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

    Drug Use and Addictive Behaviours
  • Unit Code

    HST6350
  • Year

    2020
  • Enrolment Period

    1
  • Version

    1
  • Credit Points

    20
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online
  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Stephen Jason BRIGHT

Description

This unit provides students with opportunities to demonstrate an understanding of psychoactive drug addiction and other addictive behaviours, from a socio-politico-historical public health context. Students will critically evaluate the evidence underpinning drug-control policies, and learn to apply screening skills and brief interventions for individuals experiencing addiction.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Critically evaluate contemporary public health research to inform alcohol and other drugs policy and practice.
  2. Apply models of best-practice in the management of alcohol and other drug-use problems across the lifespan.
  3. Communicate using appropriate listening and responding skills to convey respect and connect professionally with diverse audiences regarding problematic psychoactive drug use and other addictive behaviours.

Unit Content

  1. Australia's National Drug Strategy (NDS).
  2. Comparative drug policy analysis.
  3. Psychopharmacology.
  4. The pathological paradigm of drug-use problems.
  5. Models of addictive behaviours (including gambling).
  6. Harm reduction-focused interventions.
  7. Motivational interviewing and brief intervention.
  8. Drug-use trends, harm minimisation, brief intervention.
  9. Brief interventions to other addictions (e.g., gambling).

Learning Experience

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

Additional Learning Experience Information

Audio visual material, case studies and collaborative discussions are used to stimulate critical thinking about psychoactive substances and addiction. Skills rehearsals are used to ensure that students are proficient in working with people experiencing problems associated with drug use and addictive behaviours. Online students will consolidate their knowledge and skills through participation in online collaborative discussions and networking.

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
EssayComparative Policy Analysis50%
PerformanceScreening and Brief Intervention50%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
EssayComparative Policy Analysis50%
PerformanceScreening and Brief Intervention50%

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.

HST6350|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

    Drug Use and Addictive Behaviours
  • Unit Code

    HST6350
  • Year

    2020
  • Enrolment Period

    2
  • Version

    1
  • Credit Points

    20
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online
  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Stephen Jason BRIGHT

Description

This unit provides students with opportunities to demonstrate an understanding of psychoactive drug addiction and other addictive behaviours, from a socio-politico-historical public health context. Students will critically evaluate the evidence underpinning drug-control policies, and learn to apply screening skills and brief interventions for individuals experiencing addiction.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Critically evaluate contemporary public health research to inform alcohol and other drugs policy and practice.
  2. Apply models of best-practice in the management of alcohol and other drug-use problems across the lifespan.
  3. Communicate using appropriate listening and responding skills to convey respect and connect professionally with diverse audiences regarding problematic psychoactive drug use and other addictive behaviours.

Unit Content

  1. Australia's National Drug Strategy (NDS).
  2. Comparative drug policy analysis.
  3. Psychopharmacology.
  4. The pathological paradigm of drug-use problems.
  5. Models of addictive behaviours (including gambling).
  6. Harm reduction-focused interventions.
  7. Motivational interviewing and brief intervention.
  8. Drug-use trends, harm minimisation, brief intervention.
  9. Brief interventions to other addictions (e.g., gambling).

Learning Experience

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

Additional Learning Experience Information

Audio visual material, case studies and collaborative discussions are used to stimulate critical thinking about psychoactive substances and addiction. Skills rehearsals are used to ensure that students are proficient in working with people experiencing problems associated with drug use and addictive behaviours. Online students will consolidate their knowledge and skills through participation in online collaborative discussions and networking.

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
EssayComparative Policy Analysis40%
PerformanceScreening and Brief Intervention40%
ExaminationExamination20%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
EssayComparative Policy Analysis40%
PerformanceScreening and Brief Intervention40%
ExaminationExamination20%

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.

HST6350|1|2