Schedule

Week 1	Topic 1
Week 2	Topic 2
Week 3	Topic 3
Week 4	Topic 4
Week 5	Topic 5 / Assignment 1
Week 6	Topic 6
Week 7	Topic 7
Week 8	Topic 8
Week 9	Topic 9
Week 10	Topic 10 / Assignment 2
Week 11	Exam

This schedule is indicative of the timetable only.

Knowledge

At the end of this topic you should be able to demonstrate an understanding of:

1. The current possible approaches to treatment of drug problems, service delivery issues and future directions.

2. The major manifestations and treatment of withdrawal of: alcohol, sedatives, opioids, cannabis and stimulants.

3. The treatment options and long-term management for: opioid dependence, tobacco dependence, alcohol dependence.

4. International perspectives on treatment of opioid dependence.

5. The treatment options for addiction and dependence during pregnancy.


Skills and Attitudes

You will be expected to develop and/or enhance your:

6. Competence in critical evaluation and interpretation of the existing literature on treatment of drug dependence and management of drug related problems.

7. Ability to effectively synthesize information and ideas in relation to approaches to management of problems related to drug use.

8. Academic writing skills.

9. Ability to effectively use online resources available in the drug and alcohol field.

10. Ability to effectively communicate your intellectual curiosity and knowledge to others in an online discussion.

11. Ability to manage effectively the allocation of time in performing tasks.

12. Commitment to continuous learning.

13. Awareness of ethical, social and cultural issues and their importance in the exercise of your professional and student responsibilities.

The Master of Science in Addiction Studies Programme curriculum has been designed to be self-contained. You will be provided with the following study aids for each course/module:

• Lectures:  Lectures are provided online.  Lecture duration varies between 30 and 90 minutes.  The lectures outline and exemplify core concepts necessary to grasp the topic.  Your readings will expand on material presented in these lectures.  Lecture handouts are provided online in PowerPoint pdf files that can be viewed, downloaded or printed out.
• Course Handbook/Syllabus:  A course handbook/syllabus is available online for each course.  These contain specific information about the course/module including course learning objectives, assessments and course timetable.
• Topic Outlines:  Topic outlines are provided online for each study topic and include learning objectives, title of the concept lecture, list of readings and revision questions for each topic.  The revision questions are provided at the end of each topic outline and are intended to help you revise the content of the topic.  You do not need to provide your answers to us.
• Readings:  A series of suggested readings are listed in the Topic Outline.  Some of these are essential (i.e., their content may be assessed) and others are optional.  Readings may be provided in the VCU library course reserve or online (in the form of pdf files or as links to relevant websites).  Additional or further readings are not a compulsory component but are a useful addition to the core content.  The online readings include both journal articles and book chapters chosen from a variety of sources, which may also represent a wide range of disciplines necessary for the examination of drug-related issues.
• Discussion Board:  The Discussion Board is a useful tool for exchanging information and ideas and is an important part of your summative assessment.  You will be expected to discuss study topics with other students, but you can also discuss problems you may encounter while studying.  A set number of contributions is compulsory.
• Online Tests:  The online tests are self-assessments designed to help you determine your progress.  The tests are provided for most of the topics, and their completion may be compulsory in some courses/modules.  However, the mark for the tests usually does not contribute to the overall mark for the course/module.  You may be required to attempt each test at least once in order to be eligible to sit for the examination, but you are encouraged to take the tests as many times as you wish until you are satisfied with the result.  In addition to the correct answers, brief individual feedback is provided for some of the tests.  Please note that these tests are not included in the topic outline.
• Blackboard – Online Education Service:  Blackboard provides online access to course study material (handbook, topic outlines, lectures, lecture notes, readings and assignments/tests), Programme Guidelines and Policies and related forms, announcements, grades (your own and class average), Discussion Board, student email and other online tools.

If you would like to use an additional textbook as a reference (voluntarily), the following book can be used:   Principles of Addiction
Medicine (4th Edition).  Edited by Richard K Ries, David A Fiellin, Shannon C Miller and Richard Saitz.  Philadelphia:  Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, 2009.  ISBN: 97807817747772.

The International Programme in Addiction Studies is delivered entirely online; no campus attendance is required.  The programme is available to students from all countries, however, online lectures, assignments and correspondence are in English only.

STUDY MATERIAL

Each week new material is released that you will work through. Your first focus should be on the Topic outline as this describes what you need to master on a certain topic and what information is available to you. Each study topic is comprised of the following components:

• learning objectives
• revision questions
• concept lecture
• readings
• quiz to test your understanding (not graded)
• discussion forum

The topic outline, lecture and other documents will be available on Blackboard in a separate folder for each topic. Study material for each consecutive topic will usually be made available online on Monday of each study week since you will have one new topic each week.
Each topic has a Topic Outline which describes the components and the learning objectives. Learning objectives describe what will be tested in the exam. Topics can have subtopics (A and B etc). Please look at the timetable in the back to verify which topics have to be done in which week. It is best if you avoid the temptation to skim through the topics. Systematically working through them at a reasonable pace will bring better results. However, let us know if you need to complete some topics ahead of time due to work or family commitments. We will provide individual access to the essential study material and will help you adjust your timetable to your circumstances.

There are strict rules that apply to the use of online study material. Students are expected to become familiar with copyright information prior to accessing online study material: http://www.library.vcu.edu/copyright.html

CONCEPT LECTURES

Lectures are used to provide a framework for your learning. They have been prepared by experts in the field: IPAS lecturers and external guest lecturers. Lectures are provided online as a PowerPoint presentation with voice-over. While viewing/listening to a lecture you can stop, pause, scroll forward or back as necessary. You can use the menu to find a specific topic. The presentations often include a biography and picture of the lecturer. Lectures are usually approximately one hour in duration, but may vary between 45 and 90 minutes. Some topics have more than one subtopic and can have separate lectures and readings for these subtopics.

PowerPoint slides for each lecture are also available online as pdf files.

READINGS

Essential Readings
One or more essential readings have been set for each topic and this material can be assessed in the exam. Readings are selected to complement and expand on issues discussed in the concept lecture. Readings often have more information than what is describe in the learning objectives; only the items described in the learning objectives will be examined.

Additional Readings
A number of additional readings have also been included. You are not expected to know information from these readings by heart for the exam, but they may help your understanding of the issues learned and could be used in your assignment and/or examination answers to exemplify important concepts. Readings are available online for each topic. You can use your access to the library to find publications, if a direct link is not provided. Lecturers may also suggest additional readings. These will not be assessed unless these are specifically listed as essential readings in the topic outline.

REVISION AND QUIZZES

The learning objectives are provided for each study topic and are listed in the Topic Outlines. Use them to guide your revision of the topic. The revision questions are an example of questions that can be used in the exam. You can test your understanding of the material by doing the online tests we provide in Blackboard for each topic. These do not provide comprehensive cover of the topic. You will get direct feedback to your response. These tests are not graded or monitored and you can repeat them if you want.

DISCUSSION BOARD

The Discussion Board is a great forum to discuss your understanding with others and to share your insights. It is a formal professional forum where you practice your professional skills. Posts should focus on content, not be opinion-based but rely on evidence from the literature.

Detailed information and instructions for Discussion Board participation are provided in the Program Guidelines and Policies booklet. You are required to contribute to the discussion and your contributions will also strongly contribute to your grade. You will be graded on participation and professional communication skills.

In this course/module, study topic discussions will usually be initiated on the Monday of each study week. For some topics the teaching staff will start a discussion by posting one or more questions or suggesting threads for discussion. For other topics students will be expected to identify issues and initiate discussion themselves. Students are expected to check the Discussion Board repeatedly for each topic.

The topic discussion will usually continue for two weeks at which time the forum will close for that week. This is also your opportunity to share your professional or research experience and learn from your fellow students. Since most students have experience in the field, this will also be a valuable learning environment. You can embed your experiences with research that has been published.
A number of general forums (e.g., Administrative Issues; Academic Issues) will remain open throughout the course/module and their content, while monitored regularly, will not be assessed.

The expected work load for the course is 20 hours a week. This will be spent on reviewing the video and reading material, doing the revision quizzes, engaging in discussion and preparing for the assessments.

The following topics may be covered:

Topic 1:  General Introduction: Current Pharmacological Treatment, Service Delivery and Future Directions
Topic 2:  Short-term Management of Withdrawal of (A) Alcohol; (B) Sedatives
Topic 3:  Short-term Management of Opioid Withdrawal
Topic 4:  Cannabis and Stimulant Withdrawal and Dependence
Topic 5:  Long-term Management of Opioid Dependence:  Agonist Maintenance; Antagonist Maintenance
Topic 6:  Treatment of Opioid Dependence: International Comparison
Topic 7:  Long-term Management of Tobacco Dependence
Topic 8:  Long-term Management of Alcohol Dependence
Topic 9:  Management of Drug Dependence during Pregnancy and Perinatal Period
Topic 10:  Medication Development and Clinical Trials

You will do one topic each week; two topics have subtopics.

Assessment Task	Task Type	Due (approx)	Weighting	Learning Outcome
Online Tests	Formative
Discussion Board participation	Summative	Weeks 1-10	20%
Written Assignment 1	Summative	Week 5	5%
Written Assignment 2:  Essay	Summative	Week 10	35%
Written Examination	Summative	Week 11	40%

For the actual dates please refer to the course handbook.

FORMATIVE

Formative assessment (or non-graded) in this course/module includes online tests that are designed to help you study and increase your level of understanding of the course/module material. The tests will be undertaken online, on a weekly basis. Feedback will be provided in the form of model answers or comments and question/test scores (you will see your own results for each question in the test and the class average). You can attempt the tests multiple times (and achieve the highest score possible, if you wish). However, only the last attempt is saved.

Since this assessment is formative, the scores for these tests will not contribute to your final grade for the course/module, however it is the quickest way to receive feedback on your performance. We strongly recommend that you take all the quizzes.

SUMMATIVE

Discussion Board
Students report that participating in the discussion forums motivates learning and is an effective way to communicate with others about the course/module material. It will also prepare you for the written assessment, particularly if you use the Discussion Board to practice writing concise and informative comments and raise issues for discussion.

In the first week of the course, all students will be required to post an initial extended original response to the question(s) posed by the instructor. In addition to an original response, all students will also be responsible for providing at least two responses/follow-up questions to the posts of other students. Failure to provide additional posts will reduce marks for the week’s discussion. Having all students participate in the first week’s discussion will allow students to become engaged with the course material immediately, and also will allow instructors to provide feedback to all students early in the course to shape their ongoing work.

Following the first week, students will be divided into three groups (A, B, and C). In the weeks that follow, students in each group will take turns leading the discussion. So, for example, in week 2, students assigned to group A will provide extended responses to the weekly question, while students in groups B and C will be responsible for reading the extended posting of their peers and responding to or commenting on, at minimum, the posts of two different classmates. In week 3, group B will take the lead and groups A and C will comment, while in week 4, group C will take the lead. Students in the lead group for a particular week will also need to provide two additional responses in addition to their initial response, and attempt to address any questions posted to them. Students may provide more than two additional responses, but this is the minimum expected.

Thus, each student is responsible for formally and fully responding to the week’s discussion question(s) during three weeks: Week 1 (all students) and two additional weeks. There will be at least two weeks without an assigned discussion, usually corresponding to weeks that major assignments or examinations are being completed to allow for revision.

The Discussion Board component of the course will be assessed. The teaching staff will monitor the Forum and moderate the discussion if necessary. Each week that a student serves as a “lead” discussant will count 30% toward their discussion board mark. The remaining weeks, when students are only required to comment on the posts of others will make up the additional 10% of the mark.

For the weeks you serve as a primary respondent, you will be graded on:

• Evidence of reading the essential reading material (not copying from it)
• Level of understanding of the topic
• Ability to initiate a thread of discussion
• Critical thinking and debate
• Respectfully debating with your peers

For the weeks when students are primarily responding to the posts of others, students will be assessed in terms of the number of responses posted (a minimum of two) and will receive credit for participation.

*The manner in which Discussion Board is managed may be subject to revision depending upon enrolment.

Written Assignments
You will be required to write a short assignment and an essay for this course to train your academic writing skills. 

The short assignment will be an exercise in discussing the pros and cons of a specific treatment using the literature.  Word length: 500 words (excluding reference list).

The aim of the essay is to demonstrate understanding of the course material, collect high quality information from peer reviewed journals and critical appraisal of information sources. The topic will be announced on Blackboard. Style requirements are described in the IPAS handbook (Blackboard).  Word length: 2,000 (excluding reference list).

Written Examination
In the last week of the course, you will need to sit a supervised exam.  The setup is the same as in the Biological Basis of Addiction course.

The examination will be one hour in duration and will be done on a computer (no internet access).
You will only be allowed to sit the exam if you have complied with the requirements described in this handbook and have met any additional requirements communicated to you concerning general IPAS regulations (e.g. payment of fees).
It will be your responsibility to organise a supervisor and suitable venue with computer.  Please read the detailed information and instructions on examinations in the Program Guidelines and Policies booklet (available on Blackboard at Course Information/Handbooks).

The Examination Supervisor Details Form is available on Blackboard (Course Information/Forms).

A Statutory Declaration form is required by the University of Adelaide to be completed to guarantee that you will not discuss or divulge the contents of the examination paper(s) to anyone because you will be sitting the examination(s) at different times.  You will also state that the exam took place according to the rules of the VCU Honour code.  The form is available on Blackboard (Course Information/Forms).  Your Examination Supervisor must witness signing of the statement at your exam; it should be returned with the examination paper(s).  Examination papers will not be marked until a completed Statutory Declaration form is received.

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS

You will receive and submit your written assignments electronically via the Assignment section in Blackboard or via email if you are instructed to do so. In each course where written assignments are required, you will receive specific instructions as to the manner in which you will be expected to make assignment submissions. Please refer to your course handbook for instructions.

Please be advised that this is an intensive programme with few breaks. Family holidays and similar events are not considered reasons for an inability to complete assignments. If you need to travel, it is essential that you be aware that it is your responsibility to assure reliable internet access. If you have any doubt of your ability to maintain contact with the programme, you must let us know ahead of time, and you can chose not to enroll in a course.

EXAMINATION

Several courses use exams that can be either supervised written exams or computer-based open book exam. These exams will have a specific time at which they need to be completed. The duration and mode of the examination may vary by course/module at the discretion of the course/module director.

Supervisor and Venue
Where there is an unseen written examination, the student will be responsible for organising both venue (with computer) and examination supervisor. Your course/module handbook will indicate the date by which you will have to provide the course/module coordinator with the details of your nominated examiner. This mode of examiniation offers many advantages to the student, such as flexibility in time and location of the exam. If you feel disadvantaged by sitting the exam on a computer (e.g. due to disability), you may request alternative arrangements based on the normal VCU exam regulations in a timely fashion.

The nominated person should be university level academic personnel. If you have difficulty finding an independent academic, please contact your course/module co-ordinator.

The supervisor should not be a member of your immediate family or a work colleague.

The Exam Supervisor Details form is available on Blackboard. The completed form should be returned to the course co-ordinator by the due date indicated on Blackboard. A statutory declaration form will be signed by the supervisor and the student at the time of the exam. The examination parcel will be emailed to the nominated supervisor along with the Exam Supervisor Instruction Sheet. Note that we cannot accept responsibility for your supervisor not receiving the examination paper if the form is not received by the due date. The examination supervisor will be responsible for conducting the examination according to the instructions and sending the documents back to us. Exam work from closed-book exams submitted by students will not be marked.

A venue must provide the student with privacy and quiet for the duration of the examination. A suitable venue, for example, might be a classroom at the local high school, or side room in a library. Most examinations may require a computer (without internet access).

Examination Materials
All written examinations may be “open-book” or “closed book”.

The examiner is responsible for ensuring that the student does not take any material into the examination that would contravene the regulations of the Programme. Students may take a small bag into the examination venue. They should remove any materials permitted in the examination venue on their arrival, then place the bag under their desk until they leave. Mobile phones need to be handed to the examiner. Students are not allowed to take notes or exam papers out of the exam venue.

As this course is part of a joint degree, the IPAS program handbook holds the most important information. Normal University regulations may not apply as another university will be your host university.