Course Syllabus

Fall 2025 | PSY-1130-VO01 - Introduction to Substance Use Disorders

Online Class

Online courses take place 100% online via Canvas, without required in-person or Zoom meetings.

Faculty

Kevin Warwick
View Faculty Credentials
View Faculty Statement
Hiring Coordinator for this course: Kate Hughes

General Education Requirements

Social Science

Note

Many degree programs have specific general education recommendations. In order to avoid taking unnecessary classes, please consult with additional resources like your program evaluation, your academic program catalog year page, and your academic advisor.

Courses may only be used to meet one General Education Requirement.

Course Description

This course is an introduction to the causes, symptoms, and stages of substance use disorders. Topics include factors which lead to substance use and abuse, signs and symptoms of abuse and addiction, stages of chemical dependency, and career opportunities for those interested in substance use disorder counseling and treatment. This course includes six hours of relevant ethics training.

Essential Objectives

1. List commonly abused substances and describe their effects on the body, the brain, and behavior.
2. Compare the various models and theories of addiction.
3. Identify physical symptoms and behavioral signs of substance abuse and identify the stages of dependency.
4. Describe psychological, sociological, physiological, and cultural features that function as risk and protective factors in the prevention and treatment of substance use disorders.
5. Identify and describe modalities and resources used in the treatment of substance use disorders.
6. Understand the process of recovery from substance use disorders.
7. Identify career opportunities in substance use disorder counseling and treatment professions and formulate a plan which addresses educational, certification, and licensure requirements for a chosen career.
8. Understand ethical standards guiding professional conduct with clients in the context of HIPAA and the Code of Federal Regulations Title 42, Part 2.

Required Technology

More information on general computer and internet recommendations is available on the CCV computer recommendations Support page.

Please see CCV's Digital Equity Statement (pg. 45) to learn more about CCV's commitment to supporting all students access the technology they need to successfully finish their courses.

Required Textbooks and Resources

This course uses one or more textbooks/books/simulations.

Fall 2025 textbook details will be available on 2025-05-19. On that date a link will be available below that will take you to eCampus, CCV's bookstore. The information provided there will be specific to this class. Please see this page for more information regarding the purchase of textbooks/books.

PSY-1130-VO01 Link to Textbooks for this course in eCampus.

The last day to use a Financial Aid Advance to purchase textbooks/books is the 3rd Tuesday of the semester. See your financial aid counselor at your academic center if you have any questions.

Methods

• large group discussions
• interactive activities
• multimedia presentations and resources
• readings, writing, and inquiry-based research

Evaluation Criteria

Evaluation Criteria:

Late assignments are not accepted. Attendance is recorded weekly in Aviso.

Class discussions (weeks 1-6 cumulative) 20%

Research / Student Share #1 (week 7) 20%

Class discussions (weeks 8-13 cumulative) 20%

Research / Student Share #2 (week 14) 20%

Final exam (week 15) 20%

Grading Criteria

CCV Letter Grades as outlined in the Evaluation System Policy are assigned according to the following chart:

	High	Low
A+	100	98
A	Less than 98	93
A-	Less than 93	90
B+	Less than 90	88
B	Less than 88	83
B-	Less than 83	80
C+	Less than 80	78
C	Less than 78	73
C-	Less than 73	70
D+	Less than 70	68
D	Less than 68	63
D-	Less than 63	60
F	Less than 60
P	100	60
NP	Less than 60	0

Weekly Schedule

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential for success in and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. A student's failure to meet attendance requirements as specified in course descriptions will normally result in a non-satisfactory grade.

• In general, missing more than 20% of a course due to absences, lateness or early departures may jeopardize a student's ability to earn a satisfactory final grade.
• Attending an on-ground or synchronous course means a student appeared in the live classroom for at least a meaningful portion of a given class meeting. Attending an online course means a student posted a discussion forum response, completed a quiz or attempted some other academically required activity. Simply viewing a course item or module does not count as attendance.
• Meeting the minimum attendance requirement for a course does not mean a student has satisfied the academic requirements for participation, which require students to go above and beyond simply attending a portion of the class. Faculty members will individually determine what constitutes participation in each course they teach and explain in their course descriptions how participation factors into a student's final grade.

Participation Expectations

Weekly participation in class is required as detailed with each assignment

Missing & Late Work Policy

Late assignments are not accepted

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:

1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/discover-resources/students-with-disabilities/
2. Request an appointment to meet with accessibility coordinator to discuss your request and create an accommodation plan.
3. Once created, students will share the accommodation plan with faculty. Please note, faculty cannot make disability accommodations outside of this process.

Academic Integrity

Apply Now for this semester.