Arts, Mental Health and Wellbeing aims to encourage interest in and knowledge of a topic of strong contemporary relevance: the role of arts and culture in promoting human health and wellbeing. It aims to bring together historical, literary and philosophical perspectives (classical to modern) of health and wellbeing, across an individual’s life-cycle and in different communities. It will also focus on arts and humanities-oriented responses to (mental) health in contemporary medical practice and social care, as well as on associated research and evaluation challenges and methodological issues, including pressures and resistances to biomedical evidence structures. The module will draw on academic expertise in English, Music, Modern Languages and Philosophy as well as the professional experience of practitioners in the Liverpool City region and contemporary examples from, e.g., Africa, Australasia, Europe, South America and the US. Through first-hand encounter with arts-led pract ice and practice-led research, students will be encouraged to creatively engage with key concepts and challenges within arts-in-healthcare and critically explore the therapeutic role of the arts and humanities in health and wellbeing.

(LO1) Analyse, interpret and compare with competence and independence a wide variety of literary, philosophical and contemporary research texts.

(LO2) Demonstrate an advanced knowledge and systematic understanding of the field of arts in healthcare.

(LO3) Critically appreciate the past and present relationship of arts, culture and mental health and wellbeing.

(LO4) Demonstrate critical awareness of current and new debates, concepts and theories within the field of arts in healthcare, including knowledge of work outside the academy.

(LO5) Integrate public-facing and professional/collaborative learning (and where possible co-production) with research-informed critical inquiry.

(LO6) Practically apply a comprehensive understanding of techniques for accessing electronic and bibliographic sources.

(LO7) Use scholarly referencing and bibliographic conventions appropriate for advanced scholarship.

(LO8) Critically evaluate different research methodologies and select appropriate methodologies.

(LO9) Negotiate complex issues both systematically and creatively in order to generate new and independent research.

(S1) Critically evaluate current debates and new insights within the field of arts in mental health and wellbeing, from a range of disciplines and perspectives, including those from outside the academy.

(S2) Analyse diverse forms of discourse and of complex information and argument in a critical, creative and self-reflective manner.

(S3) Present sustained and persuasive written and oral arguments.

(S4) Autonomously design and self-direct a research-informed project that brings together historical and contemporary approaches.

(S5) Apply a variety of theoretical and practical approaches to arts in health.

(S6) Retrieve information, assemble bibliographic data, and critically evaluate, sift and organize material independently.

(S7) Use IT and other relevant tools and resources to present written and oral work to a professional, scholarly standard.

(S8) Select and use electronic and / or archival resources for planning and undertaking research and writing.

(S9) Demonstrate organisational skills in managing time and workloads, and in meeting deadlines.

Teaching on this module is undertaken through 2-hour seminars which take place fortnightly, or 4-hour workshops.
The majority of teaching will be delivered face-to-face on campus. Online delivery will be used to complement the on-campus delivery and where technology affords a better learning experience.
The emphasis will be on small and whole group discussion of required reading and/or close analysis of creative or performative texts (video-footage/transcripts of therapeutic influence of arts, live demonstration by practitioner).

The majority of all students’ learning time on this module is in self-directed study and independent research. This will include reading widely in the fields relevant to this subject area, researching appropriate resources, acquainting themselves with relevant theoretical and practical approaches to arts/culture and mental health, and developing individual research ideas. In addition to individual discussion with tutors in office hours , independent study will be supported by a (non-credit-bearing) discussion board for students to share ideas with one another and with practitioners in the Liverpool City Region who are contributing to the module. Further support will be provided in a bank of online resources, regularly updated and targeted to match the specific needs and interests of the students and the dynamically fluid arts in health landscape in the Liverpool City Region.

Attendance at seminars will be recorded in line with HLC policy on attendance.

The module syllabus will cover a range of themes, concepts and research methods within the broad field of arts and health by incorporating a variety of historical, literary and philosophical texts (from antiquity to the present-day), together with contemporary research evidence and methodological enquiry, and examples of current practice and practitioner/service-user testimony;

Library resources will be available through the module reading lists and the VLE;

Students are expected to read the specified primary and secondary texts for each seminar, and to undertake further independent study as appropriate, both in preparation for seminars and for the assessment.