SPRT40315: Physical Activity, Health and Inequalities

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• Through examination of contemporary research and policy in the field (including that of the module teaching team), this module aims to critically explore:
• What is implied and understood by health inequalities as they relate to physical (in)activity?
• Who is impacted by physical activity inequalities across the life course?
• How are physical activity inequalities experienced by different groups via a focus on health and wellbeing, and why?
• How might we reduce or prevent the widening of physical activity inequalities with a view to optimising health and wellbeing, and where (or with whom) does this responsibility lie?

• What:
• Cross-disciplinary physical (in)activity definitions across disciplines and key international and national physical activity policy examples.
• Physical (in)activity determinants, and socioeconomic, demographic and intersectional inequalities in relation to physical (in)activity and health.
• Why and who:
• Focussing in on PA inequity and lived experiences across specific groups, or communities with shared characteristics. Examples (non-exhaustive) will depend on teaching team each year and might include older age, women and menopause, minority ethnic groups, disability, LGBTQplus people, children and young people, communities living with deprivation, intersectionality, or other complex barriers to activity.
• Solutions:
• Critical appraisal of existing strategies and research designs that have been utilised widely within physical activity literature. Examples (non-exhaustive) might include interventions, evaluations and systems approaches.

Subject-specific Knowledge:

• A critical understanding of global and national physical activity and health inequalities in current times, and their determinants.
• Interdisciplinary in-depth understanding of complex physical activity inequalities through examining the lived experiences of certain groups or communities.
• Advanced critical understanding of existing strategies and research designed to reduce (or prevent widening of) physical activity and health inequalities, and what is still needed.

Subject-specific Skills:

• Develop and critically evaluate advanced arguments in respect of physical (in)activity and health inequalities.
• Assimilate interdisciplinary evidence and produce critically argued reports for key stakeholders within the professional physical activity and health setting.

Key Skills:

• Independent and critical thinking in relation to physical activity and health inequalities.
• The ability to produce high quality, interdisciplinary, written work which draws on a strong critical understanding of research to inform practice.

• A series of 2-hour seminars will allow for delivery of key learning material whilst providing opportunity to integrate student-led learning during the session, rather than separately. This format will allow for a more scaffolded and interactive learning experience than a traditional lecture and seminar format.
• Student preparation and reading time will support deeper learning required for this level of study. Students will be provided with key and recommended readings, and will also be expected to engage in wider independent reading in the field.
• The assessment will require students to draw on learning and wider independent study, to demonstrate attainment of all learning outcomes.

A written plan for the presentation will be submitted by students, with written feedback provided. This assessment and associated feedback will directly inform the summative submission.

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