Contents

Course Syllabus¶

This is the official syllabus and course outline for COSC 111.

Highlights¶

Calendar Entry¶

COSC 111

The UBCO calendar description of this course is:

Introduction to the design, implementation, and understanding of computer programs. Topics include problem solving, algorithm design, and data and procedural abstraction, with emphasis on the development of working programs. This course should be followed by COSC 121. [3-2-0]

Prerequisite: A score of 70% or higher in one of PREC 12, MATH 12, MATH 125.

Warning

If there is a lab and/or tutorial listed on the SSC for this course, You must register for all course elements without conflicts, otherwise the department will remove you from the course! There are usually lab or tutorial exemptions for some students (i.e. those repeating the course) and instructions for that will be in this syllabus.

How do I contact the teaching team?¶

  • For official course communication, I will use Canvas Announcements, please note that replies to announcements will not be monitored and you should use Ed Discussion for that.

  • For all course-related questions you can reach out to the teaching team including instructors and TAs via Ed Discussion.

  • You are encouraged to post questions publicly whenever possible so others can benefit. For private and personal issues, you can send private messages on Ed Discussion.

  • Any student may visit the office hour for any member of the teaching team (TA or instructor)! In other words, you can go to the office hour of ANY TA, not just the one whose lab/tutorial you are registered in.

Team Member

Pronounce as

Contact

Office Hour (on Collaborate Ultra)

Dr. Firas Moosvi (he/his/him); Instructor

Fur-az Moose-vee

Contact via Ed Discussion

Friday 1-2 PM

Gabriel

Contact via Ed Discussion

Wednesday 2:30-3:30 PM

Victor

Contact via Ed Discussion

Wednesday 5-6 PM

Ryan

Contact via Ed Discussion

Thursday 12-1 PM

Quinn

Contact via Ed Discussion

Friday 11 AM -12 PM

A message from your instructor¶

Closer to the start of the term, I will update the video below with an actual message to the students :-). Until then, enjoy being Rick-Rolled.

What is a syllabus?¶

Is this syllabus a contract?¶

Rather than interpreting this syllabus as a legal document that serves as a contract between the instructor and the students, I prefer to view the syllabus as a living document. Dr. John Warmer describes this best in his article, “A syllabus is not a contract”:

… this syllabus is not a contract, it is a living document which reflects the experiences, emotions, philosophies, and goals I bring to a particular course.

and also:

A syllabus as a plan is a lot like an itinerary before a trip. There’s some definite highlights we need to hit, but if something that seems cool and worth doing crops up unexpectedly, we need to seize that opportunity in the moment. If something really bad happens (the equivalent of a norovirus breakout on a cruise ship) we may need to abandon something previously scheduled entirely.

Interestingly, it is worth noting that a recent review of legal precedents suggests that syllabi are not considered contracts by the courts :cite:`Rumore2016`.

Having an adaptive and responsive syllabus is important to me as an instructor because it allows me to be more flexible with what/how/when you learn, and respond to your feedback in a meaningful way. I invite you to be co-contributors to this syllabus, and use the tools provided to add your own annotations, questions, and suggestions on making this syllabus work for you.

Important

Please note that I have your best interests in mind, and it is highly unlikely that I will ever change a syllabus in a way that negatively affects the class, or even individual students. If you believe a syllabus change is affecting you negatively, please do not hesitate to reach out to me, or submit your feedback anonymously here.

Changes since the start of Term¶

We will do our best to follow the syllabus, but in case things go south, I will need to make adjustments to the contents and the schedule.

Any major changes to the syllabus (this page) will be documented here, as well as the date the change was made.

Change Date

Summary

Rationale

January 14, 2021

Added Course schedule and clarified that 10/12 learning logs will be marked.

N/A

January 14, 2021

Clarified first deadlines of the course

N/A

February 20, 2021

Moved the labs 1 week later so you do the labs the week after you watch videos.

Adjusted course schedule to reflect student feedback

About COSC 111¶

What are the Course Learning Outcomes?¶

  1. Identify and use basic terminology used in computer programing.

  2. Design and develop strategies for solving basic programing problems.

  3. Identify and use different data types in a computer program.

  4. Use algorithmic expressions to manipulate data.

  5. Use arrays to store and process data.

  6. Design programs involving selection statements, loops, and methods.

  7. Identify different types of errors in Java programs.

  8. Use a selected set of predefined Java classes.

  9. Write a simple program using Java objects.

  10. Use an IDE to write code and develop programs.

How will I be evaluated in this course?¶

The grading scheme for this course is here:

Item

Weight

Due date(s)

First Due Date

Labs

25% (10 x 2.5%)

Wednesdays at 6 PM

Wed Jan 27 at 6 PM

Activities

25% (10 x 2.5%)

Thursdays at 6 PM

Thurs Jan 21 at 6 PM

Tests (& Bonus Tests)

25% (5 x 5%)

Fridays 6 PM - Sunday 6 PM

Test 0 window opens Fri Jan 22 at 6 PM

Learning Logs

5% (10 x 0.5%)

Fridays at 6 PM

Fri Jan 22 at 6 PM

Final Exam

20%

TBD

N/A

Warning

Remember, there is NO grace period for the Tests. You have a 48 hour window to complete the test, but if you miss the window, your only option is to wait for the bonus test the following week.

There will be 5 tests in this course in an (approximately) bi-weekly schedule. For each of the tests, there will be a bonus test exactly one week later and the better score of the Test-Bonus Test pair will be taken.

There will be 12 learning logs to be submitted, and I will count 10 of them for grades.

Attention

All deadlines in this course have an automatic 48 hour grace period after the due dates listed above. Any submissions submitted past the grace period will not be graded (with some exceptions).

What are the passing requirements for this course?¶

  • All students must satisfy ALL conditions to pass the course:

    1. Pass the Lab component with a grade of at least 50%,

    2. Pass the Test and Exam components (together) with a grade of at least 50%,

    3. Pass the Final Exam with a grade of at least 40%.

If students do not satisfy the appropriate requirements, the student will be assigned the lower of their earned course grade or, a maximum overall grade of 45 in the course.

Tip

The Course Schedule is available here.

What do I need to purchase for this course?¶

Nothing! There is no additional material required for this course.

Textbook¶

The notes will be provided to you, as well as lecture videos, so no textbook is needed.

Online homework system¶

Tip

The required online homework system for this course is: GitHub and it is free to sign up.

Course Tools¶

Required Tools¶

In this course, we will be using the following required learning technologies (privacy policies linked), and my best guess of how they make money:

Tool

Link to Privacy Policy

How are they making money?

Canvas

Privacy Policy

UBC pays for a campus-wide license

Ed Discussion

Privacy Policy

Ed Discussion wants UBC to pay for a campus-wide license. At the moment, I am being offered beta access to drum up interest

GitHub

Privacy Policy

GitHub provides free organization access to Schools and universities, but their direct monetization plans (from us) are currently unclear. Possibly they hope by getting us to use them now, when student get jobs in the future they’ll pay for personal or business accounts?

All tools used in the course will be used in a FIPPA-compliant manner, with your privacy top of mind. New tools may be added to the course as the need arises, and I will update this section with the appropriate information and make an announcement if a new tool is added midway through a course.

Warning

Even though the tools above are required for this course, if you have a moral or legal objection to my use of these tools, please do reach out to me and we can likely find an acceptable accommodation.

Sign up for a (free) Ed Discussion account [Required]¶

This term we will be using Ed Discussion for class discussion. The system is highly catered to getting you help fast and efficiently from classmates, the TA, and myself. I will do a demo of Ed Discussion in the first class and part of your first assignment will be on there.

For this course, you will need to create an account on Ed Discussion.

../_images/EdDiscussion.png

Fig. 5 Sign up for an Ed Discussion account for Q&A in this course.¶

Warning

The Ed Discussion tool is stored on servers outside Canada. When you access this site by clicking on the link through Canvas, you are being transferred to these servers. In order to protect your identity, UBC obfuscates your user ID before it is sent to the site. However, Ed Discussion does require you to create an account on their servers. While Ed Discussion adheres to strict U.S. privacy regulations (FERPA), UBC cannot guarantee security of your private details on servers outside of Canada. Please exercise caution whenever using personal information. You may wish to use a pseudonym to protect your privacy if you have concerns.

Please do NOT email questions to the instructor and TAs unless it is a legitimate emergency (or if you cannot access Ed Discussion).

Sign up for a (free) GitHub account [Required]¶

This term we will be using GitHub Classroom for your labs and assignments. If you do not already have a GitHub.com account, you will need to create one for this course. “Git” is a free and open source distributed version control system; most, if not all software developers use a version control system and Git is by far the most popular one. GitHub.com is a website (previously independent, now owned by Microsoft) that provides many convenient features that make using Git easier. For this course, you will need to create an account.

../_images/github.png

Fig. 6 Sign up for GitHub.com and take note of your username. You will need to submit your GitHub.com username to us (details TBD) so we can link your assignments/labs to Canvas.¶

Warning

GitHub.com is a website service whose data is stored on servers outside Canada. GitHub requires you to create an account on their servers and agree to their terms of service. UBC cannot guarantee security of your private details on servers outside of Canada, so you should take care not to put any private, sensitive, or personal information on GitHub. You may also wish to use a pseudonym and/or throw-away email address to protect your privacy if you have concerns. In general, you should exercise caution whenever you share your personal information on the internet.

What type of information will I collect about you in this course?¶

Having taught DSCI 541: Privacy, Ethics, and Security in the UBC Master of Data Science in the past, I am very aware of the surveillance culture that has permeated our society and heralded the End of Privacy as we know it. That being said, as an instructor, I care tremendously about your learning and the course-related data that is collected about you is extremely valuable. Broadly speaking, this relatively new field is called Learning Analytics. Learning Analytics involves the collection and analysis of data about learners for the express purpose of improving their learning by optimizing teaching and learning practices.

All of the tools above log data about your activity that can be used to improve the quality of teaching and learning. In this course, I intend to use this information to:

  • view overall class progress (in aggregate),

  • track your personal progress in order to provide you with personalized feedback,

  • track participation in discussion forums

  • improve the course and your learning,

  • explore students actions in the course,

  • provide you feedback on your progress.

Unfortunately, at the moment it is not possible to opt-out of the data collection process, but if you like, you may opt-out of the process where I use the data to give you personalized feedback. To opt-out, please complete this form at any point in the course. You may opt-out with my full support, I respect your decision and applaud you for your netizenship!

Teaching Philosophy¶

For a detailed description of my teaching philosophy and values (including a list of references and citations), you can read it here. Here are the key principles I intend to apply in this class:

  1. Student learning is vastly improved through active learning.

  2. Effective teaching is inclusive teaching.

  3. Learning technologies must be leveraged to scale instructor effort across multiple classes.

  4. Exploring the connections between different disciplines is an extremely powerful motivator.

  5. Teaching is three parts preparation, two parts classroom management, and one part execution.

How will this course be taught ?¶

This course will be taught as a Blended Learning classroom where some elements of a flipped classroom will be mixed wih a more traditional coding classroom with live demos, clicker questions, and worksheets. Briefly, this requires students to watch videos and engage with the assigned reading prior to the classroom meeting (knowledge transfer). During the class meeting, the instructor guides students through clicker questions, worksheet problems, and other activities to help the students make sense of the material (sense-making). See Fig. 7 for a mental model of how learning works :cite:`Ambrose2010`.

../_images/masterymodel1.png

Fig. 7 To develop mastery in a concept, students must first acquire the necessary skills, then practice integrating them, and finally know when to apply what they have learned. This figure was adapted from Figure 4.1 of the book “How Learning Works”. The terms “knowledge transfer” and “sense-making” applied in this context is generally attributed to Dr. Eric Mazur.¶

What does this mean in practical terms?¶

Fig. 8 shows a handy table to help guide you and organize your learning in this course:

../_images/masterymodel2.png

Fig. 8 This table describes how I think each course activity should be classified between knowledge transfer and sense-making.¶

How do I do well in this course?¶

For full details, please see the page page_doing_well.

To whet your appetite on what you’ll read there, here are some guidelines on preparing yourselves for this course:

  1. Learning is a contact sport.

  2. Memorizing is not learning.

  3. Understanding is learning and understanding should be your goal.

  4. We’ll do lots of tests.

And some ingredients for your success:

  1. Plan.

  2. Prepare.

  3. Engage.

  4. Practice.

  5. Collaborate.

  6. Do not be fooled by familiarity of the material.

  7. Math.

… but I’ve never been good at physics or math!¶

That’s okay! You’re still more than welcome in this course. I will do everything I can (within reason) to still make the course accessible to you. This course is designed with your success in mind. There are multiple opportunities for you to learn from your mistakes and improve your grades in nearly every aspect of the course. In my opinion, the best learning happens when folks are given the opportunity to make mistakes so they get over their fear of trying something! At the beginning of the term, we will all do a Math Diagnostic (not for marks) to check if you have the required math background for this course. If you do not, I have some supplemental material for you to catch up. My expectation is that you’ll complete the exercises and review the supplemental material in the first couple of weeks.

To summarize, if you’ve never been “good” at physics or math, come into the course with a healthy attitude, a desire to work for your success, and I have no doubt you will be successful in this course. If you ever want to talk about the course, or have any feedback you want to give me, do not hesitate to reach out to me!

… but I don’t even like physics or math!¶

Believe it or not, I have no expectation that every student that takes my course will have an undying passion for the subject. Some of you may be forced to take this course by your programs, faculties, career interests, etc… Sometimes we all have to take courses that we think we don’t like, or enjoy. That’s fine! No judgement from me, you are more than welcome in this course. I just ask that you not make any snap judgements about the class, the material, the instructor (me), or the teaching team. Whatever your motivations are for taking this course, give us a chance, maybe you don’t HAVE TO be miserable taking this course! You might even enjoy the feeling of community and camaraderie that develops over the course of the semester :-).

I hope you’re not miserable, if you do feel miserable, come talk to me - maybe I can help you see the light at the end of tunnel?

Academic Integrity¶

How do I go through this course with integrity?¶

I want to be proud of your work in this course, and I want YOU to be proud of yourself as well! That cannot happen if you make unethical decisions, including (but not limited) to cheating or plagiarism. According to the scientific literature, the most common reasons students cheat are:

  • Fear of failure and life consequences

  • Peer pressure, including an inability to say no to help others cheat

  • Perceived societal acceptance of cheating (Lance Armstrong, Barry Bonds, Enron, Wall Street & the The Big Short)

  • Desire for success without the time/desire to put in the work needed

  • Strict deadlines and due-dates

  • Requirement from instructors to memorize facts, figures, equations, etc…

  • High-stakes exams with no recompense for “having a bad day”

  • Peers cheating with no consequences or penalties

  • Unclear expectations on what constitutes academic dishonesty

  • Inadequate support from instructor and teaching team

Though I sympathize with students and the stresses of your busy lives - in my opinion, there is no good reason to cheat. I have tried extremely hard to make this course focused on learning rather than grading, and where grading is needed, to have policies that are as student-friendly as possible. In particular, I hope (and expect) that the following features of the course should eliminate your temptation to cheat or plagiarize:

  • 48 hour grace-period on all due dates and deadlines.

  • Long testing window (48 hours) so you can start the tests whenever you’re comfortable.

  • Weekly learning logs, homework and reading reflections to make you think about your learning (metacognition).

  • Each test has a “bonus test” available one week later; for each test, we will take the better score of the pair.

  • No high-stakes exams (the single largest assessment item is the final exam).

  • All course assessments are completely open book and open notes.

  • Plenty of TA and instructor office hours and several outside of normal business hours.

  • Class website that outlines exactly what you should do when to help you manage your time.

  • Tonnes of supplemental materials including other instructional videos in case you want a different perspective.

  • Weekly prompt to accept the integrity pledge to keep you accountable.

  • A true willingness from the instructor (me) to help you learn and succeed in this course!

With these features, and several other little things, I sincerely hope that you will consider completing this course with maximum integrity so that you never have to feel guilty, ashamed, or disappointed in yourself and your actions!

A more detailed description of academic integrity, including the University’s policies and procedures, may be found in the Academic Calendar.

What is considered academic dishonesty in this course?¶

To make it even easier for you to decide what isn’t allowed, below is a list of things that I definitely consider to be academic dishonesty:

  • Asking others for their work in the course (whether question by question, or all at once)

  • Sending others your work in the course

  • Doing tests collaboratively (tests must be done by yourself and alone)

  • Sending others your test questions and/or answers

  • Sharing any course material onto Chegg, Course Hero, Slader, or other similar sites

  • Searching for solutions to course material on Chegg, Course Hero, Slader, or other similar sites

  • Blindly googling the question in hopes of finding someone who had a similar question and then copying their answer

    • Note, googling to find resources to understand specific concepts or general ideas is highly encouraged!

  • Having a tutor/friend/nemesis complete and submit your work for you

  • Copying and pasting code, equations, text explanations, prose, etc… without attribution

  • Manipulating the learning platforms we use to reverse engineer the randomization algorithms, hacking the timer functionality, or other similar technical malfeasance.

Course Accommodations¶

What if I miss labs, tests, or the exam due to an illness, health, or other personal situations?¶

Important

In COSC 111, you are welcome to join another lab if you miss your scheduled lab. If you need extra help, you may also join other labs as needed but priority will be given to those who are attending their scheduled lab.

Students who, because of unforeseen events, are absent during the term and are unable to complete tests or other graded work, should normally discuss with their instructors how they can make up for missed work. If ill health is an issue, students are encouraged to seek attention from a health professional. Campus Health and Counselling will normally provide documentation only to students who have been seen previously at these offices for treatment or counselling specific to conditions associated with their academic difficulties. Students who feel that requests for consideration have not been dealt with fairly by their instructors may take their concerns first to the Head of the Department, and if not resolved, to the Office of the Dean (Email: fos.students.ubco@ubc.ca). Further information can be found at the UBCO Calendar.

Tip

If you miss a course component due to an illness, health, or other personal situation, please reach out to me as soon as you are comfortable, and I’ll work with you to get you back on track.

What if I have dependents that rely on me for care and unpredictable emergencies may arise?¶

Let’s talk, send me a private message and we can discuss it. I do not necessarily need to know all the personal details, just a high-level summary of your situation and what you think an ideal solution would be.

I’m sure we will come to some agreement, generally the earlier you let me know of any special circumstances or accommodation, the more I’ll be able to do for you!

What if I have to miss a deadline because of a wedding, birthday, funeral, religious holiday, or personal event ?¶

No problem! There’s not even any need to tell me, or ask for permission to miss deadlines. The course is designed to give you maximum flexibility:

  • Every deadline has a 48-hour grace period that is automatically applied.

  • There is no late penalty if you use the grace period

  • You can use the grace period an unlimited amount of time in the course (though if it happens every week and for every assignment, I might check in with you and gently encourage you not to leave things to the last minute)

Tip

Remember, if you miss a Test for whatever reason, you can make it up the following week in the bonus test!

If you miss a deadline by more than the grace period, the general course policy is that you will get 0 on it. In some cases, I reserve the right to grant an extension, or provide an alternate assignment.

What should I do if I need accommodations to be successful in this course?¶

Accommodations are intended to remove barriers experienced by individuals with disabilities. As a matter of principle, UBC is committed to promoting human rights, equity and diversity, and it also has a legal duty under the BC Human Rights Code to make its goods and services available in a manner that does not discriminate. Policy 73 (Accommodation for Students with Disabilities) sets out principles and processes governing the accommodation of students with disabilities.

All accommodations for this course are handled through the Disability Resource Centre and I encourage you to contact them to book an appointment.

Compassion¶

As I’m sure you’re aware, there is a global pandemic happening right now and we could all use some extra compassion and humanity. If you’re going through something that is affecting you (course or otherwise), you are always welcome to come and talk to me about it. If I am not able to help you myself, then I can probably direct you to the right person or resource. If you need extra help, or extra time to deal with something you’re going through, just ask. You will never owe me an explanation about your physical health, mental health, or those of your family members, friends, etc… I will believe you, and I will trust you. I will not judge you, nor think any less of you. I will do everything in my power to work out something that is both reasonable and fair. This, I promise!

What should I think about if I’m considering withdrawing from the course?¶

First of all, I’m sorry you’re having trouble and are considering withdrawing from the course! This is no problem, and I will not be personally offended or upset you need to do this, I encourage you to do what you feel is right for you and your situation. Below is some information that might be helpful for you in making the decision.

Warning

Please note that it is the student’s responsibility to check the withdrawal dates as listed in the UBC Calendar.

Withdrawal type

Effect on Transcript

Tuition refund

Before 11:59 PDT on January 22, 2021

None

100% refund

Before 11:59 PDT on March 26, 2021

W on transcript

See UBCO Calendar

After 11:59 PDT on March 26, 2021 ^

W on transcript

See UBCO Calendar

^ Note: Withdrawal after this date cannot happen without approval from the Faculty (Email: fos.students.ubco@ubc.ca).

There are factors other than money and your transcript to consider as well, including your mental health, graduation requirements/timelines, eligibility for student loans, bursaries, scholarships etc. I advise you to read the full list of considerations here and consult with an Academic Advisor or your Program Advisor if you have additional questions.

UBC Policies¶

UBC provides resources to support student learning and to maintain healthy lifestyles but recognizes that sometimes crises arise and so there are additional resources to access including those for survivors of sexual violence. UBC values respect for the person and ideas of all members of the academic community. Harassment and discrimination are not tolerated nor is suppression of academic freedom. UBC provides appropriate accommodation for students with disabilities and for religious and cultural observances. UBC values academic honesty and students are expected to acknowledge the ideas generated by others and to uphold the highest academic standards in all of their actions. Details of the policies and how to access support are available here.

Online learning for international students¶

During this pandemic, the shift to online learning has greatly altered teaching and studying at UBC, including changes to health and safety considerations. Keep in mind that some UBC courses might cover topics that are censored or considered illegal by non-Canadian governments. This may include, but is not limited to, human rights, representative government, defamation, obscenity, gender or sexuality, and historical or current geopolitical controversies. If you are a student living abroad, you will be subject to the laws of your local jurisdiction, and your local authorities might limit your access to course material or take punitive action against you. UBC is strongly committed to academic freedom, but has no control over foreign authorities (please visit this calendar page for an articulation of the values of the University conveyed in the Senate Statement on Academic Freedom). Thus, we recognize that students will have legitimate reason to exercise caution in studying certain subjects. If you have concerns regarding your personal situation, consider postponing taking a course with manifest risks, until you are back on campus or reach out to your academic advisor to find substitute courses. For further information and support, please visit: https://academic.ubc.ca/support-resources/freedom-expression/.

Grading Practices¶

Faculties, departments, and schools reserve the right to scale grades in order to maintain equity among sections and conformity to University, faculty, department, or school norms. Students should therefore note that an unofficial grade given by an instructor might be changed by the faculty, department, or school. Grades are not official until they appear on a student’s academic record. If you have any questions about how academic integrity applies to this course, please consult with your professor.

Final Examinations¶

The examination period for Winter 2020 Term 2 is April 16 - 29, 2021.  Except in the case of examination clashes and hardships (three or more formal examinations scheduled within a 24-hour period) or unforeseen events, students will be permitted to apply for out-of-time final examinations only if they are representing the University, the province, or the country in a competition or performance; serving in the Canadian military; observing a religious rite; working to support themselves or their family; or caring for a family member.  Unforeseen events include (but may not be limited to) the following: ill health or other personal challenges that arise during a term and changes in the requirements of an ongoing job. 
Further information on Academic Concession can be found under Policies and Regulation in the Okanagan Academic Calendar.

Academic Integrity¶

The academic enterprise is founded on honesty, civility, and integrity. As members of this enterprise, all students are expected to know, understand, and follow the codes of conduct regarding academic integrity. At the most basic level, this means submitting only original work done by you and acknowledging all sources of information or ideas and attributing them to others as required. This also means you should not cheat, copy, or mislead others about what is your work. Violations of academic integrity (i.e., misconduct) lead to the breakdown of the academic enterprise, and therefore serious consequences arise and harsh sanctions are imposed. For example, incidences of plagiarism or cheating may result in a mark of zero on the assignment or exam and more serious consequences may apply if the matter is referred to the President’s Advisory Committee on Student Discipline. Careful records are kept in order to monitor and prevent recurrences.

A more detailed description of academic integrity, including the University’s policies and procedures, may be found in the Academic Calendar

Grievances and Complaints Procedures¶

A student who has a complaint related to this course should follow the procedures summarized below:

  • The student should attempt to resolve the matter with the instructor first. Students may talk first to someone other than the instructor if they do not feel, for whatever reason, that they can directly approach the instructor.

  • If the complaint is not resolved to the student’s satisfaction, the student should e-mail the Associate Head,
    Yves Lucet at yves.lucet@ubc.ca or the Department Head, Dr. John Braun at john.braun@ubc.ca.

Important Dates¶

You will find all the important term dates in the UBCO Academic Calendar.

Tentative Schedule¶

The tentative course schedule can be found here.

Student Service Resources¶

The following are some resources the department and the university have compiled for you.

Disability Assistance¶

The Disability Resource Centre ensures educational equity for students with disabilities, injuries or illness. If you are disabled, have an injury or illness and require academic accommodations to meet the course objectives, visit our website for more information or contact the DRC at: drc.questions@ubc.ca.

Equity, Human Rights, Discrimination and Harassment¶

UBC Okanagan is a place where every student, staff and faculty member should be able to study and work in an environment that is free from human rights based discrimination and harassment. If you require assistance related to an issue of equity, discrimination or harassment, please contact the Equity Office by phone (250.807.9291) or email (equity.ubco@ubc.ca), your administrative head of unit, and/or your unit’s equity representative.

Health & Wellness - UNC 337¶

At UBC Okanagan health services to students are provided by Health and Wellness. Nurses, physicians and counsellors provide health care and counselling related to physical health, emotional/mental health and sexual/reproductive health concerns. As well, health promotion, education and research activities are provided to the campus community. If you require assistance with your health, please contact Health and Wellness in person (UNC 337) or by email (healthwellness.okanagan@ubc.ca) for more information or to book an appointment.

Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office (SVPRO)¶

A safe and confidential place for UBC students, staff and faculty who have experienced sexual violence regardless of when or where it took place. Just want to talk? We are here to listen and help you explore your options. We can help you find a safe place to stay, explain your reporting options (UBC or police), accompany you to the hospital, or support you with academic accommodations. You have the right to choose what happens next. We support your decision, whatever you decide. Visit svpro.ok.ubc.ca or call us at 250.807.9640.

Independent Investigations Office (IIO)¶

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault or some other form of sexual misconduct by a UBC community member and you want the Independent Investigations Office (IIO) at UBC to investigate, please contact the IIO. Investigations are conducted in a trauma informed, confidential and respectful manner in accordance with the principles of procedural fairness. You can report your experience directly to the IIO via email: director.of.investigations@ubc.ca or by calling 604.827.2060 or online by visiting investigationsoffice.ubc.ca.

The Hub¶

The Student Learning Hub (LIB 237) is your go-to resource for free math, science, writing, and language learning support. The Hub welcomes undergraduate students from all disciplines and year levels to access a range of supports that include tutoring in math, sciences, languages, and writing, as well as help with study skills and learning strategies. For more information, please visit the Hub’s website (https://students.ok.ubc.ca/student-learning-hub/) or call 250-807-9185.

SAFEWALK¶

Don’t want to walk alone at night? Not too sure how to get somewhere on campus?

Call Safewalk at 250.807.8076.

For more information, visit our website or download the UBC SAFE - Okanagan app.

Acknowledgements¶

The syllabus was constructed and adapted from many other templates and examples. Below is the list of resources I have used to put this syllabus together:

Course Syllabus Course Schedule