Computer Hardware, Networking & Device Support syllabus

Course outcomes and preparation

• Select compatible components and configure computers, storage and peripherals.
• Connect and support wired, wireless and mobile devices.
• Use diagnostic evidence to identify faults, verify repairs and document service.

Hybrid means that a substantial part of this college course is completed independently outside the classroom. An eight-week block compresses preparation and practice into a short term; it does not reduce the course's learning requirements. Budget 6–9 hours outside class per course each week, in addition to the three-hour meeting. Taking 107 and 108 concurrently means approximately 12–18 hours of independent work plus six scheduled classroom hours each week (18–24 total). These are planning estimates, not credit-hour guarantees; unfamiliar topics and troubleshooting may take longer. Read early, complete handouts before class, reserve NETLAB time in advance, allow time for failed attempts and repeat practice, and check deadlines separately for each course. This format requires sustained time, reliable technology access, weekly attendance and personal dedication; postponing work until the due date is unlikely to be successful.

Class meets Mondays, January 11–March 1, 2027, 5:45–8:45 PM Central. These sample offerings share a calendar; only 107 and 108 are arranged as a concurrent pair.

Prepare → Quiz → Chapter labs → Closeout

Read assigned material, review authorized slides and submit the completed graded handout before class at 5:45 PM. Include reading references, original explanations, lab planning and two questions. Opening quiz: 5:45–6:00. Supervised labs: 6:00–8:10, including a 7:00–7:10 break. Closeout: 8:10–8:45 lecture, corrections, Q&A and announcements.

Outside class, complete at least 45 exam-matching MeasureUP practice questions each week, submit results and remediate three weak concepts. Complete every approved matching NETLAB or licensed remote-lab title with a separately documented section in the graded weekly portfolio. Submit a reflection and professional handoff.

Hybrid deadlines are the following Sunday at midnight, end of day, Central (12:00 AM the next day). Preparation and supervised classwork retain their earlier deadlines. Eight-week study requires substantial dedicated outside time, reliable lab access and attendance.

Unique weekly reading and lab plan

Assessment and grading

Items share their category equally. A 90–100; B 80–89.99; C 70–79.99; D 60–69.99; F below 60. Missing/ungraded items count zero provisionally. Pre-final coursework is normalized over the combined 70%. At least 70% pre-final coursework and a passing final guarantee at least 70% overall, or the higher weighted result.

Lab rubric: correct result/procedure 40%, reasoning/evidence 30%, permissions/safety/data handling 20%, documentation 10%. Handouts: accuracy 50%, completeness/references 30%, explanations/questions 20%. Practice: verified minimum count 50%, result evidence 25%, remediation 25%. Reflection: technical reasoning 50%, evidence 30%, handoff 20%. Quiz prompts share credit equally.

College policies govern accommodations, integrity, late work, absences, withdrawal and final grade approval. Arrange supervised make-ups and any extensions with the instructor. Use only authorized environments and submit original work. Do not upload exam questions, dumps, live credentials or private customer data. Exact licensed chapter/page assignments, slides and installed remote-lab titles must be approved before delivery; this portal does not provide vendor licenses.

COURSE FINALE / TWO SEPARATE ASSESSMENTS

Comprehensive lab → Official certification exam

1. Comprehensive lab day — 30% of the course

The week 8 meeting is the comprehensive lab day: Monday, March 1, 2027, 5:45–8:45 PM. After the opening readiness quiz, complete one integrated practical with the assigned lab activities as its stations. All stations share the 30% equally. Work independently in the supervised, authorized lab environment; the instructor supplies the fault scenario and permitted tools.

Support a small-office workstation and network: inspect hardware and compatibility, diagnose an assigned device or connectivity fault, implement a justified correction, and verify startup, addressing, name resolution and user access. Explain safety precautions and how you isolated the cause.

Submit a single organized service portfolio across the assigned station submissions: intake and baseline, diagnosis and alternatives, procedure log, before/after evidence, validation tests, rollback or recovery plan, and a customer handoff. Rubric: correct procedure/result 40%; reasoning/evidence 30%; safety, permissions and data handling 20%; documentation 10%. Closeout includes a short explanation of your diagnosis, questions and exam-readiness announcements.

2. Actual certification exam — 30% of the course

After the lab day, take the official CompTIA A+ Core 1 · 220-1201 through an authorized testing provider. Schedule a separate appointment after the comprehensive lab and submit result evidence by Sunday, March 7, 2027 at midnight, end of day, America/Chicago. Arrange voucher/payment, identification and testing requirements in advance; this portal does not deliver or book the official exam. MeasureUP is practice and does not replace it. The instructor must announce any approved deadline extension or retake arrangement.

Submit the exam code, date, official scaled score and pass/fail result through the private CertificationExam submission. Provide the official score report through the instructor-approved private method for verification; do not share exam questions or answers. The instructor verifies the result and records the scaled score in administration.

The published passing score for this exam is 675 on a 100–900 scale. For this course only, 100 maps to 0%, the passing score maps to 70%, and 900 maps to 100%, using linear interpolation below and above passing. This is the college course conversion, not CompTIA's percentage score. See the official certification exam information. Passing both required cores is necessary to earn A+ certification.

C-or-better course guarantee

If your pre-exam coursework average is at least 70% and you pass this course's official exam, your final course grade will be at least 70% (C). Pre-exam coursework includes the comprehensive lab and all other non-exam work, normalized over its combined 70% weight. Higher weighted results earn the corresponding higher grade. Missing or unverified exam results remain ungraded and count as zero until verified; they do not trigger the guarantee.