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Course Outline

COU100 Counselling for Addiction Disorders

Course Coordinator:Trudi Flynn (tflynn@usc.edu.au) School:School of Law and Society

2025Semester 2

UniSC Sunshine Coast

UniSC Moreton Bay

 Blended learning Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online.

Please go to usc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.

What is this course about?

Description

In this foundational course, student counsellors will learn the contemporary theories and frameworks that inform therapeutic understanding of Addiction Disorders.  Included will be biopsychosocial and trauma informed models of addiction, the lived experience of addiction, factors of treatment readiness, and harm reduction approaches. There will be an applied skills focus on assessment and therapeutic case formulation in addiction disorders.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Learning materials – Weekly 1 hour online learning activities, delivered asynchronously, delivering curricula to meet learning objectives for each week. To include recorded lectures, you tube clips, websites, and interactive activities. 1hr Week 1 11 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Weekly 2 hour on campus tutorials that consolidate the weekly learning objectives and practice relevant skills. 2hrs Week 1 11 times

Course Topics

Introduction to Addiction Disorders 

The Biopsychosocial model of Addiction Disorders

A trauma informed understanding of Addiction Disorders

Addiction and Family

Culture and Diversity in Addiction

Treatment Frameworks in Addiction: An Overview

Screening and Assessment in Addiction Disorders

Case Formulation in Addiction Disorders

Stages of Change and Motivational Interviewing

The Recovery Model in Addiction

Mature Content

Drug Use, Adult themes

What level is this course?

100 Level (Introductory)

Engaging with discipline knowledge and skills at foundational level, broad application of knowledge and skills in familiar contexts and with support. Limited or no prerequisites. Normally, associated with the first full-time study year of an undergraduate program.

What is the unit value of this course?

12 units

How does this course contribute to my learning?

Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... Graduate Qualities Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming...
1 Comprehend contemporary theoretical models of substance and behavioural addictions Knowledgeable
2 Reflect on connections between theory and lived experience (case studies) in addiction disorders Knowledgeable
Engaged
3 Demonstrate assessment and case formulation for addiction disorders Empowered
4 Consider addiction factors in diverse populations Ethical
5 Understand the principles of Harm Minimisation in addiction disorders Knowledgeable
Ethical
6 Demonstrate academic integrity skills Ethical

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

Not applicable

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

Not applicable

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Standard Grading (GRD)

High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL).

Details of early feedback on progress

Students will be engaging in weekly practice quizzes leading up to Task 1 online quiz, in Week 5

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode Task No. Assessment Product Individual or Group Weighting % What is the duration / length? When should I submit? Where should I submit it?
All 1 Quiz/zes Individual 30% 
1.5 hour / 60 multiple choice questions.
 Week 5 Online Submission
All 2 Artefact - Creative, and Oral Individual 35% 
20 images (each for 20 seconds).
 Week 9 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 3 Essay Individual 35% 
2000 word essay
 Week 13 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All - Assessment Task 1:Online Quiz
Goal: 
To assess students comprehension of the historical, political, and social aspects of addiction
Product: Quiz/zes
Format: 
Students will have 3 days in which to open up the online quiz in canvas. When open, students will have 90 minute to complete 60 mulitple choice questions from chapters of text that have been covered up to week 5 of semester.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Demonstrate knowledge of the historical and political influences of addictions
 2
2 
Demonstrate a sound understanding of contemporary models of addiction
 1
Generic Skills: 
Communication
All - Assessment Task 2:Pecha Kucha
Goal: 
Students to demonstrate their understanding of the biological and trauma informed aspects of addiction, including those factors that create and maintain an addiction, as well as those psychological and social factors influenced by addictions (ie. disorders, relationships). Students to draw from lived experience resources to illuminate key points.
Product: Artefact - Creative, and Oral
Format: 
Students will prepare a pecha kucha on narrated PPT slides or video, and download as an MP4 file for submission online. Students will also submit a template with the narration of the submission, demonstrating academic integrity skills.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Demonstrate comprehension of biopsychosocial and trauma informed factors in addiction
 1
2 
Demonstrate awareness of the lived experience of addiction.
 2
3 
Student demonstrates ability to communicate via pecha kucha, generalising APA 7th ed. formatting and referencing to this assessment type.
 6
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Applying technologies, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 3:Assessment and Case Formulation in Addiction
Goal: 
Demonstrate capacity in addiction-oriented assessment and case formulation.
Product: Essay
Format: 
A written essay, comprised of three components, developed in response to a selected case study:
i) an addiction-oriented biopsychosocial assessment, that incorporates the WHO ASSIST (Hemeniuk et al, 2010) tool;
ii) a congruent case formulation; and
iii) specification of addiction-oriented therapeutic priorities.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Evidenced capacity to undertake contemporary screening and assessment procedures for addictive behaviours
 2 3 4 5
2 
Demonstrated capacity to draw meaningfully from assessment procedures to develop a congruent therapeutic case formulation.
 1 2 4
3 
Evidenced understanding of therapeutic priorities in working with addiction behaviours, and how these are informed by client presentation.
 2 4 5 6
4 
Demonstrate accepted academic writing and academic integrity skills, via APA 7th ed. conventions.
 6
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Problem solving

Directed study hours

A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.

What resources do I need to undertake this course?

Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.

Prescribed text(s) or course reader

There are no required/recommended resources for this course.

Specific requirements

Not applicable

How are risks managed in this course?

Health and safety risks for this course have been assessed as low. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the health and safety risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

What administrative information is relevant to this course?

Assessment: Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation.  It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline.  This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.

Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person.  You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.

In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin.  This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.

Assessment: Additional Requirements

Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment

Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:
(a) The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%; and
(b) The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale

Assessment: Submission penalties

Late submissions may be penalised up to and including the following maximum percentage of the assessment task’s identified value, with weekdays and weekends included in the calculation of days late:
(a) One day: deduct 5%;
(b) Two days: deduct 10%;
(c) Three days: deduct 20%;
(d) Four days: deduct 40%;
(e) Five days: deduct 60%;
(f) Six days: deduct 80%;
(g) Seven days: A result of zero is awarded for the assessment task.
The following penalties will apply for a late submission for an online examination:
Less than 15 minutes: No penalty
From 15 minutes to 30 minutes: 20% penalty
More than 30 minutes: 100% penalty

SafeUniSC

UniSC is committed to a culture of respect and providing a safe and supportive environment for all members of our community. For immediate assistance on campus contact SafeUniSC by phone: 07 5430 1168 or using the SafeZone app. For general enquires contact the SafeUniSC team by phone 07 5456 3864 or email safe@usc.edu.au.

The SafeUniSC Specialist Service is a Student Wellbeing service that provides free and confidential support to students who may have experienced or observed behaviour that could cause fear, offence or trauma. To contact the service call 07 5430 1226 or email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au.

Study help

For help with course-specific advice, for example what information to include in your assessment, you should first contact your tutor, then your course coordinator, if needed.

If you require additional assistance, the Learning Advisers are trained professionals who are ready to help you develop a wide range of academic skills. Visit the Learning Advisers web page for more information, or contact Student Central for further assistance: +61 7 5430 2890 or studentcentral@usc.edu.au.

Wellbeing Services

Student Wellbeing provide free and confidential counselling on a wide range of personal, academic, social and psychological matters, to foster positive mental health and wellbeing for your academic success.

To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 1226.

AccessAbility Services

Ability Advisers ensure equal access to all aspects of university life. If your studies are affected by a disability, learning disorder mental health issue, injury or illness, or you are a primary carer for someone with a disability or who is considered frail and aged, AccessAbility Services can provide access to appropriate reasonable adjustments and practical advice about the support and facilities available to you throughout the University.

To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email AccessAbility@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 2890.

Links to relevant University policy and procedures

For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:

  • Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
  • Review of Assessment and Final Grades
  • Supplementary Assessment
  • Central Examinations
  • Deferred Examinations
  • Student Conduct
  • Students with a Disability

For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

Student Charter

UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.

General Enquiries

  • In person:
    • UniSC Sunshine Coast - Student Central, Ground Floor, Building C, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs
    • UniSC Moreton Bay - Service Centre, Ground Floor, Foundation Building, Gympie Road, Petrie
    • UniSC SouthBank - Student Central, Building A4 (SW1), 52 Merivale Street, South Brisbane
    • UniSC Gympie - Student Central, 71 Cartwright Road, Gympie
    • UniSC Fraser Coast - Student Central, Student Central, Building A, 161 Old Maryborough Rd, Hervey Bay
    • UniSC Caboolture - Student Central, Level 1 Building J, Cnr Manley and Tallon Street, Caboolture
  • Tel:+61 7 5430 2890
  • Email:studentcentral@usc.edu.au
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