Spring 2026- CS-312 Modern Web Application

Course Description and Objectives:

Emphasis on the essentials needed to create fully functional web applications, including rich graphical content and dynamic content, using modern web standards. Explore service-based architecture, web UX design, asynchronous content delivery, and full-stack development.

Upon the completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Create a static website using HTML and CSS
• Add client-side dynamic content using JavaScript
• Create web applications with client/server interaction
• Identify usability issues, make recommendations for, and implement improvements
• Manage a full-stack web application, including a backend database
• Combine all of these skills to make a useful web application

Textbooks

There is only one textbook for this course. It is a customized zyBook that includes chapters on web application development.  To acquire this book, click through a zyBooks assignment on the Assignments tab in Canvas.

Course Lectures and Materials

Lecture slides/PDFs and any additional materials will be uploaded to the Canvas course page under the Module section.

Grading Scale and Activities

Activity	GRADE PERCENTAGE
zyBooks Reading and Activities	15%
Lab Assignments	25%
Programming Assignments	20%
Individual Term Project	20%
Group Project	20%
Total:	100 %

zyBooks Reading and Activities (15%)

• Individual Task.
• Interactive readings on the zyBooks platform.
• Interactive activities on the zyBooks platform. 
• You get points for completing these interactive readings and doing their participation and challenge activities. 
• Students must submit these points to Canvas for them to be counted. 
• Please verify that your points are submitted correctly and let the instructor know before the due date if there are any synchronization issues.  If you encounter errors, you must keep screenshots and descriptions of the error with the exact error message.
• Approximately 15 reading and activities. Each week 1 zyBook reading
• No Late turn-ins will be allowed.

Lab Assignments (25%)

• Lab Assignments will be individual.
• Approximately 5 lab assignments.
• Web programming assignments focus on one aspect of web application development. 
• Must be hosted on the CS web server, following the instructions in the assignment, as well as the course code turned into Canvas.
• Need to be completed within 10 days.
• No Late turn-ins will be allowed.

Programming Assignments (20%)

• Programming Assignments will be individual.
• Approximately 5 programming assignments.
• You solve a given problem related to Web Programming- HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and MySQL.
• Need to be completed within 1 week (7days).
• No Late turn-ins will be allowed.

Individual Term Project (20%):

• Every student will choose a Web-based project. The student will:
  • Work independently on the project.
  • Develop an idea for developing a webpage for a specific problem (e.g., an online store, a sports webpage, and others).
  • Need to choose a Web-framework. You must explain in depth its benefits, requirements, restrictions, and why it should be used.
  • Show a working webpage. This does not need to be hosted or run on the department machines, but you should be able to send screenshots and a video showing that the page is running in your tool and using a feature you discussed during the proposal phase.
  • You need to list the UX and usability of your webpage with a proper explanation.
  • Create a report on your overall project.
• Important Notes:
  • Details and due dates will be posted on Canvas as the semester progresses. Project deliverables must be submitted only through the Canvas system.
  • Before the proposal deadline, it is necessary to obtain my or one of the GTA’s approval for the topic and scope of your project. This approval must be sought and discussed with me in advance.
  • No Late turn-ins will be allowed.

Grades Breakdown:

• Proposal Report – 5%
• Term Project Report – 10%
• Term Project Materials and Video – 5%

Group Project (20%)

• Two larger projects (10% each) where you will work in a group of 2-3 students to create a fully working web application. 
• Information on group assignments and project specifications will be posted to Canvas.
• No Late turn-ins will be allowed.

Extra Credit

• Points may be available throughout the semester in the form of bonus questions.
• All extra credit opportunities will be open to everyone.

Policies:

Attendance

Students are expected to attend all the classes. While attendance will not be graded, we will track attendance for face-to-face students to comply with student financial aid requirements. If a student misses a class, the student must review the recorded lecture videos posted via Echo 360. The instructor/GTAs will not re-teach or revisit material during office hours for students who did not review the lecture videos.

Late and Missed Assignments

• Unless explicitly specified, there will be no extension of deadlines for any activities. You will, unfortunately, receive zero points for unexcused absences from any activities.
• On certain occasions, students may miss submitting assignments. These absences can occur either due to prior knowledge or unexpectedly. Advance Notification: If a student is aware of an upcoming absence and wishes it to be excused, they must schedule a meeting with me at least 1 week prior to the absence and provide proper documentation.During the meeting, I will inform the student whether the absence will be excused or not.
• If the absence is deemed excused, the average number of points from your other assignments will be used as a substitute for the missed assignment. Failure to provide the required documentation 1 week before absence will forfeit your right to a make-up exam or alternative arrangement.
• Emergency Situations: In the event of an unexpected absence, it is necessary to meet with me as soon as possible after the absence to discuss the possibility of having the absence considered excused. Providing documentation to support your claim is also required. If the absence is deemed excused, the average number of points from your other assignments will be used as a substitute for the missed assignment.

Communication with Course Staff

All queries to the instructor and TA should be sent from the CSU email address, ensuring they are received. Please ensure that you have added both the instructor and the GTAs to the email. Do not use Canvas emails; they may be ignored.

Generative AI Use

Unless it is explicitly listed as appropriate for use, do not utilize generative AI for any graded work. Doing so will be considered a breach of the CSU Academic Integrity Policy and the Student Conduct Code.

The following are EXPLICITLY considered Academic Misconduct in this course

• Using any form of AI Coding Assistance. Including but not limited to:
  • ChatGPT
  • Grok
  • Co-pilot (Including the Co-pilot VS Code add-on)
• Copying or Stealing code from another student, current or previous
• Academic Misconduct in any form is NOT tolerated in this course. If you are found at fault for Academic Misconduct in this course, you will be given an F and an Academic Misconduct report will be filed for the incident. Do not risk your entire grade for the chance at a slightly better grade.
• All cases of potential Academic Misconduct will be thoroughly investigated, and all students will be given a chance to meet with the instructor to discuss their case and provide documentation and evidence to support their work. Keep in mind that an Investigation does NOT guarantee that Academic Misconduct occurred, only that something was found suspect and deemed necessary to review.
• The Instructor reserves the right to apply a lesser penalty in appropriate cases on a case-by-case basis.

Classroom Norms (or Community Agreement)

• Interaction with a Professional Manner: All students are required to behave professionally, which encompasses refraining from using language and electronic devices that may distract other students. We will actively listen to each other in order to comprehend diverse viewpoints. When questions arise, we will seek clarification. We will ensure that every individual’s opinions are acknowledged.
• Respect for your classmates is mandatory at all times. We work to maintain a supportive environment in the classroom and laboratory. Towards that end, we require you to be courteous to and respectful of your fellow participants (i.e., classmates, instructors). 
• Personal Electronic Devices: Laptops and other electronic devices are allowed but should be used in a responsible manner that does not interfere with the lecture or other students’ ability to learn. Cellular phones and other electronic devices that produce auditory stimuli should be turned off or silenced during classes and exams.

Copyrighted Course Materials

Please do not share material from this course online, in print, or in other media. Course material is the property of the instructor who developed the course. Materials authored by third parties and used in the course are also subject to copyright protection. Posting course materials on external sites (commercial or not) violates copyright law and the CSU Student Conduct Code. Students who share course content without the instructor’s express permission, including on online sites that post materials for sale to other students, may face appropriate disciplinary or legal action.

Professional Conduct, Academic Integrity/Misconduct, and CSU Honor Pledge

Students are expected to communicate professionally with their fellow participants (e.g., classmates, TAs, and instructors).

This course will adhere to the CSU Policy for academic integrity/misconduct, which is found in the General Catalog – https://catalog.colostate.edu/general-catalog/policies/students-responsibilities/#academic-integrity . Violations will result in a grading penalty and a report to the Office of Conflict Resolution and Student Conduct Services.

Examples of academic misconduct include (but are not limited to):

1. Cheating: Cheating includes using unauthorized sources of information and providing or receiving unauthorized assistance on any form of academic work or engaging in any behavior specifically prohibited by the instructor in the course syllabus or class presentation.
2. Plagiarism: Plagiarism includes copying language, structure, images, ideas, or thoughts of another, and representing them as one’s own without proper acknowledgment, and is related only to work submitted for credit. Also included is the failure to cite sources properly; sources must always be appropriately referenced, whether the source is printed, electronic or spoken.
3. Falsification: Falsification encompasses any untruth, either verbal or written, in one’s academic work.
4. Facilitation of any act of Academic Misconduct:Facilitation of any act of academic misconduct includes knowingly assisting another to commit an act of misconduct.

Academic integrity lies at the core of our common goal: to create an intellectually honest and rigorous community. Because academic integrity, and the personal and social integrity of which academic integrity is an integral part, is so central to our mission as students, teachers, scholars, and citizens, I will ask that you affirm the CSU Honor Pledge as part of completing your work in this course.

Further information about Academic Integrity is available at CSU’s Academic Integrity – Student Resources – https://tilt.colostate.edu/Integrity/StudentResources/

Forum Citizenship 

Respect for your classmates is necessary at all times. We work to maintain a supportive environment in the discussion forum. Towards that end, we require that you be courteous to and respectful of your fellow participants (i.e., classmates, instructors, TAs, and tutors). In particular:

• Be professional and courteous.
• Do not post any questions about your grade or any grading issues in a public forum such as Canvas or Teams. Such questions are private communication and must be emailed to the instructor and TA.
• Do not post any opinions regarding your graded assignment or any aspect of the course. You will have a chance to submit anonymous reviews at the end of the semester. Email feedback to the instructor regarding the course is acceptable and welcome.
• Be constructive and provide complete answers.
• Provide references and attribute credit for the content you post when needed.

The instructor reserves the right to delete postings that do not promote a conducive learning experience for students in the class.

CSU Principles of Community

Inclusion: We create and nurture inclusive environments and welcome, value, and affirm all members of our community, including their various identities, skills, ideas, talents, and contributions.

Integrity: We are accountable for our actions and will act ethically and honestly in all our interactions.

Respect: We honor the inherent dignity of all people within an environment where we are committed to freedom of expression, critical discourse, and the advancement of knowledge.

Service: We are responsible, individually and collectively, to give of our time, talents, and resources to promote the well-being of each other and the development of our local, regional, and global communities.

Social Justice: We have the right to be treated and the responsibility to treat others with fairness and equity, the duty to challenge prejudice, and to uphold the laws, policies and procedures that promote justice in all respects.

Universal Design for Learning/Accommodation of Needs

I am committed to the principle of universal learning. This means that our classroom, our virtual spaces, our practices, and our interactions be as inclusive as possible. Mutual respect, civility, and the ability to listen and observe others carefully are crucial to universal learning.

If you are a student who will need accommodations in this class, please contact me to discuss your individual needs. Any accommodation must be discussed in a timely manner. A verifying memo from the Student Disability Center may be required before any accommodation is provided.

The Student Disability Center (SDC) has the authority to verify and confirm the eligibility of students with disabilities for the majority of accommodations. While some accommodations may be provided by other departments, a student is not automatically eligible for those accommodations unless their disability can be verified and the need for the accommodation confirmed, either through SDC or through acceptable means defined by the particular department. Faculty and staff may consult with the SDC staff whenever there is doubt as to the appropriateness of an accommodative request by a student with a disability.

The goal of SDC is to normalize disability as part of the culture of diversity at Colorado State University. The characteristic of having a disability simply provides the basis of the support that is available to students. The goal is to ensure students with disabilities have the opportunity to be as successful as they have the capability to be.

Support and services are offered to student with functional limitations due to visual, hearing, learning, or mobility disabilities as well as to students who have specific physical or mental health conditions due to epilepsy, diabetes, asthma, AIDS, psychiatric diagnoses, etc. Students who are temporarily disabled are also eligible for support and assistance.

Any student who is enrolled at CSU, and who self-identifies with SDC as having a disability, is eligible for support from SDC. Specific accommodations are determined individually for each student and must be supported by appropriate documentation and/or evaluation of needs consistent with a particular type of disability. SDC reserves the right to ask for any appropriate documentation of disability in order to determine a student’s eligibility for accommodations as well as in support for specific accommodative requests. The accommodative process begins once a student meets with an accommodations specialist in the SDC.

Covid- 19 

For the latest information about the University’s COVID resources and information, please visit the CSU COVID-19 site: https://covid.colostate.edu/.

Morgan Library Services Desk 

The Morgan Library Services Desk provides both research (ph. 970-491-1841) and technical (ph. 970-491-7276) support. In addition, you can contact a librarian for assistance at Ask Us! or find a research guide at Research Help.

Other Policies 

Please visit http://catalog.colostate.edu/general-catalog/policies/students-responsibilities/ for other policies. Furthermore, the linked page ((https://col.st/2FA2g)) provides policies relevant to the course and resources to help with various challenges they may encounter.

Right to Change

I reserve the right to change the course policies or schedule in order to facilitate instruction. Any such changes will be discussed in class and updated on the Canvas course website.