NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE
COURSE SYLLABUS
COURSE AND INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
Federal Government
GOVT2305 0410-1732108
Summer/2025:
June 9, 2025and end date July 10, 10/2025
Hybrid: Modality
Class meeting, Corinth, MW, 9:00 am to 11:20 am:
Semester credit hours: 3
Course description: Origin and development of the U.S. Constitution, structure and powers of the national government including the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, federalism, political participation, the national election process, public policy, civil liberties, and civil rights.
Course prerequisites: none
Required course materials:
McGraw Hill Connect Courseware (Ebook, Assignments, etc.): We the People, Tom Patterson (9781266322495). Students are required to register and obtain course materials by the official date of records. Failure to comply may result in the course's termination.
**Students gain access to the required courseware once they register and complete the Connect Orientation assignments. The publisher also provides two weeks of complimentary access if needed. Purchasing materials directly from the publisher is less expensive; purchasing from other sources will cost more.
Name of instructor: Barbara Owens
Office location: 300
Telephone number:
E-mail address:bhowens@nctc.edu
Office hours for students: 11:25-11:55am MW
SUMMARY OF COURSE ASSIGNMENTS
List of graded assignments:
- Examinations
- There will be three exams worth 45 % of your grade. This includes the final. We will draw exam questions from class discussions, discussion boards, assignments, and any supplementary readings or documentaries/films.
- Assignments
- We will administer the quizzes for this course through Connect. They will be worth a total of 20% of your final grade.
- The research project will comprise 15% of the total course grade. It is
This project is also referred to as the Personal Responsibility Paper.
Attendance and participation will comprise 10% of the course grade. Attendance and participation will be determined through Let ‘s Talk
- Assignments: 20% (Quizzes)
- Exams: 45%
- Project: 15%
- Connect Activity 10%
- Participation: 10%
Final grade scale: A = 90-100, B = 80-89, C = 70-79, D = 60-69, F = below 60
Late work will be accepted if accompanied by proper documentation.
SEE CANVAS FOR THE COMPLETE COURSE CALENDAR, OUTLINE, DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF GRADED WORK, AND OTHER RELATED MATERIAL.
Disclaimer
As instructor, I reserve the right to amend and modify this syllabus as necessary to promote the best education possible within prevailing conditions affecting this course.
Academic Integrity Policy: Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, academic falsification, intellectual property dishonesty, academic dishonesty facilitation, and collusion. Faculty members may document and bring charges against a student who is engaged in or is suspected to be engaged in academic dishonesty. See Student Handbook, “Student Rights & Responsibilities: Student Conduct ([FLB(LOCAL)]”.
AI/Natural Language Programs (NLPs)/Large Language Models (LLMs) Usage Policy: This information is used with permission and citation with gratitude to Princeton University: The McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning.
- Intellectual honesty is vital to an academic community and for my fair evaluation of your work. All work submitted in this course must be your own, completed in accordance with the college's academic regulations. You may not engage in unauthorized collaboration or make use of ChatGPT or other AI composition software/NLPs/LLMs.
- Students must obtain permission from me before using AI composition software (like ChatGPT) for any assignments in this course. Using these tools without my permission puts your academic integrity at risk.
- This course does make use of AI/NLP/LLM plagiarism checker software for the purpose of detecting the use of AI programs.
- Any violation of this policy will be considered academic dishonesty and will be documented accordingly.
Academic Dishonesty Policy:
Got AI?
A special note regarding ChatGPT: like all AI, everyone has a writing style. I will never forget years ago when I had to invite five students in my office to ask them why a particular essay was interestingly similar. This was before AI existed. I asked them right then to rewrite the essay. Guess what? Each one was writing in their own style. Our writing style is like snowflakes. Please know that it does constitute plagiarism and will fall under the same penalties as any other academic integrity issue. Please heed to this note and use it wisely.
Attendance Policy:Regular and punctual attendance is expected of all students in all classes for which they have registered.All absences are considered to be unauthorized unless the student is absent due to illness or emergencies as determined by the instructor. It is the student responsibility to provide documentation as to the emergency for approval and judgement by the faculty member. Approved college sponsored activities are the only absences for which a student should not be held liable and only when provided by a college official ahead of the absence. Valid reasons for absence, however, do not relieve the student of the responsibility for making up required work.Students will not be allowed to make up an examination missed due to absence unless they have reasons acceptable to the instructor. A student who is compelled to be absent when a test is given should petition the instructor, in advance if
possible, for permission to postpone the exam.Student will be dropped from a class by the Registrar upon recommendation of the instructor who feels the student has been justifiably absent or tardy a sufficient number of times to preclude meeting the course’s objectives. Persistent, unjustified absences from classes or laboratories will be considered sufficient cause for College officials to drop a student from the rolls of the College. From Board Policy FC (LOCAL)
Absence Policy:
. Students who are absent may miss important instruction, discussion, assignments and deadlines. Students are expected to communicate with instructors regarding their absences. Some workforce programs may have specific attendance requirements due to applicable external requirements and/or competencies; therefore, students in workforce programs should check with their instructor regarding the specific number of absences allowed. Students may be dropped for nonattendance per Federal Financial Aid requirements.
I accept late work. Beginning one hour after the deadline, you will receive 10 points off per day for all late assignments.
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: June 30, 2025
Student Code of Conduct
By enrolling in a course at North Central Texas College, students agree to abide by the Student Code of Conduct. Failure to comply with these guidelines may result in removal from the course.
CANVAS & CONNECT ACCESS: All students must have complete access to Canvas and Connect for the entire semester. It is the student’s responsibility to have access to the internet, as well as all needed programs to complete both face to face and online courses. Students are not to give any other person access to his/her Canvas or Connect account. Students can be removed from the course immediately up violating this rule. Once a student has given another person access to his/her canvas account, the credibility of any work completed becomes questionable.
COMPUTER ACCESS: Students must have access to a computer for various assignments in this course. You cannot use a cell phone to perform all requirements of this course. If you do not have a computer, then you need to make sure that you access a computer at one of the NCTC campuses, a public library, etc.
Student Learning Outcomes:(From Academic Course Guide Manual/Workforce Education Course Manual/NCTC Catalog).
At the successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
- Explain the origin and development of constitutional democracy in the United States.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the federal system.
- Describe separation of powers and checks and balances in both theory and practice.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the federal government.
- Evaluate the role of public opinion, interest groups, and political parties in the political system.
- Analyze the election process.
- Describe the rights and responsibilities of citizens.
- Analyze issues and policies in U.S. Politics.
Core Objectives: Critical thinking, Communication, Personal Responsibility, Social Responsibility
COLLEGE POLICIES
ADA STATEMENT
NCTC will adhere to all applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations to afford equal educational opportunity. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the Office for Students with Disabilities to arrange appropriate accommodations. See the OSD Syllabus Addendum.
AI STATEMENT
Absent a clear statement from a course instructor, use of or consultation with generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or other similar technologies shall be treated analogously to assistance from another person, agency, or entity. In particular, using generative AI tools to substantially complete an assignment or exam is not permitted. Students should acknowledge the use of generative AI (other than incidental use) and default to disclosing such assistance when in doubt.
When students use generative AI to replace the rigorous demands of personal engagement with their coursework, it runs counter to the educational mission of the college and undermines the heart of education itself. Artificial Intelligence, large language models, and other such technologies hold promise for deploying knowledge in service to others and accelerating the discovery of new knowledge. However, such technology poses new challenges to pedagogy and to integrity. Within the context of the teaching mission of the college and consistent with the Student Code of Conduct, the authority to define the appropriate use, study, and deployment of these technologies rests with the faculty.
Individual course instructors, in coordination with their divisions, set policies regulating the use of generative AI tools in their courses, including allowing or disallowing some or all uses of such tools. Course instructors will set such policies in their course syllabi and clearly communicate such policies to students. Students who are unsure of policies regarding generative AI tools are encouraged to ask their instructors for clarification.
STUDENT HANDBOOK
Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the Student Handbook.
STUDENT SERVICES
NCTC provides a multitude of services and resources to support students. See the Student Services Syllabus Addendum for a listing of those departments and links to their sites.
QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, or COMPLAINTS
The student should contact the instructor to deal with any questions, concerns, or complaints specific to the class. If the student and faculty are not able to resolve the issue, the student may contact the chair or coordinator of the division. If the student remains unsatisfied, the student may proceed to contact the instructional dean.
Name of Chair/Coordinator: Donna Smith
Office location:Corinth Campus, Room 208
Telephone number:940-498-6266
E-mail address:dhooper@nctc.edu
Name of Instructional Dean:Crystal Wright
Office location:FSB Exchange/Denton Campus, Room 204
Telephone number:940-380-2504
E-mail address:cwright@nctc.edu