PSY3190 Addiction studies
Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
PSY3190 Addiction studies is a level 3, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, offered in 2026 in Semester 1 at Clayton. It needs PSY1011 and (PSY1022 or PSY1023).
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2026
- Semester 1
- Clayton
- Assessment
- No exam
- 3 tasks
This is the 2026 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before PSY3190
Prerequisites
Pass these before you enrol.
After PSY3190
No unit lists PSY3190 as a prerequisite in the 2026 handbook.
Enrolment rules
Must have passed 48 credit points.
Overview
The unit will give you an overview of issues related to addictive behaviours.
You will be introduced to biological, psychological, and social perspectives on defining and explaining addictive behaviours, and we will look at how these approaches help us understand addiction today. While we will focus on substance use, we will also investigate behavioural addictions such as gambling, online behaviours, and food/eating. Public policies and research evidence relating to the prevention, assessment, and treatment of addictive behaviours will also be discussed. The unit will end with a look at current issues in the field, and new treatment options.
Offerings in 2026
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| First semester | Clayton | On campus |
Assessment
- Case study response (2,500 words)Written45%
- Media campaignWritten35%
- Test series (12 x weekly Moodle quizzes)Artefact20%
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Discuss biological, psychological and social perspectives on addictive behaviours.
- 2
Critically evaluate Australian approaches to addiction policy, prevention, and harm reduction.
- 3
Appraise the evidence for various approaches used for assessing and treating addictive behaviours.
- 4
Apply contemporary theories and research evidence to solve real-world problems relating to addiction.
Workload and teaching
- Tutorials19 hours
- Lectures24 hours
2 hours of lectures per week.
2 hours of tutorials 9 times per semester.
Induction tutorial: pre-recorded unit introduction by UC/CE, available for students during O-week/Week 1
Preparation: 8 hours background reading/preparation for lectures, tutorials and assessment tasks per week. Attendance at tutorials is recommended in order to successfully complete in-class activities and related assessment tasks.
Learning resources
Required resources
See Moodle for details about required resources.
Contacts
- Chief Examiners
- Dr Kim Johnston