Mental Health and Substance Use (Dual Diagnosis) MSc

This module is designed to develop students understanding of a range of advanced inquiry methodologies appropriate for practitioners, in order to design a real work based project that has clear objectives related to their own professional development or the development of practice in their settings. They will be expected to focus on specific service, organisational or practice related issues and take initiative and leadership. It will explore approaches to advanced practitioner inquiry and innovative methods appropriate for their area of practice. It will enable critical reflection upon their position as a 'practitioner or insider researcher' and the ethical implications that could arise during the project.

This module is a culmination of a student's Masters study and provides the opportunity to synthesise professional and academic learning. It will support students to undertake a substantial work based project that is designed to develop their own professional practice and address a practice, organisational or service issue that the student has already identified in their workplace or professional field. Building on their understanding of advanced practitioner inquiry methodologies, they will be encouraged to consider improvement and leadership strategies to support the successful management of their project and to deliver real outcomes that have the potential to transform practice.

This module aims: 1. To engage students in scholarly enquiry to develop a critical understanding of social science research 2. For the student to develop research capability through formulating and implementing a proposal for research related to their field of practice.

MSc Mental Health and Substance Use (PDF).

Motivational interviewing is an approach to counselling which helps individuals work through ambivalence toward change. Originally developed in the drug and alcohol field, MI is now being widely applied in a variety of settings, including social services, health care, mental health, public health, and criminal justice. This module has been developed to assist students to gain mastery in the evidence for the efficacy of Motivational Interviewing and how it links to behavioural theory; and to explore its application to the student’s area of practice as part of the ‘process of change’ across a range of health and lifestyle behaviours.

Students' will be encouraged to master skills in cognitive behavioural strategies and techniques, based upon critical examination of theory and practice as applied to their own work with individuals with mental health problems.

Students will be enabled to assess, reduce and positively manage risks specific to mental health - exploring clinical, social and organisational contexts of risk. Students will increase their knowledge, develop skills and master strategies to address aspects of risk.

Promoting social inclusion and recovery lies at the heart of current mental health services and care. Students will engage with contemporary theory, research and policy and will critically review service developments and synthesise information and ideas from a review of service.

Using a ‘life course’ approach, this module aims to develop skills in the interpretation of different stages in the course of substance use and addiction through an examination of drug use patterns and addiction theories. It also aims to enable students to critically evaluate the different theoretical approaches and develop the abilities in applying them to policies, strategies and interventions.

This module aims to provide managers and practitioners with the opportunity to explore legislation and policy directions in public and community services. There will be a focus on the impact of the practitioner's role in leading the development of services in a way that gives high importance to quality enhancing.

This module aims to develop advanced skills in the application of criminological theories and concepts in relation to drugs, drug use, and drugs control and in critically analysing the relationship between drugs and crime. Students will critically evaluate the laws, policies and institutions of drugs control within their social, political and economic contexts and compare and contrast the role of the criminal justice system in responding to drugs in various countries. The module also aims to foster a critical interest in the reform of drugs control policy and institutions at both national and international levels.

The module aims to develop the student's knowledge and skills to enable them to work effectively within the context of leadership and service development within the workplace. Students will be facilitated to develop their own leadership role within their chosen profession, and to explore and evaluate their own leadership style. The module aims to integrate the common needs of different groups of leaders (and where relevant managers) by focussing on the theoretical underpinnings of leadership but being flexible enough to facilitate the direct application of these knowledge and skills in the workplace.

This module is designed to develop students understanding of a range of advanced inquiry methodologies appropriate for practitioners, in order to design a real work based project that has clear objectives related to their own professional development or the development of practice in their settings. They will be expected to focus on specific service, organisational or practice related issues and take initiative and leadership. It will explore approaches to advanced practitioner inquiry and innovative methods appropriate for their area of practice. It will enable critical reflection upon their position as a 'practitioner or insider researcher' and the ethical implications that could arise during the project.

This module is a culmination of a student's Masters study and provides the opportunity to synthesise professional and academic learning. It will support students to undertake a substantial work based project that is designed to develop their own professional practice and address a practice, organisational or service issue that the student has already identified in their workplace or professional field. Building on their understanding of advanced practitioner inquiry methodologies, they will be encouraged to consider improvement and leadership strategies to support the successful management of their project and to deliver real outcomes that have the potential to transform practice.

This module aims: 1. To engage students in scholarly enquiry to develop a critical understanding of social science research 2. For the student to develop research capability through formulating and implementing a proposal for research related to their field of practice.

MSc Mental Health and Substance Use (PDF).

On this course, all teaching and learning is online. You will meet, work and study with other students and your tutors virtually so you can learn at your own pace, in your own time.

Each module involves a variety of assessments including coursework, reports, case studies, viva voce assessment, digital story, critical appraisal of leadership and service-related research projects.

Once enrolled you will access the course learning materials and discussions via the University's student portal and virtual learning environment, Unihub which is available 24/7. Tutorial support will be provided in MyLearning, the university online teaching portal. Additional help will be offered via email, telephone and video conferencing to all distance learning students during term time.

You can study from wherever suits you, provided you can connect to the internet.

Whether you are studying full or part-time – your course timetable will balance your study commitments on campus with time for work, life commitments and independent study.

We aim to make timetables available to students at least 2 weeks before the start of term. Some weeks are different due to how we schedule classes and arrange on-campus sessions.

In a typical year, you’ll spend about 1200 hours on your course.

Outside of teaching hours, you’ll learn independently through reading articles and books, working on projects, undertaking research, and preparing for assessments including coursework and presentations.

Typical weekly breakdown

A typical week looks like this:

Learning terms

Online learning: This is teaching that is delivered online using tools like MS Teams or Zoom, as well as work that you do yourself using online teaching resources.

Independent study: This is the work you do in your own time including reading and research.

There are no exams but your coursework will be assessed.

Assessment is an integral part of learning and you may hear it referred to as formative or summative. Formative assessment is primarily developmental in nature and is designed to give you feedback on your performance and how it can be improved. As a result, you will get detailed feedback but will not receive a grade for the formative assessment.

Summative assessment is designed to measure the extent to which you have achieved the intended learning outcomes of a module and therefore the appropriate grade to be awarded. Summative assessment should assess the achievement of all learning outcomes in a secure, fair and accurate manner and on this course will mainly consist of writing assessments (research proposal, critiquing a research paper, literature review, or dissertation).

Please see the module narratives or module handbooks for more information on the assessment for each module.

We aim to give prompt feedback on your learning and achievements, as well as opportunities to reflect upon and learn from that feedback. You will also have one-to-one tutorials with your dissertation supervisor to help you develop the project/research proposal and ideas for writing the dissertation.

In addition to the one-to-one sessions, you'll be invited to attend group research workshops with your research tutors and fellow students/peers to encourage peer-led research knowledge and transfer of shared learning.