Course Overview

This course is designed to give students the nature and effects of specific substances from all major classes on human beings from the physiological, psychological, and sociological viewpoints. The information presented in this course is constantly changing and updated in real time.

Course Outcomes

1. Differentiate the major classes of drugs including pharmacology, drug name, and regulations.
2. Identify drug types within each major classification including the history and current use/misuse.
3. Differentiate the risks and benefits of each drug example.
4. Recognize the physiological and psychological effects of each major drug type.
5. Explain the impacts of drug use/addiction/dependency on individuals and communities.

Requirements

• No prerequisites
• Minimum Technology Requirements
  • Please read through the Computer Standards for Students to know the minimum technology requirements for this course.

Grading Schemes

Standard BYU-Idaho Grading Scale
93-100%	A		90-92.9%	A-		87-89.9%	B+
83-86.9%	B		80-82.9%	B-		77-79.9%	C+
73-76.9%	C		70-72.9%	C-		67-69.9%	D+
63-66.9%	D		60-62.9%	D-		Below 60%	F

Don’t expect your final grade to be rounded up. You have all semester to earn your grade; therefore, do not email your instructor at the end of the semester asking to round up your grade. Your grade will be determined by dividing the number of points you earn out of the total possible points for the course and multiplying them by 100. That percentage will determine your final letter grade using the grading scale listed below.

Course Structure

The PUBH 460 course is structured around the following topics:

Week 01: Drugs Overview

Week 02: Pharmacology & Drug Actions

Week 03: Over the Counter & Prescription Drugs

Week 04: Opioids

Week 05: Hallucinogens/Psychedelics/Dissociative Drugs

Week 06: Stimulants I

Week 07: Stimulants II

Week 08: Inhalants & Cannabis

Week 09: Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs)

Week 10: Depressants I

Week 11: Depressants II

Week 12: Tobacco I

Week 13: Tobacco II

Week 14: Final

 

Weekly Assignments (Activities)

The table below is meant to help you see the relevance of each assignment as it pertains to the course outcomes.

Major Assignment	Description	Course Outcome #
Study Quizzes	All Weeks	1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Weekly Activities	All Weeks	1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Final	This is a culminating assignment, which assesses the overall understanding of the principles presented in the course.	1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Weekly Patterns

The table below displays typical weekly activities, due dates, and activity descriptions. 

Due Date*	Learning Model	Activity Title	Description
Beginning	Prepare	Study Materials	Study materials associated with the weeks topic(s).
Midweek	Prove	Study Quiz	Quiz over the weeks study and lecture material.
End of Week	Prove	Application activities	Apply principles related to the week’s topic(s).

*Set your time zone (MST) within user preferences so the dates and times for course activities & study quizzes will display correctly for your time zone.

Learning Model

As in all BYU-Idaho courses, this course will utilize the BYUI Learning Model. Students will Prepare by completing the assigned study materials each week. Students will have opportunities to teach one another during which they will share their ideas and understanding of the material during a few activities. Finally, students will Ponder and Prove by applying the concepts learned to scenarios presented in activities.

Expectations

Weekly Quizzes

Each week there will be a quiz covering the study and lecture material. Each quiz will be taken through Canvas and can be taken a total of two times. You will be able to use your notes on the quizzes but there will be a time restriction. It is important to study the material before you take each quiz.

Feedback

You can expect to receive grades and feedback within 7 days of the due date for all assignments.

Workload

Students can expect nine hours of work per week.

Personal Experiences

Due to the subject matter covered in this course, please do not share personal experiences. You or one of your peers could (1) currently be struggling with addiction, (2) have taken drugs/alcohol in the past, or (3) know someone personally who has taken drugs and sharing that information openly can distract from the outcomes. The information covered in this course or the discussions in class can be personal for some people, especially if they are struggling. For this purpose, I ask you to NOT share personal experiences using the first-person during class. Form your experience into a question or state you “know someone who...” I encourage you to ask questions and avoid assumptions about the material.

• Respect: Addiction and naivety to the topics are real issues for individuals. You will have the opportunity to understand what addiction is and how to deal with your own vices in life. This class is not a forum to condemn those who suffer from addiction of any form or is it a support group. If you feel you need additional help with issues brought up in class, please contact me outside of class or seek appropriate help from professionals.

DISCLAIMER:

Drug use/misuse and abuse is NOT pretty. You will see and hear information that for some is unbelievable and unheard. For some of you it might sound familiar and cause a flashback memory. My intention in this class is not to offend, shock, or gross you into a specific mindset. Drugs affect people mentally, physically, emotionally, and socially as well as affect our environment which affects all of us indirectly/directly.

I will give you all the pros and cons of these different substances. My aim in this course is to empower you with information so you can make better decisions on what you put into your body. If any of the topics relating to addiction are too personal at this time, then this might not be the right semester to be taking this course. Please be aware of your own limits and triggers.

Group Work

This course does not contain group work.

Late Work

All work will include a DUE and END date and time (MST) indicated on Canvas. As a sign of professionalism and respect, you should complete your work on time. I do understand that emergencies happen and so the END date and time will be two days past the DUE date and time. Assignments will not be accepted past the END date.

Retries

Retries on assignments are NOT available with this course.

Extra Credit

Extra credit is NOT available with this course.

Citing Work

All completed and submitted work will require APA citations. You will need to focus on the study materials provided in each module.   

 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Class Policy

AI is a new and powerful tool in higher education. It is being used in some amazing ways in prevention, public health, and the healthcare industry. It is important for you to understand the benefits and limits of AI in a professional setting. Your future employers may very well expect you to use AI appropriately and efficiently. Accordingly, in this course, students are allowed, and even encouraged, to use Generative AI in some ways, but are prohibited from using it in other ways.

Content produced by generative AI can “hallucinate” (produce false information) and having the right information in this course is very critical. As stated in the overview, the information presented in this course is constantly changing and updated in real time. Misinformation and disinformation is rampant throughout social media and cyberspace.  Hence, students are responsible for ensuring the accuracy of any AI-generated content. Students should not use generative AI on any assignment where it is prohibited or in any way that would violate the university’s Honor Code.

Students are permitted and encouraged to use generative AI in the following ways:

• Concept Understanding: Generative AI can be used to explain or simulate concepts taught in class, aiding in a deeper understanding. For example, you may use it to help gauge your understanding of specific terms and basic concepts.
• Brainstorming: AI can be used to both understand basic information about substances. AI should not replace traditional research methods, because of the amount of misinformation and disinformation published on pro and for-profit websites. The generated content must serve as a resource, not a final product. Be certain to check the AI information against credible sources.
• Citation Assistance: AI tools can be used to manage, format, and organize citations and references, promoting adherence to academic writing standards and specific style guides.
• Grammar and Style Evaluation: AI-powered writing enhancement tools may be used to help with spelling, grammar, syntax, and stylistic errors.

Students may not use generative AI in coursework in the following ways:

• Plagiarism: Using AI-generated content as your original work is not acceptable. This includes answers on an assignment/activity, quiz, discussion board post, and journal entry.
• Misrepresentation of Skills: Using generative AI to complete questions relating to understanding information, expansion on topics, and/or tasks that are meant to assess your knowledge and skills is not permitted.
• Confidentiality Breach: Using AI tools that might violate university policies or laws related to data privacy and confidentiality.

Using AI in homework completion, quizzes, or any other prohibited way may result in a failing grade for the assignment and the class. Additionally, all prohibited use of AI will be reported to the university Honor Office.

University Policies

Students with Disabilities

Brigham Young University-Idaho is committed to providing a working and learning atmosphere that accommodates qualified persons with disabilities. If you have a disability and require accommodations, please contact the Disability Services Office at (208) 496-9210 or visit their website and follow the Steps for Receiving Accommodations. Reasonable academic accommodation is reviewed for all students who have qualified documented disabilities. Services are coordinated with students and instructors by the Disability Services Office.

• If needed, this course may require synchronous meetings.  If you are currently registered with the Disability Services Office and need an interpreter or transcriber for these meetings, please contact the deaf and hard of hearing coordinator at (208) 496-9219.

Other University Policies

Student Honor and Other Policies

Please read through the document called University Policies. It gives important information about the following topics:

• Student Honor
• Academic Honesty
• Student Conduct
• Sexual Harassment
• Student with Disabilities
• Complaints and Grievances
• Copyright Notice

Go to the Student Resources module to review further resources and information.