Syllabus
WSU Department Name
Child and Family Studies
WSU Course Number & Listing
CHF 2400: Family Relations (3 Credit Hrs.)
High School: [High School Name]
WSU Concurrent Adjunct Instructor: [Name]
High School Course Name: [Concurrent High School Course]
[School Year]
(Attention: Contact the College or University you wish to attend to make sure that
these Concurrent Enrollment courses will meet your goals for fulfilling General
Education requirements or will count toward your chosen major).
Concurrent Adjunct Instructor’s Office Hours
[Concurrent Adjunct Instructor’s office hours]
Concurrent Adjunct Instructor’s phone and email
[Concurrent Adjunct Instructor’s phone and email]
Prerequisite High School Courses if any
[Prerequisite High School Courses if any]
WSU Course Description:
This course is designed to focus on the structure and process of healthy and unhealthy
family systems and relationships. Various components of the two types (functional and
dysfunctional) will be explored. The dynamics of healthy family functioning using
current and past family theory, and individual lifespan development, research and active
learning experiences are part of this course. This class meets the National Council on
Family Relations (NCFR) Standards #2 and #5
WSU Course Objectives:
The objectives of this course are to insure that the student, upon successful completion of
the course, will have acquired skills, knowledge and values related to the course
description. These include the ability to:
 Assess family forms from a structural/process perspective
 Acquire the understanding of the components of a healthy family unit
 Have experience with the dynamics of family functioning
 Have acquired understanding and application skills of family concepts
 Have assessed relationship characteristics, context, communication
patterns for strengths and weaknesses
 Apply core family concepts to any family form
 Complete and understand a three-generation GENOGRAM with
application of class concepts.
NOTE:
If you plan on majoring in child and Family Studies, or think you may
possibly major in Child and Family Studies, you will need to save all of your paperwork
associated with this course for your Certified Family Life Educator portfolio.
WSU Required Textbook & Materials:
Family Life Now: A Conversation About Marriages, Families, and Relationships. Kelly
J. Welch. Pearson: Allyn and Bacon. ISBN 0536429138
Academic Honesty: Cheating is defined as taking credit or presenting work as your own
that is not your own original work. You are encouraged to meet together and discuss
course material, but all examinations must be completed individually and without any
notes. The group project must be an original project prepared by the group. Plagiarism is
not acceptable and proper citation of sources is required on all assignments using APA
style (5th Ed.). Additional information regarding students rights and responsibilities can
be found in the Student’s Code: http://documents.weber.edu/ppm/6-22.htm
ADA: Any student requiring accommodations or services due to a disability must
contact Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) in room 181 of the Student Service
Center. SSD can also arrange to provide course materials (including this syllabus) in
alternative formats if necessary. For additional information, go to the following URL:
http://departments.weber.edu/ssd/
Exam Policy: Exams will be open in the testing centers on the scheduled dates only.
Exams will not be offered at any other times (No Exceptions). Be sure to plan all
vacations and other activities accordingly. Failure to take the exam during the scheduled
time will result in a zero score for that exam and no make-up’s will be allowed.
Late Work Policy: All work turned in late will lose 10% of the possible points for each
day late. For example, an assignment worth 100 points due on a Monday, but is turned in
on Thursday will lose 30 points automatically. Please plan ahead and get all work turned
in on time.
Extra Credit Policy: As a general rule, extra credit will not be offered in this course.
The instructor, however, may allow extra credit opportunities for all class members at
his/her discretion.
Redo of assignments: There will no opportunities to redo assignments after the due
date. If you are uncertain of the specific requirements for any assignment, it is the
student’s responsibility to clarify with the instructor prior to the due date and submission
of the assignment.
Course Requirements:
1.
Professionalism: Attendance, Preparation, Participation, Respect (for other
students and professor), responsibility, and hard work. More information
about professionalism will be shared throughout the class.
2.
All students are required to take 3 exams. Exams will cover both reading
assignments and any information presented in the online presentations. A
schedule is included in the course calendar. The exams must be taken at a
WSU testing center.
3.
Complete ONE of the following assignments: 1) four-family systems
interview and write a paper based upon the interview; or, 2) RELATE
Assessment and paper.
4.
Complete 10 in-class activities.
5.
All students must complete a three-generation GENOGRAM with course
application.
Four Family System Interview
You will be required to complete an interview with each of the following family
forms: (a) Intact family, (b) Single parent family, (c) Remarried (step) family, and (d)
empty nest couple. Consider the following topics to address in the interviews:
1. Views, feelings, ideas, opinions about family life. What is it like? 2. Stresses and
strains of parenting.
3. Gender roles in the family. 4. Positive and negative aspects of the adult/parent role.
5. Advice to couples considering a family
Report EACH interview separately in a two page, double-spaced paper with headings for
each section (total length for the paper with all family forms will be @ 8 pages in
length). Include the following information for each of the four family forms:
1. A Summary of the interview questions and responses (1 page)
2. Applications of course concepts to the interview questions and responses (1 page)
You must list the name and phone number for each family (or person) you interview.
Papers that do not list the name and phone number of the people interviewed will not be
graded and will not receive any credit.
Grading Rubric for Four Family System Interviews:
20 points
20 points
20 points
20 points
20 points
Interview with intact family that demonstrates a summary of the interview
and applications and discussion of course concepts.
Interview with single parent family that demonstrates a summary of the
interview and applications and discussion of course concepts.
Interview with remarried (step) family that demonstrates a summary of the
interview and applications and discussion of course concepts.
Interview with empty nest family that demonstrates a summary of the
interview and applications and discussion of course concepts.
Correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, quality writing, flow, etc.
RELATE ASSESSMENT
You may choose to complete the online marital assessment entitled RELATE. You can
either complete the Couple Version or the Single version. If you choose the couple
version, you will need to complete the assessment separately and so will your partner. Be
sure you each choose unique usernames and passwords. Once you have both completed
the assessment, you will need to match your results with your partner’s responses (which
is done by usernames and passwords). Be sure to print out the long version of the results
that you will use to interpret the results. You will then need to write a 5-6 page paper on
the potential (or actual) challenges in your relationship and also the strengths in your
relationship that were identified in the RELATE assessment. Your paper will be graded
on the accuracy of the interpretation of the RELATE assessment of strengths and
challenges in your relationship, and quality/clarity of writing. Cost is $20 per couple or
$10 per individual (major credit card required) and can be accessed at https://www.relateinstitute.org/
Grading Rubric for RELATE Assessment:
20 points
Correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, quality writing, flow, etc.
25 points
Identification and discussion of strengths in the relationship (or individual)
25 points
Identification and discussion of challenges in the relationship (or
individual)
30 points
Discussion of why the issues identified in the report are strengths or
challenges
In-Class Activities
Throughout the class, there will be approximately 13 in-class activities that you will be
required to participate in. These will include group and individual activities. Exact dates
for the activities will not be provided, but there will be roughly 1 per week. Completion
of the in-class activity will be graded on a pass/fail basis. If you happen to miss class,
you will miss the points and will not be allowed to make up the activity. Remember that
there will be at least 13 activities, so if you happen to miss one or two, don’t worry
because you are only required to participate in 10 activities. Participation in each activity
is worth 10 points and you will be required to complete 10 activities (for a total of 100
points).
Three Generation GENOGRAM
All students are required to develop a graphical version of a GENOGRAM. You must
create this using the software program called GenoPro (www.genopro.com). You may
download this software for free using the 14 day trial version. In addition to the
graphical version, you will need to write a 6 page analysis and interpretation of a
graphical GENOGRAM (double spaced, 12 point font, 1 inch margins). It is required
that you organize the paper by headings by topics (see below). The paper must address
these major family system concepts discussed in class.
More information will be presented on the GENOGRAM later in the class.
Grading Rubric for GENOGRAM
30 points
Neatly prepared graphical version of the GENOGRAM (prepared with
GenoPro) with identification and labeling of three generations and
adequate use of family system symbols.
10 points
Identification and discussion of parenting styles in paper across all three
generations (authoritarian, permissive indulgent, permissive neglectful,
authoritative)
10 points
Identification and discussion of cohesion and flexibility in the family
systems in paper across all three generations
10 points
Identification and discussion of boundaries in the family systems in paper
across all three generations
10 points
Identification and discussion of Gottman couple communication styles
in paper across all three generations (avoidant, volatile, validating, or
hostile).
10 points
Identification and discussion of problem solving strategies/stress
management across all three generations.
10 points
Identification of functional or dysfunctional patterns (e.g., divorce,
education, abuse, mutual assistance, substance use) across all three
generations.
10 points
Identification of communication practices (levelers, placate, blame,
compute, distract) in family systems across all three generations.
Final Grade Criteria
The number of points you earn throughout the semester will determine final grades in the
class. You will earn points on each exam and assignment.
3 Exams (100 points each)
300 points
In-Class Activities
100 points
RELATE, or Family Interview, or CPFL
100 points
GENOGRAM assignment
100 points
Total
600 points
Grade Distribution
A
93% or greater 558-600
A90-92%
540-557
B+
87-89%
522-539
B
84-86%
504-521
BC+
C
CD+
D
DE
80-83%
480-503
77-79%
462-479
74-76%
444-461
70-73%
420-443
67-69%
402-419
64-66%
384-401
60-63%
360-383
59% or below 359 or below