You may be expected to benefit from the course programme in a number of ways through a heightened understanding of the issues, significant theoretical and intellectual engagement and the development of skills.

Subject knowledge and understanding:

At the end of the Postgraduate Diploma in Addiction Studies, you should be able to:

• critically engage with the conceptual complexities of the construct of addiction.
• be conversant with the theoretical frameworks developed to explain addiction and the advantages and disadvantages therewith.
• explain brain systems that give rise to cognition and behaviour both in a normal context and that associated with addiction and hence have a better insight on what works in prevention, treatment and reintegration..
• become conversant with national and international legal provisions regulating behaviours which are potentially addictive e.g. gaming, substances, gambling.
• critically evaluate the evidence on effective policy addressing addictive behaviour.
• critically evaluate the evidence on effective interventions addressing addictive behaviour.
• explain the patterns of addictive behaviour as they present themselves in the different periods of the lifespan.
• explain how structural variables such as gender, age, ethnicity etc. impact on addictive behaviour.

Intellectual development:

• develop critical thinking.
• gather and evaluate facts and assumptions about addictive behaviour.
• engage in a reflexive analysis of the complex and often contradictory theoretical positions on addictive behaviour and how they inform policy, practice and prevention.
• develop an evidence-based understanding of addiction.
• develop an evidence-based understanding of programmes in the areas of prevention, treatment and reintegration.
• critically engage with the strengths and weaknesses of different research paradigms.
• relate a research question to a research paradigm.
• discuss key ethical issues in conducting research in the field of addictive behaviour.

Key/transferable skills:

• conduct research independently.
• present and argue your positions on addictive behaviour.
• apply research and theory to policy.
• apply research and theory to practice.

Other skills relevant to employability and personal development:

• synthesise knowledge on addictive behaviour with the competencies developed in a first cycle degree.
• apply an understanding of addictive behaviour to the context of current employment/ further education.

Learning outcomes for M.Sc. in Addiction Studies:

In addition to the above learning outcomes, at the end of the M.Sc. Addictions Studies, following the writing of the postgraduate dissertation, you should be able to:

• become familiar with a specialised area of addiction studies through immersion in the subject matter while writing a dissertation.
• develop a research agenda and more specific research questions and locate your research agenda within a research paradigm.
• critically engage with the strengths and weaknesses of different research paradigms.
• discuss key ethical issues in conducting research in your chosen area within the field of addictive behaviour.
• demonstrate a critical attitude to research.
• design and implement a study effectively.
• use the existent literature effectively.
• collect and analyse data in a scholarly manner.
• arrive at evidence-based conclusions.
• write a dissertation that may be adapted for publication.
• adhere to ethical principles at all stage of the research project.