Sport and Social Change
BA (Hons)

Introduction to Sport Development (Core)

You will be provided with an introduction to the sport development and community physical activity landscape. You will be introduced to the key stakeholders and organisations who play a central role in the industry.

In addition, you will be introduced to the academic practices and key skills required for studying sport development and community engagement in higher education.

Introduction to Equality and Diversity in PE and Sport (Core)

You will explore how to engage all within sport and physical activity. You will examine equality, diversity and inclusion in sport for all. For example, you will understand factors influencing participation of:

• Different disabilities
• Different genders
• Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals (LGBTQ+)
• Different races and ethnicities
• Different religious groups and faiths
• Social classes

Leading Physical Activity 1 (Core)

You will be introduced to the key concepts required for planning, delivery and reflection of physical activity sessions in sport development and community sports settings. This aims to provide students with the foundations to understand the key processes required to encourage effective engagement in community sports sessions.

Professional Skills for Sport and  Community Engagement (Core)

You will be introduced to the key logistical concepts required for planning, delivering and reflecting upon physical activity sessions in sport development and community sports settings. You will be provided with the foundations to understand the key processes required to encourage effective engagement in community sports sessions. You will also develop the key skills to pitch your own community innovation project.

Understanding Health and Wellbeing (Core)

You will be introduced to the health and wellbeing landscape for children and young adults. You will learn about the theoretical and practical factors which influence health and wellbeing. You will develop an understanding of the process of planning for children and adolescents health and wellbeing through curriculum design, project-based initiatives and applied practices.

Introduction to Sport and Social Theory (Core)

You will be introduced to key theories from the social sciences which can be applied to questions of participation in sport, health and wellbeing, and engaging in sport development, community physical activity or in sport anti-discrimination projects. You will be introduced to concepts from the disciplines of sociology, social psychology and philosophy which could potentially be useful in supporting social change in sport.

Community Innovation Project (Core)

You will engage in project-based learning to set up and run a sport for change initiative within the university community. You will be encouraged to create an initiative that offers the opportunity to engage populations in physical activity which are currently under-represented within the university. This initiative will aim to change the sports structures within the university. You will network and build partnerships with organisations such as the students' union and sports development departments as well as external organisations.

Professional Development (Core)

You will build on the introduction of the professional landscape of a professional sports organisation from your first year. You will focus on your professional development within your placement in a sport development, community physical activity or anti-discrimination in sport setting. This module will be delivered across two semesters and will also include personal tutoring opportunities to your professional development and lifelong learning. This will also include directing students to external events or professional development opportunities, such as NGB awards to support their own personal professional development plan.

Research Proposal (Core)

You will develop your knowledge, skills, and understanding required to enable students to undertake an independent research project at Level 6. You will develop knowledge and understanding of well-established theories and concepts relating to research in the field of education, including a variety of methodological processes, tools, and approaches to conducting academic research. You will be able to apply this knowledge and understanding through the production of a presentation and a proposed research methodological proposal that has the potential to support the strategic aims of specific sport development, community physical activity or anti-discrimination in sport organisations.

Contemporary Issues in PE and Sport (Optional)

You will further develop your understanding of the social sciences and how these help assessing of contemporary social issues related to sport development, community engagement, and anti-discrimination. Using philosophical, sociological and psychological theories you will explore topics such as racism, class and gender inequalities, mental health and disparities in participation in sport among different populations.

Adapted PE and Sport 1 (Optional)

This module aims to give you both theoretical and practical experience in sport and physical activity for those with disabilities.  You will explore current initiatives focused around disability and inclusion in sport at a local, national and global level. The module will introduce you to the issues surrounding the historical, socio-economic forces and practical considerations that have shaped society's understanding of Adapted PE and Sport.

Critical Perspectives in Health and Wellbeing (Optional)

You will develop an insight into the psychological and social constructs around health in sport development and PE contexts. You will explore how local and national initiatives associated with health and wellbeing might potentially be applied in a variety of contexts. While also considering the different approaches to understand physical and mental wellbeing.

Leading Physical Activity 2 (Optional)

You will develop the key concepts required for planning, delivery and reflection of physical activity sessions in sport development and community sports settings. You will further develop the skills to understand the key processes required to encourage effect engagement in community sports sessions.

The Aspiring Entrepreneur (Optional)

Entrepreneurship education is essential for developing the human capital necessary for the society of the future. It is not enough to add entrepreneurship on the perimeter – it needs to be core to the way education operates. Educational institutions, at all levels (primary, secondary and higher education) need to adopt 21st century methods and tools to develop the appropriate learning environment for encouraging creativity, innovation and the ability to “think out of the box” to solve problems (Wilson et al 2009).

The intention is that this module will enable you to engage in a range of activities and reflect on what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur. As part of the curriculum framework, this module serves as a stepping-stone to promoting further entrepreneurial activity within the university. The progression route from the module, naturally links to Start-up St Marys (an entrepreneurial extra-curricular programme) which you will have access to. By completing the Aspiring Entrepreneur module, you will be equipped with the necessary skills and abilities to successfully engage in the St Mary’s Start-up programme and importantly, you will have enhanced their employability skills which in turn will improve graduate outcomes.

The Aspiring Entrepreneur module will support you in identifying the range of skills required and your current competencies in these, in order to successfully engage in future entrepreneurship. The module will explore a range of both technical skills and the leadership traits required by successful entrepreneurs. These skills are increasingly advantageous to both the individual and the organisation they operate in. With an extensive range of experience in both entrepreneurship and reflection, the Centre for Work-based  Learning academic team will be able to facilitate the development of the soft skills related to leadership, ethics, communication, and new working models (Sousa, 2018). 

Community Innovation Project 2 (Core)

You will engage in project-based learning to set up and run an initiative within the local community, partnering with a sport development, community physical activity or anti-discrimination organisation. This initiative will encourage you to create an initiative that offers the opportunity to engage populations in physical activity which are currently under-represented. This initiative will aim to change the sports structures and opportunities within the local community. It will also encourage you s to network and build partnerships with key stakeholders, partners and potential employers.

Professional Development 2 (Core)

You will build on your our experience of the professional landscape of a professional sports organisation from your second-year placement. You will focus on your professional development within your placement in a sport development, community physical activity or anti-discrimination in sport setting.

This module will be delivered across two semesters and will also include personal tutoring opportunities for your professional development and lifelong learning. This will also include directing you to external events or professional development opportunities, such as NGB awards to support their own personal professional development plan.

Research Project (Core)

This module is designed to support you to develop your final dissertation. The module consists predominantly of self-directed study; therefore, students will be working largely independently. In Semester 1, students will meet with your dissertation group and supervisor to develop an understanding of the process of doing research.

In Semester 2, you will meet with your supervisor on regular occasions for advice and to ensure you develop research that serves the strategic aims of specific sport development, community physical activity or anti-discrimination in sport organisations. You will then present your research back to key stakeholders from specific sport development, community physical activity or anti-discrimination in sport organisations.

Advanced Contemporary Issues in PE and Sport (Optional)

You will develop an advanced level of understanding of the social sciences and how these help understand contemporary social issues related to sport development, community engagement, and anti-discrimination in greater detail.

Using philosophical, sociological and psychological theories you will explore topics such as racism, class and gender inequalities, mental health and disparities in participation in sport among different populations. You will present your analysis to macro and micro-level contexts while proposing tentative solutions to tackling these issues.

Adapted PE and Sport 2 (Optional)

This module aims to give you the key knowledge and practical experience in disability sport delivering Adapted Physical Activity, PE and Sport sessions in the local community. Knowledge and understanding will build on the previous module so that you can confidently apply your skills to practical sessions. You will subsequently build an advanced foundation of Adapted Physical Activity, PE and Sport allowing you to feel more confident and prepared to work within this setting in future.

Mental Health and Wellbeing in Sport and Exercise (Optional)

You will explore the wide spectrum of contents which underpins questions related to mental health and wellbeing which are essential for practitioners working in sport development, physical education and elite sports settings.

You will explore content that addresses the psychological and social characteristics which impact specific mental health conditions as well as an understanding of the nature of specific mental health conditions and how initiatives and support could be effective in both prevention and treatment of mental health and wellbeing.

Global Perspectives in Sport and Social Change (Optional)

You will explore the role of different stakeholders in the planning delivery and implementation of sport for social change initiatives in the global context. The module is underpinned by theory, which utilises both western and de-colonial perspectives to critically evaluate the role sport has played in line with the united nations development goals.