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  2. Addiction Studies: Psychoactive Drugs [ADS1252]

School: Medical and Health Sciences

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

Please note that given the circumstances of COVID-19, there may be some modifications to the assessment schedule promoted in Handbook for Semester 1 2020 Units. Students will be notified of all approved modifications by Unit Coordinators via email and Unit Blackboard sites. Where changes have been made, these are designed to ensure that you still meet the unit learning outcomes in the context of our adjusted teaching and learning arrangements.

  • Unit Title

    Addiction Studies: Psychoactive Drugs

  • Unit Code

    ADS1252

  • Year

    2020

  • Enrolment Period

    1

  • Version

    1

  • Credit Points

    15

  • Full Year Unit

     N

  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online

  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Stephen Jason BRIGHT

Description

In this unit the fundamental concepts of drug use addressed in the prerequisite unit are applied to specific psychoactive drugs. The prevalence of use, historical perspectives, laws, short and long term effects and associated harms are discussed along with effective harm minimisation responses.

Prerequisite Rule

Students must pass 1 units from ADS1151

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Categorise drugs according to their psychoactive effect on the Central Nervous System.
  2. Describe demand reduction, supply reduction and harm reduction strategies as applied to specific drugs.
  3. Describe harm minimisation strategies that are consistent with the current Australian National Drug Strategy.
  4. Describe the prevalence of psychoactive drug use within Australian society.
  5. Discuss the potential harms associated with psychoactive drug use using relevant theoretical models.
  6. Outline present and past uses of selected psychoactive drugs.

Unit Content

  1. Drug use and drug-related problems in Australia.
  2. Strategic and practical responses to drug-related harm.
  3. The public health/interaction model as it applies to specific drugs and cultures.
  4. Thorley and Roizen as applied to specific drugs and cultures.
  5. Types, uses and effects of selected psychoactive drugs.

Learning Experience

ON-CAMPUS

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECU Blackboard.

JoondalupMount LawleySouth West (Bunbury)
Semester 213 x 3 hour seminarNot OfferedNot Offered

For more information see the Semester Timetable

ONLINE

Students will engage in learning experiences through ECU Blackboard as well as additional ECU learning technologies.

Additional Learning Experience Information

Internal Lectures, audio visual materials, case studies, small group activities, class discussions and on-line resources. External E-learning course work and activities are provided through MyECU and supported by a tutor.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
TestFundamental concepts and psychoactive drugs10%
EssayPsychoactive drug investigation40%
ExaminationEnd of semester examination50%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
TestFundamental concepts and psychoactive drugs10%
EssayPsychoactive drug investigation40%
ExaminationEnd of semester examination50%

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

ADS1252|1|1

School: Medical and Health Sciences

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

Please note that given the circumstances of COVID-19, there may be some modifications to the assessment schedule promoted in Handbook for this unit. All assessment changes will be published by 27 July 2020. All students are reminded to check handbook at the beginning of semester to ensure they have the correct outline.

  • Unit Title

    Addiction Studies: Psychoactive Drugs

  • Unit Code

    ADS1252

  • Year

    2020

  • Enrolment Period

    2

  • Version

    1

  • Credit Points

    15

  • Full Year Unit

     N

  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online

  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Stephen Jason BRIGHT

Description

In this unit the fundamental concepts of drug use addressed in the prerequisite unit are applied to specific psychoactive drugs. The prevalence of use, historical perspectives, laws, short and long term effects and associated harms are discussed along with effective harm minimisation responses.

Prerequisite Rule

Students must pass 1 units from ADS1151

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Categorise drugs according to their psychoactive effect on the Central Nervous System.
  2. Describe demand reduction, supply reduction and harm reduction strategies as applied to specific drugs.
  3. Describe harm minimisation strategies that are consistent with the current Australian National Drug Strategy.
  4. Describe the prevalence of psychoactive drug use within Australian society.
  5. Discuss the potential harms associated with psychoactive drug use using relevant theoretical models.
  6. Outline present and past uses of selected psychoactive drugs.

Unit Content

  1. Drug use and drug-related problems in Australia.
  2. Strategic and practical responses to drug-related harm.
  3. The public health/interaction model as it applies to specific drugs and cultures.
  4. Thorley and Roizen as applied to specific drugs and cultures.
  5. Types, uses and effects of selected psychoactive drugs.

Learning Experience

ON-CAMPUS

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECU Blackboard.

JoondalupMount LawleySouth West (Bunbury)
Semester 213 x 3 hour seminarNot OfferedNot Offered

For more information see the Semester Timetable

ONLINE

Students will engage in learning experiences through ECU Blackboard as well as additional ECU learning technologies.

Additional Learning Experience Information

Internal Lectures, audio visual materials, case studies, small group activities, class discussions and on-line resources. External E-learning course work and activities are provided through MyECU and supported by a tutor.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
TestFundamental concepts and psychoactive drugs20%
EssayPsychoactive drug investigation40%
PresentationDetailed Live Presentation about a Specified Drug40%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
TestFundamental concepts and psychoactive drugs20%
EssayPsychoactive drug investigation40%
PresentationDetailed Live Presentation about a Specified Drug40%

Core Reading(s)

  • Gossop, M. (2013). Living with drugs. (7th ed.). Surrey, England: Ashgate Publishing. Retrieved from https://ecu.on.worldcat.org/oclc/827206870?databaseList=638

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

ADS1252|1|2