Applied Research Dissertation in Sport, Physical Activity and Mental Health enables you to undertake an independent research project on a topic of your choice in the field of sport, physical activity and mental health. You will be required to undertake a systematic review of the existing literature on your chosen topic, appraise the various justifications for the selected research methodologies, methods and tools, and consider the ways in which relevant data can be managed and analysed in a manner appropriate to your identified research questions. You will be required to provide critical and cogent theoretical explanations of your findings and consider the ways in which they inform policy and practice. The dissertation may be written-up in the form of a traditional thesis or as a journal article based on the styles and conventions of an international peer-reviewed journal.

Mental Health and Mental Illness: Prevalence, Determinants and Inequality examines the prevalence of mental illness globally and in local, regional and national contexts. The module also considers the social, cultural and economic determinants of mental health and how these are associated with various forms of inequality (including income and wealth inequality). This will enable you to reflect upon the major social changes associated with the increasing incidence of mental illness, discuss how this contributes to other health conditions, and consider how these conditions and the health inequalities they produce might be effectively addressed by politicians, policy makers and other organisations, including charities and campaign groups, to help improve lives.

Research Methods and Programme Design in Sport, Physical Activity and Mental Health introduces you to the major research methodologies, methods and approaches that are commonly used in sport, physical activity and mental health research. You will become familiar with the types of evaluation methods commonly used in the field and with the planning process for programme design, development and enactment. In addition to developing an awareness of the theoretical frameworks which guide programme design and evaluation, you will become familiar with the pragmatic and practical realities of undertaking research and evaluation in sport, physical activity and mental health, as well as the various ethical dilemmas and decisions that need to be negotiated in the process. The ways in which data can be generated, managed and analysed during the course of research will also be considered so that you become critically aware of the various elements involved in the research process and, in particular, the design and evaluation of programmes.

The Policy Process in Sport, Physical Activity and Mental Health equips you with a critical understanding of the policy process in relation to sport, physical activity and mental health. The module examines major policy responses to mental health and illness and explores how these have been deployed in sport and physical activity contexts. You will analyse the various interconnections between the policy agendas in sport and physical activity on the one hand, and mental health and illness on the other, with a view to exploring how these can be explained and used to identify the future trajectories of policy and political priorities. The module also examines the major models and phases of the policy process, how policy is enacted in practice, and the methods used to monitor and evaluate its effectiveness in sport, physical activity and mental health.

Mental Health Awareness for Community Sports Participants and Practitioners will develop your awareness of mental health and illness among community sports participants and practitioners and examine how mental health can be understood in community sport settings. In particular, the module explores the ways in which groups including coaches, volunteers, staff members, managers and other community sport providers can effectively address the mental health needs of sport participants for whom they are responsible, whether in sports programmes or other areas of organisational life. The module reflects upon the opportunities and challenges of promoting positive mental health in community sports organisations, in addition to the workplace setting more broadly, and discusses the role of mentoring, education and peer leadership in developing mental health awareness among those who seek to promote mental health in community sport organisations and settings.

Mental Health Awareness for Performance Sport Athletes and Practitioners will develop your awareness of mental health and illness among performance sport athletes (throughout their careers and post-sport lives) and practitioners. The module will consider how mental health can be understood in performance sport settings and explore the ways in which groups including coaches, welfare officers, performance and support staff, and managers can effectively address the mental health needs of the performance sport athletes for whom they are responsible. Whether in performance settings or other areas of lifestyle management, the module reflects upon the opportunities and challenges of promoting positive mental health in performance sports organisations, as well as in the workplace setting more broadly. The role of mentoring, education and peer leadership in developing mental health awareness among athletes and other performance sports workers will also be discussed.

Sport, Physical Activity and Mental Health Promotion for Adults and Older People is particularly relevant if you are interested in mental health and illness among adults and older people, in addition to the various strategies that can be deployed to address the mental health needs of these population groups. You will critically evaluate the evidence for the psychological theories and determinants that are associated with sport and physical activity participation, as well as sedentariness among adults and older people, and consider how this relates to behaviour change interventions in various settings. These settings include the workplace, community environments such as sports clubs, in addition to leisure-oriented domains and other social settings. You will also examine engagement in sport and physical activity and relate this to other lifestyle behaviours including diet, the use of legal and illegal drugs, the use of social media, and the quantity and quality of their social relationships. The consequences of these behaviours for mental health and their association with mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, self-harm, body image-related problems, and eating disorders and disordered eating will be examined.

Sport, Physical Activity and Mental Health Promotion for Children and Young People is particularly relevant if you are interested in mental health and illness among children and young people, in addition to the various strategies that can be deployed to address the mental health needs of these population groups. You will critically evaluate the evidence for the psychological theories and determinants that are associated with sport and physical activity participation, as well as sedentariness among children and young people, and consider how this relates to behaviour change interventions in various settings. These settings include schools, community environments such as sports and youth clubs, in addition to other leisure-oriented domains. You will also examine engagement in sport and physical activity and relate this to other lifestyle behaviours including diet, the use of legal and illegal drugs, use of social media, and the quantity and quality of their social relationships. The consequences of these activities for young people’s mental health and their association with mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, self-harm, body image-related problems, eating disorders and disordered eating will be examined.