GV3SCW: Spaces of Care and Wellbeing

Module code: GV3SCW

Module provider: Geography and Environmental Science; School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science

Credits: 20

Level: 6

When you’ll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Professor Ruth Evans, email: r.evans@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2026/7

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 27 March 2026

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module aims to develop students’ knowledge and understanding about key theoretical approaches to geographies of care and wellbeing and how these may be applied through the use of qualitative and participatory methods in diverse spaces in the local community and globally. Through on-going collaborations with local charities and service providers, opportunities will be provided for students to engage with practitioners working with refugees, people experiencing loneliness or other marginalised groups in Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ and beyond. The module aims to develop research and employability skills through scoping meetings with external clients (practitioners in local support organisations) and bespoke consultancy report writing. It also aims to develop students’ skills in using qualitative and participatory methods by designing and facilitating a qualitative/ participatory session on youth wellbeing and care with their peers, analysing the data gathered, reflecting on the process and writing an individual mini-project report.  

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Describe and analyse a range of theoretical approaches and critically evaluate research on geographies of care and wellbeing in diverse spaces globally
2. Apply knowledge about academic theories and concepts to local community settings and demonstrate employability skills through writing a consultancy report
3. Demonstrate creativity and engagement by designing appropriate research methods and facilitating a participatory session on youth wellbeing and care with peers
4. Analyse qualitative/ participatory data, synthesise the findings and reflect on the research process.

Module content

The module explores geographies of care and wellbeing from a range of theoretical perspectives and applies these to diverse spaces of care and wellbeing locally and globally. The topics discussed include: care, wellbeing and therapeutic landscapes, disability and chronic illness, transnational families, care and migration, care ethics, race and migration, care and family deaths, children, young people and wellbeing and loneliness and wellbeing. The skills sessions focus on research design and methods, writing a consultancy report, participatory methods, planning the mini-project and data analysis.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

This module comprises eight key topics which will be explored through the lecturer’s introductions to the topic, students’ preparatory reading and viewing of video material and active engagement in discussions and activities in class. Skills sessions will prepare students for the fieldwork and coursework assignments. Sessions will focus on preparing the coursework assignments, research design and methods, consulting with clients and writing a consultancy report, participatory methods, planning the mini-project and analysing qualitative/ participatory data. Group fieldwork  will include consultation with local organisations  and participatory sessions with peers in class (in groups of up to 6 students). Assessment is through two individual coursework assignments, which draw on the group fieldwork. Arrangements will be made with local support organisations working in Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ/ Berkshire who are willing to facilitate the consultancy report in advance. The organisations involved will be confirmed at the start of the module.

Study hours

At least 22 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each calendar day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three calendar days;
• where the piece of work is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in you Individual Learning Plan), the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three calendar days of the deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

Where a piece of work is submitted late after a deadline which has been revised owing to an extension granted through the Assessment Adjustments policy and process (self-certified or otherwise), it will be subject to the maximum penalty (i.e., considered to be more than three calendar days late). This will also apply when such an extension is used in conjunction with a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Class discussions of preparatory reading and activities and skills sessions will provide feedback about students’ learning and engagement with key concepts and research methods. The scoping meetings with external clients provide opportunities to engage with and learn from local practitioners about their work to support marginalised groups. The tutorials provide opportunities to receive formative feedback on research questions and report plans.  Formative feedback will be provided on draft plans for the group project and participatory/ qualitative fieldwork through the ethical review process.  Planning and facilitating the participatory/ qualitative session with peers will provide valuable experience of team working and group facilitation and opportunities for informal feedback about the session.

Reassessment

Additional costs