Units

---

Sample subject outline - Semester 1 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

Drugs, both legal and illegal, present many challenges to individuals, their families and communities as well as the criminal justice and health systems in Australia. This course examines issues and inter-relationships between drugs and crime. The course includes a detailed examination of drug use in Australia, including trends, patterns of usage and explanations for illicit drug use. A concentrated examination of the relationships between drugs and crime is a key focus as well as the current state of policy responses to drug control and prevention in Australia and internationally.

Aims

The course embraces a multidisciplinary approach to examining drugs and crime, which includes pharmacological, historical, sociological, criminological and public policy considerations. Overall, the course provides students with greater awareness about the nature of drug use in Australia, the associated effects of drug use, the consequences and explanations for usage and explanations for the drugs-crime nexus. Policies to address drug problems in Australia and abroad will be assessed. Students will develop skills that will help them to evaluate responses to drug use in Australia and acquire practical knowledge related to conducting research on the consequences of drug use and the effectiveness of criminal justice interventions.

Objectives

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:
1. Understand different patterns and dimensions of drug use.
2. Demonstrate an ability to collect and analysis data that measures the nature and extent of drug use and crime in Australia.
3. Critically assess the effectiveness of different drug control and prevention strategies.
4. Collect, analyse and organise information and ideas related to drugs and crime and to convey those ideas clearly in writing.
5. Scan for and conduct research on issues related to drugs and crime and complete tasks in set timeframes.

Content

Week 1: Course introduction: history and use patterns
Week 2: Drugs & crime
Week 3: Cannabis
Week 4: Opiates
Week 5: Cocaine
Week 6: Amphetamine Type Stimulants (ATS)
Week 7: Ecstasy (MDMA)
Week 8: (PMA)
Week 9: Semester Break
Week 10: Other Illicit Drugs
Week 11: Alcohol & tobacco
Week 12: Legal & policy dimension of drug crime
Week 13: Enforcement & prevention programs (domestic c & international approaches)
Week 14: Revision & exam preparation.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

This unit is offered in both internal and external mode. Internal mode delivery requires students to attend both a Weekly 2 hr lecture and 1 hr Tutorial. Tutorials will involve student discussions, activities and presentations based on issues raised in the lectures, readings and course Workbook. External mode delivery requires students to engage in weekly topics contained in the comprehensive Study Guide, access the audio streamed lectures and participate in the online forum conducted in the unit's Blackboard site. Internal and external students should follow the weekly questions contained in the study guide.

Assessment

Refer to the Unit Information Guide JSB378 for the complete details on assessment requirements. Assessment is both formative and summative.Students will receive feedback in various forms throughout the semester which may include:

Informal: worked examples, such as verbal feedback in class, personal consultation
Formal: in writing, e.g. criteria sheets, written commentary
Direct: to individual students, either in written form or in consultation
Indirect: to the whole class

Assessment name: Presentation (Oral or Group)
Description: Tutorial Presentation. In scheduled weeks internal students will be required to present in the tutorials on a topic selected from the course content. Topics will be allocated in the first tutorial in Week 2. Submission is scheduled on a weekly basis throughout the semester. Length: 20-30 minutes.
Relates to objectives: This piece of assessment relates to learning outcomes 1-5 of the unit.
Weight: 20%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Group
Due date: Ongoing

Assessment name: Discussion Forum
Description: Discussion Forum Participation on Blackboard. External students are required to participate in an online discussion forum via Blackboard, focussing on specific issues raised during the course and in the prescribed reading material.

One discussion thread will be established for each area of course content by the Unit Coordinator. The course coordinator may help to initiate discussion and lodge questions into Blackboard to help generate dialogue between external students.

Submission: External students will be expected to choose three (3) of their best posts to the discussion forum for submission and assessment in the final week of semester. Submissions should be printed by students and submitted in the same way as an assignment.
Relates to objectives: This piece of assessment relates to objectives 1-5 of the unit.
Weight: 20%
Internal or external: External
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Ongoing

Assessment name: Essay
Description: Description: Students will be expected to complete one short written exercise drawn from a selection of three (3) topics set by the Unit Coordinators. Topics will be posted on Blackboard in the second week of semester.

Submission date: end of Week 9.
Length: total length of the written exercise is 2000 words maximum not including any reference lists.
Relates to objectives: This piece of assessment relates to objectives 1-5 of the unit.
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: Both
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Week 9

Assessment name: Examination (written)
Description: End of Semester Exam. The exam will be held in the central examination period and comprise a series of multiple choice questions and answers. More information on the exam will be posted closer to the date.
Relates to objectives: This piece of assessment relates to learning outcomes 1-5 of the unit.
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: Both
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Exam period

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

Required textbook: There is no prescribed textbook for this unit.
Prescribed readings: All reading materials for this course are available on the JSB378 QUT Blackboard site() site under Learning Resources. Note that these readings are prescribed, in other words students must read them during study this unit.

Risk assessment statement

There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with this unit.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 07-Aug-2012