The course provides knowledge on innovative processes and innovative thinking as a tool to solve need-based problems in interdisciplinary teams. With the application of game design, the task for the student groups is to create solutions promoting changes in health behaviours and in health care. The course focuses on the four pillars of learning; critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity.
One week is preparatory studies on your own utilising online resources on the learning platform Studium. The next two weeks, starting 5 August, are taught on campus with mandatory presence full days all days.
This course is a freestanding course that could also serve as supplementary training for professionals in medicine, caring science, physiotherapy, public health and psychology.
About the course
Content
The course aims to increase knowledge of how psychosocial aspects play a role in cardiovascular disease. During the course, we will go through the causes of, and treatments for, mental illness in cardiovascular disease. Behaviour change techniques applicable in both primary and secondary prevention are practiced. Special behavioural challenges related to specific cardiovascular diagnoses will be discussed. Finally, inequalities in healthcare affecting people with cardiovascular disease are discussed. Different treatment based on factors such as gender, socioeconomics and serious psychiatric illness are discussed.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding:
After the course the students should be able to:
- explain the relationship between the autonomic nervous system, mental health and the cardiovascular system, and how this is reflected for example in heart rate variability,
- explain theories that describe the mutual relationship between cardiovascular disease and psychological factors,
- describe psychological theories and methods for behaviour change and to improve psychological wellbeing that can be used with people with cardiovascular disease.
Skills and abilities:
After the course the students should be able to:
- discuss behaviour change theories and behaviour change techniques of relevance to people with cardiovascular disease,
- perform a basic behavioural analysis and apply methods to influence motivation and behavioural change in people with cardiovascular disease
- discuss inequalities in health care that affect people with cardiovascular disease, and ways to reduce these inequalities.
Judgement and approach:
After the course the students should be able to:
- critically review scientific articles dealing with psychological interventions for people with cardiovascular disease,
- demonstrate an empathic and accepting conversational approach that can enhance motivation.
Programme
The online component of this courses consists of individual coursework, which can be accessed and completed anytime, starting from June 15th. Coursework needs to be completed before the physical component (i.e. the two campus-weeks), and will require approximately 40 hours (1.5 ECTS credits). We advise to start the individual coursework at the latest on July 28. There are no synchronous (“live”) sessions during the online component.
Assessment
Students are assessed through a written exam and a group project work where they search material on the use of psychological interventions for people with cardiovascular disease and present their result orally and in writing.
If there are special reasons, the examiner may make exceptions to the specified examination method and allow a student to be examined in a different way. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the University's disability coordinator.
Lecturers
- Erik Olsson, Uppsala University
- Alvin O’Sullivain, Uppsala University
- Femke De Backere, Ghent University
- Antonio Casado, University of the Basque Country
Course dates
On-site period: 4 - 15 Aug 2025 in Uppsala
Online period: individual coursework can be accessed anytime, starting from June 15th. We advise to start the individual coursework at the latest on July 28th.
How to apply?
Entry requirements: 120 credits. Proficiency in English.
This course is open for application for students from all ten ENLIGHT universities.
All students can apply directly via antagning.se (unfortunately in Swedish but managable with a translation service), or apply via their home institutions. For information on each university’s procedures, please see below.
- Students from Uppsala University: Students from Uppsala University have to apply by April 15 2023 using the national application service antagning.se.
- University of Bern: https://www.unibe.ch/studies/mobility/outgoing/enlight/index_eng.html
- University of Tartu: https://ut.ee/en/content/enlight-blended-courses
- Ghent University: students should contact their faculty/programme, to include this as free elective course in their curriculum
- Students from the other ENLIGHT universities: Please contact your ENLIGHT coordinator to inquire whether and how you can apply.
If applying through home institutions, the student will be enrolled at Uppsala University as an exchange student. If directly via antagning.se they will be Uppsala University students.
Waiting lists are encouraged.
Contact
Prof. Erik Olsson,