SPRT40215: Exercise as Medicine: Critical Perspectives

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• This PGT (Level 4) module will comprise one of the compulsory modules for the MSc Physical Activity, Health and Society. It will draw on multidisciplinary approaches to address the strengths and challenges of treating exercise as medicine in a professional setting. The module aims:
• To build knowledge and critical understanding of the role of exercise as medicine, and to critically analyse the role of exercise in specific populations.
• To critically examine the practical need for physical activity intervention in specific populations, while exploring the complexity of access, engagement and sustained behaviour change linked to exercise programmes.

• This module is intended to build upon and extend knowledge and skills developed through a variety of multi-disciplinary undergraduate degrees and professional practices.
• Indicative content may include: exercise prescription; barriers and facilitators to participation in exercise programmes; designing and developing effective exercise interventions; and programme implementation and evaluation.
• The module covers a wide range of evidence, case studies and theoretical approaches drawing from numerous fields and disciplines to provide students with a multidisciplinary perspective of the topic.

Subject-specific Knowledge:

• Critically appraise the role of 'exercise as medicine' and compare and contrast the practical need for intervention in certain groups.
• Evaluate the access, engagement and sustainability of exercise interventions and programmes.

Subject-specific Skills:

• Demonstrate practical skills related to exercise as medicine and the development of exercise interventions and programmes.
• Demonstrate interdisciplinary thinking and analysis using a critical approach.
• Demonstrate critical synthesis and analysis of material across multidisciplinary topics.

Key Skills:

• Communicate key concepts effectively and persuasively in various formats to engage with different audiences.
• Enhance problem-solving capabilities through the critical engagement with multidisciplinary materials.
• Use IT and library facilities to identify and access relevant sources of information.

• Staff-led content will introduce students to the concept of Exercise as Medicine and related topics as well as the complexity of access, engagement and sustained behaviour change linked to exercise interventions and programmes. Interactive group activities will enable students to discuss the relative merits and challenges of using exercise as medicine, as well as to undertake practical activities and analysis to develop the practical skill that could be incorporated as applied examples in their summative assessment.
• Independently, students will be required to invest time in directed reading, research activities, and group-based activity preparation.
• The formative assessment will include a debate about the role of exercise as medicine in a relevant area. Feedback on the quality of the prepared argument will be provided.
• The summative assessment will include a persuasive written research essay examining the role of exercise as medicine in a specific population and/or relevant area. Students will be asked to reflect on the experience of writing an evidence-based persuasive essay.

Debate. Students will be assigned a position on a relevant topic and be asked to prepare an argument in favour of this position. Students will engage in a debate with fellow students in the scheduled debate session. Students will receive relevant feedback on the formulation of their argument. This feedback will then contribute to their ability to build their arguments for their summative assessment, a persuasive written essay.

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