Module summary

The module moves systematically through ideas, theories, research and the practice of health and well-being in the built environment working towards an understanding of the connections and complexity of urban health and wellbeing at a neighbourhood and urban scale.

 

Key topics include: health impact assessments; integrating the design and health/wellbeing agendas; participatory and engagement approaches; assessment and tools to understand health and wellbeing at the city and neighborhood scale; social cohesion and the built environment; the role of transport, mobility and physical activity on health urban environmental quality; climate and resilience.

 

As well as hearing from a range of different perspectives, both academic and professional, this module will introduce a variety of case studies to show students how some of the key principles have been put into practice. A fundamental part of the module is public engagement; encouraging the students to develop a range of skills relevant to public engagement and communication and to test different methods in an actual public engagement project.

Module aims and learning outcomes

The module aims to:

enhance the understanding of health and wellbeing in the built environment, at a neighbourhood and urban scale
	raise awareness of the role of a number of factors, environmental and social, affecting health and wellbeing within the built environment
	provide an insight into different perspectives, methods, tools and techniques to study health and wellbeing in cities
	demonstrate the connections and complexity of urban health and wellbeing
	build capacity for public engagement; encouraging the students to develop a range of skills relevant to public engagement and communication of research to different stakeholders
Module learning outcomes:

Students will: 


	Develop knowledge and understanding of the definitions, principles, conceptual frameworks and underlying concepts of health and wellbeing in the built environment, with particular reference to city and neighborhood scales, as well as design and planning dimensions.
	
	
	Understand the role of scale, and how certain factors impact health and well-being at the city and neighbourhood scale
	
	
	Explain the relationship between the planning of neighbourhoods and cities, and health and well-being, and question why certain planning and design features impact people's health and wellbeing
	
	
	Gain knowledge of key environmental issues (i.e. climate, resilience and flooding; urban environmental quality) and social conditions (i.e. networks, participation, cohesion) and of the links these have on physical, mental, social health and wellbeing
	
	
	Have an awareness of health inequalities and the built environment
	
	
	Understand different case studies and perspectives
	
	
	Explore the data, methods and metrics used to study and assess health and wellbeing in cities
	
	
	Understand and apply a health and wellbeing impact assessment, and associated tools
	
	
	Analyse a proposed development in the urban context from a health and wellbeing perspective and make recommendations for improvements
	
	
	Understand the tools and resources for planning and delivering effective, successful public engagement projects.
	
	
	Develop ideas for activities that open up their research and practice to involve people beyond the university
	
 

By completing the module students will be able to:

Undertake a health and wellbeing impact assessment
	Plan and deliver a public engagement activity
	Pitch to a range of built environment stakeholders