NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE
COURSE SYLLABUS
COURSE AND INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
Course title: Human Anatomy and Physiology I
Course prefix, number, and section number: BIOL 2401 0600
Semester/Year of course: Spring 2026
Semester start and end dates: 1/12-5/9
Modality (Face to face/Synchronous or Asynchronous online/Hybrid): Face to Face
Class meeting location, days, and times: Denton Campus Room 211, MW, 12:30PM-1:50PM
Lab meeting location, days, and times: Denton Campus Room 100A, Monday, 2PM-3:50PM
Semester credit hours: 4
Course Description:
Anatomy and Physiology I is the first part of a two-course sequence. It is a study of the structure and function of the human body including cells, tissues and organs of the following systems: integumentary, skeletal, muscular, nervous and special senses. Emphasis is on interrelationships among systems and regulation of physiological functions involved in maintaining homeostasis. The lab provides a hands-on learning experience for exploration of human system components and basic physiology. Systems to be studied include integumentary, skeletal, muscular, nervous, and special senses. 48 lecture hours + 32 laboratory hours. Meets NCTC Core Curriculum Requirement
Course prerequisites: None
Required course materials:
- Laptop/ Internet
- One binder
- Headphones that are compatible with your laptop
- Printouts of all labs (we will talk about this in class)
- Course Book
Anatomy & Physiology: The Unity of Form and Function 10th Edition by Kenneth Saladin with McGraw- Hill Connect
Purchasing Course Materials
Starting in Spring 2026 NCTC is partnering with Barnes & Noble College (BNC) to make purchasing course materials easy and affordable. When students register for classes, they are automatically opted in to the Lion Book Bundle which will provide students first day access to course materials. In this program students are charged $24 per credit hour ($96 for a 4-hour class) as a fee on their NCTC student account. (This is labeled as “Book Fee” on NCTC invoices). Students may choose to opt out of this program, but would then be required to purchase needed class materials on their own. If opting out, students would receive a refund on their NCTC student account. Students may choose to opt out starting one month prior to classes beginning through the first week of class. Students might benefit from opting out if they are enrolled in classes that use OER (free course materials). Note: The Lion Book Bundle applies to all classes a student is registered for in a given semester (both 16-week and 8-week). A student must either opt in or out for ALL classes—not each class individually. If you want to take advantage of the Lion Book Bundle, no action is needed as students are automatically opted in. If you would like to opt out of the program, you must go to the Opt-out page.
Click here for more information: Lion Book Bundle information
Required Course Materials:
INCLUDED in the Lion Book Bundle:
- All the required books, eBooks, lab manuals, and access codes for your classes.
NOT INCLUDED in the Lion Book Bundle:
Students must purchase these materials for the class during the first week of the semester.
- Items you use up or can’t return — like lab goggles, dissection kits, nursing, cosmetology or welding kits, and other one-time supplies.
Name of instructor: Mittali (Mattie) Shah
Office location: 100A. 1
Telephone number: n/a
Email address: mshah@nctc.edu
Office hours for students:
Tuesday- 1PM to 5PM (virtual)
Wednesday- 2PM to 4PM (Denton room 100A.1)
Thursday- 3PM to 5PM (Denton room 100A.1)
***If you will be attending office hours, either virtual or in person, please email me at least 48 hours ahead of time that you will be attending***
SYLLABUS CHANGE DISCLAIMER
The faculty member reserves the right to make changes to this published syllabus if it is in the best interest of the educational development of this class. Any such changes will be announced as soon as possible in person and/or writing.
SUMMARY OF COURSE ASSIGNMENTS
List of graded assignments: quizzes, exams, homework, connect, labs
Final grade scale:
A= 90% and above
B= 80%
C= 70%
D= 60%
F= 59% or less
Late work policy:
Late work will not be accepted under any circumstances; however, I will drop 2 exams. The final exam will not be dropped. Canvas will automatically drop the two lowest exams throughout the semester. This means I will not drop the lowest exams at the end of the semester but that you will see the two lowest exams drop throughout the semester. This is done to give you a better understanding of your actual grade throughout the semester instead of having to wait until the end of the semester to see how the dropped exams will affect your grade.
(please read carefully)
Late submissions will NOT be accepted under any circumstances. This policy is designed to promote fairness, maintain the integrity of the course schedule, and help students develop time-management skills essential for academic and professional success.
To accommodate unforeseen emergencies or personal challenges, I will drop the lowest 2 exam scores. These dropped scores can cover situations such as illness, unexpected personal obligations (e.g., doctor’s appointment), or other conflicts that may prevent a student from performing at their best on two exams. Please note that the final exam CANNOT be dropped, as it serves as a comprehensive assessment of the course material.
Examples of How This Policy Could Apply:
Missed Exam Due to Illness: If a student misses an exam due to illness, the missed exam could be treated as one of their dropped scores.
Technology Issues: If a student encounters technical difficulty during an exam, that exam could be treated as one of their dropped scores. However, if you anticipate potential technology issues, you must schedule your exam to be taken in the campus computer lab at least 48 hours before the exam date. The contact email for the testing center at the Denton campus is DentonTesting@nctc.edu.
Emergency Situations: In cases of personal emergencies (e.g., death of a loved one), the dropped exam policy provides flexibility without needing additional documentation or exceptions.
Why This Policy Works:
- Dropping the lowest exam score provides built-in flexibility for unforeseen circumstances.
- The no-late-work policy ensures equitable treatment of all students.
- Retaining the final exam as mandatory ensures the course's core learning outcomes are assessed.
SEE CANVAS FOR THE COMPLETE COURSE CALENDAR, OUTLINE, DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF GRADED WORK, AND OTHER RELATED MATERIAL.
COURSE POLICIES
Academic Integrity Policy: Consequences for academic dishonesty in the course may include:
1) grade (“0”) on the assignment. If the assignment is within a group in which the lowest
assignment is dropped, the assignment will not be able to be count as a dropped score. It will
count as part of the grade.
2) A “Scholastic Dishonesty Report Form” will be submitted regarding the incidence.
3) Students may be dropped from the course with a failing grade (letter grade of “F”)
Attendance Policy: Students must complete the attendance quiz by the due date. Failure to do so could result in being dropped from the course. It is the student’s responsibility to access the quiz and complete it in Canvas before the due date. Also, students are responsible for understanding the add/drop dates set by the college. These dates can be found on the NCTC website. Consistent and attentive attendance is vital to academic success. The College views class attendance as an individual student responsibility. Students are expected to attend class and to complete all assignments. Students are expected to attend class regularly and may be dropped if absent for more than eight hours of instruction.
Withdrawal Policy: A student may withdraw from a course on or after the official date of record. It is the student’s responsibility to initiate and complete a Withdrawal Request Form.
Last day to withdraw from the course with a “W” is: March 30th
Student Learning Outcomes:
1. Use anatomical terminology to identify and describe locations of major organs
of each system covered.
2. Explain interrelationships among molecular, cellular, tissue, and organ
functions in each system.
3. Describe the interdependency and interactions of the systems.
4. Explain contributions of organs and systems to the maintenance of
homeostasis.
5. Identify causes and effects of homeostatic imbalances.
6. Describe modern technology and tools used to study anatomy and physiology.
7. Apply appropriate safety and ethical standards.
8. Locate and identify anatomical structures.
9. Appropriately utilize laboratory equipment, such as microscopes, dissection tools, general lab ware, physiology data acquisition systems, and virtual
simulations.
10. Work collaboratively to perform experiments.
11. Demonstrate the steps involved in the scientific method.
12. Communicate results of scientific investigations, analyze data and formulate conclusions.
13. Use critical thinking and scientific problem-solving skills, including, but not limited to, inferring, integrating, synthesizing, and summarizing, to make
decisions, recommendations and predictions.
Core Objectives:
Critical Thinking
Communication
Teamwork
Empirical and Quantitative Analysis
COLLEGE POLICIES