Blended

Each academic year requires attendance for 6 Fridays per semester. Students
are also required to complete additional blended learning activities via the Virtual Learning Environment.

The Master of Science in Therapeutic Interventions for Alcohol and Other Drugs aims to provide those working in the areas of Nursing, Health and Social Care to effectively deal with drugs and alcohol issues.

The programme will enhance your abilities in the field by extending theoretical knowledge and practical skills to alleviate these issues.

The course is mindful of the diverse professional backgrounds of participants and will provide you with the specialist skills and opportunity to enhance your knowledge base, employment and career prospects whatever your specialist field.

The programme plays a key role in empowering a workforce to respond to and provide systemic alcohol and other drug interventions within a four-tier model of treatment and care.

This programme will commence with an introductory module, Theoretical Foundations in Alcohol and Other Drugs, to ensure that all students, regardless of professional or academic background, have a basic understanding of the core concepts that underpin clinical, evidenced based and public health aspects of, alcohol and other specialist areas of drug and alcohol which results in harm to the individual, family and community. It will provide an opportunity for graduates to enhance their knowledge base, employment and career prospects with the inclusion of work based assessments to enhance their skills sets in a wide ranging Alcohol and Drug related service provision by embedding evidence informed practice in local organisations.

• Advanced research methods 
• Theoretical foundations in alcohol & other drugs  
• Alcohol and other drug use: interventions practice & skills 1
• Children and families: hidden harm
• Alcohol, drugs and mental health: recovery approaches 
• Alcohol and other drugs use: interventions practice & skills 2 
• Research dissertation  

The programme will take cognisance that student learners will come from a variety of practice /professional backgrounds. This programme of study in Alcohol and Other Drugs has been designed to provide postgraduate education focusing on recent advances in the conceptualisation of substance use and addiction, and its effective prevention and treatment.  Students will focus on theoretical advances and evidenced informed skills that will be contextualised within National policy, strategy, intervention and treatment. Emphasis will be placed upon facilitating the transfer of knowledge and skills to the workplace or students own professional development and career goals.

The minimum entry requirements are a Level 8 Honours Degree in a relevant discipline such as Health and Social Care, Nursing, Social Work, Youth Work, Psychology, medicine etc. Applicants may be required to undertake an interview.

Applicants who do not hold the above entry requirements may be considered using the ATU Recognition of Prior Learning process.

For more details about the course see the website https://www.atu.ie/courses/master-of-science-therapeutic-interventions-for-alcohol-and-other-drugs

This course began in 2017.