Course Syllabus

Summer 2024 | 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

VSCS Social Sciences

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 IT Support page. https://support.ccv.edu/general/computer-recommendations/

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

PSY-1130-VO01 Link to Textbooks/Resources Information 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

Class discussions (weeks 1-5 cumulative) 20%

Research / Student Share #1 (week 6) 20%

Class discussions (weeks 7-11 cumulative) 20%

Research / Student Share #2 (week 11) 20%

Final exam (week 12) 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 Discussion Assignments

Please read the assigned readings and attached links/multi-media, answer discussion questions and respond to at least two other students. Answer each question thoroughly to show an understanding of what is being asked and the ability to think critically about the different topics. When responding to others, do not state that they did a good job or that you agree with that they have written, explain why and share your thoughts. I suggest a minimum of 100 words for each discussion question and responses to other students. Thoughts, examples and your opinions may be included in answering discussion questions and responding to others. If you include quotes in your answers, they do not count towards the 100 word minimum suggestion. All responses to others should be positive and encouraging. I do encourage students to try to post early in the week as this allows time for students to chat back and forth. I also encourage you to respond to different students throughout the semester as this will allow you to learn different perspectives. Please make sure to read the responses I send back to you and the grade book comments each week. There will be times when I respond with a question for you to further comment on or will make suggestions in grade book on areas of concern. If you have any questions throughout the semester, please let me know. I do respond weekly to all posts to the discussion board questions and will respond as needed between students.

The weekly discussion board assignments are worth 20 points each. When grading weekly discussion assignments, I am looking to see that you are critically thinking about the questions asked. I encourage students to include thoughts, opinions and examples in your answers. A good grade is not about getting the answer 100% right as the discussion board is where we learn and explore our thoughts and ideas. A good grade comes from showing me you are thinking about what is being asked and sharing your thoughts about what it means. I encourage students to take a risk, think outside the box and share with your classmates. When responding to others, share thoughts and ideas with students who may or may not be thinking the same as you, a lot can be learned from what we share. To be given credit for weekly participation you must actively participate in class. Logging into class in and of itself does not constitute class participation.

Writing Assignments:

Research Assignment #1 – Part One

There is no assigned reading for this week's discussion board assignment. Please research a substance of abuse that interests you. Examples could be heroin, marijuana, cocaine, barbituates, methamphetamines, alcohol, etc. Explore this substance - look into the history, availability, popularity, treatment options, etc. The research assignment should be a minimum of 1,000 words with a minimum of 2 cited works / references. You may reference or cite the textbook, but it does not count towards the two required cited works. The cover page and cited works pages do not count towards 1,000 word minimum requirement. This portion of the assignment is work 75 points

Student Share – Part Two

Please share with the class the substance that you researched. Share interesting facts that you learned and your thoughts about them. Please do not cut and paste from your research assignment. In your own words choose information for others to learn from. The Student Share should be a minimum of 250 words and you are required to respond to two other students who have chosen a substance different than yours. Each response should be a minimum of 100 words. This portion of the assignment is worth 25 points.

Research Assignment #2 – Part One

Please research an area of interest related to substance use. Examples could be cognitive behavioral treatment, co-occurring disorders, gender specific treatment, medicated assisted treatment, therapeutic communities, inpatient treatment, outpatient treatment, etc. I do not want your topic to be on a specific substance of interest (cocaine, heroin, etc.) as we have already completed this type of assignment. Explore and research your topic of interest - look into the history, changes that have occurred, new directions it might be going in and share your thoughts. The research assignment should be a minimum of 1,000 words with a minimum of 2 cited works / references. You may reference or cite the textbook, but it does not count towards the two required cited works. The cover page and cited works pages do not count towards 1,000 word minimum requirement. This portion of the assignment is work 75 points

Student Share Part Two

Please share with the class the area of interest that you researched. Share interesting facts that you learned and your thoughts about them. Please do not cut and paste from your research assignment. In your own words choose information for others to learn from. The Student Share should be a minimum of 250 words and you are required to respond to two other students who have chosen a topic different than yours. Each response should be a minimum of 100 words. This portion of the assignment is worth 25 points.

Final Exam

The final exam will be two essay questions and it will be open book. The final exam will not be timed. It will be available to students in advance for review. This assignment is worth 100 points.

Missing & Late Work Policy

Late assignments are not accepted for credit

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