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Drugs That Shape Society (UNIB20008)
Undergraduate level 2Points: 12.5Dual-Delivery (Parkville)
Please refer to the return to campus page for more information on these delivery modes and students who can enrol in each mode based on their location.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 2
Subject Coordinators
Assoc Prof James Ziogas
jamesz@unimelb.edu.au
Dr Michelle Hansen
mjhansen@unimelb.edu.au
Dr Rosa McCarty
rmccarty@unimelb.edu.au
Administrative Coordination
BiomedSci-AcademicServices@unimelb.edu.au
Overview
Availability | Semester 2 - Dual-Delivery |
---|---|
Fees | Look up fees |
Drugs that Shape Society is a compelling story of drugs that provides insight to us as individuals and as a society. Drugs impact our lives in many different ways. Social responses to their use have shaped our laws, the health system, commerce – even foreign policies.
In Australia the use of therapeutic drugs is carefully regulated to maintain cost and safety, some recreational drugs are taxed heavily to provide government income, while others are banned and huge costs are incurred attempting to prevent their use. Other countries have a different blend of risk, responsibility and regulation.
Drugs that Shape Society is a University breadth subject available to all second-year students. Using a case-study approach, students will explore the scientific, social, historical and legal issues associated with alcohol, opiates, tobacco, penicillin and thalidomide.
Any drug use carries risk – medical, social, ethical and legal. Who has been, or is, responsible for managing that risk? What is the role of policy and regulation in minimising risk and assigning responsibility? These questions will be explored by consideration of the scientific, ethical and economic factors determining drug development; the addictive nature of certain drugs, the striking contrasts between drug marketing strategies, ranging from illegal dealing to professional multi-facted advertising; and the risks associated with legal and illicit drug use and abuse.
Lectures will provide basic information about the processes leading to the development of the drugs, their mechanism of action, the historical context of their impact on society, and how this has been handled legally. Tutorials and small group work will allow students to discuss and debate the issues raised and to put them into the context of their own experiences.
Intended learning outcomes
By the end of this unit students will
- Have an understanding of the scientific basis of the action of the drugs studied, the historical context of their impact on society and the mores and legal responses of societies to these drugs, and drugs in general;
- Be able to examine critically, synthesis and evaluate knowledge pertaining to drugs across a range of disciplines;
- Participate in collaborative learning and respond to issues associated with drug use in society;
- Engage in meaningful public discourse, with an awareness of the impact of drugs in society and the needs of the community in response to this;
- Have a broad understanding of the impact of drug development and utilisation, with a high regard for ethics.
Generic skills
On completion of this subject students should
- Have an appreciation of different perspectives about the way that society can be shaped by contingent factors and by human nature;
- Be exposes to and practice a variety of ways of knowing and should develop cognitive skill that will support life-long learning;
- Be adept at learning in a range of ways.
Last updated: 19 March 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 19 March 2024
Assessment
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
One written assessment
| Mid semester | 25% |
Continuing assessment - regular online tests, tutorial tasks, report on the Magistrates Court visit | Throughout the teaching period | 25% |
Examination
| End of semester | 50% |
Hurdle requirement: Completion of a field trip to the Magistrates Court is compulsory and at least 80% attendance at tutorials is required. | N/A |
Last updated: 19 March 2024
Dates & times
- Semester 2
Principal coordinator James Ziogas Coordinators Michelle Hansen and Rosa McCarty Mode of delivery Dual-Delivery (Parkville) Contact hours 2 x 1hr lectures per week, 1 x 1hr tutorial per week Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 26 July 2021 to 24 October 2021 Last self-enrol date 6 August 2021 Census date 31 August 2021 Last date to withdraw without fail 24 September 2021 Assessment period ends 19 November 2021 Semester 2 contact information
Subject Coordinators
Assoc Prof James Ziogas
jamesz@unimelb.edu.auDr Michelle Hansen
mjhansen@unimelb.edu.auDr Rosa McCarty
rmccarty@unimelb.edu.auAdministrative Coordination
BiomedSci-AcademicServices@unimelb.edu.au
Time commitment details
170 hours
Last updated: 19 March 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Stephens, T & Brynner R, (2001) Dark Remedy: The Impact of Thalidomide and its Revival as a Vital Medicine, Perseus Publishing, Cambridge, Massachusetts ISBN 0-738-0404-8 Also available as eBook.
Alison Ritter, Trevor King, Margaret Hamilton (2013), Drug Use in Australian Society, Oxford University Press ISBN 978-0-19-551886-3
Recommended texts and other resources
Merchants of Doubt:
How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco Smoke to Global Warming
Oreskes, Naomi & Conway, Erik
(edition: 2011)
ISBN/APN: 9781408824665
A primer of drug action, Julien, Advozat, Comaty, 2011, (Worth Publishers).
ISBN 13: 978-1-4292-3343-9
ISBN 10: 1-4292-3343-5 - Breadth options
This subject is available as breadth in the following courses:
- Bachelor of Arts
- Bachelor of Biomedicine
- Bachelor of Commerce
- Bachelor of Design
- Bachelor of Environments
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Animation)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Film and Television)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Production)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Screenwriting)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Theatre)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Visual Art)
- Bachelor of Music
- Bachelor of Science
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 19 March 2024