzes for Unit 2 due.
6/20: Exam 2 due.
6/24 Unit 3: Sexual Development and Education 6/24: Ch. 10. Lifespan Sexual Development
6/25: Ch 11. Contraception and Pregnancy
6/26: Ch 12. STI and Safe Sex & Ch 13. Sexual Dysfucntion
6/26: All quizzews for Unit 3 due.
6/26: Discussion 2 post due
6/27: Exam 3 due.
6/28: Discussion 2 replies are due
7/1 Unit 4: Variations in Sexual Behavior 7/1: Ch 14. Variations in Sexual Behavior
7/2: Unit 4 quiz due.
7/3: Review and submit all extra credit work
7/4: July 4 Holiday, No classes
7/5: Final Exam

Distance Education Courses

Course Structure:

The course is entirely online through Blackboard. It is very important that you have a reliable and stable internet connection. Unless there is a blackout, I will not accept losing connectivity as an excuse for not submitting work. Success in this course is based on completing the assigned readings, video lectures, quizzes, and exams. PowerPoint lecture guides will be uploaded and can be used as outlines or notes for studying.  The course will be divided into four (4) units that include PowerPoint lectures, quizzes, and exams. You must complete all tasks by the due date specified in the course schedule. There is no exception to this. However, since I will upload all assignments at the beginning of the unit date, you can complete everything in the unit ahead of time if you choose to, except for the exam, which will be posted at the date specified.   

Class Expectations:

During the first week of class, become familiar with the Blackboard format. As you browse through the syllabus, you will notice that there are no assignments due the first week of class because I allow students to use this time to become familiar with an online platform. All communication will be conducted in Blackboard through announcements and email. Content pertaining to the class will be uploaded under the content tab. Students are expected to follow the syllabus as scheduled, as there will be no makeups for quizzes and exams. Always check blackboard for any events or updates that are being done to the system. Usually, when there is blackboard maintenance, it is conducted on a Friday and lasts through the weekend. It is your responsibility to know when these are being conducted, as I will not accept blackboard maintenance as an excuse for missing assignments. If there is a change in the course schedule, you will be notified under announcements. 

Announcements/Course Messages/Emails

It is prefereble that all students communicate with me in a timely manner. This should be done through blackboard messaging, or if you want a quicker response, email me at ray.garza@tamiu.edu. 

Assignments and Assessments

All assignments, quizzes, discussions, and exams are graded quickly. It is expected that all studetns are familiar with the grading breakdown for this course to understand their overall standing. 

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 requiired

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 computer or laptop with a webcam.  Recently purchased laptops may have these 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.

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.

Rubrics (Discussions only)

Class discussions are an important component of any online course. This will be a forum in which students will reply to a post/question, and in doing so facilitate class dialogue with other peers. All students are required to participate in class discussions. Responses to discussions must be original and demonstrate adequate knowledge and application of the material read. Short replies that do not have substance (i.e., exactly, I agree, interesting post, etc…) will be given a grade of zero. You are required to respond to at least 2 peers in your discussions. There will be one due date for your initial post (Wednesday, see schedule below), and then there will be a separate due date for peer replies (Friday, see schedule below). The discussion post will be graded on a 15-point scale, while discussion replies will be graded on a 10-point scale. 

Late Work Policy

For this course, quizzes and discussions cannot be made up, as you are provided a sufficient time to complete them beforehand. Exams can be made up within 1 day of the scheduled exam date and incur a 5-point penalty. Students must have an appropriate documented excuse in order to complete late work. 

Course Evaluation

At the end of this course, students are encouraged to complete a course evaluation that will be distributed to them via email and through a course link.

Proctoring

This course requires the use of Respondus LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor for online quizzes and exams. Follow the link to access and install the required software: https://www.tamiu.edu/distance/technology/respondus-ldb-and-monitor.shtml

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.

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.