Course Description Information

SUU’s Course Numbering System

Each course offered at Southern Utah University is assigned a unique number, indicating what type of course it is and what credits may be earned in the course. Throughout this catalog, courses are numbered as follows:

The course title is followed by the number of credit hours for the course.

Some courses carry variable credit and these are specified by a hyphen. Example: A theatre arts listing (1-3) indicates that an amount of credit between 1 and 3 hours are available.

Special credit is available through most departments for work completed through readings and conferences (4830, 6830), workshops or institutes (2920, 4920, and 6920), cooperative education (2840, 4840, and 6840), and internship (2890, 4890, 6890) sponsored by SUU. Consult the department chair for more information on these programs.

Useful Definitions

The academic terms defined below are used throughout this catalog.

• Area of Specialization (Education): 18 credit-hour minimum in a Utah State Board of Higher Education-approved discipline as approved by the Utah State Board of Education.
• Co-requisite: A course that must be taken concurrently (in the same term) as another course or requirement.
• Course: A subject, or an instructional subdivision of a subject, offered in a single term.
• Composite major: 52 credit-hour minimum in a discipline; no minor is required.
• Credit: Indicates one (1) term credit hour, representing approximately one hour of the student’s time each week in attendance in a class, lecture, or seminar per semester.
• Curriculum: An organized program of study arranged to provide a sequence of professional education.
• Discipline: A branch of learning or field of study such as history, chemistry, or accounting.
• Electives: Courses that students may choose to take, as contrasted with required courses. Electives can be classified by “major electives,” in which some restrictions may be applied to the courses taken (such as only within a specific prefix), and “free electives,” in which any credit-bearing course may be used.
• Emphasis: 12 credit-hour minimum within the major that is displayed on the student’s transcript.
• Major: 30 credit-hour minimum in a Utah State Board of Higher Education-approved discipline that is nationally classified by the U.S. Department of Education.
• Major (Education): 30 credit-hour minimum in a Utah State Board of Higher Education-approved discipline that is nationally classified by the U.S. Department of Education and is approved by the Utah State Board of Education.
• Minor: 16 credit-hour minimum in a Utah State Board of Higher Education-approved discipline.
• Option: A choice within a specialization as defined by a department.
• Prerequisite: A course or other education requirement that must be completed prior to another course or before proceeding to more advanced study.
• Semester: An academic term that is approximately one-third of the academic year, either fall, spring, or summer.
• Seminar: A small group of advanced students studying a subject under a faculty member’s supervision.
• Session: An academic term that is approximately one-sixth of the academic year. Two sessions are offered per semester.
• Track: A focus within a program that will not be displayed on a student’s transcript.

Common Course Numbers & Learning Outcomes

The following course numbers are reserved for specific course types as listed below.

Undergraduate: Lower-Division (1000-2999)

These courses are for students beginning in the study of a discipline. Lower-division courses offer breadth, foundation, general education, preparation for employment, or preparation for continued study and may serve as prerequisites for upper-division courses. Within the same institution, a lower-division course may not be crosslisted with an upper-division course.

• 2120: Service Learning
• 2830: Readings & Conferences
• 2840: Cooperative Education
• 2850: Undergraduate Research
• 2890: Internship
• 2920: Workshops
• 2990: Undergraduate Research

1000-Level Course Outcomes

Examples of outcomes typical of first-year courses include:

• Display an introductory understanding of disciplinary content;
• Demonstrate a beginning ability to present, interpret, and evaluate data in order to develop arguments and make sound judgments;
• Develop a beginning ability to evaluate approaches for problem solving within the context of the course’s subject matter.

2000-Level Course Outcomes

Examples of outcomes typical of second-year courses include:

• Display knowledge and critical understanding of established concepts and principles related to the area of study, and an ability to evaluate and interpret these;
• Demonstrate an understanding of how concepts and principles have developed within the field;
• Display an ability to apply concepts from the course within and outside the field;
• Demonstrate a developing knowledge of the key methods of inquiry related to the field;
• Articulate a developing understanding of the limitations of students’ knowledge and understanding, and how this can influence their own thinking;
• Demonstrate an increasing ability to present, interpret, and evaluate data in order to develop arguments and make sound judgments within the area of study;
• Display an ability to undertake a critical analysis of information and propose solutions to problems;
• Show an ability to communicate effectively to different audiences in a way that is relevant to the discipline.

Undergraduate: Upper-Division (3000-4999)

These courses are for students usually beyond their first two years of study in college, and integrate and build upon learning outcomes from earlier studies. In general, upper-division courses offer specialized learning outcomes for a specific degree and provide depth, specialization, refinement, and preparation for employment or graduate study. Upper-division courses are directed toward the more central concepts of a discipline. Most 4000-level courses are more concentrated, narrower in scope, and involve more independent study, research, and projects outside of class than 3000-level courses. 4000-level courses may also be designed as capstone courses that integrate a broad array of learning outcomes from previous courses.

• 3990: Undergraduate Research
• 4800: Undergraduate Research
• 4830: Readings & Conferences
• 4850: Undergraduate Research
• 4860: Practicum
• 4890: Internship
• 4920: Workshops
• 4950: Field Trips
• 4990: Seminars

Upper-Division Course Outcomes

Examples of outcomes typical of 3000- and 4000-level courses include:

• Integrate and build upon concepts introduced in earlier course work to develop a deeper understanding of the subject at hand;
• Demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of specialized terminology, ideas, and practices related to a specific topic within an area of study, and an ability to evaluate and interpret these;
• Display a developing understanding of the integrated and convergent nature of learning goals within a discipline, and an ability to demonstrate that learning (e.g., writing a computer program to solve a particular problem);
• Articulate the ways in which disciplinary concepts are applied within and outside of the field, as well as to employment situations;
• Display an understanding of the key methods of inquiry related to the field, and an ability to demonstrate these through inquiry-based activities;
• Demonstrate an ability to present, interpret, and evaluate in order to develop arguments and make sound judgments within a narrowly-defined area of the field of study;
• Complete a critical analysis of information, interpret findings, and propose solutions to problems;
• Communicate effectively to different audiences in a way that is relevant to the discipline.

Continuing Education (5000-5999)

These courses allow for extension beyond bachelor degree requirements, preparation for a graduate degree, or a natural connection between the two. Content requires significant independent thinking on the part of the student and offers opportunity for specialized seminars, directed reading, independent study, and research.

• 5920: Workshops

Graduate (6000-7999)

These courses are limited to graduate students and graduate degrees and certificates. Graduate courses may only be offered at USHE institutions with a Board-approved mission to offer graduate-level programs.

• 6830: Readings & Conferences
• 6850: Graduate Research
• 6920: Workshops
• 6970-6979: Master’s thesis research
• 6980-6989: Master’s thesis faculty research consultation
• 6999: Master’s thesis continuing registration
• 7600-7899: Advanced graduate seminars
• 7900-7969: Doctoral independent study, special topics, etc.
• 7970-7979: Doctoral dissertation and/or project research
• 7980-7989: Doctoral dissertation faculty research consultation
• 7999: Doctoral dissertation continuing registration