Integrated Marketing Communications

Course Syllabus

Course Information

Assessment

Course Expectations

Policies

Course Information

Course Description

This course will introduce you to the concept of Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) which is the approach that more and more marketing and communications professionals are using to face the biggest challenges in the contemporary market place. An increased rate of advertising clutter in most traditional media, the rapid growth of the internet, a more product knowledgeable and demanding consumer with an increased variety of options to chose from, higher pressures from manufacturers to retail chains and a global economy are only a few characteristics of today's ever-evolving business environment.

You will begin reviewing the basic concepts of marketing, communications, segment marketing, positioning, and target market, since they are important tools to use in the definition of our customer or target audience. You will then continue to apply the most common consumer behavior techniques that enable you to understand your target market(s) and, finally, design your own IMC campaign.

You will use real examples of companies and industries in analyzing the concepts of advertising, sales promotion, direct marketing, interactive/internet marketing, public relations and personal selling and the most common techniques for understanding consumer behavior to create an effective promotional campaign that integrates some of these tools targeting specific markets. Additional skills for the creation of visual layouts, media budgeting, ethics and regulations analysis and global market penetration planning will be developed for some of you depending upon your selected competence(s).

Course Learning Goals

After completing this course, you will be able to:

• Identify and discuss the IMC concept and its role in the Marketing and Promotions Process Model (All competences).
• Discuss and apply the marketing segmentation and positioning concepts (All competences).
• Apply consumer behavior analysis techniques to understand a target customer for a desired industry and generate valuable customer profile information for an IMC campaign (H2X competence).
• Apply a media budgeting method and create a media strategy plan for an IMC campaign (FX competence).
• Identify the environmental influences that are likely to affect the penetration of new international markets for a specific product (All competences).
• Create a promotional layout for a specific product/industry and target segment (A2X competence).
• Identify the main ethical principals that American advertisers follow today and discuss specific contemporary ethical issues (All competences).
• Identify, articulate and apply at least three of the IMC promotional tools (All competences).

Course Competencies

In this course, you will develop the following competencies:

Competence	Competence Statement and Criteria
FX	Using the concepts of Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC), the student can effectively design and implement a promotional campaign integrating the proper regulations and ethical considerations for at least three of the contemporary IMC tools and planning for implementation and measurement of its effectiveness.
H2X	Can apply the most commonly used consumer behavior analysis techniques and generate successful promotional strategies for a specific industry's target market(s) within domestic and international/global environments.
A2X	Can reflect on the creative process and discuss the design principles involved in it and generate effective and creative layouts that successfully target a specific industry and its customers.

How the Competences will be Demonstrated in this Course

FX: Students will be able to identify and discuss all of the IMC promotional tools: advertising, direct marketing, internet/interactive marketing, public relations, sales promotion and personal selling, and apply at least three of them in the design of a new and complete IMC campaign.

In addition FX students will acquire additional knowledge and practice in the following areas:

• Media budgeting and strategy. The FX focus includes a media budgeting and media strategy plan for their final project assignment.
• Measurement of promotional tool effectiveness. FX students will create some tools for measuring a promotional campaign's effectiveness in their final projects.

H2X: Studying the Consumer Decision-Making process, H2X students will research and analyze the target customer/segment for a product of their choice and generate valuable customer profile and buying behavior process information necessary to answer some of the crucial consumer behavior questions that typically assist in the design of an IMC campaign:

• Who is my target customer(s)?
• Where and how can I find him/her?
• What motivates my customer to buy?
• Which are its needs?
• How can I change my customer's perceptions or attitudes?, etc.

In addition, H2X students will be exploring their cross-cultural abilities, practicing the introduction of a local product to an international market, identifying the environmental factors that are most likely to affect this process, and making key decisions in regards to the specific introduction plan to follow.

A2X: Students will follow a specific creative process to design story/boards or layouts for a product of their choice, creating for themselves all the different visual and text elements that are part of a promotional piece and justifying their choices by stating how these elements will appeal to a specific target market.

In addition, A2X students will study the "best" and "most creative" in the advertising industry to learn about their approaches and best practices.

Course Resources

To buy your books, go to http://bookstore.mbsdirect.net/depaul.htm.

Required Reading:

Belch E. George, and Belch, A Michael. Advertising and promotion, an integrated marketing communications perspective. 8th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 2007.

Recommended reading on e-reserve(not required):

Ries Al, and Trout Jack. Positioning. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001

Course Grading Scale

A = 95 to 100	A- = 91 to 94	B+ = 88 to 90
B = 85 to 87	B- = 81 to 84	C+ = 77 to 80
C = 73 to 76	C- = 69 to 72	D+ = 65 to 68
D = 61 to 64	F = 60 or below	INC

Please note: Grades lower than a C- do not earn credit or competence in the School for New Learning.

Course Structure

This course consists of 10 modules. The estimated time to complete each module is one week.

The following table outlines the course:

Week,  Module # and Title	Readings	Assignments
Week 1, Module 1: The Role of IMC and the Market Segmentation and Positioning Concepts	Read Belch E. George, and Belch, A Michael. Advertising and promotion, an integrated marketing communications perspective, Chapter 1-2. Read Ries Al, and Trout Jack. Positioning, Chapters 1, 2, and 3.	1.1 Market segmentation and positioning exercise 1.2 Class Introductions Discussion 1.3 Investing in Ethics Market Segments Discussion
Week 2, Module 2: Organizing for IMC and the Consumer Decision-Making Processes	Read Belch E. George, and Belch, A Michael. Advertising and promotion, an integrated marketing communications perspective, Chapter 3-4	2.4 Consumer Behavior Trends Discussion 2.3 Analyze Creative Boutiques (A2X) 2.1 Consumer Behavior Analysis for Product (H2X) 2.2 Advertising Best Practices (FX)
Week 3, Module 3: The Communication Process, Source, Message and Channels	Read Belch E. George, and Belch, A Michael. Advertising and promotion, an integrated marketing communications perspective, Chapter 5- 6	3.1 Semiotics Analysis on Printed Advertising 3.2 Comparative Advertising Discussion
Week 4, Module 4: Development of Goals and Objectives for IMC Programs	Read Belch E. George, and Belch, A Michael. Advertising and promotion, an integrated marketing communications perspective, Chapter 7	4.1 Mid-term Assignment - First state IMC campaign 4.2 Sales vs. Communication Objectives Discussion
Week 5, Module 5: Development and Execution of a Creative Strategy	Read Belch E. George, and Belch, A Michael. Advertising and promotion, an integrated marketing communications perspective, Chapter 8-9	5.1 Award Analysis 5.2 Creativity Meaning and Controversies Discussion
Week 6, Module 6: Media Strategy and Broadcast, Print and Support Media Analysis	Read Belch E. George, and Belch, A Michael. Advertising and promotion, an integrated marketing communications perspective, Chapters 10, 11, 12 and 13	6.1 Broadcast Print and Support Media Field Analysis 6.2 Media Future Trends Discussion
Week 7, Module 7: Other IMC Promotional Tools	Read Belch E. George, and Belch, A Michael. Advertising and promotion, an integrated marketing communications perspective, Chapters 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18	7.1 Promotional Bundle Creation Group 01 Discussion 7.1 Promotional Bundle Creation Group 02 Discussion 7.1 Promotional Bundle Creation Group 03 Discussion 7.1 Promotional Bundle Creation Group 04 Discussion 7.2 Interactive Media vs Personal Selling Discussion Continue working on Assignment 10.1 Final Project Review Final Project Assignment Checklist Module 7
Week 8, Module 8: Measurement of IMC Plan Effectiveness and Global Marketplace	Read Belch E. George, and Belch, A Michael. Advertising and promotion, an integrated marketing communications perspective, Chapters 19 and 20	8.1 International Advertising Analysis 8.2 Global vs. Local Advertising Discussion Continue working on Assignment 10.1 Final Project Review Final Project Assignment Checklist Module 8
Week 9, Module 9: Industry Regulation, Social, Ethical and Economic Aspects	Read Belch E. George, and Belch, A Michael. Advertising and promotion, an integrated marketing communications perspective, Chapters 21 and 22	9.1 AAF Ethical Principles Discussion Continue working on Assignment 10.1 Final Project Review Final Project Assignment Checklist Module 9
Week 10, Module 10: Wrap-Up and Reflections	Read great brands campaign on AAF website	10.1 Final Project

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Assessment

Percentage distribution of Assessments

Each competence taken in the course will be assessed a letter grade. There are four basic aspects of your participation that contribute to the final assessment of grades. The first two items have to do with your participation in the discussion forums. Because integrating and synthesizing the ideas and theories in the course is an important aspect of the learning process, sharing and offering feedback to your fellow students is a significant element of the process.

The third item relates to your individual written assignments.. The fourth item relates to completion of your final project. Therefore, you are being assessed on your reading assignments, through your contributions to the discussion forum, as well as integrating the course text with your independent research on your written assignments.

25% - Quality of contributions to weekly discussion forums:

• Relevance to the topic addressed.
• Accuracy of information and use of theory.
• Conciseness of explanations and focus on main points.
• Evidence cited to substantiate ideas.
• Originality offered in personal view points.
• Timeliness of submitting messages.

15% - Quality of responses to other students in discussion forums.

• Respect for other participants' ideas and input.
• Appropriate use of comments related to discussion topics.
• Focus on staying on track with discussion.
• Contributions of helpful and insightful ideas.
• Questions that challenge and engage others.

20% - Quality of written assignments

• Addresses the assignment according to directions.
• Submits assignments on time.
• Summarizes and prioritizes information appropriately.
• Demonstrates understanding of learning objectives.
• Describes content with appropriate level of reflection and detail.
• Offers out-of-the-box but effective rationales and ideas.

40% - Quality of Mid-term and Final projects (20% each one).

• Addresses the assignment according to directions.
• Originality of incorporating own ideas and theories to assignment.
• Appropriate use of theories and research.
• Accuracy of information used as evidence and proper referencing.
• Presented with attention to aesthetics, clarity and grammatical acuity.

Grading Policies and Practices

To complete the course, you must complete each of the assignments as described in the course and submit them to your instructor by the assigned deadline.  In addition, you must participate in the course discussion forum by responding to all instructor requests and by interacting with fellow classmates as necessary.

Points are deducted for late work.

Assessment Criteria for Each Competence

FX
If you are taking the FX competence, you should complete all the individual written assignments, participate in all class discussions and submit a Mid-term and Final project that includes the following elements:

• A clear definition of the marketing and communications objectives that will be satisfied with the campaign and a coherent connection between these objectives and the specific strategies, media selection and deliverables generated.
• A thorough examination of the regulations and ethical principles that affect the IMC plan.
• A complete media plan with a justifiable budget description and coherent media strategy.
• An effective methodology for measuring the campaign's effectiveness.

H2X
If you are taking the H2X competence, you should complete all the individual written assignments, participate in all the class discussions and submit a mid-term and final project demonstrating an acquired skill for:

• Following the Consumer-Decision Making Process to analyze a target market.
• Generating relevant consumer profile information for an IMC campaign.
• Creating an effective introductory plan for a new international market, assessing risks and opportunities.

A2X
If you are taking the A2X competence, you should complete all the individual written assignments, participate in all the class discussions and submit a mid-term and final project that demonstrates the acquisition of the following skills:

• The ability to follow a creative process to generate original and relevant ideas.
• The ability to incorporate original ideas(visual and message)in to an effective layout or story board
• The ability to demonstrate a connection between the new/original ideas and the specific marketing and communications objectives that it serves as well as the specific consumer behavior data that supports its design.

General Assessment Criteria for All Writing Assignments

In general, grading of assignments will be based on the following:

Content refers to the treatment of the topic logically and analytically. This is the substance, the "what" of the paper; what you had to say about the topic, what you presented in defense of your position, and what your analysis revealed about thought processes and grasp of the material you grappled with. Creativity is a rare but valuable skill in the advertising world so this proficiency will be particularly promoted in this class and additional points will be provided to the students that demonstrate it through the generation of out-of-the box but relevant ideas or thoughts.

Organization is the way your paper is arrayed and presented, including both the overall organization and the arrangement of sub-parts. These include: relevant title and subheadings; introductory material, where needed; summaries, where appropriate; connective and transitional links; and what used to be called "rhetoric": the skillful arrangement of the pieces for maximum persuasive impact on the reader.

Mechanics refers to the use of Spelling and Grammar check, the use of Standard English, the basics of sentence structure and punctuation, and effective and sensitive word choice usage. Mastery of basic communication and writing skills is a must for undergraduate (and graduate) students. The paper you prepare should also use proper APA or MLA citation form for in-text references as well as for bibliography.

Most written assignments in this course pertain to the students in all competences, however there will be a few exceptions in which "a totality of an assignment" should be completed in a way that addresses a specific competence. Those particular cases will be clearly identified in the assignment's checklist section of each module.

Novice-Failing (C- or Lower)	Intermediate (C+) (Some Use)	Proficient (B) (More Use)	Excellent (A- or A)
(C-) The student did not submit the assignment on-time, missed the page count requirement significantly and did not offer any valuable content for the assignment (Lower) The student did not submit the assignment at all	The student submitted the assignment: -On Time -Did not follow instructions to the detail -Did not demonstrate a good use of grammar, paper structure and summarization skills -Offered poor content using mostly unoriginal ideas with irrelevant points	The student submitted the assignment: -On Time -Followed instructions to the detail -Demonstrated a good use of grammar, paper structure and summarization skills -Offered good original content with some out-of-the-box and relevant ideas	The student submitted the assignment: -On Time -Followed instructions to the detail -Demonstrated excellent use of grammar, paper structure and summarization skills -Offered excellent original content with significant out-of-the-box and highly relevant ideas

All of your individual written assignments including your Mid-term and Final project must be submitted to the Assignments area of the course website before the end of each module's weekly deadline.

All writing assignments are expected to conform to basic college-level standards of mechanics and presentation.

Consider visiting the Writing Center to discuss your assignments for this course or any others. You may schedule appointments (30 or 50 minutes) on an as–needed or weekly basis, scheduling up to 3 hours worth of appointments per week. Online services include Feedback–by–Email and IM conferencing (with or without a webcam). All writing center services are free.

Writing Center tutors are specially selected and trained graduate and undergraduate students who can help you at almost any stage of your writing. They will not do your work for you, but they can help you focus and develop your ideas, review your drafts, and polish your writing. They can answer questions about grammar, mechanics, different kinds of writing styles, and documentation formats. They also can answer questions and provide feedback online, through IM/webcam chats and email.

Obviously, the tutors won’t necessarily be familiar with every class or subject, but they are able to provide valuable help from the perspective of an interested and careful reader as well as a serious and experienced student-writer.

Schedule your appointments with enough time to think about and use the feedback you’ll receive. To schedule a Face-to-Face, Written Feedback by Email, or Online Appointment, visit www.depaul.edu/writing.

Assessment Criteria for your Final Paper or Project by Competence

All Three competences offered in this class (FX, H2X and A2X) will be designing a two-stage (Mid-term and final paper) IMC campaign that will account for 40% of your final course grade. The basic layout will be the shared by all students but key sections will be tailored to each competence depending on the skills you must have developed for it.

Below is a high level competence driven guideline for your Mid-term/final project.

All competences

• Marketing plan review.
• Promotional program situation analysis.
• Communication process analysis.
• IMC program development.

FX students

• Budget determination.
• Media strategy.
• Evaluation of promotional/program effectiveness.

H2X students

• Consumer behavior study.
• International market penetration plan.

A2X students

• Advertising creation.
• Determination of objectives.
• Creative process discussion.
• Advertising layouts.

It is important that your mid-Term and final paper:

• Specifically addresses the competence that you are fulfilling in this course.
• Contains your original ideas (not based on an already existing campaign), derived from a thorough internal and external analysis of your selected product.
• Organizes your supportive evidence into relevant paragraphs that address your subject.
• Takes into account a variety of points of view.
• Demonstrates your appreciation of other points of view (demonstrates empathy and the ability to account for the vantage points of others).
• Demonstrates that you are able to integrate the evidence derived from your chosen sources into your argument according in standard English using proper grammar, mechanics, and sentence structure.
• Uses proper quotation form, including introduction of your quotation as well as your commentary following the quotation.
• Has an introduction and concluding paragraph.
• Contains proper MLA citation form for in-text references as well as for bibliography.

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Discussion Forums

Discussion Forums are an important component of your online experience. This course contains discussion forums related to the topics you are studying each week. For requirements on your participation in the Discussion Forums, please see "Course Expectations" in the syllabus.

A Course Q & A discussion forum has also been established to manage necessary, ongoing social and administrative activities. This is where the management and administrative tasks of the course are conducted, and where you can ask 'process' questions and receive answers throughout the course. Please feel free to answer any question if you feel you know the answer; this sharing of information is valuable to other students.

Assessment Criteria for Online Discussion Participation

Novice-Failing (C- or Lower)	Intermediate (C+) (Some Use)	Proficient (B) (More Use)	Excellent (A- or A)
(C-) The student did not meet the assessment criteria and did not respond to any other student's comments (Lower) The student did not participate in the discussion forum at all	The student failed to meet most of the assessment criteria	The student offered a good participation in the discussion forum, met most of the assessment criteria and responded to at least two of the other students comments	The student met the assessment criteria to the detail, offered one or more insightful points of view and or original ideas and responded to other students comments with a respectful but challenging manner

Remember that each module's public discussion forum(s) will be opened at the beginning of the corresponding module's week and closed by the course's instructor at the end of that same week. The student that does not submit its contributions within that assigned week will be considered as a "non participant" for that specific module.

In the online discussions your responses will be assessed on whether you are:

1. Offering up ideas or resources and inviting a critique of them
2. Asking challenging questions
3. Articulating, explaining and supporting positions on ideas
4. Exploring and supporting issues by adding explanations and examples
5. Reflecting on and re-evaluating personal opinions
6. Offering a critique, challenging, discussing and expanding ideas of others
7. Negotiating interpretations, definitions and meanings
8. Summarizing previous contributions and asking the next question
9. Proposing actions based on ideas that have been developed

The above list was adapted from Gilly Simpson's book E-Moderating: The key to teaching and learning online. London: Kogan Page: p.143 (2000).

Online Participation Guidelines

A significant part of your online learning experience involves learning with and from your classmates and the instructor in the online discussions and group assignments.

Active participation means sharing information and resources and posting you ideas and critiquing and expanding on the ideas of others in a collegial fashion. This discussion is informal in the sense that it is meant to encourage interested discussion. You are expected to follow accepted standards of English spelling, grammar and usage, although you will not be assessed for these particular characteristics when you are participating in the online discussions.

These discussions are for you to exchange your reflections with your classmates and instructor about what you are learning. The discussions will be organized into forums around the particular topic you are studying each week.

You may be asked by the instructor to take leadership in a certain group for a certain time of the course. You will receive further instructions from your instructor if this occurs.

You should contribute your responses to the particular assignment for that particular discussion heading which will be posted.

For each Discussion Forum, you are required to make at least one original contribution to each topic and respond to at least one classmate's contribution.

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Course Expectations

Time Management and Attendance

SNL's online courses are not self-paced and require a regular time commitment EACH week throughout the quarter.

You are required to log in to your course at least four times a week so that you can participate in the ongoing course discussions.

Online courses are no less time consuming than "face to face" courses. You will have to dedicate some time every day or at least every second day to your studies. A typical four credit hour "face to face" course at SNL involves three hours of classroom meeting per week, plus at least three to six hours of study and homework per week.

This course will require at least the same time commitment, but your learning activities will be spread out through the week. If you have any problems with your technology, or if you need to improve your reading or writing skills, it may take even longer.

The instructor should be notified if your life events do not allow you to participate in the course and the online discussions for more than one week. This is particularly important when there are group discussions or you are working as part of a team.

If you find yourself getting behind, please contact the instructor immediately.

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Your Instructor's Role

Your instructor's role in this course is that of a discussion facilitator and learning advisor. It is not their responsibility to make sure you log in regularly and submit your assignments. As instructor, s/he will read all postings to the general discussion forums on a daily basis but may not choose to respond to each posting. You will receive feedback to assignments.

The instructor may choose to designate "office hours" when s/he will be online and available and will immediately respond to questions. Depending on the instructor, this response may be by e-mail, instant messenger or telephone. Otherwise, you will generally receive a response to emailed or posted queries within 48 hours.

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Your Role as a Student

As an online student, you will be taking a proactive approach to your learning. As the course instructor's role is that of a learning guide, your role is that of the leader in your own learning.

You will be managing your own time so that you can complete the readings, activities and assignments for the course, and you will also be expected to take a more active role in peer learning.

Please also note that this is a course offered by DePaul University's School for New Learning (SNL), a college for undergraduate and graduate degree-seeking students 24 years and older. SNL welcomes the perspectives and encourages the participation of all DePaul students, and students who take this course should respect and be mindful of SNL's mission in supporting a diverse and inclusive environment. More information about SNL can be found here.

View this brief demo Taking SNL Online courses in D2L to learn how to navigate through your course.

If you’re new to SNL Online see additional resources on the course home page under Student Resources/Getting Started.

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Course Netiquette

Online discussions are an important part of your course experience. To ensure a positive learning environment, please follow the following minimum expectations. Use your common sense, as not all situations can be covered:

• Be polite
• Respect other participants’ views or opinions
• Think before you write, and ask yourself if you would say the same thing in person
• Use positive phrases (i.e., "Good idea!" or "Thanks for the suggestions," etc.)
• Be sensitive to cultural differences
• Avoid hostile, curt or sarcastic comments
• No objectionable, sexist, or racist language will be tolerated
• Create a positive online community by offering assistance and support to other participants.
• Use correct grammar and syntax

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Policies

Academic Integrity

DePaul University is a learning community that fosters the pursuit of knowledge and the transmission of ideas within a context that emphasizes a sense of responsibility for oneself, for others and for society at large. Violations of academic integrity, in any of their forms, are, therefore, detrimental to the values of DePaul, to the students' own development as responsible members of society, and to the pursuit of knowledge and the transmission of ideas.

Violations include but are not limited to the following categories: cheating; plagiarism; fabrication; falsification or sabotage of research data; destruction or misuse of the university's academic resources; alteration or falsification of academic records; and academic misconduct. Conduct that is punishable under the Academic Integrity Policy could result in additional disciplinary actions by other university officials and possible civil or criminal prosecution. Please refer to your Student Handbook for further details.

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Plagiarism

Plagiarism is a major form of academic dishonesty involving the presentation of the work of another as one's own. Plagiarism includes but is not limited to the following:

• The direct copying of any source, such as written and verbal material, computer files, audio disks, video programs or musical scores, whether published or unpublished, in whole or part, without proper acknowledgement that it is someone else's.
• Copying of any source in whole or part with only minor changes in wording or syntax, even with acknowledgement.
• Submitting as one's own work a report, examination paper, computer file, lab report or other assignment that has been prepared by someone else. This includes research papers purchased from any other person or agency.
• The paraphrasing of another's work or ideas without proper acknowledgement.
• Resubmitting one's own previous work from a different course or college, without the permission of the current instructor.

Plagiarism, like other forms of academic dishonesty, is always a serious matter. If an instructor finds that a student has plagiarized, the appropriate penalty is at the instructor's discretion.

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DePaul University Incomplete Policy

The intent of the Incomplete grade is to allow students extra time to complete their final assignments. This need arises because, in the closing weeks of the course, they have an event of significant magnitude that adversely affects their ability to complete the course, e.g. serious illness, death in the family, overseas deployment, or natural disaster.

You must request an incomplete grade in writing two weeks before the end of the quarter. Incomplete grades will be considered only after you have satisfactorily completed at least 75 percent of the coursework, and you have such an unexpected, uncontrollable event that prevents you from completing your course. Do not assume that you will qualify for an incomplete. Students who are failing the course at the point where they request an incomplete will not receive one, nor will they be granted after the end of the quarter. Incomplete grades are given at the discretion of the instructor.

If you do receive permission from the instructor to take an incomplete in the course, you will be required to complete a contract with the instructor, specifying how you will finish the missing work within the next two quarters (excluding summer). See the Incomplete Grade Contract Form.

Undergraduate and graduate students will have up to two quarters to complete an incomplete. At the end of the second quarter (excluding summer) following the term in which the incomplete grade was assigned, remaining incompletes will automatically convert to "F" grades. Ordinarily no incomplete grade may be completed after the grace period has expired. Instructors may not change incomplete grades after the end of the grace period without the permission of a college-based Exceptions Committee. This policy applies to undergraduate, graduate and professional programs. NOTE: In the case of a student who has applied for graduation and who has been approved for an Incomplete in his or her final term, the incomplete must be resolved within the four-week grace period before final degree certification.

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Description of Pass/Fail Grading Options

Students have the option of taking all SNL undergraduate courses as Pass/Fail even if a class is initially structured for a letter grade assessment. In these cases a Pass is awarded when competence is demonstrated at a level that would otherwise earn a grade of C- or higher.

In deciding to select Pass/Fail grading students should be aware that competencies assessed in a course as Pass will earn credit hours toward degree completion but will not be included in computing grade point averages. Attempted competence demonstration assessed within a class as Fail will not only be recorded as credit hours attempted but will also be included in computing a student's grade point average.

For SNL students, competencies awarded for Independent Learning Pursuits and in the Lifelong Learning Domain do not count toward the university's specification that only twenty credit hours may be earned through the Pass/Fail assessment option.

Please note:There are three SNL courses within the BA curriculum that are always assessed on a Pass/Fail basis: Foundations of Adult Learning (course number LL 250; competences L-2 and F-1), Advanced Project (course number FA 303; competences F-11 and F-12) and Summit Seminar (course number LL 390; competence L-12). These classes may not be taken for a letter grade assessment. Therefore, work that might otherwise be assessed at grades A through C- will earn a Pass in these classes.

There are an additional five SNL courses within the Lifelong Learning Area of the BA curriculum for which instructors regularly use a Pass/Fail grading system that may instead be taken for a letter grade assessment if this is a student's preference. These classes are: Independent Learning Seminar (course number LL 103; competence L1); Writing for Competence (course number LL 260; competence L-4), Critical Thinking (course number LL 270; competence L-5), Research Seminar (course number LL 300; competences L-8 and L-9), and Externship (course number LL 302; competences L-10 and L-11). In addition, SNL's undergraduate Writing Workshop (course number LL 140; competence H-3-J) regularly uses Pass/Fail, although students may request a letter grade assessment. In these instances SNL offers undergraduate students the opportunity to request a letter grade assessment from their instructor. Students who need a letter grade for tuition reimbursement may wish to consider this option, as well as those who wish to raise their GPA. Students planning to attend graduate school may also prefer letter grades to Pass/Fail assessments.

If a student wants to switch the method of assessment, either to or from the Pass/Fail option, this must be requested from the instructor in writing by the beginning of the third week of the quarter. For courses that meet fewer than ten weeks of the quarter, this request must be made by the beginning of the third week of the course. The grading basis may not be changed after these deadlines, with no exceptions.

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For Students Who Need Accommodations Based on the Impact of a Disability

Students seeking disability-related accommodations are required to register with DePaul's Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) enabling you to access accommodations and support services to assist your success. There are two office locations:

Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD)
Loop Campus: Lewis Center 1420. (312) 362-8002
Lincoln Park Campus: Student Center 370. (773) 325-1677
csd@depaul.edu

Students are also invited to contact their instructor privately to discuss your challenges and how the instructor may assist in facilitating the accommodations you will use in this course. This is best done early in the term and the conversation will remain confidential.

Dean of Students Office

The Dean of Students Office (DOS) helps students in navigating the university, particularly during difficult situations, such as personal, financial, medical, and/or family crises. Absence Notifications to faculty, Late Withdrawals, and Community Resource Referrals, support students both in and outside of the classroom. Additionally we have resources and programs to support health and wellness, violence prevention, substance abuse and drug prevention, and LGBTQ student services. We are committed to your success as a DePaul student. Please feel free to contact us.

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Protection of Human Subjects

For more information see: http://research.depaul.edu/

Demonstrating the acquisition of competencies in this course can involve "interactions"—interviewing and or observing other people—discussing those interviews or observations with other class members and writing them up in one or more final report(s). As such, these activities qualify as "research" with "human subjects" and are subject to University and Federal guidelines. Because it takes place in the context of this course, your research is exempt from approval by the School for New Learning's Local Review Board only under the following conditions:

• The information you collect is EXCLUSIVELY for the purpose of classroom discussion and will NOT be used after the term is over. If there is any possibility that you will EVER use it in further research or for publication, you must obtain approval from the Local Review Board before you begin.
• You assess and ensure that no "harm"—physical, mental, or social—does or could result from either your interviews and/or observations or your discussion and/or reports.
• The privacy and confidentiality of those that you interview or observe must be protected. Unless you receive specific permission, in writing, from the person(s) you interview or observe, please change their names, and make sure that their identity cannot be readily ascertained from the information you provide.
• If you want to use real names and relationships, they must sign an "informed consent" document. For information on creating an "informed consent document" see, for example, http://www.research.umn.edu/consent.

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Copyright and Student Privacy

In accordance with DePaul’s Acceptable Use Policy, commentary and materials within SNL Online classes shall not be copied, reproduced or published elsewhere without the express written consent of individuals involved.

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Credits

This course was designed and produced by Luz Amigorena, MBA, and staff at SNL Online of the School for New Learning of DePaul University.

© 2010 School for New Learning, DePaul University. All Rights Reserved by SNL during contractual interval with the author.

Printed in the USA.

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