Course Syllabus

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Penn State, College of Health and Human Development

BBH 143

Drugs, Behavior, and Health

Contents

Instructor

  • Instructor: To Be Determined
  • Email: To Be Determined
  • Phone: (814) XXX-XXXX

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Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change. Instructors will notify students of any changes and students will be responsible for abiding them. Even if you print this syllabus, please check the online version, especially the course summary (schedule), often.

Course Description

The primary objective of this course is to review information related to the use of recreational and therapeutic drugs like alcohol, nicotine, opiates, caffeine, prescription drugs, etc. We will discuss the biological mechanisms of these substances and how the use of these substances impacts the health and well-being of the individual. We will explore how drug use affects society and will cover social norms related to drug use, laws pertaining to drug use, and the historic context of drug use. We will investigate underlying biological, psychological, and social reasons for drug use and misuse.

  • Number of credits: 3

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Objectives

By the end of this course you should be able to:

  1. Identify important historical and contemporary contextual information regarding the use of recreational and therapeutic drugs.
  2. Recognize and recall terminology related to pharmacological principles like drug action, drug metabolism, drug elimination, etc.
  3. Identify neurobiological mechanisms associated with the action of common recreational and therapeutic drugs.
  4. Recognize current hypotheses regarding drug abuse and addiction.

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Materials

There is no required text for this course.

Additional course readings and supplemental materials are available through the course content.

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Library Services

Penn State Libraries provides a wide variety of services and resources. To learn how to take advantage, refer to the Online Student Library Guide. This guide serves as your starting point for access to all that Penn State Libraries offers you as an online student. Use this guide if you have questions on library services offered to you, how the library can help you, how to use the library, or what resources you can access via the library. The guide will connect you to important pages and resources within Penn State Libraries and save time from you searching for the information you need.

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Assignments

Basic information about each assignment group is provided in this section. For detailed directions about an individual assignment, see the assignment information in the Modules tab. Additionally, this section will include information related to due dates and late work policies.

Assignment and Grading Overview
Type of Assignment How Many % of Final Grade
Syllabus and Orientation Quiz 1 0%; required to complete
Academic Integrity Quiz 1 0%; required to complete
Lesson Quizzes 11 (lowest score dropped) 15%
Assignments and Discussions 10 35%
Exams 4 50%
Course Total  -  100%

Lesson Quizzes

There will be a quiz at the end of every lesson throughout the semester. Quizzes are based on the course content, assigned readings, and instructional videos covered within the corresponding lesson and consist of multiple-choice and true/false questions. The quizzes are designed to help you familiarize yourself with exam material.

The quizzes will be available for the entire week in which they are due and must be submitted by the end of the week in which they are due. You must take the quiz within this timeframe as there will be absolutely no makeups offered for quizzes. Refer to the Course Calendar for due dates.

The lowest quiz score will be dropped from the final grade, therefore, no make-ups or late submissions will be permitted for any reason.

Notes:

  1. We do NOT recommend taking quizzes using the Canvas mobile app; use the web version of Canvas.
  2. Your work will automatically be saved as you complete the quiz. If you experience technical difficulties, contact the HelpDesk and your instructor immediately.

Syllabus and Orientation Quiz

A brief quiz will require you to answer some key questions about the syllabus and orientation. Although this quiz will NOT be graded, it is a REQUIRED part of the course. To access material after the first lesson in this course, you must complete this syllabus and orientation quiz and score 100% (20 out of 20 points). You will have unlimited attempts to do so. Refer to the Course Calendar for due dates.

Academic Integrity Quiz

A brief quiz will require you to answer some key questions about academic integrity. Although this quiz will NOT be graded, it is a REQUIRED part of the course. To access material after the first lesson in this course, you must complete this academic integrity quiz and score at least 11 out of 12 points. You have 3 opportunities to do so. Refer to the Course Calendar for due dates.

Assignments and Discussions

Assignments

During the semester, you will have a few assignments that involve a variety of different tasks, including practicing using references and citations to prepare you for other course assignments and analyzing controversial topics. You also will write one short paper. Detailed instructions, including grading rubrics, will be posted within each of the assignments.

Discussions

There are several discussion forums required throughout the course. Instructions for these are included in the discussion description and participation requirements.

See the Course Calendar for topics and deadlines. These discussions will allow you to think about and express your opinions on various course topics. You will also be able to interact with your classmates and generate an exchange of ideas rather than just one-way communication from student to instructor. Productive and active participation is required. The discussions will be guided through a series of questions or instructions, but the intent is for all students to contribute with substantive knowledge gained through the course lessons and readings, through research on the internet, and through life experiences thus far.

Discussion Due Dates: Initial posts are expected to be posted by Wednesday of the discussion week, and replies to classmates must be posted by Sunday.

Discussion Assignment Listing on Calendar:

The initial posting and response will both take place within the discussion assignment area, but will each have a separate due date. For example, on the course calendar:

  1. Initial Postings: the initial posting for the L02 Addiction or Not Discussion will be listed as L02 Addiction or Not Discussion Initial Reply.
  2. Responding to Peers: responding to peers for the L02 Addiction or Not Discussion will be listed as L02 Addiction or Not Discussion.

This will be the same format that will be used throughout the course for all discussions.

Please view the Discussion Assignments page within the Orientation module for pointers and policies for interacting within class discussions. All discussion forums will be available on the course site within the Modules tab.

Refer to the Discussion Forum Rubrics for grading expectations. You can view this within each Discussion Forum assignment.

Note: If you are using a mobile device, you may not be able to view the rubric from within the discussion forum.

Exams

Exams will assess your knowledge, comprehension, and integration of course content, classroom discussions, videos, and assigned reading materials. There are four (4) non-cumulative exams in this course:

  1. Exam 1 will include content from Lessons 1-3.
  2. Exam 2 will include content from Lessons 4-6 (everything after Exam 1).
  3. Exam 3 will include content from Lessons 7-8 (everything after Exam 2).
  4. Exam 4 (Final) will include content from Lessons 9-11 (everything after Exam 3).

They will consist of multiple-choice and true/false questions.

Exams in this course are CLOSED BOOK and ARE proctored. You are not allowed to use course content, classroom discussions, videos, assigned reading materials, and any other materials while you take the exams.

Online Exam Proctoring Service

Honorlock will proctor your exams this semester. Honorlock is an online proctoring service that allows you to take your exam from the comfort of your home. You DO NOT need to create an account or schedule an appointment in advance. Honorlock is available 24/7, and all that is required is a computer, a working webcam/microphone, your ID, and a stable internet connection. A couple of notes about this:

      • Devices: You must use the web version of Canvas, no mobile devices.
      • Ethernet Internet Connection: We strongly recommend using an Ethernet Internet connection since they are the most stable. If you do not choose to use an Ethernet Internet connection, you may experience connectivity issues (i.e., dropped or lost connections). Test your connectivity speed prior to taking the exam by using the Honorlock - Internet Speed Test Links to an external site.. If you have reason to think your connectivity may be unstable during an exam, please alert your instructor ahead of time.

To get started, you must use Google Chrome and install the Honorlock Chrome Extension. A note about extensions:

      • Extensions: If you have an extension from another proctoring platform (e.g., Examity) installed in your Chrome browser, you must remove it before you can use Honorlock. Both extensions cannot co-exist.

Prior to taking your first exam, you will take a practice quiz to ensure you are able to access and complete a quiz using the Honorlock system. More information about Honorlock will be provided prior to the first exam.

Exams are available to take for several days and must be submitted by the due date. Because exams are offered for several days, there will be no makeups offered except in the most severe of circumstances. Exam 4 will be completed during the Final Exam period. Refer to the Course Calendar for due dates.

Due Dates

All assignments are due by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the date indicated on the Calendar, unless noted otherwise. (Due dates can be also be viewed under the Syllabus tab.) Please be aware that Canvas follows the Eastern Time (ET) time zone. Assignment due dates adhere to this time zone, and it is your responsibility to submit assignments accordingly. If you are outside of the ET time zone, you can set your Canvas account to sync to it. Refer to the Set a Time Zone article in the Canvas Guide Links to an external site..

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Grading

Final grades will be assigned based on the following grading scheme. There will be NO final grade rounding (per BBH departmental policy). There will be NO special opportunities for grade enhancement unless such opportunities are provided to all students.

Course Grading Scheme
Grade Percentage
A 100% to 94%
A- <94% to 90%
B+ <90% to 87%
B <87% to 84%
B- <84% to 80%
C+ <80% to 77%
C <77% to 70%
D <70% to 60%
F <60% to 0%


Additional Links and Resources

Review information related to technical requirements, Penn State policies, and student resources.

  • Technical Requirements
    • This document provides guidance on the technology and software required to successfully complete this online course.  Students should familiarize themselves with the various technologies used to enhance learning and participation in this course.
  • University Policies
    • This document includes university policies about copyright, nondiscrimination and equity, disability accommodations, military accommodations, counseling, artificial intelligence, and academic integrity.
  • Digital Learning Tools
    • This document provides an overview of the common technology tools used at Penn State and includes helpful guides, tutorials, and videos to get started.
  • Student Health, Well-Being, Career, and Financial Resources
    • This document provides helpful student health and well-being resources including links and contact information for crisis, general health, disability services, sexual misconduct, college and career services, and campus life.

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Course Summary:

Date Details Due