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Substance Misuse and Addiction Studies Cert / Dip

Course Description

Why Choose This Course?

Fact File

Course Code: DSMAS

Course Title: Substance Misuse and Addiction Studies

College: Adult Continuing Education

Substance Misuse and Addiction Studies

Duration: 2 years

Teaching Mode: Part-Time

Tuesday evenings from 6 - 9:30pm during both semesters and there will be a number of Saturday workshops also that run from 9:30 - 4:30pm. Teaching will take place in the HSE St. Mary's Campus Guranabraher in the main and in the UCC main campus (for the Saturday workshops)

Qualifications: Cert / Dip

NFQ Level: Level 7

Costs: €990 per year. Students interested in pursuing professional accreditation with the Addiction Counsellors of Ireland will be required to engage in 50 hours of personal therapy and 100 hours of practice supervised by an accredited practice supervisor during training. This will entail additional costs for those students

Entry Requirements: Applicants must: Be at least 23 years of age by 1 January of the year of application; Submit a detailed application form prior to the closing date which will request applicants to present a supplemental statement indicating their reasons for applying for the course, who will support them, and the expected benefits to them personally and to their work or volunteering role. Applicants will be asked to include any employment or volunteering activities that may be relevant to this course as well as details of any other academic or professional training that they may have undertaken. Applicants will also be asked to provide the names and details of two persons who are willing to act as Referees. Applicants who are successfully shortlisted will be invited for Interview.

Closing Date: TBC

Next Intake: TBC

Overview

This new and exciting part-time Diploma in Substance Misuse and Addiction Studies course invites students to engage with one of the most important contemporary issues of societal concern.  The course will provide students with an introduction to the knowledge, skills and values required to equip health and social care professionals and volunteers to loosen the grip that substance misuse and addiction has on the health and well-being of individuals, families, communities and the health, social care and criminal justice resources of the state. Students will be provided with an understanding of how history, culture, addiction theory and policy inform and shape societal discourse, service provision and practice. They will receive grounding in the theoretical knowledge, models of addiction treatment, and the practical helping skills and values that underpin ethical practice in the field. Teaching on the Diploma will draw on contributions from a variety of academic and practice disciplines from both UCC and the HSE in the areas of social science, law, public health and epidemiology, to counselling, nursing, psychology and medicine.

Course Details

Year 1 Modules (30 Credits)

  • SS1834 Understanding Drugs in a Social Context (5 Credits)
  • SS1835 The Role of Drug and Alcohol Policy (5 Credits) 
  • SS1836 Theories of Addiction and Practical Models of Intervention (5 Credits)
  • SS1837 Diverse Client Presentations (5 Credits)
  • SS1838 Basic Intervention Skills (5 Credits)
  • SS1839 Substance Misuse Prevention with Young People and Families (5 Credits)

Year 2 Modules (30 Credits)

  • SS2828 Facilitating Change in One-to-One and Group Settings (5 Credits)
  • SS2829 Introduction to Motivational Interviewing (5 Credits)
  • SS2830 An Introduction to Working with Dual Diagnosis (5 Credits)
  • SS2831 Relapse Management (5 Credits)
  • SS2832 Practice Placement – Initial Assessment of Client Need, Comprehensive Assessment of Client Need, Care-planning and Working with other Professionals and Settings (10 Credits)

Detailed Entry Requirements

At interview, each applicant will be invited to:
1) discuss their application form;
2) outline their experience in the area of addiction;
3) demonstrate a level of interest in working or volunteering with those affected by substance misuse;
4) identify the potential application of the learning from the programme;
5) demonstrate their ability to cope with the academic demands of the programme;
6) demonstrate a level of self-awareness, maturity and stability, an ability to cope with emotional demands of the programme and an ability to be open and to reflect on oneself and one’s life experiences and communicate that to the interviewers.

Applicants that disclose a personal recovery process are required to be 2-years post-treatment before applying for the programme.

English Language Requirement: All applicants whose first language is not English must have attained IELTS Level 6.5 with no minimum individual sections 5.5 or the equivalent TOEFL score.

Applicants must satisfy Garda Vetting requirements.

Course Practicalities

Students will attend for lectures, seminars and workshops one evening per week between 6pm and 9:30pm per academic year in addition to a number of Saturday workshops. Consistent with the ethos of Adult Continuing Education at UCC, students will be fully supported with a range of academic supports including writing and referencing skills and a library tour and presentation on how to access and research information. Students are also entitled to access the full range of UCC pastoral supports including Student Health & Counselling, the Chaplaincy and Disability Supports as necessary.  Students proceeding to year 2 of the Diploma will have the opportunity to undertake a placement in a recognised treatment, rehabilitation or harm reduction setting where they will be supported and supervised by an experienced practitioner.

Assessment

Students on the Diploma in Substance Misuse and Addiction Studies will engage in a range of diverse and interesting assignments which demonstrate that the expected learning outcomes of various modules have been achieved. There are no end of year examinations on this course. Assignments will consist of written essays, reflective journals/portfolios, presentations, case study role-plays and real-play examples of practice, and group projects. Students will also have the opportunity to visit some relevant addiction treatment settings. In Year 2, students will be Garda vetted and will complete 150 hours of placement in a recognised treatment, rehabilitation or harm reduction setting. Students on placement will be supported and supervised by an experienced practitioner.

Who Teaches This Course

The programme will be jointly co-ordinated and delivered by UCC and the Health Service Executive (HSE) Cork Kerry Community Healthcare Addiction Services. Teaching staff come from academic staff in a variety of UCC Departments and Schools including Adult and Continuing Education (ACE), Applied Social Studies, Law, Applied Psychology, Epidemiology and Public Health as well as experienced HSE Addiction service personnel. HSE lecturers have expertise in substance misuse prevention, community-based and residential addiction treatment, continuing care and research, policy development and implementation, medical, nursing, psychology, mental health, counselling, social work, social care, youth work, family support, law, health promotion and improvement, community development, community work and homeless services.

Further Contact Information

Dr. Ciara Staunton
Programme Co-ordinator
E: c.staunton@ucc.ie
T: +353 (0)21 490 4701

Robert O’Driscoll
E: robert.odriscoll@hse.ie
T: +353 (0)21 496 8933

 

Apply Online

Currently closed for application

Contact us

E: Dr Ciara Staunton

P: +353 (0)21 490 4701 / 021-4968933
W: Website

Related Courses:

The BSocSc (Hons) is a three-year, full-time honours degree programme during which students are provided with a broad grounding in Social Policy, Sociology, Studies in Psychology, Economics and Philosophy. The First Year offers a foundation in the Social Sciences. The Second and Third Years of the degree emphasise applied learning and include a fieldwork project in the Second Year and a social analysis dissertation/project in the Third Year.

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