Main Content
Syllabus
The information contained on this page is designed to give students a representative example of material covered in the course. Any information related to course assignments, dates, or course materials is illustrative only. For a definitive list of materials, please check the online catalog 3-4 weeks before the course start date.
HLS 558 Whole-Community Disaster Preparedness/PSY 558: Disaster Psychology (3 credits): Explores comprehensive preparedness of commuities as well as psychological impact of disasters and terrorist attacks on victims, families, rescuers, and society and methods of reducing negative effects.
Overview
The topic of the course describes a fairly wide range of issues of relevance to the homeland security mission space that essentially comprises aspects of emergency management, such as "ensuring resilience to disasters" as one of the core missions of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). After 9/11 and the creation of DHS, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) came under the roof of DHS, forming one of its so-called department components. Academically and professionally, disaster research contributes an important perspective to emergency management within an all-hazards and a whole-of-community approach to homeland security: Based on a general civil security perspective, it addresses the way people perceive and experience disasters, the way they react to them, and the way they recover from them. Within this context, the explores course comprehensive preparedness of commuities and the psychological impact of disasters and terrorist attacks on victims, families, rescuers, and society and methods of reducing negative psychological effects. Topics covered include the perception and communication of risk, psychological effects of traumatic events, and psychological interventions to reduce harmful psychological effects of disasters.
Course Objectives
At the end of this course, students should be able to:
- Explore and describe theory and research related to perceptions of uncertain events, understanding the optimal methods of communicating risks in a realistic and understandable fashion within an all-hazards and whole-of-community approach to homeland security.
- Apply theory and empirical research on the effectiveness of various methods of intervening to reduce unwarranted anxiety, traumatic reactions, and other potentially harmful effects of disasters, both natural and anthropogenic - in order or mitigate, prepare for, respond to, recover from, and enhance citizens' resilience against those type of events.
- Explain the personal characteristics and the characteristics of social systems that contribute to effective preparing for and coping with the stresses and anxieties produced by disasters.
Course Communication
It is the student’s responsibility to ensure receipt of all relevant course communication. Students must:
- check their Canvas Inbox regularly,
- check the Announcements feed regularly,
- check their PSU mailbox regularly,
- and check their Assignment Feedback regularly.
on a regular basis.
Lesson Assignments Structure
Each lesson (except for Lesson 8 and Lesson 14) features - in a changing pattern - forum discussion, individual assignments or team assignments. Each assignment is worth 20 points. You will likely end up working on both simultaneously. Assignments are due on the dates set forth in the "Course Schedule" below, and late submission penalties apply as described under "Late Submission Policy" below.
You must submit all assignments in order to receive a course grade.
Required Course Materials
The following materials are required and may be purchased from the Barnes & Noble college website:
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.
E-Book Option: An online version of one or more of your texts is available at no cost as a Penn State Library E-Book. Some E-Books will only be available online, while others will be available to download in full or in part. You may choose to use the E-Book as an alternative to purchasing a physical copy of the text. You can access the E-Book by selecting the Library Resources link on the course navigation, and then selecting the E-Reserves link. For questions or issues, you can contact the University Libraries Reserve Help (UL-RESERVESHELP@LISTS.PSU.EDU).
Using the Library
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You can view the Online Students' Library Guide for more information.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and services. Once you have a Penn State account, you will automatically be registered with the library within 24–48 hours. If you would like to determine whether your registration has been completed, visit the Libraries home page and select My Account.
Technical Requirements
For this course we recommend the minimum World Campus technical requirements listed below:
| Operating System | Canvas, Penn State's Learning Management System (LMS), supports most recent versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac operating systems. To determine if your operating system is supported, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
|---|---|
| Browser | Canvas supports the last two versions of every major browser release. It is highly recommended that you update to the newest version of whatever browser you are using. Note: Cookies must be enabled, and pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. |
| Additional Canvas Requirements | For a list of software, hardware, and computer settings specifically required by the Canvas LMS, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
| Additional Software | All Penn State students have access to Microsoft Office 365, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. |
| Hardware | Monitor: Monitor capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
| Mobile Device (optional) | The Canvas mobile app is available for versions of iOS and Android. To determine if your device is capable of using the Canvas Mobile App, please review the Canvas Mobile App Requirements. |
Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ)
During the semester you will receive information for completing the Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ). Your participation is an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on your learning experience. Your feedback is important because it allows us to understand your experience in this course and make changes to improve the learning experiences of future students. Please monitor email and course communications for links and availability dates.
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
Netiquette
Netiquette ("[inter]net" + "etiquette") is a special set of personal conduct rules for online communication and a topic worth reviewing. Remember, it is inappropriate to send offensive e-mail, chain letters or items that interfere with others' work. These tips for guidance on the content of your postings and other online communications in this course.
Course Grading
| Assignment | Number | Total Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Individual Assignments | 9 | 16% |
| Forum Postings | 8 | 16% |
| Team Assignments | 8 | 16% |
| Mid-Term Project | 1 | 21% |
| Final Project | 1 | 31% |
The common grading system for Penn State resident programs will be applied. The grades of A, B, C, D, and F indicate the following qualities of academic performance, based on percentages of total points reached as a reference. There is no automatic correlation between points and final grades, since Penn State rules state that final course grades are not assigned following percentages of points, but based on the instructor's comprehensive assessment of the student's "scholastic" achievement.
| Grade | Percentage | Points |
|---|---|---|
| A = (Excellent) Indicates exceptional achievement | 100% - 94% | 1000 - 940 |
| A- | < 94% - 90% | < 940 - 900 |
| B+ | < 90% - 87% | < 900 - 870 |
| B = (Good) Indicates extensive achievement | < 87% - 84% | < 870 - 840 |
| B- | < 84% - 80% | < 840 - 800 |
| C+ | < 80% - 77% | < 800 - 770 |
| C = (Satisfactory) Indicates acceptable achievement | < 77% - 70% | < 770 - 700 |
| D = (Poor) Indicates only minimal achievement | < 70% - 60% | < 700 - 600 |
| F = (Failure) Indicates inadequate achievement necessitating a repetition of the course in order to secure credit | < 60% | < 600 |
Graduate Grading Policy
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Graduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.
Deferred Grades
If, for reasons beyond the student's control, a student is prevented from completing a course within the prescribed time, the grade in that course may be deferred with the concurrence of the instructor. The symbol DF appears on the student's transcript until the course has been completed. Non-emergency permission for filing a deferred grade must be requested by the student before the beginning of the final examination period. In an emergency situation, an instructor can approve a deferred grade after the final exam period has started. Under emergency conditions during which the instructor is unavailable, authorization is required from one of the following: the dean of the college in which the candidate is enrolled; the executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division or is a provisional student; or the campus chancellor of the student's associated Penn State campus.
For additional information please refer to the Deferring a Grade page.
Late Submission Policy
Except the exception listed below, after a grace period of one (1) calendar day, the following late submission deductions apply:
- For submission 2-3 days late, 10% will be deducted from your assignment score.
- For submission 4-5 days late, 20% will be deducted from your assignment score.
- Submissions more than 5 days late will not be accepted (i.e., it will be given 0 points) unless am extension was requested by the student before day 5 of submission overdue, and granted by the instructor.
Exception: For submission of the final project, no grace period can be granted. Late submission will be accepted until 36 hours after the course ends (i.e., 36 hours after last day of classes, 11:59 p.m.) with 20% deducted from your assignment score.
Course Schedule
Note: All due dates reflect North American eastern time (ET).
Note that assignments are due based on the eastern time zone (ET). This ensures that all students have the same deadlines regardless of where they live. Assignments are due at 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET) on Sunday of each week with the exception of the final project. Please see the schedule below for the due date of the final project.
- Course begins:
- Course ends:
- Course length: 16 weeks
| Lesson | Week | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| Getting Started |
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| 1: Introduction and Orientation |
Read:
Complete:
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| 2: Anticipation and Preparation |
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Read:
Complete:
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| 3: Disaster Planning |
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Read:
Complete:
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| 4: Understanding Risks |
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Read:
Complete:
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| 5: Communicating Risk Information |
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Read/Watch:
Complete:
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| 6: Experiencing a Disaster |
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Read/Watch:
Complete:
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| 7: Stress Reactions |
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Read: Complete:
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| 8: Mid-term Project |
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| 9: Anxiety and Depression |
Read:
Complete:
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| 10: Post-traumatic Stress Reactions |
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Read:
Complete:
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| 11: How Organizations Prepare for Disasters |
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Read/Watch:
Complete:
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| 12: First Responders |
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Read:
Complete:
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| 13: Conflicts Among Responding Organizations |
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Read:
Complete:
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| 14: Final Project |
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Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.
Graduating Students
Note: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please go to the Graduation Information on the My Penn State Online Student Portal.
Weekly Assignments, Mid-term Project, and Final Project
Each of the lessons includes both individual and group assignments that are graded.
- Discussion Forum assignments have the purpose of stimulating course-wide discussion (beyond your own group). Therefore, they include your own posting as well as meaningful responses to at leat two classmates' postings. You should follow the model of academic blogging in writing your postings. Only postings meeting all those requirements will receive points. Your initial post will be submitted no later than Thursday at midnight, so that others have ample time to read and respond.
- All assignments except forum postings must be footnoted or otherwise appropriately cited in-text from relevant research literature or high-quality working papers.
- All assignments except forum postings need to be submitted in proper academic and professional format. That in particular means:
- carefully written and appropriately edited, and
- including a title page or page-1 header with full information, as it would be expected from and research or professional paper.
- Such information comprises: Semester, course number, course title, lesson title, assignment title, task leader for the week (group assignments) or submitter's name (individual assignments), and names of all contributors (group assignment), as well as submission date.
- All assignments except forum postings need to be in keeping of the required length (number of words, +/- 5%).
- Assignments except forum postings not fulfilling these essential formal requirements may receive a fail grade.
Group assignment submissions may include an optional "group-work management summary", describing the group work process towards the assignment, any group management, and workflow issues or missing contributions from group members, and how those problems were resolved.
- The Canvas Collaborations LTI is enabled for group assignments - this tool allows groups to collaborate through a shared Google Doc directly in Canvas. This way, student work may be visible to the instructor for feedback and support, leaving a record for academic integrity and quality.
The course also includes a mid-term project (Lesson 8) and a final project (Lesson 14). You do not have to wait until the middle or end of the term to start on these projects and can turn them in early if that is your preference.
FEMA Course
IS-244.B Developing and Managing Volunteers
Course Overview
The goal of this course is to strengthen abilities to prepare for and manage volunteers before, during, and after a severe emergency or major disaster. This course will:
- Provide strategies for identifying, recruiting, assigning, training, supervising, and motivating volunteers.
- Include discussion of spontaneous volunteers as well as those affiliated with community-based, faith-based, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).
Course Objectives
At the completion of this course, participants should be able to:
- Identify situations in which volunteers can be a useful addition to response and recovery operations.
- Define skill and knowledge requirements for volunteers.
- Develop a volunteer program that includes strategies for recruiting and managing volunteers within the whole community.
- Develop a plan for setting up a Volunteer Reception Center.
- Identify special issues involving the use of volunteers.
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Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and
personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and
property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all
can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment
of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and
others, as well as a civil community.
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .
Policies
Accommodating Disabilities
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has resources for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources (SDR) website provides contacts for disability services at every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the SDR website.
In order to apply for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability resources office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation based on the documentation guidelines. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability resources office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
Additional Policies
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
Student Responsibilities & Conduct
- Students are responsible for online course content, taking notes, obtaining other materials provided by the instructor, taking tests (if applicable), and completing assignments as scheduled by the instructor. As a general rule, students should plan on logging into the course at least three times per week and spending at least three hours per course credit per week on the course, e.g., if the course is three credits, the student should plan on spending at least 9-12 hours per week on the course, just as they would in a residence course.
- Students are responsible for keeping track of changes in the course syllabus made by the instructor throughout the semester.
- Students are responsible for monitoring their grades.
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Students must contact their instructor (and teammates when working on any collaborative learning assignments) as soon as possible if they anticipate missing long periods of online time due to events such as chronic illnesses, death in the family, business travel, or other appropriate events. The instructor will determine the minimal log on time and participation required in order to meet course responsibilities. In the event of other unforeseen conflicts, the instructor and student will arrive at a solution together.
- Requests for taking exams or submitting assignments after the due dates require documentation of events such as illness, family emergency, or a business-sanctioned activity.
- Conflicts with dates on which examinations or assignments are scheduled must be discussed with the instructor or TA prior to the date of the examination or assignment.
- Students are responsible for following appropriate netiquette (network etiquette) when communicating with their instructor and classmates. For reference, see the Academic Success Kit.
- Behaviors that disrupt other students’ learning are not acceptable and will be addressed by the instructor.
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For severe and chronic problems with student disruptive behavior, the following will be applied for resolution:
- Senate Committee on Student Life policy on managing classroom disruptions: Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
- Penn State Principles
Privacy Notice
In order to protect your privacy, course access is limited to those individuals who have direct responsibility for the quality of your educational experience. In addition to the instructor, a teaching assistant or college administrator may be provided access in order to ensure optimal faculty availability and access. World Campus technical staff may also be given access in order to resolve technical support issues.
Military Students
Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or dependents with unique circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.
Report Bias
Penn State takes great pride to foster a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated and can be reported through Educational Equity via the Report Bias webpage.
Mental Health
If you have a crisis or safety concern, mental health services are available to you as a Penn State student. Crisis and emergency contacts are available, no matter where you are located:
- Anywhere in the United States: Call the Penn State Crisis Line at 1-877-229-6400 or text LIONS to 741741. You can also contact your local crisis services or hospital for emergencies.
- Outside the United States: Please contact emergency services in your current location. You can also use the International Crisis and Emergency Services listings.
- At University Park: Assistance is available at Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) locations on campus.
- At a Penn State branch campus: You can search for counseling information at your campus.
Disclaimer: Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change, and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. Your instructor will notify you of any changes.